I've had two extremes (in time duration etc) of induction so I can tell you the steps as I understand it, DD1 was at 40 weeks, tailed off growth and DD2 was because I'd got to (incredibly after all the hassle in pregnancy) 41 weeks.
With my first one I was told it would be pessary, second pessary if needed, break your water at 2cm then straight on the drip. That's what happened with me, I was still barely 2cm so I asked for epidural when the drip went in and it was amazing. I think if they'd not been able to do my waters it would have been a C section but don't quote me. Stayed in about 36 hours after as we were on antibiotics, had to let everything settle and so on.
Having read a bit more in here about not necessarily having the drip straight away I was all geared up for insisting on pessaries then waters then a wait before the drip. However had one pessary, it was doing too much so had it out about 8 hours later, didn't settle, had the 'antidote', didn't work, baby born 15 hours after that first pessary went in and we were discharged from delivery. I'd packed to be in for a week again, felt a right plonker with all my luggage 😂.
I've got to be honest and say I totally preferred the first induction even though it took longer and was far more involved as it was very controlled and planned at each step, I could still feel to push with the epidural. Yes I had forceps and episiotomy with that one but the forceps were being waved around in this one too as baby was distressed, didn't need them in the end but it was a real whirlwind this time and a bit scary as the staff didn't expect it/didn't believe me things were going so quickly.
If I had to be induced again I'd choose the drip and the epidural again, I promise you I'm not just saying that to make you feel better about the prospect of the drip. On the other hand I suppose this one was almost a 'natural' birth as I only had paracetamol and gas and air and could feel very little thing which is what I thought I wanted this time 😂 I do think it's probably because she's a second baby that it went so quickly but we'll probably never know, so even with induction there's a chance you can get going and get away with little else in terms of intervention. Having the pessary is nothing, if you're ok with sweeps you'll have no bother with them popping in the pessary but you can ask for gas and air for any and all poking around anyway.