Recent return - tips on what I saw for those going soon

[MICKEYFIL]

Just got back from five days in the parks over the superbowl weekend. Wanted to pass on some info for people going over the next little while.

1. Jedi Training - Get there early. Make it your first thing you do. I went and signed the kids up and then came back an hour later and saw the line up around the block trying to sign the kids up. If your kids are young, make sure they are paying attention to the questions the people ask. They started asking my kids questions and I suddenly realized it was a test to see if they could pay attention and they still had their minds in a haze from all the sounds of disneyland and the early morning sugar bomb.

2. Launch Bay characters - Kylo Ren is totally in character. Great job on their part of making him the dark side, not just some corny villain like the storm troopers. Chewbacca does not enjoy your kids wearing Kylo Ren shirts nor red lightsabers. Actually made the kids in front of us get rid of their lightsabers for the photos because they were red.

3. Friday was okay, Saturday was busy, Sunday was very busy, Monday was busy, Tuesday was busy. Apparently Thursday beforehand was okay.

4. Parades - Seemed as though their was a parade every hour and people were almost always lined up along main street from the afternoon onwards.

5. Hyperspace mountain - They did a pretty good job but I found it very sickening trying to stare at the little screens as you go whipping around the ride. Fastpasses went quickly.

6. Please be kind - Couldn't believe how many people took out their frustrations on cast members. They don't make the rules, they just have to remind you of them. Also on one occasion, actually had a family go around us in line while we stopped for a moment in the line up for Radiator Springs. I stopped to show my daughter the rock formation that looks like the front of a truck.

7. Why wait in line - Astro Blasters, Goofy's Sky School and Haunted Mansion had fastpasses available for no more then one hour from when they were pulled all day long. Kept pulling them, especially astro blasters because it was disconnected. Couldn't understand why anyone was waiting as much as 45 minutes for the ride.

We got to the park every day 1 hour and 15 minutes before opening and were always at the front of the line for entry. Security seemed to open at random times, but everyone made it through.

Thank you everyone for all of your help. The trip was wonderful thanks in part to all of your knowledge and insight.

 

[cinder-ellah]

Just got back from five days in the parks over the superbowl weekend. Wanted to pass on some info for people going over the next little while.

1. Jedi Training - Get there early. Make it your first thing you do. I went and signed the kids up and then came back an hour later and saw the line up around the block trying to sign the kids up. If your kids are young, make sure they are paying attention to the questions the people ask. They started asking my kids questions and I suddenly realized it was a test to see if they could pay attention and they still had their minds in a haze from all the sounds of disneyland and the early morning sugar bomb.

2. Launch Bay characters - Kylo Ren is totally in character. Great job on their part of making him the dark side, not just some corny villain like the storm troopers. Chewbacca does not enjoy your kids wearing Kylo Ren shirts nor red lightsabers. Actually made the kids in front of us get rid of their lightsabers for the photos because they were red.

3. Friday was okay, Saturday was busy, Sunday was very busy, Monday was busy, Tuesday was busy. Apparently Thursday beforehand was okay.

4. Parades - Seemed as though their was a parade every hour and people were almost always lined up along main street from the afternoon onwards.

5. Hyperspace mountain - They did a pretty good job but I found it very sickening trying to stare at the little screens as you go whipping around the ride. Fastpasses went quickly.

6. Please be kind - Couldn't believe how many people took out their frustrations on cast members. They don't make the rules, they just have to remind you of them. Also on one occasion, actually had a family go around us in line while we stopped for a moment in the line up for Radiator Springs. I stopped to show my daughter the rock formation that looks like the front of a truck.

7. Why wait in line - Astro Blasters, Goofy's Sky School and Haunted Mansion had fastpasses available for no more then one hour from when they were pulled all day long. Kept pulling them, especially astro blasters because it was disconnected. Couldn't understand why anyone was waiting as much as 45 minutes for the ride.

We got to the park every day 1 hour and 15 minutes before opening and were always at the front of the line for entry. Security seemed to open at random times, but everyone made it through.

Thank you everyone for all of your help. The trip was wonderful thanks in part to all of your knowledge and insight.

Thanks for the updates.
Sounds like you had a great time.

 

[figment_jii]

Thanks for the updates!

3. Friday was okay, Saturday was busy, Sunday was very busy, Monday was busy, Tuesday was busy. Apparently Thursday beforehand was okay.

I think Monday might have been busier than a "normal" Monday because some folks/schools had Monday off in honor of Lincoln's birthday (observed). I'm surprised Tuesday was busy, but maybe some schools are on Mid-Winter Break at this point. I guess this just goes with the current feelings that there really aren't any non-busy times anymore!

Couldn't understand why anyone was waiting as much as 45 minutes for the ride.

I've often guessed that this happens because they've recently pulled a FP for something else, so they're not eligible to get another FP at that point.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Mondays have been busy in my past experience.

 

[dotfurio]

The jungle cruise is worth a stop too. They do a land show that's pretty funny if you appreciate the jc humor. The girls even got to get involved in putting on the show. They were really great with the kids

 

[Abbey1]

Just got back from five days in the parks over the superbowl weekend. Wanted to pass on some info for people going over the next little while.

1. Jedi Training - Get there early. Make it your first thing you do. I went and signed the kids up and then came back an hour later and saw the line up around the block trying to sign the kids up. If your kids are young, make sure they are paying attention to the questions the people ask. They started asking my kids questions and I suddenly realized it was a test to see if they could pay attention and they still had their minds in a haze from all the sounds of disneyland and the early morning sugar bomb.

2. Launch Bay characters - Kylo Ren is totally in character. Great job on their part of making him the dark side, not just some corny villain like the storm troopers. Chewbacca does not enjoy your kids wearing Kylo Ren shirts nor red lightsabers. Actually made the kids in front of us get rid of their lightsabers for the photos because they were red.

3. Friday was okay, Saturday was busy, Sunday was very busy, Monday was busy, Tuesday was busy. Apparently Thursday beforehand was okay.

4. Parades - Seemed as though their was a parade every hour and people were almost always lined up along main street from the afternoon onwards.

5. Hyperspace mountain - They did a pretty good job but I found it very sickening trying to stare at the little screens as you go whipping around the ride. Fastpasses went quickly.

6. Please be kind - Couldn't believe how many people took out their frustrations on cast members. They don't make the rules, they just have to remind you of them. Also on one occasion, actually had a family go around us in line while we stopped for a moment in the line up for Radiator Springs. I stopped to show my daughter the rock formation that looks like the front of a truck.

7. Why wait in line - Astro Blasters, Goofy's Sky School and Haunted Mansion had fastpasses available for no more then one hour from when they were pulled all day long. Kept pulling them, especially astro blasters because it was disconnected. Couldn't understand why anyone was waiting as much as 45 minutes for the ride.

We got to the park every day 1 hour and 15 minutes before opening and were always at the front of the line for entry. Security seemed to open at random times, but everyone made it through.

Thank you everyone for all of your help. The trip was wonderful thanks in part to all of your knowledge and insight.

I have a question. Did your kids find Kylo Ren to be too scary? My 4 year old son loves Star Wars and thinks Kylo Ren is the bees knees, but from reading your observation, as well as a few others', it seems he might be rather intimidating. I don't want my little guy to be scared out of his mind.

 

[hanna-nana]

I have a question. Did your kids find Kylo Ren to be too scary? My 4 year old son loves Star Wars and thinks Kylo Ren is the bees knees, but from reading your observation, as well as a few others', it seems he might be rather intimidating. I don't want my little guy to be scared out of his mind.

I pulled up someone's YouTube video to show one of my kids. That reaction was enough to tell me we don't need to wait in that line!! Maybe you can watch it first and see?

 

[sherilaine]

I have a question. Did your kids find Kylo Ren to be too scary? My 4 year old son loves Star Wars and thinks Kylo Ren is the bees knees, but from reading your observation, as well as a few others', it seems he might be rather intimidating. I don't want my little guy to be scared out of his mind.

I have seen a few videos of his interactions - I know my DS when he was 4 would not have done well with that. Now, though on the flip side my kids (13 and 12) are raring to get into it with him. My DD wants to wear a Han Solo t-shirt when she meets him to see if she can stir up some trouble even. Now that being said, one would expect that this being Disney and all, the person playing that role would turn up or down the volume based on the age of the guest. I can't imagine a CM who has small kids running out screaming is going to get circulated too frequently!

 

[SMD]

I pulled up someone's YouTube video to show one of my kids. That reaction was enough to tell me we don't need to wait in that line!! Maybe you can watch it first and see?

You can't see the SW meet rooms until you're in them. They usually send in 2 groups together, one waits sort of halfway back behind a wall while the other goes. You can see some but not all. When I did it last week Kylo Ren came around the corner and started playing his spiel before the other group had exited. I saw him coming and thought "oh no." I really didn't want to play along. After awhile I asked him to talk to my friend instead and he left me alone. I think if you stand with the child behind you he'll approach the person he sees first. When I did Darth Vader, and it's probably the same CMs who played DV playing KR now, he totally ignored me and only played his sound cues for my friend, who was wearing a DV hoodie. But I guess it all sort of depends on who's in the suit when you get there and whether your group goes in first or not.

 

[Abbey1]

I pulled up someone's YouTube video to show one of my kids. That reaction was enough to tell me we don't need to wait in that line!! Maybe you can watch it first and see?

I just looked it up. Yep- definitely not meeting him this trip! I'd love to do the meet and greet myself, but way too intense of my little guy!

 

[bumbershoot]

Kept pulling them, especially astro blasters because it was disconnected. Couldn't understand why anyone was waiting as much as 45 minutes for the ride.

I've been there many times and I still cannot remember where the AB FP machines are. Therefore I never manage to get a Buzz FP. DH always remember just a touch too late where they are, but I'm done with the concept and have moved on. Every time.

It's not easy for people to find those machiens, and normal people do not know that they are disconnected.

Haunted Mansion had fastpasses

?????? HM had fastpasses this week?

Hyperspace mountain - They did a pretty good job but I found it very sickening trying to stare at the little screens as you go whipping around the ride.

I realized that they basically created the "goat trick" for Hyperspace. That's the trick the rider does on Big Thunder by watching, and continuing to watch, the goat on the mountain. As you turn your head back, it makes the turn feel intensely fast , and increases the sense of "big huge rollercoaster". With Hyperspace, since you're watching things and sometimes turning while the things are happening, it's causing "goat tricks" all throughout the ride.

I'd love to do the meet and greet myself, but way too intense of my little guy!

I don't even know how he can watch him in the movie.

Though he's kind of like an extra-immature toddler having a tantrum for most of the movie, so maybe a kid recently out of toddlerhood can relate to how KR behaves?

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I hate that I'm saying this but pack yo patience...Disneyland was PACKED I've never seen magic kingdom in Florida packed like that

 

[Minniekins]

I've been there many times and I still cannot remember where the AB FP machines are. Therefore I never manage to get a Buzz FP. DH always remember just a touch too late where they are, but I'm done with the concept and have moved on. Every time.

.....

We are going for our first DL visit in May. Can you share - what is an AB FP machine, and where they are? How many rides are disconnected? TIA!

 

[MICKEYFIL]

We are going for our first DL visit in May. Can you share - what is an AB FP machine, and where they are? How many rides are disconnected? TIA!

The AB (Astro Blaster's) fastpass is located beside the Star Tours fast passes. There are six machines and either the furthest to the left or the two furthest to the left will be dispensing fastpasses to astro blasters. So while you are there you can get both. Astro Blasters is the only one in disneyland that I believe is disconnected.

 

[Vincent405]

Just got back from five days in the parks over the superbowl weekend. Wanted to pass on some info for people going over the next little while.

1. Jedi Training - Get there early. Make it your first thing you do.

2. Launch Bay characters - Kylo Ren is totally in character.

3. Friday was okay, Saturday was busy, Sunday was very busy, Monday was busy, Tuesday was busy. Apparently Thursday beforehand was okay.

4. Parades - Seemed as though their was a parade every hour and people were almost always lined up along main street from the afternoon onwards.

5. Hyperspace mountain - They did a pretty good job but I found it very sickening trying to stare at the little screens as you go whipping around the ride. Fastpasses went quickly.

6. Please be kind - Couldn't believe how many people took out their frustrations on cast members.

7. Why wait in line - Astro Blasters, Goofy's Sky School and Haunted Mansion had fastpasses available for no more then one hour from when they were pulled all day long. Kept pulling them, especially astro blasters because it was disconnected. Couldn't understand why anyone was waiting as much as 45 minutes for the ride.

We also just got back. We were there from the afternoon of the 3rd through the 7th (superbowl Sunday).

Wednesday afternoon at DCA was not too crowded. Thursday at DL was ok. Friday at DCA, Saturday at DL, and Sunday at both parks were packed. We used fastpasses and EMH as best we could, but by the afternoon each day, it was nuts. At one point on Sunday, we were going toward main street through the area in front of Star Tours and we were the only ones headed in that direction on a completely packed walkway. I think a parade must have just finished. It was awful and convinced us to leave the park. It was also 80+ degrees. The line for pirates was so long that it wound back and forth in the walkway and beyond causing a further traffic jam over in that area.

While we did see annoying people, it was mostly because there were so many people. We did encounter a few rude cms. One called guests jerks as they walked away because they said they didn't want to wait for a FP when Indiana Jones went down and a few others who said unkind things to guests or to us about other guests.

We went to sign up for jedi training at 10:15 and all spots were already taken. Kylo does stay in character and does speak, by DD 10 thought he was funny. But, Bumbershoot nailed it - Though he's kind of like an extra-immature toddler having a tantrum for most of the movie, so maybe a kid recently out of toddlerhood can relate to how KR behaves.

Chewie was great and "speaks" also.

We though Hyperspace was great and we did it several times.

The FP machine for Buzz is in the same spot as the machines for Star Tours, it is the last machine in the row of machines as you enter the area. We also did star tours several times and every time we did a FP we got the underwater scene side.

 

[sherilaine]

Chewie was great and "speaks" also.

Does he growl or do they have some audio that he lips syncs?

 

[MICKEYFIL]

Does he growl or do they have some audio that he lips syncs?

It was mostly growling but it didn't exactly sound like him. Kylo sounded perfect.

 

[Vincent405]

Does he growl or do they have some audio that he lips syncs?

It was his "growl" coming from him. We thought it sounded a lot like him. He interacted with us, and "commented" on my goatee and compared it to his hair and also "commented" through noise and gestures on the fact that I was almost as tall as him. Overall, it was a very good interaction (oh, and he's a hugger-lol)

 

[texasgingerbread]

We also just got back. We went to sign up for jedi training at 10:15 and all spots were already taken.

What day was this and what time did the park open? Thanks.

 

[MICKEYFIL]

What day was this and what time did the park open? Thanks.

In all honesty, save yourself a lot of time and aggravation and just go over to the launch bay and sign your kids up first thing at park open. The processing time to get the kids on the list and pick the time you want them on there can be a little lengthy and when you talk about processing as many as 200 spots for the event, it makes standing in line for Dumbo or Hyperspace mountain look like a cake walk.