D23 EXPO 2019 Superthread - dates announced!

[Skyegirl1999]

I have to say this is disappointing news. I was hoping that Disney was going to open a ready for primetime land that was going to be spectacular. But this sounds like another Pixar Pier, except worse. They have had years to make this happen. Pixar Pier had months. If Star Wars isn't ready for a complete opening due to weather, they should delay it and have people work 24/7 to get it ready.

This just seems really tacky. Instead of having two rides to split crowds, now the complete focus will be on one and most park goers will probably not get to ride it. With a relatively low number of riders per hour, in a 8am to 12am operating day, the majority of park goers will not get an opportunity to ride this single attraction. Just image how people will feel if they come across the country to see Star Wars but never actually get a chance to ride anything? Can you imagine how angry people will be? I can see this turning into a public relations and social media nightmare with people standing in line at City Hall asking for refunds. If they would just wait a little while longer they could greatly increase capacity with the additional attraction and significantly reduce the chances of people feeling ripped off. This all seems remarkably shortsighted.

I kind of agree, but I think they were boxed in by having announced “June.” So now they can spin it as “early!” (by one day) and start to draw people there for SW... instead of saying, “hey, we won’t be ready until the end of July” or whatever and looking like they failed. Also, they want to start seeing a ROI for all the work they’ve done, so if the land complete other than ROTR, I can see why they want to get it up and rolling.

I also think they’re trying hard to sell the land as an experience, not just a place with rides. So they’re hoping the draw of immersively being in the Star Wars-verse makes up for no rides, or just one.

Obviously everyone would be happier if ROTR was ready and then could open all at once, but I can see why they’re going this direction given the overall situation.

 

[EB Beaumont]

There’s very few things I enjoy more than Disney with the family. There’s very few things I loathe more than really, really bad crowds. I knew it was gonna be crowded anyway the first week of June when we booked for DL (our first time there, we’ve always done WDW), but figured for sure we’d be safe from the SWGE crowds. Now, I’m actually dreading that part of our trip... someone please talk me down, even if you have to lie to me.

 

[Peter C]

Found this on Disney’s website.

38" (97 cm) or taller

• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

40" (102 cm) or taller

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Star Tours
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/faq/parks/height-requirements/

 

[Skyegirl1999]

There’s very few things I enjoy more than Disney with the family. There’s very few things I loathe more than really, really bad crowds. I knew it was gonna be crowded anyway the first week of June when we booked for DL (our first time there, we’ve always done WDW), but figured for sure we’d be safe from the SWGE crowds. Now, I’m actually dreading that part of our trip... someone please talk me down, even if you have to lie to me.

Well, I always thought SWGE was going to be open by early June, so in my opinion you’re benefitting from this reservation thing because (if they advertise and enforce it right), people will realize they can’t get into SW without a reservation. That will limit the SW-specific crowds, at least.

 

[CO2CA]

I think we're the only ones excited about this. We weren't planning a trip until the fall but decided to do a trip today from 5/26 to 6/1. Then after a few minutes, I looked on my FB newsfeed and saw the breaking news about it opening on the 31st! We're incredibly excited and can't wait for more details to get released. I think at this point it's just got to be a go with the flow.

 

[stagemomto3]

I think just like everyone else, they will need to make a reservation, I don't think hotel guests are getting any special treatment.

The problem with the VGC reservations is that they are unlinked to anything on the Disney sites. If I make a reservation at the hotel side of the Grand Californian, I can access it on disneyland.com or the app at attach it to my dining reservations, etc. This doesn't work for the VGCs, although strangely, all of the DVC properties at WDW are compatible with their system. My worry is that it will be hard to get a GE reservation with a VGC booking...but we shall see!

 

[B3rlingirl]

I think no one can really predict if it is a“good“ idea to open in two phases because we don’t know how the schedule for RoR looks like...
Like a previous poster said,everyone would be disappointed if SWGE wouldn’t open till august or whatever... and spreading out the demand to check out the land especially for the local APs will help a lot!
I think a lot depends on when RoR will open...And how that process will work out...

My big hope and thought is that with the current delays for RoR they just can’t announce a fix date for it that far in advance... and they really had to make the announcement now so everyone could start plannning...I mean everyone was waiting for it! and now they could do the RoR opening a little more low profile and a little more spontaneous... So I think RoR opening in June or July is still possible...


That being said I really hope everything will be sorted out till November! I hoped that the initial run would have stopped a little by then... but with the possibility that RoR might open Halloween or whenever I am a little scared now!

 

[cmwade77]

The problem with the VGC reservations is that they are unlinked to anything on the Disney sites. If I make a reservation at the hotel side of the Grand Californian, I can access it on disneyland.com or the app at attach it to my dining reservations, etc. This doesn't work for the VGCs, although strangely, all of the DVC properties at WDW are compatible with their system. My worry is that it will be hard to get a GE reservation with a VGC booking...but we shall see!

I don't think so, you are still staying onsite and when they have done the x number of anytime free FPs for staying on site, VGC has been included in most of those (depending on the terms of the promo).

 

[DaniLongLegs]

I wonder if they'll extend reservation access to those checking OUT of a DLR hotel on May 31st, too?

 

[cmwade77]

Sorry if I missed this, but any guesses on what this means for the paid previews? Do they ever do soft openings for those with regular park admission? Our last day there is 5/26, so just wondering what the odds are we could catch anything, paid or not.

As of late it appears that soft openings for regular guests are a thing of the past and they will still do a paid preview, I mean heck not all of Pixar Pier is even open yet and they did a paid preview for it. We might see AP/CM/Etc. previews after the paid previews, but I wouldn't even hold my breath for that.

Now if Disney were smart, they would offer after hours access to passholder for the first couple of months, which would reduce the daytime crowds as well.

 

[cmwade77]

I wonder if they'll extend reservation access to those checking OUT of a DLR hotel on Mary 31st, too?

That will probably be one to ask for some pixie dust on.

 

[Lauren in NC]

My guess is that they intended to open everything on that June 21st date, but RotR is behind while everything else was on-track or ahead of time. I don't remember when Iger initially gave that June window, but I'd hope that when he said it, everything was still on track. So hopefully RotR will be finished and ready to open only a few weeks later.

 

[friedela]

I'm doing a happy dance of relief that we are still missing the opening of it. I don't want to be anywhere near the insanity, lol.

 

[Lewdannie]

They are going out of the way to ensure that hotel guests do not get an advantage in the early morning, but I could see an after hours deal.

Maybe, EMH is not restricted to just hotel guests at Disneyland

 

[reisdawg]

Just got a DVC reservation for May 31st at Grand Californian. It's a 3 bedroom for me and a friend but completely worth being there opening day!

 

[SD33]

I’m worried that Rise of the Resistance won’t be open by August! We’ve already paid for the whole trip and we’re going with friends (who are fairly non-Disney fans lol!) and we’re all going to be upset if it’s not open. I mean, saying summer 2019 would give the impression it all would be open and we picked August based on that.

I mean, I get it. And of course I’d rather have it open than not at all! But...... I’m going to be sad if we miss “phase two.”

I'm with you. We will be there in August as well. Any guesses on when RotR will be ready, people? I was hoping later June but could it really be August?

 

[RedM94]

The problem with the VGC reservations is that they are unlinked to anything on the Disney sites. If I make a reservation at the hotel side of the Grand Californian, I can access it on disneyland.com or the app at attach it to my dining reservations, etc. This doesn't work for the VGCs, although strangely, all of the DVC properties at WDW are compatible with their system. My worry is that it will be hard to get a GE reservation with a VGC booking...but we shall see!

I share your concern, and several phone calls to DVC today did not help alieve my concerns.

 

[crvetter]

I share your concern, and several phone calls to DVC today did not help alieve my concerns.

I would assume they are setting aside a specific amount for the resort rooms upfront for SW:GE and your reserved time would be something that happens at Check-In or very close to it. So the VGC guests would be treated just like every other guests at Disneyland hotels, in fact VGC guests are guests of the Grand Californian Hotel in treatment. I don't think they will be having resorts guests selecting a reservation time a month or two beforehand like the other off-site guests. By setting it offside for the Resort guests and have the hotel handle it they allow for last minute people to book in and still get the guarantee, I'm betting they just operate with a 100% occupancy at the hotels during that first month and some sort of average length of stay to know what to set apart. Resorts guests won't need to select ahead of time because they will know apart of their room reservations is that access.

Basically in short because the VGC stays don't show on Disneyland.com or the app wouldn't be that worrying, because I would think no on-site guest will be booking the reservation to access the land that way.

 

[cmwade77]

My guess is that they intended to open everything on that June 21st date, but RotR is behind while everything else was on-track or ahead of time. I don't remember when Iger initially gave that June window, but I'd hope that when he said it, everything was still on track. So hopefully RotR will be finished and ready to open only a few weeks later.

My guess is if they are opening in phases, ROTR will be two to three months behind Smuggler's Run.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

I'm really excited they decided to do a soft opening. It should help them with crowd issues and being prepared for the full onslaught once everything is open. I'm slightly bummed only because I just agreed to chaperone a grad nite at Universal on opening day...but I will live. I'm super envious of everyone who will get to go this summer.