Pandora open before official park opening time?

[ilovetotravel1977]

If the Pandora rides are typically opened earlier than park opening time, is the actual land open as well for visiting? We have a FP+ for FOP at 9:10am and will be riding Navi at rope drop. From what I have read, that could be as early as 8:30am (9:00am parking opening). That could leave us 20-30 minutes to burn before our FP+. We were hoping to be able to get our tour of the land itself in during that wait time.

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[subtchr]

Well, I'm not sure what you mean by "tour", but you can walk around, sure. The area is not that big, so if FoP and Na'vi are open, there is no part of the area that could be blocked off or anything like that.

 

[NH-to-FL]

Yes, once they "drop the rope" to Pandora that part of the park is open to wandering around. If you are going to rope drop NRJ then you'll bear off to the left when the majority of the crowd is steered to the right towards FoP.

You might find that the rope drop queue for FoP will extend out of the attraction and fill in a few of the pathways.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Thanks for the confirmations.

Should we still get to the park around 8am or can we get there around 8:30am for Navi rope drop?

 

[Robo]

Thanks for the confirmations.

Should we still get to the park around 8am or can we get there around 8:30am for Navi rope drop?

Earlier beats later, especially in this case.

 

[Burgermom]

Is it worth trying for a 9am FP+ for Flight of Passage or is it going to be too busy and congested at FOP first thing in the morning? Should I try for something later in the day instead? I'd like to try to minimize how much criss crossing I'm doing but I don't want to get caught in a situation where I can't even make it to the FP line because there are so many people crowding around

 

[PurplePencil]

Is it worth trying for a 9am FP+ for Flight of Passage or is it going to be too busy and congested at FOP first thing in the morning? Should I try for something later in the day instead? I'd like to try to minimize how much criss crossing I'm doing but I don't want to get caught in a situation where I can't even make it to the FP line because there are so many people crowding around

If you can get a 9 am FOP do it... any FOP is better than none

 

[Burgermom]

If you can get a 9 am FOP do it... any FOP is better than none

Haha, so true

 

[Cabius]

... the Pandora rides are typically opened earlier than park opening time

Does this apply during EMH mornings too? We're going 1/23, with 8AM EMH and 9AM park open. Should we expect Pandora to be opened to us promptly at 8, or are we likely to get an early start?

 

[Disnsyncey]

Does this apply during EMH mornings too? We're going 1/23, with 8AM EMH and 9AM park open. Should we expect Pandora to be opened to us promptly at 8, or are we likely to get an early start?

In October we did 2 EMH mornings a Saturday & Monday....the procedures were both different....one we were stopped at various spots on the way to Pandora, another was literally just walk all the way through to the ride....both open before the normal EMH time....but anything can change from day to day....I would agree earlier beats later....

 

[mbcary]

Does this apply during EMH mornings too? We're going 1/23, with 8AM EMH and 9AM park open. Should we expect Pandora to be opened to us promptly at 8, or are we likely to get an early start?

It did apply when we were there last month. Park opened at 8am with EMH. We were scanning our bands at 7:15 at the gate, then scanned again by a cast member to verify we were staying at a Disney resort, then led to Pandora. So we were on and off FOP before 8am.

 

[hllb]

Thanks for the confirmations.

Should we still get to the park around 8am or can we get there around 8:30am for Navi rope drop?

I have heard you could get there later for Navi. For a 9 am park open, arriving about 8:20 or 8:30 is supposedly fine since almost everyone is going to FoP. I haven't done so myself though.

 

[JohnneeO]

When they open the rides prior to the park opening time on a non-EMH morning, the lines (especially NRJ) move quickly because there are no FP's entering the queue yet.

 

[jedijake]

So I’m that uninformed pandora opens 30 minutes before the rest of animal kingdom and NR and FoP are running early too??

 

[Robo]

So I’m that uninformed pandora opens 30 minutes before the rest of animal kingdom and NR and FoP are running early too??

Yup.

 

[doyouwanttogofaster]

Hi, I'm a new member & it'll be our (2A & 2C 12&13) first time visit from 12/23 for a week. Staying onsite so we managed to get FP+ for FOP on 12/27 @ 12:00, it's an EMH day from 7:00am, what time should we aim to get to AK if we want to get a park opening ride on FOP. We've got a FP for NRJ on a different day so not worried about that. We're staying at POR, so would get Disney bus or take an Uber/Taxi to be certain of decent arrival time.

 

[Robo]

Hi, I'm a new member & it'll be our (2A & 2C 12&13) first time visit from 12/23 for a week. Staying onsite so we managed to get FP+ for FOP on 12/27 @ 12:00, it's an EMH day from 7:00am,
1. what time should we aim to get to AK if we want to get a park opening ride on FOP. We've got a FP for NRJ on a different day so not worried about that. We're staying at POR,
2. so would get Disney bus or take an Uber/Taxi to be certain of decent arrival time.

1. 6:00 AM, or so
2. Buses won't be rolling early enough.

You have chosen one of the busiest days of the entire year.
Good luck!

to the DISboards, doyouwanttogofaster!

 

[doyouwanttogofaster]

1. 6:00 AM, or so
2. Buses won't be rolling early enough.

You have chosen one of the busiest days of the entire year.
Good luck!

to the DISboards, doyouwanttogofaster!

Thanks for that. Looks like an Uber just before 6am then.

Yes, I've heard there might be a few people there! Our 3 x FP+ are done by 13:40 so I guess we might be ready to bail out by then. Will it be as busy as MK on Christmas Day 'cos we're hitting that one then too, with a early afternoon escape option! Though from what I'm reading on forums it sounds as if WDW is busy all the time these days.

 

[megveg]

I rope dropped an EMH Morning on Monday December 4th, with EMH starting at 8am.

I took an uber from All star Sports and was dropped off at AK at 6:55am. There were already 30 or so people waiting for bag check to open. At 7:05 they opened bag check and I was 3rd in line at a tap point. The "rope" was dropped at 7:20 AM wirh Cast member escort to the bridge.

At 7:30, cast members guided the hoarde of people to Pandora and i was in line and matched with an avatar on FOP at 7:38.

Walked off the ride, moved to River Journey, was in a boat and starting the ride at exactly 8am.

From then on, Pandora was a SWAMP of people, I went on safari and Everest with No waits (best safari ever) and was done with everything I wanted to do by 9:15.

It wasn't crowded but the rope drop crowd was intense but if you planned for it, it was easy.

I hope this helps someone!!

 

[Robo]

1. Will it be as busy as MK on Christmas Day 'cos we're hitting that one then too, with a early afternoon escape option!

2. Though from what I'm reading on forums it sounds as if WDW is busy all the time these days.

1. Beyond busy.

2. There's "Wow, the WDW parks are always busy, these days!" and "I can't believe we can't even walk between areas!!" Christmas busy.