READ POST 1 & 2 FIRST-Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group Planning and Information-*No Spoilers*

[wisblue]

It seems like one of the big downsides of this boarding group process is that with the word out to be at Hollywood Studios for park open, the rides all have long waits early in the morning. That’s very annoying for the way most of us are used to handling visiting the parks.

If you look at the posted waits right now at 8:00 at DHS, they’re very very bad.

This is an inevitable result of not requiring people to wait in a line of a couple of hours or more for the park’s top attraction. At some point I hope they add ROTR to FP+ so that at least some people don’t have to arrive at opening to get on the ride. Then you’d have an opening more like at DAK and the rush for FOP.

 

[mom22boys]

It seems like one of the big downsides of this boarding group process is that with the word out to be at Hollywood Studios for park open, the rides all have long waits early in the morning. That’s very annoying for the way most of us are used to handling visiting the parks.

If you look at the posted waits right now at 8:00 at DHS, they’re very very bad.

That is one of my concerns heading into our February trip. We currently do not have PHs, but I am thinking about upgrading our tickets. I do not want to be stuck in an overcrowded park. In the past I never felt like DHS was a good park to handle the crowds (not as large a variety of rides, narrower walkways, too many one way streets, not as many CS options). That being said we always loved the atmosphere of DHS. I hope that that hasn't changed too much.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Good morning everyone! I‘m planning a trip next month and have a few questions. I’ll be there the first week of February.

I keep reading that there’s now no need to arrive super early for RotR now but I also want to try to rope drop Slinky Dog first thing. I won’t have FPs at the Studios that day so I’ll still need to get an early start to stay near the front of the rush to Toy Story Land just like back in the pre-RotR days, right?


My phone is pretty old, is this going to be a problem? I haven’t upgraded from an IPhone 5S because it fits in my pocket and I don’t want a bigger one! I have AT&T. Should I use that or WiFi? I’m hopeless with technology.

Thanks!

Yes the "you just need to be in the park by opening, not super early" is specifically for joining a boarding group for RotR. If you want to rope drop other rides, especially either SDD or MFSR you will want to be there rather early (like 2 hours if you want to be at very front)

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I would caution that the Monday/Tuesday even Wednesday after NYE week is relatively 'dead' compared to other peak times at Disney. Starting Thursday of marathon weekend it gets much busier again.

Agreed - and when we go it will be Presidents Week which I know is also crowded. Hopefully though even as we go along on "crowded" days it is more than the 90secs though

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Hey - I can see the red button! That’s cool now I’m gonna snooze for 30 more minutes

 

[gtitan21]

I think it’s very safe to say that this is quite possibly the expected norm during non peak season. BGs went out in 13 min (i was hoping it hit 15+) and backups are still available at 8:37. I’m pumped for when i go this week.

 

[Eastern]

I think it’s very safe to say that this is quite possibly the expected norm during non peak season. BGs went out in 13 min (i was hoping it hit 15+) and backups are still available at 8:37. I’m pumped for when i go this week.

'non peak'

 

[gtitan21]

Should also be noted that DHS opened at 7 where the other parks normal hours are 9am so it would make sense to get to DHS first today and be able to do 2 rope drops.

if AK or MK opened at the same time as DHS that the crowd levels would even be a little less (not much) but a couple hundred people wouldn’t be too unrealistic.

 

[dina444444]

Is the ride down? Haven’t seen it budge from 32 in a bit.

 

[jsmla]

Yes the "you just need to be in the park by opening, not super early" is specifically for joining a boarding group for RotR. If you want to rope drop other rides, especially either SDD or MFSR you will want to be there rather early (like 2 hours if you want to be at very front)

Thanks! I’m offsite this trip and FPs are kinda thin on the ground. Fortunately I’m very much an early bird. I just hope it’s not freezing!

 

[wisblue]

Looks like the backup groups ran out sometime between 9 and 9:15.

 

[CT Disney]

I spoke upthread about taking screenshots. I figured I’d just post mine here for all you late sleepers.

As you open MDE you will see this screen. Here, you just need to tap “Find Out More”. (And yes I put a big black oval over the picture because I am afraid of you people when it comes to possible spoilers):



You will then get to this screen and tap “Join Boarding Group”



Since I was not awake until after park opening you will see that the ride had already started running and they were currently boarding groups 7 -23. Above, you will also see the note that initial boarding groups are gone which is why this popped up as I hit “Join Boarding Group”:



Just hit “OK” to clear the message. After the message clears, this is the screen you will see whether you are joining an initial boarding group or a backup boarding group:



You will see that the MDE account owner is automatically selected. Also notice the very handy “Select All” button at the top. In my case, not everyone is riding so I need to unselect and select a few people.

Of course, since I’m just practicing and we’re not at DHS, the following screen pops up after I hit “Join a Boarding Group”:



Unfortunately, from reports we’ve gotten, this screen may appear even if you are in the park. In that case, tap “Remove Guest From Party” and move forward with obtaining a boarding group for the guests that are recognized.

I definitely recommend practicing at home before the big day as it’s super helpful to work your way through the actual process.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Looks like the backup groups ran out sometime between 9 and 9:15.

That is so much better!!

Now on to worrying about different things, like what this looks like in March with what I have to assume is a similar system for MMRR, since they haven’t added that one to FP+ yet. Maybe they’ll let us virtually be in 2 places at once lol.

 

[pdarrah]

I have a question about selecting the members of your party. My MDE account has DH, DS & I and it also has my parents from a few years ago when they traveled with us. When we book fastpasses, they always show up on the list and we just don't select them. I'm assuming they will show up on the list when we try to get a boarding group? (first HS day is January 12)

I was thinking it would make sense to remove them from MDE, but when I try it tells me I can't because they have current plans - this makes no sense, they haven't been there for a few years. I'm using the website version since I'm more comfortable with that. I've looked around and can't see anything that could be considered plans for them. They each show up with 1 inactive magic band each. They are not in my planning party for this trip, obviously they do not have any fastpasses. Any ideas?

The only reason I care is to speed up the BG process on the 12th. It would be faster to be able to select ALL rather than go through and select each of us and skip them. Otherwise, just ignoring them when I'm doing other stuff works just fine.

 

[NoraRose]

So one of you got there at 5:20 and got group 42 and one if you got there (in) at 6:58 and got group 50. But I get that the folks that got there at 6:58 will have long lines for the other rides, and those that got there super early will be at the front for those other rides...

Whatever they do for MMRR, we will try to be there ahead of the pack to be able to ride. I suspect it’ll be like Smuggler’s Run. No FP and no BG. Or, only able to join a BG for 1 or the other.

 

[wareagle57]

This is an inevitable result of not requiring people to wait in a line of a couple of hours or more for the park’s top attraction. At some point I hope they add ROTR to FP+ so that at least some people don’t have to arrive at opening to get on the ride. Then you’d have an opening more like at DAK and the rush for FOP.

Maybe, but it so it would be because people’s rationale is flawed. If they did that, there would be an actual need and advantage to arriving at 4am. If you ain’t there super early then you are either waiting 5 hours to ride or are t riding at all. As it is now there is much less reason to arrive as early as some are. Of course the FP people would lessen the crush. There would be less people overall there at park opening since now literally everyone that is going to ride that day (and then some) are there at opening.

 

[montreid]

FP hasn't happened for SR and won't for awhile on ROTR from what we've seen in operations for GE until through the spring break is my opinion. Even at it's peak New year's BG lasted 90 sec.

That means everyone there at opening (without tech issues) got in. That's as fair and equitable and safe as I can think disney can do.

 

[kboo]

We've been back for almost a week and I am still obsessively reading this thread. I guess I'm still on penguin time.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Has anyone used Sprint during opening? We're a Sprint family...

 

[Heather07438]

That is so much better!!

Now on to worrying about different things, like what this looks like in March with what I have to assume is a similar system for MMRR, since they haven’t added that one to FP+ yet. Maybe they’ll let us virtually be in 2 places at once lol.

Ooooh, it just dawned on me what HS might do: Once MMRR comes online in March, guests will have to choose a BG for either MMRR or RoR. Consider it Tier 1a's, lol.

That will help expand the window of time to get a BG for RoR because a certain portion of guests will choose MMRR.