Thoughts on this general EPCOT plan. I keep second guessing myself on how to best approach FEA, TT and Remy. This trip Remy and TT are must-do’s and FEA is a “we’d really like to”.
We will arrive around 8:30 for EE. I don’t like fighting the biggest entry crowds with 2 young kids so we try to arrive after the first group is already in the park. We will skip SE, MS, and Figment this time.
7:00 am - Grab earliest possible Remy LL. Purchase Cosmic Rewind ILL for 3:00 pm return time.
8:30 am arrive for EE
8:45 am Ride FEA stand-by. If we arrive at FEA around 8:45, any guesses on the wait time? 20-25 mins?
9:30/9:45 am Use LL for Remy. Grab LL for TT.
10:00 am- 11:45 am Meet and Great characters in World Showcase area; Grab Soarin’ LL
11:45 am Ride Three Caballeros
Noon - 1:00 pm QS Lunch at Mexico.
1:00 pm-3:30 pm Grab LL for Nemo when eligible. Use LLs to ride TT, Soarin’ and Nemo. Standby at Journey of Water.
3:30 pm - Use Cosmic Rewind ILL
4:00 pm - Meet Pluto and Goofy on the way out of the park.
Currently, Pluto is not at the park entrance, he’s at World Showcase Plaza (where WS connect to the rest). Minnie is now near the front entrance, as is Goofy.
Which entrance? Last year we were at international gateway early was able to do Remy and then FEA standby. My DH reminded me we were actually able to get off FEA and get right back in line.
Now this was first week of Nov, so pretty low crowds but just another idea.
You could save some $$ and start your day at International Gateway. If you are mid-front pack, you can do a walk on with the RAT. From there head straight over to FEA without too much of a wait.
That was our plan…but it ended with a late opening so it ended up taking 45 minutes as a result. But hopefully that is an exception to the rule.
We also, on a different morning, rope dropped FEA. We had a short line…but the folks from the main entrance had the advantage. We watched as those folks got ahead of the IG rope drop crowd.
We’ve rope dropped FEA twice from IG (once in 2021, one in December 2022 on a CL8 day), both times we were held in Canada and then once released our group beat the front of the park rope drop crowd to the attraction, though only by a little bit. We walked on to FEA both times. I’ve also read reports here from others who had the opposite experience, where the front of the park RD crowd beat the IG one, so I think it probably varies by day/synchronization of the dropping of the rope. Whichever side you’re coming from, FEA will be a short wait as a RD.
For our December 2022 trip, we had the same idea as you and headed from FEA straight to Remy with a LL for the first slot of he day (thanks BG1), which worked well for us. Here’s our Epcot day from my trip report in case it helps in any way!
I’m surprised by this. We were there in December 2022 as well, and also held in Canada…but the absolute fastest of the group from the IG (including us) didn’t even come close to beating the folks coming from the main gate. I would guess there were probably 50+ people who were well ahead of us, and apart from sprinting, there is no way we could have beat the MG folks. This was for ETPE.
This must really be key. If the MG CM was feeling especially nice, for example, perhaps they were let through ahead of time (or vice-versa).
Indeed, I think it’s just unpredictable. Both times we did this rope drop, we saw the main entrance group arriving from the left in the distance, so they were not very far behind - but short of sprinting, they would not have managed to pass the front of our group (we were walking with purpose but also with young children, so certainly not the fastest in our group!)
In May 2022 I used MDE and got 9:05-10:05 am return time for Remy and in October 2022 I used BG1 and got 9:00 am-10:00 am return time for Remy. I am hoping with MDE to get a 9-something-am return time, but I realize that may not happen. I will need a little luck and fast fingers.
Above was the plan. Below is how things unfolded in realty this past Monday. There were a few minor adjustments in the order, but we were able to experience all the attractions in my plan.
7:00 am - Got 10:10 to 11:10 am Remy. Purchased Cosmic Rewind ILL for 3:00 pm return time.
8:15 am arrive at Epcot and in line for EE. There was a long line to get into the park.
8:50 am - Arrive at FEA. Sign says 45 mins. TP app says 23 minds. TP with the win … it was about 25 mins.
9:30 am - ride Three Caballeros
10:08 am Use LL for Remy. Grab 3:00 tp 4:00 pm LL for TT.
10:15 am- Noon am Meet and Great characters in World Showcase area
12:08 pm - grab LL for Soarin’
12:30- 1:30 pm QS Lunch at Connections.
1:30 pm-3:00 pm Use LL for Soarin’; grab LL for Nemo; Meet Goofy and Minnie near park entrance; Have a snack.