Test Track wasn’t open at RD on any of the 3 days we opened Epcot last week. It opened slightly before 11 twice (and had a relatively long line by then), and after 11 once. Mission Space opened after 10:30 but before 10:45 both times we went there. The line for Frozen didn’t get to be more than 20-25 minutes until mid-afternoon even on Saturday. We RDed Soarin with no wait, and then waited maybe 5-10 minutes but the line was well out of the queue by the time we finished the second trip.
We also found that it was hard to know which of the MK rides would be open at RD other than 7DMT on a given day. On at least one day it sounded like night maintenance hadn’t gotten around to clearing most of the rides by RD, and based on my eavesdropping only 7DMT was open before 7:40.
This! This is totally valid. We were late to HS the first morning by like 30 mins and we got nothing accomplished. Get there an hour early or dont bother at all. The word is out and there are so many more people getting there early now compared to Sept when we first went. Catch that first bus and you will do well. Seem to be about 6:45 for us at beach club for AK and MK. Walked to be at HS by 8:00 AM.
Also, I found epcot to be great at night. We took one morning to rope drop test track (10AM) which I totally suggest but at the end of the night everything else is short. Soarin will say 35 or 45 mins but it was never over 20. We found ourselves doing 2 different parks in one day quite often. Checking wait times at like 430 to see which park looks best and heading that way.
You guys are great! Thanks for all of the valuable input. We’ve rarely done the afternoon break thing and just tend to plow through. (Several cranky family members in the evening.) Sounds like this might be the year we have to try it again with no afternoon FP’s. Let me ask all of you question… If you were not staying at a MK resort, and had to rely on a bus (or Uber I guess) to and from the MK, would you still RD, take the afternoon break, and then go back to MK for your dinnertime ADR?
Yes! We used buses and found that they were often enough to make it worth the trip back to the resort for 3 or 4 hours in the afternoon almost everyday. My kids never would have made it all day after spending the last year sitting on our butts all day in almost complete isolation from crowds.
I’ll add that the way they have the overflow/distanced lines set up, much more of the line is now spent outside and in the direct sun, so the longer lines in the middle of the afternoon are even more egregious than before. That, combined with the earlier starts for RD, much longer physical length of many of the distanced lines (as in the distance you have to walk to actually get on the ride), and the general shortness of waits in the morning and evening make the midday break even more sensible right now. My niece is not typically a napper, but she had a little siesta on a couple of our early morning days.
In short, I think RD to close, with a midday break is a good strategy now more than ever.
For sure! But, if you’re planning to bus, be prepared to wait at the bus stop for a while in the afternoon. We found that to be the worst time for slow busses. One day, we ate dinner while waiting for a bus back to AK for the evening. It took somewhere between 45 mins and an hour for one to show up at YC.
That break in the middle of the day is SO worth it, though.
I’m currently replanning with the RD to close and take a break except for AK. We will be at GF and the bus time to and from AK just doesn’t seem practical but we are planning on having a break in park somewhere, maybe sacred, to stay out of the masses.
If AK extends its totally worth it. You can do a lot in the first 2-3 hrs of the park being open, have 4-5 hrs off, and return for evening (when the crowds dwindle)
Since we had hoppers we early RDed at AK and then went elsewhere after our break, and then another day we went to AK just for the evening. The waits were very low both days.
We’ve rarely done the afternoon break thing and just tend to plow through. (Several cranky family members in the evening.) Sounds like this might be the year we have to try it again with no afternoon FP’s. Let me ask all of you question… If you were not staying at a MK resort, and had to rely on a bus (or Uber I guess) to and from the MK, would you still RD, take the afternoon break, and then go back to MK for your dinnertime ADR?