CP standby lines - current MO?

[DVCkidsMOM]

When CP started this season, it was reported here that they were trying out a wrist band option for standby line. Has anyone seen if this is still happening? If you've seen it recently, please let us know the details. I'm particularly curious about when the standby line starts vs when/if wristbands are handed out. If there are wristbands, when does line for standby with wristbands start? Is there still a standby without wristbands line and when does it start? Is it obvious which line is which if there is more than one standby line?
We aren't willing to wait for good CP seats - just want to hear it for the Christmas spirit it provides. Any strategies for that (don't care if we see the narrator) would be appreciated. TIA

 

[georgina]

We were there Friday night. Did not bother with the standby line, just found a place to stand along the walkway about 10 minutes before the last show and could see and hear very well from there. We left just before the end to find a good place for Illuminations before the crowd got out of CP.

 

[xApril]

I am going this Friday and am also looking for tips, along with how early I should line up for the first performance to make sure I get a seat.

 

[Robo]

Is it obvious which line is which if there is more than one standby line?

Standby line builds to the East toward Italy (to your right as you face the stage) from the rear of the seating area.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

So SB wristbands or not? Robo only mentioned one SB line, not two...
I don't mind being in line briefly just after lunch if a wristband means I don't have to stand in line all afternoon for the first show.
If it's regular SB only then I'll just walk up the the American pavilion area just before the first show and hang out or slip in last minute if that's an option.
Another poster, though, wanted recommendations about when to be in line to (likely - no guarantees, I'm sure, especially as we get closer and closer to Christmas) get a seat for the first show. That would be a good reference point to have, please.

 

[DebbieB]

Here's the thread that talks about wristbands. You may want to post on it to see if there is more info. This was posted after Thanksgiving weekend, so it could have changed.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3356339

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

So is it best to resurrect an old thread about wristbands? I started this one because that was so old, but if resurrecting old threads is better then I will do that. Thanks

 

[DebbieB]

So is it best to resurrect an old thread about wristbands? I started this one because that was so old, but if resurrecting old threads is better then I will do that. Thanks

The people who responded before me didn't seem to know anything about it. If you post on the old one, there are people who may have subscribed to it who will see your question. It's only 2 weeks old.

 

[chrisxtwo]

Someone from the other thread said they did distribute wristbands for the show tonight (or last night). So it seems this is still the procedure.

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

They start distributing wristbands at 1:30 pm at the regular stand by line location. They will hand out 100 bands to the first show. Once they have handed out those 100 they will start on the 6:15 pm show and so on.

We really wanted 6:15 pm show because we had the package for 5 pm and wanted to see Edward James Olmos twice. So we stayed till our 2 pm dinner ressie and they had not handed out the 100 yet. We came back a little after 3 pm and was able to get 6:15. Did this on two occasions. They would ask those in the 5 pm line if they had a compelling reason to see the 5 pm and would they be interested in the 6:15 show. Some stayed (someone was singing in the show) and others took them up on the offer. They would hand out the 8 pm show bands well into the 6:15 pm line.

You then line up near the left side of the sound booth. There is a section set aside for wrist bands. The size of the area depends upon how many dinner packages are sold. You enter at the same time the package people enter, but have a restricted area to sit in.

It worked out well for us and hope they continue it.

Debbie

 

[luvmarypoppins]

We were also there last week. We got our wristbands for the 6:15 show at 3:30.
We also saw Edward James Olmos.

I didnt want to transfer out of the wheelchair so we had the last handicapped row before the white benches, Fine for us, it was free.

We did the package the night before and saw LeVar Burton.

If you do have the standby wristbands, your seats will be after the roped off area inside the theater. It was about the last 4-6 rows. This was on the R side.

If you also have a stroller and a wristband, you might be able to sit in any unoccupied handicapped seating (we observed this) at the top of the theater.

 

[jo-jo]

We got the 5 pm wrist bands twice last week. Once we were just walking by about 1:30 and asked a question and was offered the wrist band. The next day because we didn't know the rules, we started hanging around about 12:45 just watching. About 1, CM started setting up the "ropes". And a few people started getting in line. About 1:15, we joined the line of 20 people. At 130 ish they started hanging out the wristbands.


Our seats were good, no worse than the seats when we waited in the standby line. I thought we would have been in the very very back. As long as I'm sitting I'm good.