Is SWGE impacting your trip? Discuss your plans here!

[FSU Girl]

We have a Thanksgiving trip planned and are going to keep a close eye on how the crowds are leading up to it. We're planning on letting our annual passes expire and might buy some Florida resident tickets or annual passes again if it's not too insane. I'm hoping we'll still go, I like the idea of not cooking and our last Thanksgiving trip was a lot of fun.

 

[caylene44]

Our arrival day is 8/29, check out day is 9/5. Needless to say, my stomach dropped when I saw that opening day is our arrival day.

However, we will not be cancelling. We already have ADRs booked, flights paid for, and tickets to MNSSHP. Additionally, we are celebrating two birthdays (one of which will occur during the trip on 9/3).

Half the group has been to WDW previously so we won't be too phased if crowds are higher (been there, done that, won't cry if I don't get to do it again). I'm more worried about those in our group who are coming to WDW for the first time, I hope a) the crowds won't be too bad for opening and b) if they are bad, hopefully it won't sour them on WDW.

 

[justreading]

Our arrival day is 8/29, check out day is 9/5. Needless to say, my stomach dropped when I saw that opening day is our arrival day.

However, we will not be cancelling. We already have ADRs booked, flights paid for, and tickets to MNSSHP. Additionally, we are celebrating two birthdays (one of which will occur during the trip on 9/3).

Half the group has been to WDW previously so we won't be too phased if crowds are higher (been there, done that, won't cry if I don't get to do it again). I'm more worried about those in our group who are coming to WDW for the first time, I hope a) the crowds won't be too bad for opening and b) if they are bad, hopefully it won't sour them on WDW.

I like your attitude! I alway tell my family that we need to leave something undone so we have a reason to come back!

 

[caylene44]

I like your attitude! I alway tell my family that we need to leave something undone so we have a reason to come back!

Love it, I'll have to use that line! Although I don't need any particular reason to come back, I want to come back as soon as I get to the airport

 

[Sinders99]

IF anyone had any doubt about whether SWGE was having an impact on numbers believe this. Hubby and I decided to upgrade the last week of our POP accomodation to a DVC rental. We got a quote last night and requested 7 nights at either Saratoga, Boardwalk or Old Key West and the ONLY DVC property onsite that had any availability for our dates (6 Nov - 13 Nov) was Saratoga Springs!! Makes me really nervous about what the crowds are going to be like if there's so few DVC rooms left available.

 

[SaintsManiac]

IF anyone had any doubt about whether SWGE was having an impact on numbers believe this. Hubby and I decided to upgrade the last week of our POP accomodation to a DVC rental. We got a quote last night and requested 7 nights at either Saratoga, Boardwalk or Old Key West and the ONLY DVC property onsite that had any availability for our dates (6 Nov - 13 Nov) was Saratoga Springs!! Makes me really nervous about what the crowds are going to be like if there's so few DVC rooms left available.

Isn't that Veterans Day and Jersey Week? That combined with F&W is always insane.

 

[rteetz]

Isn't that Veterans Day and Jersey Week? That combined with F&W is always insane.

Yeah that should be the final weekend of food and wine, start of Christmas parties, and jersey week.

 

[DVC4US]

IF anyone had any doubt about whether SWGE was having an impact on numbers believe this. Hubby and I decided to upgrade the last week of our POP accomodation to a DVC rental. We got a quote last night and requested 7 nights at either Saratoga, Boardwalk or Old Key West and the ONLY DVC property onsite that had any availability for our dates (6 Nov - 13 Nov) was Saratoga Springs!! Makes me really nervous about what the crowds are going to be like if there's so few DVC rooms left available.

While SWGE might be having a slight impact to availability it is more likely the items posted above - end of F&W, Veterans Day, Jersey Week, and Christmas parties. This is usually a busy time at Disney for DVC resorts. There are 1 bedrooms available through both DVC & Disney at the resorts you listed but no studios.

The announcement of SWGE opening has not really affected the availability for DVC resorts, at least for opening weekend. We are going that weekend and I have been watching rooms since we are still looking for a studio or potentially changing our resort and availability has not changed much.

 

[wendlle]

IF anyone had any doubt about whether SWGE was having an impact on numbers believe this. Hubby and I decided to upgrade the last week of our POP accomodation to a DVC rental. We got a quote last night and requested 7 nights at either Saratoga, Boardwalk or Old Key West and the ONLY DVC property onsite that had any availability for our dates (6 Nov - 13 Nov) was Saratoga Springs!! Makes me really nervous about what the crowds are going to be like if there's so few DVC rooms left available.

DVC rentals have become so popular that I'm not surprised by this at all. You really need to get in ASAP and secure a rental 11 months out or you're stuck with OKW or SS.

OK, so I know that they have different phases of park closure.
We are going Sep 8 - 27th and I have 3 HS days planned. All of which we have ADR's and one of them is a Fantasmic Package. I am terrified that we will not be able to get into the park to do our ADR's and see Fantasmic.
I have ZERO need to go to SWGE and don't want to step food into the land with my toddler and infant, we really wanted to do EMM at TSL but it seems that has been canned for September so have to go with the crowds there. it's a shame because with the two little ones I really wanted to avoid serious crowds.
I know that people don't know what is going to happen, but what DOES happen if you can't get into the park once it reaches capacity and you have an ADR?

 

[Sinders99]

Ahhhh ok well that would explain it! Sorry, being in Australia we didn't realise that all these things lined up in that week. I'm even happier now that we're upgrading to a deluxe because if the crowds are going to be high we'll probably change our touring plans to rope drop each morning and then kick back at the resort in the afternoon

 

[yulilin3]

DVC rentals have become so popular that I'm not surprised by this at all. You really need to get in ASAP and secure a rental 11 months out or you're stuck with OKW or SS.

OK, so I know that they have different phases of park closure.
We are going Sep 8 - 27th and I have 3 HS days planned. All of which we have ADR's and one of them is a Fantasmic Package. I am terrified that we will not be able to get into the park to do our ADR's and see Fantasmic.
I have ZERO need to go to SWGE and don't want to step food into the land with my toddler and infant, we really wanted to do EMM at TSL but it seems that has been canned for September so have to go with the crowds there. it's a shame because with the two little ones I really wanted to avoid serious crowds.
I know that people don't know what is going to happen, but what DOES happen if you can't get into the park once it reaches capacity and you have an ADR?

You can get into the park with an ADR all the way to Phase 4. IF it hits phase 4 absolutely no one else is allowed in. Phase 4 hasn't happened since April 7th 2009 at MK

You will obviously not be charged for a no show IF this happens. Believe me, if the park hits Phase 4 you probably don;t want to be in there anyways

 

[siren0119]

DVC rentals have become so popular that I'm not surprised by this at all. You really need to get in ASAP and secure a rental 11 months out or you're stuck with OKW or SS.

OK, so I know that they have different phases of park closure.
We are going Sep 8 - 27th and I have 3 HS days planned. All of which we have ADR's and one of them is a Fantasmic Package. I am terrified that we will not be able to get into the park to do our ADR's and see Fantasmic.
I have ZERO need to go to SWGE and don't want to step food into the land with my toddler and infant, we really wanted to do EMM at TSL but it seems that has been canned for September so have to go with the crowds there. it's a shame because with the two little ones I really wanted to avoid serious crowds.
I know that people don't know what is going to happen, but what DOES happen if you can't get into the park once it reaches capacity and you have an ADR?

The only case where you wouldn't be able to get in with an ADR is if it's a phase 4 closure. In that case there is NO entry allowed for any reason, but the restriction would be lifted as soon as people exited the park, allowing for more entry. It's REALLY rare for a Phase 4 to happen, but if that were the case, you could almost certainly get the "no show" reservation charge removed if they tried applying it.

 

[wendlle]

You can get into the park with an ADR all the way to Phase 4. IF it hits phase 4 absolutely no one else is allowed in. Phase 4 hasn't happened since April 7th 2009 at MK

You will obviously not be charged for a no show IF this happens. Believe me, if the park hits Phase 4 you probably don;t want to be in there anyways

Thankyou. I've never had to worry about it before. We always go in September so obviously that is a quieter time of year.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Thankyou. I've never had to worry about it before. We always go in September so obviously that is a quieter time of year.

Quieter time of the year.....thanks to SWGE opening Aug 29....not anymore.....

 

[old feller]

I am starting to wonder about making fastpasses for Hollywood Studios at all. We arrive September 3 and are staying for 12 days.I know it's to early to tell but,we may not be able to get in.Hate to waste fastpasses.I think the crowds are going to set records. we have a few months yet. I was one of those people who booked for lower crowds with the heat and kids going back to school.I will not wait 3 hours to get in or more then 1.5 hours for any ride.I love Star Wars ...I just wanted to enjoy it in a few years. Wow...May the force be with us all

 

[old feller]

But, we're staking thousands on what they're predicting. Do they really know? Or is this a once-in-a-lifetime type, crazy scenario no one can predict?

Gonna be record setting I think

 

[siren0119]

I am starting to wonder about making fastpasses for Hollywood Studios at all. We arrive September 3 and are staying for 12 days.I know it's to early to tell but,we may not be able to get in.Hate to waste fastpasses.I think the crowds are going to set records. we have a few months yet. I was one of those people who booked for lower crowds with the heat and kids going back to school.I will not wait 3 hours to get in or more then 1.5 hours for any ride.I love Star Wars ...I just wanted to enjoy it in a few years. Wow...May the force be with us all

The only time an onsite guest wouldn't be allowed entry into the park is if it were under a Phase 4 closure (there are several levels of closure before that), it's highly unlikely you'd be shut out of the land completely. And if they DID go to a Phase 4, it wouldn't be for the entire day, just until they could clear some people out.

 

[old feller]

I really hope they do one line to enter GE and a separate line for the rest of the park. some of us have not seen Toy Story Land.I heard of this happening elsewhere I think ?????anyone know about it ????

 

[gap2368]

I am starting to wonder about making fastpasses for Hollywood Studios at all. We arrive September 3 and are staying for 12 days.I know it's to early to tell but,we may not be able to get in.Hate to waste fastpasses.I think the crowds are going to set records. we have a few months yet. I was one of those people who booked for lower crowds with the heat and kids going back to school.I will not wait 3 hours to get in or more then 1.5 hours for any ride.I love Star Wars ...I just wanted to enjoy it in a few years. Wow...May the force be with us all

I would go ahand and book FP for HS and do them for the morning RD Do a few none FP rides and the hit up your FP around 10:30 ish and then go to another park or if you do not have hopper make this a half day park and go back and swim and relaxe mane Disney springs.

 

[old feller]

Thanks to everyone for this helpful thread.