better strategy for jedi training signup

[snoopy352]

We are staying at Beach Club and have an ADR at Hollywood and Vine for 8:00 am. We want to sign up DD7 for JTA and also do TSMM as close to RD as possible. DD7 couldn't care less about all the characters currently at H/Vine.

Options:

1.) Keep ressie (and get up 30 minutes earlier than we would otherwise, a major negative for my DD7). Will we be done in time to do JTA signup?
2.) Dump ressie and eat on the fly, sleep in 30 minutes later, and do RD at DHS and go straight to the signups.

Suggestions? (Or third option I am missing?)

 

[Robo]

You need to know that DHS will open the gates to guests (on Regular Hours/Non-AM EMH mornings) any time between 15 and 30 minutes BEFORE the posted opening time.
You need to arrive at DHS much earlier than the posted time if you want to be early into the gates.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Regardless of what else you do you should dump a morning ADR for Hollywood & Vine. The morning in Hollywood Studios is too valuable. If you need to do Hollywood & Vine, move it to lunch, but I think there are much better dining options in that price range.

 

[snoopy352]

Regardless of what else you do you should dump a morning ADR for Hollywood & Vine. The morning in Hollywood Studios is too valuable. If you need to do Hollywood & Vine, move it to lunch, but I think there are much better dining options in that price range.

the ADR is at 8 and the park opens at 9. (8:45)

 

[jimandami]

I would dump the ressie and get to DHS around 8:30.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I understand.

8:45 is the best time to be in Hollywood Studios, not sitting at a buffet or waiting on your server to bring your check. If you're going to rush through a meal so you can be out of the door by 8:40 am, you might as well eat something quick in your room or from your resort.

 

[shan23877]

For what it's worth, I've done the 8am ressie at H&V twice (April and July) and both times been done by 8:35. We've beaten the crowds to TSMM because they let us go as soon as they open the gates. No reason one of you can't hit JTA sign up and the whole group ride standby at TSMM all before 9 IMO

 

[jtowntoflorida]

The H&V 8:00 is one of the most valuable in the park to us. They let you go from the restaurant as soon as the park opens, so you're ahead of everyone coming in the gate. We've been the third family to sign up for JTA and then been over to TSM and walked on to the ride before, all before 9:00. Can't beat that!

 

[Indecisive]

I have been debating this same question! It is great to hear from shan23877 and jtowntoflorida that they have actually done this and thought it was helpful. I have heard all the arguments both ways and have gone back and forth about it in my mind. One thing I have considered is that it seems from what I've read that if you really want to be first at the turnstiles for RD, you really need to be there by 8/8:05. If we are going to be there that early anyway, perhaps it makes sense to go right into an 8am ressie rather than stand at the turnstiles doing nothing? And I think you can just request and pay the check immediately, so you can negate that problem. I am concerned about whether we will end up having to rush our (expensive) meal, but that's great to hear that others have been done by 8:35. I have also figured that if the rest of my party was still eating, I could always get up and leave with DS while the rest of them finish up. I guess I am going to continue to debate this in my head for another 60 or so days!

 

[LSUfan4444]

I have been debating this same question! It is great to hear from shan23877 and jtowntoflorida that they have actually done this and thought it was helpful. I have heard all the arguments both ways and have gone back and forth about it in my mind. One thing I have considered is that it seems from what I've read that if you really want to be first at the turnstiles for RD, you really need to be there by 8/8:05. If we are going to be there that early anyway, perhaps it makes sense to go right into an 8am ressie rather than stand at the turnstiles doing nothing? And I think you can just request and pay the check immediately, so you can negate that problem. I am concerned about whether we will end up having to rush our (expensive) meal, but that's great to hear that others have been done by 8:35. I have also figured that if the rest of my party was still eating, I could always get up and leave with DS while the rest of them finish up. I guess I am going to continue to debate this in my head for another 60 or so days!

There is very little advantage to being the first or 4th person at your respective mickey reader..You can arrive by 8:15 and be just fine to do TSM with no wait and still sign up for JTA and save $30 per adult and $17 per child in the process and put it towards lunch when you are tired and want a break.

 

[Trip planner]

We have 8am H&v ressies and a 5yo who really wants to do Jedi training. I figure my hubby can take ds to sign up at 9am and I ca stay to pay check with my 3yo . Poor 3yo doesn't have much to to at HS so the character breakfast will probably be the highlight of his day so I don't want to rush him.

 

[snoopy352]

Compelling arguments for both sides. Tough decision!

 

[Itinkso]

As long as it isn't an EMH morning, both will work.

Jedi sign-ups begin as soon as guests enter either for EMH or on a regular park hours day.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We have 8am H&v ressies and a 5yo who really wants to do Jedi training. I figure my hubby can take ds to sign up at 9am and I ca stay to pay check with my 3yo . Poor 3yo doesn't have much to to at HS so the character breakfast will probably be the highlight of his day so I don't want to rush him.

You will definitely be done by 9:00. It's a breakfast buffet and it just doesn't take long. The characters come out fairly quickly, too. We've been done by 8:35 before, but this past year it was 8:45 before they'd release us from the restaurant area to go do JTA signups.

DHS is one of our "big" days because it's one of our favorite parks and there's so much to do there. This last trip, we were there for 13 hours without a break. While we're not big breakfast eaters, for DHS day it works well for us because it's such a long day and it's nice to have a good fueling-up at the beginning of the day.