We all know that Disney World Orlando is notorious for its long wait times and the opening of Animal Kingdom’s Avatar Flight of Passage has only made that worse! But, seriously – Avatar Flight of Passage is beyond worth it. Disney has done a phenomenal job of designing a world that makes guests feel like they’re in a real-life Pandora. To make draws drop even further, Disney unleashed the amazing Flight of Passage ride that gives visitors the chance to have a POV on the back of a winged, dragon-like banshee around the beautiful scenery of Pandora.
The ride is exhilarating, but the wait times are generally not. Even when Animal Kingdom opens at 9:00 am, Flight of Passage lines are already 2 hours long! By midday, forget about it – you’re looking at 240 minutes (4 hours!!) wait time! That is INSANE and if your anything like us, waiting in lines all day is just not your cup of tea. So, how do you get a chance of riding Flight of Passage with NO WAIT TIMES? Let me fill you in on a little secret to conquering the lines of Disney World…
Get To Animal Kingdom Early…Like Real Early…
Well, duh! But, didn’t I just say there’s a wait even when you get there when the park opens?! Yes…but, what people don’t know is that you can get there before the park opens to ride Flight of Passage! Disney World understands how large their crowds are and started opening Animal Kingdom early to let guests get in line for Pandora and then Flight of Passage. If you really want to wait on no line, get there 1 hour and 15 minutes before the park opens. We arrived at the park at about 7:45 am, which gave us 15 minutes to find parking and walk to the entrance. Just another perk of getting there early – you will get front row parking (WIN – that means less walking or potentially losing your car!).
Once 8:00 am rolls around, you should be going through security. For about 15 minutes, you’ll probably be waiting in line to get through the doors of Animal Kingdom. Even at this point, you’ll notice how filled the park gets! But, don’t worry – you’ll be fine. Everything moves quickly even with that many people around you. By 8:30 am, you can expect to be let in through the gate where everyone usually makes a mad dash to Pandora. When we went, there was absolutely no wait. Most of our time was spent walking and NOT waiting, which we thoroughly appreciated because it gave us the chance to really appreciate Pandora! After Flight of Passage completely made our jaws drop, it was only 9:00 am, which gave us plenty of time to enjoy the rest of our days while everyone else waited in line!
Try Riding Flight of Passage During a Weekday
Weekdays are notoriously less crowded at Disney World. Don’t get too excited, you will experience a crowd. But, it’s not as bad as weekends!
Avoid Extra Magic Hours Days
Disney World Orlando’s Extra Magic Hours are basically extended theme park hours only available to Disney resort guests and some non-Disney owned hotels. These hours only occur on certain days of the week and allow extra hours in the morning or at night only for these members. Make sure you look up when these Extra Magic Hours are and avoid those days! If you get there early, they may not let you into the park and will have to wait in long lines, as a result (and miss out on your beauty sleep!).
Some Extra Helpful Hints for Enjoying Your Disney Experience
Transportation Tips: If you can, try Ubering or taking a taxi into the parks. This will avoid the very expensive parking fee of $25 for standard parking. If you want preferred parking, expect to pay $50 for the day.
Security Tips: If at all possible, don’t bring a bag into the park. This way, you can breeze through security and walk right to the main entrance. Otherwise, make sure to have all compartments of your bag opened and ready to be checked!
Wait Time Tips: Want to check wait times and plan out your day? Or Get a map of the park? There’s an app for that! Make sure to download the My Disney Experience app on your phone and create an account. It’ll make your day a lot more productive.
