So, my ADR day is coming up soon, and I’m most stuck on how to structure my AK day. We have on-site hotel reservations, and our AK day is 60+3, so I’m fairly confident I can get a FOP FP.
I’d like to see Pandora during the day, and in the evening. So, I’m thinking I’d like to eat at Satu’li Canteen for dinner. That’ll guarantee us some after-dark time.
But - what do we do for Navi? When should I target the FOP FP? I’d LOVE to skip Pandora at RD and enjoy the rest of the park while it’s quiet. Is that just a silly thought, though? Do I have to run to Navi at RD to have a short wait? It just seems nuts that everyone says “eh, it’s not that great” but the lines are still 90+ minutes during the day.
I’m not too worried about putting my FOP FP late in the day - I don’t think we want to do too many other things that would require FP… unless, of course, we could get a 4th FP for Navi. Is that even possible?
We’ll take a nice long break for lunch/afternoon. I’m going to make the family try Sanaa… and probably sit in the rocking chairs at AKL for a good hour.
Agree with @joefishing209, schedule FOP FPP and hit Navi before closing. We did this a few days before Easter and the line was maybe 5 minutes at 9:45 pm (park closed at 11pm). We did try all day long to pick up a FPP for it after we used our first 3, including FOP, but never saw any no matter how many times I refreshed. We were even able to get a second set of FOP FPP, but no Navi.
So we just did AK two days and had FPPs for FOP in the afternoon. We showed up 15 minutes before park opening which was at 8 and went to Navi. Literally no one was there. We walked right on. We left Pandora and did Dinosaur. Primeval Whirl, EE and KRR all by 9:30. It was amazing. I’m guessing everyone was at FOP because the rest of the park was nearly empty.
We were in the midst of it all as RDing Navi was our plan and we stuck with it even when we got there super early. Crowds for tapstilea were orderly. The brisk walk to the pandora bridge was fine and had no throngs or running; the bridge was the main area that felt tight packed. It lasted only maybe 15 min though. Like others reported everyone then peaked right for FOP and we had Navi along with just a handful of others. Not stressful at all of you keep in mind that the hoard around you is not going where you are.
I have been thinking about how to do this also. I am going to AK twice, once in the late afternoon staying until close & once RD with an 8am EMH - until 4 or I get too hot, since I am leaving that day and have a 9pm flight.
I know since it is my last day and I am going to have to check out, etc. before hitting the park, that even though I am planning to be there by 8 - it is not going to be much before that, so I thought that trying to do Pandora first was not going to be worth it & I will be 60+6 for FP so hoping I can get one for FOP. I do want to do NRJ because I haven’t done it before, so is there time to do it at park closing after RoL, since I could do that my first day, any chance of getting same day for NRJ?
My plan has been FP for NRJ my first afternoon, FP for FoP my last day in the morning and during EMH do other things in the park.
What are other people’s thoughts?
So, you’re telling me to get to the park a little late, then waltz into Pandora for Navi, without any crowds? That sounds fantastic! And much less stressful than trying to do it at the end of the night.
OK -so I just re-did my touring plan - putting in NRJ and a ‘fake’ FP for FOP later in the day (since I am pretty sure I will get one) - for an 8AM EMH it has me going to NRJ first with a 5 min wait.
Wow I am glad that you asked this question.
One of my Disney mentors told me yesterday, to show up for NRJ just after RD and you can basically walk on. Then come back for FOP using my (hypothetical)FP later. My FP day is in July so I’m anxious to get all this in place!
Just redid mine, too. It’s SO much better. I have more than an hour free in the afternoon, if I do it this way. The Pandora waits are still longer than I’d hope (20 minutes for Navi and 30 for FOP with FP), but with the conversations that I’ve seen here, I’m hoping those are long.
I know it sounds crazy but it worked for us a few days ago (pretty significant CL). The mob of people had already been let into the park and headed to FOP. We showed up a few minutes before official park opening and calmly walked to Navi without any crowd.
