Check your SPAM emails-I won the Star Tours Preview-NEW INFO POST #75 re: check-in

[skiingfast]

**Someone please tell me if I am not supposed to mention the discount websites; I am new around here. It wasn't much less than the $67 mentioned above, but it was less.

You can write what ever you want on the DIS, if it comes up as ***** it is banned. So if it works, it's fine, if it's stars just mention that the site doesn't allow it and it will be understandable.

 

[oumagic]

I'll be there too! I also got 2 copies - a few minutes apart - of the confirmation. Figure it's just a glitch.

I can't believe the early checkin - also a bummer it's a school day, I won't take my son out of school just beforre finals. But I've put in for the day off work.

As for the AP preview - for TSMM 4 or 5 of us from our office (all APers) put in and only 1 won ( we all went with him for lunch!). So don't bet on every AP who enters winning. Remember there are around 1M now...

My son is 7 so I am not too worried that he misses any school. He got 100's on everything on his progress report and deserves this more than I do considering how hard he works as a second-grader

I used Hotwire to get a pretty good deal (Hotel Menage, $59)

 

[actnkidz]

In regards to the Nemo preview, I honestly can't remember how it went because my husband couldn't go because of work so it wasn't an issue.

We lucked out because my son's school is out that day because they are setting up for the school carnival. I am trying to figure out what to do with my daughter that day though.

 

[Sherry E]

I'll be there too! I also got 2 copies - a few minutes apart - of the confirmation. Figure it's just a glitch.

I can't believe the early checkin - also a bummer it's a school day, I won't take my son out of school just beforre finals. But I've put in for the day off work.

As for the AP preview - for TSMM 4 or 5 of us from our office (all APers) put in and only 1 won ( we all went with him for lunch!). So don't bet on every AP who enters winning. Remember there are around 1M now...

I have no idea how many time slots were available for the TSMM AP preview because I didn't do that one (unfortunately, because that's the one I would have really wanted to do! Drat!) - were there many? Do you remember off-hand? Were there as many as there are for Star Tours?

It's very true that not everyone who entered the Star Tours AP preview contest may be chosen, although I don't think that all 1 million AP holders entered to win a contest to ride a new ride shortly before it opens to the general public (many AP holders live out of state and even out of the country). It wouldn't be worthwhile to a great number of people to make the trek out here for that, I would think. And even among the ones who are chosen, not everyone will be able to attend.

Also, you'd have to actually know about the AP preview - and I would bet that tons of people got their AP's just for the discounts or when they made multi-day DLR trips (and decided an AP would be worthwhile for at least one person in the group), but they don't follow what's happening on the AP holder website or any AP news. Heck, I don't even look at the specific AP section of the DLR website regularly unless I am checking the hotel calendar for dates I think I might be there or unless I am looking for any information on seasonal events! I found out about the Star Tours thing because a DIS'er told me about it!

 

[Sherry E]

I used one of the discount places (not sure if I am allowed to mention Hotwire or Priceline or the others) and ended up with a good deal. It is a little far to walk (15 minutes or so) but man I just couldn't spend much with this being impromptu and a "prize."

**Someone please tell me if I am not supposed to mention the discount websites; I am new around here. It wasn't much less than the $67 mentioned above, but it was less.

oumagic - It's totally fine to mention those websites as they are very well-known and established! I think that some of our DIS'ers end up getting good deals on Expedia or similar places at the last minute.

The problem is when someone comes onto to the DIS and starts obviously promoting their own website or some business we have never heard of before that may or may not be a good service, without checking with the admins/webmasters for permission first.







Oh, I forgot to mention earlier - there is something kooky in that Disney Destinations database that causes them to send out certain e-mails (though not all of them) in duplicate, like what they are doing with the confirmations you guys are getting! Every time I make a reservation to stay onsite at a DLR hotel, they e-mail me two identical reservation confirmations as well, within seconds of each other. It has happened to me for the last few years. I don't know if it's a fluke...or maybe it's intentional??

 

[oumagic]

oumagic - It's totally fine to mention those websites as they are very well-known and established! I think that some of our DIS'ers end up getting good deals on Expedia or simlar places at the last minute.

The problem is when someone comes onto to the DIS and starts obviously promoting their own website or some business we have never heard of before that may or may not be a good service, without checking with the admins/webmasters for permission first.

Great! I just didn't want to come off as an advocate for Hotwire over Priceline or anything like that, especially since I just joined this month and have a small number of posts. I never thought checkin would be at 4 AM when I entered. I was planning on just driving there the day of event if I won and spending one night instead of two or I probably would not have entered.

 

[perlster]

Anyone who got the 3:20 email yesterday received the second message with details?

 

[Cesilie]

Anyone who got the 3:20 email yesterday received the second message with details?

I'm a little worried myself, I got my email at 2:50, responded at like 5:30 (I was at work) and haven't heard anything back since. I REALLY need to see that 2nd email since I'm pretty much gonna put my new job on the line for this event! LOL. You're only young once right? I'm hoping it comes soon-I've been refreshing my email all morning and now its time to go to work I hope it's here tonight! Otherwise I might just cry for being unqualified since I responded with everything they needed!

 

[oumagic]

My first email (in first round of invites) said that they would respond within 24 hours. I was skeptical as well but the 2nd email did come within 24 hours. If it has been more than 24 hours, I would be a little concerned. The original contest said that the invites would be given on the 13th (I got mine on the 12th) so I just would wait to worry if the 14th rolls around and you haven't got it.

FTR, my first email said to respond within 48 hours and it tool me 12 or so due to finding it in my spam folder after seeing this thread.

 

[Cesilie]

well i ended up sending in another email just to make sure it sent (since i sent in from my phone) and they said the got my email and that the 2nd would be coming shortly! *crosses fingers* hopefully soon!

 

[Dizneydaz]

FYI to all second round winners. I got my second email just under 24 hours from when I got the first one. First one came at 4:30 p.m. on 5/10 and 2nd one came at 3:35 (and 3:45) on 5/11. Looks like there's a certain time frame when they send them out.

If you got your first one at 2:50 you should be receiving your 2nd one in the next hour or so. (based on mine and my DM's timing)

 

[perlster]

The second message, with attachments, came 23 hours and 15 minutes after the first one.

 

[Dizneydaz]

The second message, with attachments, came 23 hours and 15 minutes after the first one.

Almost exactly my timing. (to my 2nd-2nd one)

Glad you got it. See you there!

 

[lcasa]

I have no idea how many time slots were available for the TSMM AP preview because I didn't do that one (unfortunately, because that's the one I would have really wanted to do! Drat!) - were there many? Do you remember off-hand? Were there as many as there are for Star Tours?

It's very true that not everyone who entered the Star Tours AP preview contest may be chosen, although I don't think that all 1 million AP holders entered to win a contest to ride a new ride shortly before it opens to the general public (many AP holders live out of state and even out of the country). It wouldn't be worthwhile to a great number of people to make the trek out here for that, I would think. And even among the ones who are chosen, not everyone will be able to attend.

Also, you'd have to actually know about the AP preview - and I would bet that tons of people got their AP's just for the discounts or when they made multi-day DLR trips (and decided an AP would be worthwhile for at least one person in the group), but they don't follow what's happening on the AP holder website or any AP news. Heck, I don't even look at the specific AP section of the DLR website regularly unless I am checking the hotel calendar for dates I think I might be there or unless I am looking for any information on seasonal events! I found out about the Star Tours thing because a DIS'er told me about it!

There weren't as many days offered for TSMM -- think it may have only been 2? I was impressed with the number of dates this time.

And I wish I could take my son ( my Disney-buddy ) but as a high school student finals are too important. I can't believe how much work they have these days!

I do wonder if the admission is for that day only - betting it is. Almost feel guilty wasting it as an ap-er. But - I was there for the original Star Tours openning party ( that was cool - 72 hours long!) and missed out on the d23 final ride, so not too guilty!

 

[Dizneydaz]

I sent an email with a few questions regarding the preview (like assigned times, etc.) and I got an email back.

Event check-in takes place from 4:00 to 7:30 a.m. and you may check in any time during that window. Those arriving past 7:30 a.m. will not be able to participate and will forfeit their prize. Guests will be escorted to the Star Tours queue at 8:00 a.m. with the first ride starting around 9:00 a.m. Disneyland park will not be open during this time and you will not have the opportunity to experience any other attractions during that time.

Ride times will not be assigned. Guests will enter Disneyland park and enter the queue in the order that they (arrive?-was missing word)

Let me know if you have additional questions.

So good news is they won't be assigning times. We'll be able to enter the park early, 8:00 a.m., to get into line. Make sure to arrive (at check-in) by 7:30 a.m. or you won't get in.

I'm happy to hear they won't be assigning times based on when you first arrive. We plan on leaving home at 6 a.m. Should arrive at TS parking lot around 6:45 which should give us plenty of time to arrive at check-in by 7:30 a.m. If it was just me and my DM I would probably leave a little earlier but I don't want to wake DD11 and DNephew2.5 too early.

 

[Cesilie]

finally got my email, with like 5 mins to spare to 24 hours!! I was super excited... got my hotel and it should be a CRAZY day. My boss let me off the day of BUT didn't compensate for the fact that I have to drive 7hrs to get there.... sooooo I am calling into my closing shift (wouldn't let me have an earlier time so I could leave a bit earlier) from 6-11 to drive down.... crash in the target parking lot for a bit, head over to the TSPK and check in! spend the day in the parks (anyone know if we can upgrade our ticket to a hopper for the extra $? I know we could with the Give a day event) and drive back the next day after a night in our hotel sound like a plan? LOL. its crazy but we've done it before where we've just drove down, spent the day, and left for home afterwords...

 

[lcasa]

I sent an email with a few questions regarding the preview (like assigned times, etc.) and I got an email back.

Guests will be escorted to the Star Tours queue at 8:00 a.m. with the first ride starting around 9:00 a.m. Disneyland park will not be open during this time and you will not have the opportunity to experience any other attractions during that time.

I hope that means just between 8 and 9am that guests won't be able to ride anyting else. Any ideas?

 

[oumagic]

I hope that means just between 8 and 9am that guests won't be able to ride anyting else. Any ideas?

I am pretty sure that is exactly what it means. They are giving everyone and their guest a 1 day/1 park ticket so I assume after you are done with Star Tours you just go to the rest of the park. When I read that, I took it to mean that you couldn't come inside and ride other rides between 8 and 9 because the park is still closed. Like for example, if you were done with Star Tours at 8:30, nothing else will be open. I know it says we get 1 preview ride, but I still hold out some sliver of hope that we can ride it more than once

 

[JH87]

I sent an email with a few questions regarding the preview (like assigned times, etc.) and I got an email back.



So good news is they won't be assigning times. We'll be able to enter the park early, 8:00 a.m., to get into line. Make sure to arrive (at check-in) by 7:30 a.m. or you won't get in.

I'm happy to hear they won't be assigning times based on when you first arrive. We plan on leaving home at 6 a.m. Should arrive at TS parking lot around 6:45 which should give us plenty of time to arrive at check-in by 7:30 a.m. If it was just me and my DM I would probably leave a little earlier but I don't want to wake DD11 and DNephew2.5 too early.

Thank you so much for the info!
I was thinking, since I am staying at a hotel on Harbor, to just wake up at 4, and whenever I finish getting ready just walk over, check in, maybe head back to the hotel to relax a bit and eat breakfast, then head back over.
I figure it will be less crowded around 4-5.
Can't wait!

lcasa, I agree with oumagic about it just meaning we can't ride anything in DL from 8-9 because the park is still technically closed.
I am holding out for more than just 1 ride though But, 1 is better than none! So I am not complaining

 

[Dizneydaz]

I too am hoping we will get to ride more than once. If not, that's fine too.

Went today for about a 5.5 hour visit. It was pretty crowded. There's a school singing competition going on and there were a ton of kids there in matching t-shirts. I was surprised they would do this on a Sat. in May.

Also something strange was going on with BTRM. We went to use our FP and the ride was closed. Not broken down. Just closed. We could see trains full of guests on all the trains. The CM announced (about 1:30-2:00) that BTRM was closed but should be open later tonite. Tonite? Tonite was like 6 hours away. I asked the CM if it really wasn't going to operating until night time. He said maybe in a few hours or so. He also said it wasn't broken down there was something special going on. I wonder if it had anything to do with all the Mice Chat Gumball Rally stuff today?

Since it was the only FP we had gotten in the a.m. and we were planning on leaving soon I stopped by at the times board and spoke to the CM there. She was very nice about it and gave me a FP to use on any ride (except WoC and TSMM, of course). She also made a call since she had it on her board with a 35 min. wait. I told her it was closed and it was really congested in that area with the closure and the construction walls.

DD11 wanted to use the FP for Space. We spotted 3 girls in the standby line and had them join our group (FP is good for up to 6). We also used a Baby Switch Pass for DD to ride twice while we switched of with DNephew2.5. The standby wait time was 65 min. I think we were on in about 15 the first time and it was less than 15 for DD's second time.