FOP at park close - Recent Experiences?

[EpcotNerd]

I've been checking out FOP wait times at park closing lately and they're usually 80-100 minutes. My gut tells me this is inflated, I'm curious if anyone has experience, what the posted time was at close and what you actually waited?

Heading in early Feb and AK closes at 6:00 most days, sometimes 7:00.

Thanks so much!

 

[scrappinginontario]

I've been checking out FOP wait times at park closing lately and they're usually 80-100 minutes. My gut tells me this is inflated, I'm curious if anyone has experience, what the posted time was at close and what you actually waited?

Heading in early Feb and AK closes at 6:00 most days, sometimes 7:00.

Thanks so much!

Yes, those would be inflated. Disney inflates their wait times near park close to discourage people from joining the line.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

The late night wait times are often inflated 4x the actual wait. The most extreme example that we’ve seen at FoP recently was a 90 minute posted wait with a 17 minute actual wait.

 

[EpcotNerd]

Yes, those would be inflated. Disney inflates their wait times near park close to discourage people from joining the line.

Yes, I understand that to be on of Disney's "tricks", I was hoping to get some data to help decide in the moment if it's worth jumping in line... Does a 90 minute wait mean 25 minutes? or 70? Big difference!

 

[EpcotNerd]

The late night wait times are often inflated 4x the actual wait. The most extreme example that we’ve seen at FoP recently was a 90 minute posted wait with a 17 minute actual wait.

Wow, great info, thank you, this really helps.

 

[rangerxenos]

I don't think I've ever waited more than 30 minutes for FoP if I get in line right before park close, and the posted wait time is usually 60 - 90 minutes.

 

[hes122]

I was there in mid-November (closing time of 7). I got in line at 6:00 with a posted wait time of 45 minutes when I got in the line. I was in the pre-show in about 25 minutes. I still had enough time to hop in the Navi River Journey line before the park closed and it was practically a walk-on (posted time was about 20 minutes).

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Wow, great info, thank you, this really helps.

We first learned about Disney’s Line Stacking processes in the 1998 Unofficial Guide so it’s nothing new. We’ve been taking advantage of the inflated wait times for years and it’s always a good strategy for us.

Another good recent example is Rise of the Resistance. We showed up an hour and 20 minutes before closing time and the posted wait was coincidently 80 minutes. We were able to ride 3 times before the park closed with the longest wait at 20 minutes.

You can’t do that in the morning no matter how early you arrive.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Yes, I understand that to be on of Disney's "tricks", I was hoping to get some data to help decide in the moment if it's worth jumping in line... Does a 90 minute wait mean 25 minutes? or 70? Big difference!

It really can differ day to day and the posted time is not an indicator of how long you will actually wait. I’ve hopped in line at park close when the posted time was around 75 mins and had 2 different experiences. One time I was at the pre-show in 20 mins yet another time it was 45 mins. Similar posted times offered different actual waits. Actual wait really depends on how many guests in the park that day who know about the inflated time and hop in line.

It would be uncommon to wait 70 mins at park close but it could happen, especially if a theatre goes down.

 

[hes122]

If you're still in line at park close, the line will start moving quicker at the point because they aren't prioritizing people for the LL line.

 

[Davey Jones II]

The shortest wait we ever had near closing (pre-Covid, but I think it would be about the same today) was on a day that had seen heavy rains in late aft/early evening. You could see the crowds steadily leaving the park. Three in my group stayed in the park, and were rewarded with short wait times, including maybe 10 minutes for FOP. We basically breezed through an empty queue, until we got near the pre-show area.

 

[gardenrooms]

When do they stop prioritizing people in the LL line? Do they actually close off the LL line?

 

[musicguy856]

When do they stop prioritizing people in the LL line? Do they actually close off the LL line?

Once the park closes no one can enter the LL and it will likely clear out after 10-15 minutes. After that there’s only the standby line left.

 

[gardenrooms]

Once the park closes no one can enter the LL and it will likely clear out after 10-15 minutes. After that there’s only the standby line left.

Thanks! I wonder if they do the same at DL. LL is a nightmare at both parks. If think if there weren't so many ride breakdowns it would be manageable, but our worst experiences were at 7DMT in WDW (and when you have to leave the ride, you have to walk ALL the way out - come on!) and ROTR at DL (but never as bad as 7DMT).

 

[clarker99]

I've been checking out FOP wait times at park closing lately and they're usually 80-100 minutes. My gut tells me this is inflated, I'm curious if anyone has experience, what the posted time was at close and what you actually waited?

Heading in early Feb and AK closes at 6:00 most days, sometimes 7:00.

Thanks so much!

Like others have said, this is a great strategy. We do this all the time. Once the LL folks clear the queue you will just keep moving.

 

[gharter]

We have done this multiple times and never waited more than 30 minutes. Last time was October 2023.

 

[clarker99]

We have done this multiple times and never waited more than 30 minutes. Last time was October 2023.

Yes, 20-40mins has been my experience