D23 EXPO 2019 Superthread - dates announced!

[Kuzcotopia12]

We had a 8 a.m-noon reservation today. We arrived at the DL gate about 6:30 and got our wristbands right before 7 a.m. They held us by Nemo until 7, then let us proceed to Red Rose Tavern. My husband went there immediately, and my kids and I tried riding Hyperspace Mountain but it was down. So we went on Peter Pan and Mr. Toad and joined my husband around 7:30. Just a few minutes later they walked us down the Frontierland trail and held us at the entrance to Galaxy’s Edge. We entered a few minutes before 8. We were probably middle of the pack, so
I advice getting to the park at 6 a.m. to be closer to the front. My husband went straight to Savi’s, where he waited most of his time to build a light saber. Kids and I went to Olga’s but decided against it when we were told the line was an hour. We went to Smuggler’s Run and rode it in the single rider line. We were all assigned engineer, but it was super quick. Then we went by Olga’s again, but they had closed the line. So we got blue and green milk (blue is definitely better), took some photos by Kylo’s ship. Then we checked on my husband - he was still in line to sign up and pay. We waited with him for about 15 more minutes, then finally he was able to pay. This was about 9ish. They told him to come back at 9:45, so we all went to take some photos by the Falcon. The line was at 25 minutes at this point, so we got in it. We were almost on the ride at 9:35, but my husband got nervous about missing his appointment and left. I was disappointed because I wanted to ride it as a family and told him he had time, but he went anyway. This time my kids were pilots and I was a gunner. We were off at 9:51, and sure enough my husband was still in line at Savi’s. We left him there, checked on Olga’s (closed for our reservation window) and then went back on the Falcon (15 minute wait). We checked on my husband again, and he was about to go in. They would only allow two observers so my son went in with him. My daughter and I bought popcorn and browsed through the marketplace. Popcorn was $8 for a small bag, but it was good. Fun merchandise but we didn’t buy anything. We also walked through the Droid Depot which was fun to see, and we met R2-D2. It was about 11 and we saw the next group come in - hoards of people! We got in line for the Den of Antiquities. This line went fast, and my husband and son joined us after the light saber build. Great merch here but very expensive- my daughter got a neat journal ($30) and I bought a reusable bag (a bargain at $1.50). We went over to the Falcon for my husband to ride it single rider, then we shopped through the market again before leaving about 12:30ish. No one bugged us or asked to see our wristbands, probably because we weren’t doing anything that all the new people were wanting to do yet.

I looked at the app about 10ish and I could have placed a mobile order for food for later, but nothing really appealed to us. Closer to 11 food lines were long and the mobile order window started at 12:20. So plan ahead for food.

My husband said the light saber experience was cool but he ended up waiting 3 of the 4 hour window for it. If you want to do it, you need to be among the first to enter SWGE so that it doesn’t take all your time.

The ride is easy to get on using the single rider line, and wait times are very low in the middle of the reservation window.

Olga’s is the biggest pain point. I just wanted to walk in and look around and am disappointed not to have that experience.

We used the Play app a few times. My son really liked the scanner, and my daughter enjoyed the translator.

Crowds were manageable except for the lines at the droid and light saber builds, olga’s, and Den of Antiquities.

I saw a lot of PhotoPass photographers, and lines for those were pretty short. There were three in front of the Millennium Falcon.

Overall, the land is very immersive, cast members are in character, and it’s a great experience.

Thank you so much for posting this. We have 8 am to noon next Sunday 6/9 and I'm worrying about what time to get to the gate. I was planning on 6 to 6:30 am. I hate not knowing exactly what to do! I'm sure this has been asked/answered: do they have a special line for Star Wars reservations prior to entering the park?

 

[Nonsuch]

Crowds outside SWGE are very light, an example:
3PM yesterday (Saturday June 1),

• Haunted Mansion: walkon
• Pirates: 5 minutes
• Indiana Jones: 20 minutes

 

[IAmDis]

Is there a chicken exit on the Falcon ride? My wife gets motion sick but wants to see the queue.

Yes, there is, right before you enter the last preshow with your team. Ton of exits. Just ask a CM.

 

[lalasmama]

How difficult/easy is it to avoid the Droid Depot and Savi's?

It's not an option for our trip, and just wanting to figure out a plan before we get there!

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

How was the 11am-3pm slot to anyone who had it? I'm also curious to see how crowds get after this weekend.

 

[kpd6901]

UPDATE: I put this on another thread, but I entered the gates at 5 pm yesterday, and did 11 rides in 4 hours. Fastpasses were instant return times. Farthest one out was Soarin, which one was only an hour away. Literally walked onto Pirates, Matterhorn, Ariel, Goofy, Silly Swings, and Haunted Mansiom. Longest wait was the swinging gondola which was about 10 minutes. Cars had a posted wait of 65 minutes, but the line looked more like 30 minutes ( I did single rider). It was awesome!!! Walked into Flo’s with no wait and was the only one eating inside in one of the rooms. Great night!!

The story of low crowds continues this morning. At 10:12 local Pacific time, the Falcon is 25 (no overlap time), walking at HM, 20 at PPF, 40 at Space Mtn, which is the longest at either DLP or DCA. GotG is 5, TSMM is 35, Incredicoaster is 10. Soarin' is 25

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

We're in the same boat. I guess you just.... avoid it? Should be plenty of other things to do in the area.

 

[2 Pinks]

From what I can gather from videos, there aren't any glaringly huge signs advertising either shop on the outside of buildings. So I think it would be pretty easy to avoid them. Having not been in the land yet, I could be wrong.

 

[PandoraPreview]

I'm back from two days in the park. I don't think I'll ever have a better Disneyland Resort experience in my life. Both parks were empty on a Friday and Saturday, and my trip concluded with an 8pm Saturday SW:GE reservation.

I can't imagine the 8PM slot not being the best possible time. I walked around for an hour just exploring. I rode Smuggler's Run 8 times, with the only wait being the first time. I could have rode 50 tines single rider if I wanted. Only one time was there someone ahead of me in single rider.

I watched fireworks explode behind the Falcon (amazing). I ate the vegan meatloaf in DB7 (it was delicious!). I had the blue milk, which while not bad, was not as cold or as thick as I had expected. I interacted with Rey, and made a loop of the land 3 times. I got a Photo pass photo in front of the Falcon and First Order ship with no wait.

By 1030, it felt like I was one of 100 people in the entire land. A nice Cast Member brought me in for a tour of the Cantina before closing. I bought gifts at the shops. My final ride on Falcon was just me and one other person.

I know I don't have much to add that wasn't already said, but wow! What an amazing experience. It's so sad that only very few will be able to experience the land like I just did.

As for the Falcon ride, it exceeded my admittedly low expectations. I hope people commit to enjoying the experience rather than worrying about "figuring it out." My favorite rides were the ones where we were all crashing into things, pressing buttons furiously, screaming, and laughing. Actually - the worse you perform the more thrilling and fun the ride is. Don't treat it as a video game that you have to "win". Treat it as an interactive experience, and have fun.

Overall, I am blown away by the land. It is *much* larger in size and scale than I could have ever imagined. Incredible.

 

[Tink1987]

Does anyone know the prices for the accessories for droid depot? Specifically the r-series serving tray

That is $17.99.

 

[Princess Katelet]

I do think it will level out a bit- I think a lot of people avoided this weekend in particular. But I think it will be “busy,” not “capacity closure” or any of that, at least until June 24.

Even then, I expect the rest of the summer to have some randomly-busy times, but not craziness Every. Single. Day.

At least... until ROTR opens.

What is ROTR??

 

[dina444444]

What is ROTR??

Rise of the resistance. The other attraction that’s not open yet.

 

[pharmama]

What is ROTR??

Rise Of The Resistance. This is the other ride in Galaxys Edge besides Millennium Flacon: Smugglers Run but it is not ready/open yet. No official opening has been announced other than vague “later this year”. Rumors vary wildly from early fall to end of the year.

 

[dina444444]

How was the 11am-3pm slot to anyone who had it? I'm also curious to see how crowds get after this weekend.

Had it yesterday, like all overlap slots the beginning and end are a bit more crowded but at 1:30 falcon was a posted 15, but less than 10 minutes actual. We were able to sneak back in right at 2 before the mob walked in and that was a walk on basically. Only thing that slowed us down was a cast member was walking the line.

 

[rteetz]

Savi’s is sort of hidden purposely. The droid shop is more open and allows people in the back part if you aren’t building. You should be able to avoid them just fine if you want.

 

[ateam79828592]

6/2 11a slot. They are now processing the line for the Catina by putting people on a waitlist. They then text you when it is your time to enter the Catina. They had numerous people doing the check in for the waitlist. It only took us a few minutes to get through that line.

 

[ateam79828592]

6/2 11a slot. They are now processing the line for the Catina by putting people on a waitlist. They then text you when it is your time to enter the Catina. They had numerous people doing the check in for the waitlist. It only took us a few minutes to get through that line.

It also texts you immediately with an approximate wait time. Ours was 60-85 minutes having check in immediately on entering (and being a decent way back in the initial line).

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Please keep the reports coming. I'm having a moment of cold feet about my last minute trip on Thursday night for SWGE on Friday. I read on another board that due to the short park lines a standby queue could be implemented in early June. Ugh!!! Just my luck I'd book something, and they'd implement something that would cause much bigger crowds and wait times than are being reported right now. I'm 90% sure we are still going to book, but if any of you guys have heard anything please let me know. All these reports of short times are worrying me that they'll do something to screw it up! I also noticed that Friday was a grad night at Disneyland and I'm wondering how that might impact things.

 

[kpd6901]

6/2 11a slot. They are now processing the line for the Catina by putting people on a waitlist. They then text you when it is your time to enter the Catina. They had numerous people doing the check in for the waitlist. It only took us a few minutes to get through that line.

It also texts you immediately with an approximate wait time. Ours was 60-85 minutes having check in immediately on entering (and being a decent way back in the initial line).

This is QUITE helpful

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I'm back from two days in the park. I don't think I'll ever have a better Disneyland Resort experience in my life. Both parks were empty on a Friday and Saturday, and my trip concluded with an 8pm Saturday SW:GE reservation.

I can't imagine the 8PM slot not being the best possible time. I walked around for an hour just exploring. I rode Smuggler's Run 8 times, with the only wait being the first time. I could have rode 50 tines single rider if I wanted. Only one time was there someone ahead of me in single rider.

I watched fireworks explode behind the Falcon (amazing). I ate the vegan meatloaf in DB7 (it was delicious!). I had the blue milk, which while not bad, was not as cold or as thick as I had expected. I interacted with Rey, and made a loop of the land 3 times. I got a Photo pass photo in front of the Falcon and First Order ship with no wait.

By 1030, it felt like I was one of 100 people in the entire land. A nice Cast Member brought me in for a tour of the Cantina before closing. I bought gifts at the shops. My final ride on Falcon was just me and one other person.

I know I don't have much to add that wasn't already said, but wow! What an amazing experience. It's so sad that only very few will be able to experience the land like I just did.

As for the Falcon ride, it exceeded my admittedly low expectations. I hope people commit to enjoying the experience rather than worrying about "figuring it out." My favorite rides were the ones where we were all crashing into things, pressing buttons furiously, screaming, and laughing. Actually - the worse you perform the more thrilling and fun the ride is. Don't treat it as a video game that you have to "win". Treat it as an interactive experience, and have fun.

Overall, I am blown away by the land. It is *much* larger in size and scale than I could have ever imagined. Incredible.

Thanks for sharing! Sounds amazing!