Spring Break Epcot Help Request

[starjazz]

Hey all -

We're headed out to Epcot on 3/11. We definitely want FEA FPs, and they're available all afternoon and evening. We'd like to do WS counter clockwise (starting at Canada) because we have dinner ressies in China. Should I get the earliest FEA FP (2:10 pm), and then just come back to China at dinner time? Or should I get evening FPs?

Only reason I ask is because I've not been in Epcot during Spring Break, so I don't know how important those 4th, 5th, etc. FPs are. Normally, I'd say they're not really necessary because they're for second tier rides that wouldn't have much standby wait time. But during Spring Break, is it important to get through the first three FPs as soon as possible? Is a 210 FEA ride time early enough to get any later FPs anyway?

Hopefully my question makes sense. If it was any other time of year, I'd probably just shoot for FPs for FEA around dinner time and ride it right before or right after my dinner in China, but Spring Break changes things.

 

[loves to dive]

Keep in mind spring break stretches from March through April, everyone is different. We will be there that same week since it Spring break for UGA and my son goes there. We were there during UGA's spring break last year (I think it might have been a week later) and it didn't seem very crowded at all to us. Also, keep in mind F&G will be going on in Epcot so that might increase some of the traffic in WS but really shouldn't effect FW.

 

[sharonabe]

We're headed out to Epcot on 3/11. We definitely want FEA FPs, and they're available all afternoon and evening. We'd like to do WS counter clockwise (starting at Canada) because we have dinner ressies in China. Should I get the earliest FEA FP (2:10 pm), and then just come back to China at dinner time? Or should I get evening FPs?

If the evening FP is available, I'd get one closer to my dinner ADR and ride right before. Why would you want to backtrack if you don't have to. I'd shoot for about an hour before the ADR to give plenty of time to get through the line and ride without being stressed over the ADR time.

 

[starjazz]

The only reason I'd be willing to backtrack is if those 4th, 5th, 6th, FPs are important to have during Spring Break. If I take the later FP for FEA, I'll only have three all day. Does that make sense?

 

[Accident]

It's hard to wrap your head around unless your coming a lot but it's always crowded. even low crowds looks like summer crowds in the 00s. spring break happens over a couple months worldwide. Plan like your coming for summer, not like your coming for new years eve.

 

[BMonhaut]

I'm probably in the minority, but I'm always concerned about ride availability and breakdowns for the major rides. When we went in 2014, we had a FP for Mine Train around 1100 but the ride didn't become operational until about 4 or 5 that day. So I guess the later you go, the less flexibility you have if the ride goes down later in the day (because usually they'll honor a fastpass later that day if the ride goes down) - and although I think FEA has gotten better, it's probably fair to question its reliability.

 

[sharonabe]

The only reason I'd be willing to backtrack is if those 4th, 5th, 6th, FPs are important to have during Spring Break. If I take the later FP for FEA, I'll only have three all day. Does that make sense?

Okay, that makes sense. But if your FEA FP is around 2:00 and that's your last FP and you're staying in WS for the rest of the day, what else might you want to FP for later? Hopefully, that's readable!

 

[starjazz]

Well, that's a good point. We usually spend the afternoon, right up through dinner, in WS. Then we try to hit a couple of the FW rides right after dinner before Illuminations (or sometimes skip this overrated show ) and hit rides the rest of the night. So, I guess it'd be for that couple of hours after dinner that we'd want FPs. Tough call. I might be leaning toward taking the later evening FEA FP for convenience. I'll have a 6, 8 and 9 year old with me, so the less walking the better, ya know?

 

[stinkpickle]

Whatever you do, get as many FEA FPs as you can. It breaks down a lot.

 

[sharonabe]

Whatever you do, get as many FEA FPs as you can. It breaks down a lot.

If it is broken down during your FP time, they will honor that FP later. Same day later, of course.

 

[stinkpickle]

If it is broken down during your FP time, they will honor that FP later. Same day later, of course.

True, but you might be involved in other things when it comes back up.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Personally, I would do it early and try to get more FP+. We've had good luck getting Tier 1 FP+ on the fly, day-of, during busy seasons (we've snagged last minute Soarin' FP+ twice - once the week before Christmas and once the week between Christmas and New Year's!). Even if they end up being Tier 2, if they are rides/attractions you would still be interested in, might as well try to get a FP+!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

This is why I wish they had just left it Maelstrom. So much Epcot planning stress and tsouris for such a meh ride.

 

[Robo]

The only reason I'd be willing to backtrack is if those 4th, 5th, 6th, FPs are important to have during Spring Break.

First off, I don't think you'll be getting too many valuable 4th, 5th, 6th, FPs in Epcot during Spring Break.

 

[Accident]

First off, I don't think you'll be getting too many valuable 4th, 5th, 6th, FPs in Epcot during Spring Break.

If your rope dropping and your first fastpasses aren't over by 3pm, I agree with this statement. Generally the good same day fastpasses appear noon to 3ish but some linger around especially during fireworks and end of night time slots until about 4ish. i've been making out like a bandit for almost any ride by looking during that window that everyone else still hasn't used up their first 3 yet.

Now what I will say is don't expect to find fastpasses you can use as your passing by the rides for 4+. they are going to be time slots that are more mid afternoon - close but several hours away from when your looking. So you look near noon to get the 3-5 ones. near 1-2 get you the 6-8 ones. and then 3-5 get you the during fireworks and close ones. You need to be willing to do some leg work and bounce around property which most likely will completely negate getting them in the first place with that added time. I however like to exercise by walking aroudn the park many times so it works out for me to toss in a quick almost no wait ride each pass I do.

 

[soniam]

I have found the the 4th+ or even same day FP+ at Epcot are kind of worthless, especially mid-March. The chances of them being anything like FEA, TT, Soarin', MS Orange, the Land, or Spaceship Earth are less likely. You could probably get Imagination, Turtle Talk, Pixar Shorts, and maybe Nemo. So, don't bank on getting anything too decent.

 

[starjazz]

First off, I don't think you'll be getting too many valuable 4th, 5th, 6th, FPs in Epcot during Spring Break.

This was really my main concern. I think I'll change that FEA FP to be closer to our dinner time.

Thanks everyone for the input!

 

[Accident]

I have found the the 4th+ or even same day FP+ at Epcot are kind of worthless, especially mid-March. The chances of them being anything like FEA, TT, Soarin', MS Orange, the Land, or Spaceship Earth are less likely. You could probably get Imagination, Turtle Talk, Pixar Shorts, and maybe Nemo. So, don't bank on getting anything too decent.

Not during easter. many say (and I agree) that only xmas to nye is busier and not by much.

do you not find it crazy busy?

 

[soniam]

Not during easter. many say (and I agree) that only xmas to nye is busier and not by much.

do you not find it crazy busy?

NYE at Epcot was busy. It was the busiest that I have ever seen it. The FP lines looked long, but they actually moved pretty good. Standby lines were definitely long, but I wasn't crazy enough to think that was a good idea on NYE. I heard all of the horror stories about long lines for food and the bathrooms. I saw some of these lines, but I also found a lot that were just busy, not monumentally long. Also, if the bathroom line was terribly long, I just moved onto the next one, which usually only had a few people waiting. I seriously think that I have a higher threshold than many for crowds. We go to a lot of autoracing events with long lines, and I have only ever been to the parks during the busier times, ie Spring Break, after xmas, and Summer. Also, we usually do rope drop, but didn't on NYE, and we use Touring Plans.