DAS and Rise Strategy Question

[ericaseiler]

Hi!
We haven't been to WDW in over 5 years and will be using DAS for the first time for my daughter. Rise is the only ride she would like to go on that seems to be the most popular/difficult. I am unsure of the best strategy and hoping you experts can offer some advice.
I know we are unable to secure a return time until we are in the park. I believe that return time for DAS is based on the current wait time. I have been seeing things about Lightening Lane (we are not purchasing the day we are in HS) and getting late afternoon/evening return times when booking Rise even at 9am. Will DAS be the same? I am hesitant to tie up her DAS all day waiting for our return time for Rise.
We are staying on site and plan to be there for early rope drop. I have heard everyone runs to Rise at that time so I was hoping to avoid doing that but is that the best strategy?
Get in line just before park closing? (we do not plan to watch Fantasmic)
Any tips or advice you have about this (or anything related) would be very helpful for us. Thank you!

 

[erionm]

To use DAS with Guardian, you still need to join the Virtual Queue. When your boarding group is called, check in at the ride and tell the CM you have DAS. They will convert the VQ over to a Lighting Lane pass.

 

[StarCruzer]

OK so, I actually just had a conversation last with Disney about DAS and the Guardians of the Galaxy virtual queue.

1. First VQ drops at 7 am for a boarding pass. You do not have to be in the park, just have a park reservation for EPCOT.
2. Second VQ drop is at 1 p.m., you must be in the park. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that you can't get a second reservation this way if you already got a boarding time for the first.
3. If you have DAS, you use the Lightning Lane to board when your boarding group is called, NOT the main line.

for Rise at HS:
1. You must be in the park to use your DAS, but my understanding is that you can join the line using DAS right within the MDE app, you don't have to go to the CM at the front of your line to reserve your spot.
2. Your best strategy is to get in DAS line for RoR right before your two DAS advance selections. Then you can at least ride 1-2 other rides while you virtually wait in line for RoR.

There's nothing helping it--you will likely be stuck in the virtual line, unable to use your DAS for a few hours (really, just like everyone else trying to ride). You can hit up rides or shows with very short waits (Muppets 3D) or eat in the meantime.

 

[PinkPixel]

To use DAS with Guardian, you still need to join the Virtual Queue. When your boarding group is called, check in at the ride and tell the CM you have DAS. They will convert the VQ over to a Lighting Lane pass.

Do you know how long the return time is for the lighting lane once converted?

 

[ericaseiler]

I am so sorry! I typed Guardian (in two areas) and meant Rise (which I mentioned in another area of my post). I apologize for any confusion. She does not want to ride Guardian. She wants to ride Rise. Sorry and Thank you!

 

[SueM in MN]

OK so, I actually just had a conversation last with Disney about DAS and the Guardians of the Galaxy virtual queue.

1. First VQ drops at 7 am for a boarding pass. You do not have to be in the park, just have a park reservation for EPCOT.
2. Second VQ drop is at 1 p.m., you must be in the park. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that you can't get a second reservation this way if you already got a boarding time for the first.
3. If you have DAS, you use the Lightning Lane to board when your boarding group is called, NOT the main line.

for Rise at HS:
1. You must be in the park to use your DAS, but my understanding is that you can join the line using DAS right within the MDE app, you don't have to go to the CM at the front of your line to reserve your spot.
2. Your best strategy is to get in DAS line for RoR right before your two DAS advance selections. Then you can at least ride 1-2 other rides while you virtually wait in line for RoR.

There's nothing helping it--you will likely be stuck in the virtual line, unable to use your DAS for a few hours (really, just like everyone else trying to ride). You can hit up rides or shows with very short waits (Muppets 3D) or eat in the meantime.

For Guardians of the Galaxy:
- at this point, it is using Virtual Queue, so all guests wanting to ride it, must get Virtual Queue or purchase Individual Lightning Lane. Per the Disney website, guests may enter the virtual queue no more than 1 time per day during regular operating hours.

- when your boarding group is called, go to the CM at the entrance to Lightning Lane. They will verify your DAS and Boarding Group, then direct you to enter the Lightning Lane. You may need to scan a second time at the Lightning Lane scanners.

For Rise of the Resistance, it may not be available for DAS Return Time in the app right at park opening - may take a few minutes to post a Standby Wait Time, which is what DAS Return Time is based on. If you don’t see it listed in the app as a ‘DAS Eligible attraction’, it’s probably down right then. It’s likely to come back later, but no DAS Return Times can be scheduled while it’s down.

Do you know how long the return time is for the lighting lane once converted?

Guests don’t get a DAS Return Time; your Boarding Group with DAS is converted into an immediate entry into the Lightning Lane.

 

[lanejudy]

I am so sorry! I typed Guardian (in two areas) and meant Rise (which I mentioned in another area of my post). I apologize for any confusion. She does not want to ride Guardian. She wants to ride Rise. Sorry and Thank you!

So for RISE OF THE RESISTANCE -- the DAS Return Time is based on the posted Standby at the time minus 10 minutes. So if RISE has a 1 hour wait, her DAS will be tied up for 50 minutes.

 

[SueM in MN]

I am so sorry! I typed Guardian (in two areas) and meant Rise (which I mentioned in another area of my post). I apologize for any confusion. She does not want to ride Guardian. She wants to ride Rise. Sorry and Thank you!

Rise of the Resistance is actually one of my daughter’s new favorite rides.
Guests using DAS can schedule a DAS Return Time for it in the app the same as other attractions. If you don’t see it as a DAS Eligible Attraction, it’s either too early in the day and doesn’t have a posted wait time yet or it’s temporarily down.
No DAS Return Times can be booked while it’s down; so just check back later.

DAS Return Times are based on the current Standby Wait Time at the time it is booked. Because the Standby Wait for Rise is usually long, your Return Time will be long.
For example, right now at 12:53 Orlando time, the current wait time is listed as 125 minutes. DAS Return Times are usually 10 minutes less than the current posted wait, so it would be 115 minutes.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We used DAS on our two most recent trips (last month and last may) and we got our return times for Rise before a meal and ate while we waited. If more time is needed, do a short wait attraction or show. This worked for us.

 

[Keeblerelf928]

With Rise just grab a return time at park opening and then ride the smaller rides and explore Galaxy's Edge or ride smugglers run if the wait is still low.

 

[jo-jo]

it sounds like you haven’t been on rise. Just want to share if a wheelchair/scooter is used, about 1/2 way through the walking part, the CM will ask if you can stand or walk for a few mins . I forget the exact wording. But it’s too far for my DH. You can take your chair until the ride .

On another ride, we learned a ”short distance” to us, is way different from the CM’s understanding.

 

[disneyfan123]

Book your ROTR immediately at park opening, and the wait won't be too long. Use your 2 pre-booked DAS rides for other headlines (ie Slinky, MMRR, MFSR) and then rope drop another bigger ride (RNR) and then you can start picking off smaller rides with no waits early in the day, while utilizing DAS to get on the headliners.

We did this in April as my son is eligible for DAS, and in 1/2 day (we were there for rope drop, and left around 2pm) we did ROTR twice, MMRR twice, RnR, MFSR, Slinky, and Muppets - pretty much everything except TOT.