"Get in line at closing time" strategy

[TiggerBouncy]

Someone said while we were at the park that if you get in line right when the park closes they won't kick you out of the line and it moves much faster since there are no fastpasses.

I.E. if AK closes in 6pm and you get in line for FOP at 5:59 - the queue may say 2 hours but since there are no FP's issued after 6 the line moves really fast so only takes 30 minutes and they won't close it on you no matter how long it takes (even if you were there until 8).

Is this true? If so, why isn't this strategy more often employed then rope drop for FOP tickets since this would be a much shorter wait?

 

[Texans_loyal]

Someone said while we were at the park that if you get in line right when the park closes they won't kick you out of the line and it moves much faster since there are no fastpasses.

I.E. if AK closes in 6pm and you get in line for FOP at 5:59 - the queue may say 2 hours but since there are no FP's issued after 6 the line moves really fast so only takes 30 minutes and they won't close it on you no matter how long it takes (even if you were there until 8).

Is this true? If so, why isn't this strategy more often employed then rope drop for FOP tickets since this would be a much shorter wait?

The ride can go down after waiting for 2 hours and you will be out of luck. Heard it happen to a couple of people on here.

 

[stinkpickle]

Someone said while we were at the park that if you get in line right when the park closes they won't kick you out of the line and it moves much faster since there are no fastpasses.

I.E. if AK closes in 6pm and you get in line for FOP at 5:59 - the queue may say 2 hours but since there are no FP's issued after 6 the line moves really fast so only takes 30 minutes and they won't close it on you no matter how long it takes (even if you were there until 8).

Is this true? If so, why isn't this strategy more often employed then rope drop for FOP tickets since this would be a much shorter wait?

There's no guarantee it will be a shorter wait than rope drop.

 

[dlavender]

We will try this method on Thanks night.

Wanted to avoid RD with 3 kids.

I've read reports using this method and it seems that you are going to wait anywhere from 45-120 mins at close.

I'm honestly preparing for the 120 minute wait. I have been stalking FOP fp's from 30 days on. Not having the same refresh luck as others, but I know its a busy time.

Let's see what happens!

 

[StraightToDumbo]

In theory it is a good strategy. If you're willing to risk the ride going down for the night before you've had a chance to ride, I'd say go for it. We did it recently and yes the line goes faster after closing.

 

[BrianL]

I wouldn't push it right until X:59 but if you enter within a few minutes of closing time you are allowed to ride. I am not sure, but I think I have read that if FOP is too full they cut off the line early? Someone might be able to verify that. In all honesty, this is not a strategy I'd count on.

 

[sponica]

I wouldn't push it right until X:59 but if you enter within a few minutes of closing time you are allowed to ride. I am not sure, but I think I have read that if FOP is too full they cut off the line early? Someone might be able to verify that. In all honesty, this is not a strategy I'd count on.

I remember running into that with one of the mountains (space or splash?) years ago. The park was still open but they had closed the line for numbers reasons.

 

[MagicKingdomDarling]

I have always wondered about this strategy. Heard it suggested to me by many people and websites, but I've akways felt sort of skeptical. In my mind, if it was 30 minutes before park close and the CMs saw the line was at a 2 hour wait, they wouldn't let anyone else on because it so close. But I have heard from other people that same story of "getting on right at park closing" and they still let you. Always been skeptical, but I've heard it from so many fairly reliable sources that I feel like it has to be true.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Yes you are allowed to get in line until just before park closing.
They cut the line off at that point.
Anyone in line gets to ride.
Personally I don't tend to do this because by the time the park closes I'm done going on the attractions I wanted to go on.

 

[Cirlonde]

Is this true? If so, why isn't this strategy more often employed then rope drop for FOP tickets since this would be a much shorter wait?

The reason I prefer to do rope drop rather than use this strategy is because I feel guilty to get in a line right at closing knowing that means I'm going to keep park staff from going home. I realize this is a little silly on my part...one more person on the ride isn't going to make a noticeable difference. And once or twice I have gotten in line for 7DMT fifteen minutes before close. But I just can't help feeling like the person who shows up at a place of business (like a bank or post office) right before they close and keep the staff from getting off work on time. When I worked in customer service, I always hated when that would happen to me...so I hate doing it to other people.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

The reason I prefer to do rope drop rather than use this strategy is because I feel guilty to get in a line right at closing knowing that means I'm going to keep park staff from going home. I realize this is a little silly on my part...one more person on the ride isn't going to make a noticeable difference. And once or twice I have gotten in line for 7DMT fifteen minutes before close. But I just can't help feeling like the person who shows up at a place of business (like a bank or post office) right before they close and keep the staff from getting off work on time. When I worked in customer service, I always hated when that would happen to me...so I hate doing it to other people.

I thought that too but the people there said Disney knows people do this so the cm’s are scheduled to work that shift. In other words, you arnt keeping them late because Disney planned on them working 2 hours after close.

 

[BrianL]

I have always wondered about this strategy. Heard it suggested to me by many people and websites, but I've akways felt sort of skeptical. In my mind, if it was 30 minutes before park close and the CMs saw the line was at a 2 hour wait, they wouldn't let anyone else on because it so close. But I have heard from other people that same story of "getting on right at park closing" and they still let you. Always been skeptical, but I've heard it from so many fairly reliable sources that I feel like it has to be true.

Oh, they generally will let you. Heck, one time I was coerced by a CM to enter Space Mountain just a few minuted before closing. I had just come off of it, and I stopped and looked a the entrance. And the CM was like "Come on and ride it again!" I hesitated, but they all tried to coax me into one more ride. I ended up doing it, but it kinda took forever because I guess there were a lot of last-minute entries that night. Anyway, I don't think anyone minds if you do this and the official policy is to not close the lines until the official park closing time, though as I mentioned I think they may cut off early for some of the crazy-busy stuff like FoP and that may depend on the day.

 

[SL6827]

One thing is, if you do it close to closing time, you won't be wasting any park time waiting in line that you would be in the morning, right?

 

[MischaOz]

I think it depends. Last week I was at HS and they closed the ToT standby entrance about 1 hour prior to park close. FP was still open, and it looked like the Fp entrance has gotten so backed up that they closed standby.

 

[BrianL]

I think it depends. Last week I was at HS and they closed the ToT standby entrance about 1 hour prior to park close. FP was still open, and it looked like the Fp entrance has gotten so backed up that they closed standby.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about can happen. It does happen at rides when FP gets so backed up they basically take no standby. That's when those announcements go to the line about extended wait times. At ToT I can imagine they may have had one side down too as that seems to happen a lot lately.

 

[bladiator]

I'm honestly preparing for the 120 minute wait. I have been stalking FOP fp's from 30 days on. Not having the same refresh luck as others, but I know its a busy time.

Let's see what happens!

I'm right there with you. I have a 10-12 day trip (depends on how many days I want to spend at the parks) where I have been checking AK for FOP FP every day that I don't already have FPs allotted to yet (which is like ... 7 days!) and have seen ONE pair of FOP FPs .. and it was an hour before my flight leaves. This is crazy! I'm checking every open day of my trip 6-8 times a day.

 

[pens4821]

We read this and did it last time we went for Test Track one night. We got in line about 20 minutes before close. The posted wait time said something like 45 minutes. We waited about 25-30. Illuminations was going off as we were on the outside part which was cool. It did seem like they had taken some cars out of rotation though. Not sure if they did and not complaining, just an observation. We went right up to before you design your car and just missed going in that time. We then went through and designed our car, but there was a huge backup on the other side of that. I'm not a veteran but have been on TT 10-15 times, and never waited that long from the time we left the room until the time we boarded our car. Like I said, I'm not complaining, we still rode with little wait. I was just surprised at how many people were on the other side of the design room. That little lobby area and walkway were filled with people jam packed in.

Also did it for 7D, kind of. We got in line a couple minutes before the beginning of evening EMH (we were staying on site so could've done it later). Wait time said 50 minutes. We waited about 20-25.

 

[stinkpickle]

We read this and did it last time we went for Test Track one night. We got in line about 20 minutes before close. The posted wait time said something like 45 minutes. We waited about 25-30. Illuminations was going off as we were on the outside part which was cool...

We did the same thing last Saturday night and timed it with the Illuminations finale perfectly.

 

[toolmanjan]

Back in June when FOP first opened we took advantage of the "Pandora only" EMH. We arrived right at the start of EMH. The wait was 2 hours. On the other hand I took advantage of early opening on Saturday . I arrived at DAK at 7am and was walking back to my car at 8:05. By that time the line was way to long to consider going for another ride.

 

[YawningDodo]

I thought that too but the people there said Disney knows people do this so the cm’s are scheduled to work that shift. In other words, you arnt keeping them late because Disney planned on them working 2 hours after close.

As a former cast member, as well as a former ride operator at a non-Disney amusement park, yep, this. The non-Disney park I worked at had us close lines ahead of time because they only had us scheduled for something like a half hour past park closing -- if Disney didn't schedule their CMs to accommodate post-closing queues, they wouldn't let you get in line. It's been factored into their work schedules, same as they factor in the need for merchandise CMs to stick around for a while after the official closing time to sell you stuff on the way out.