Staceycs
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2010
- Messages
- 151
We attended yesterday (Wed 10/3) and here is a summary. We are a family of 4- 2 adults and 2 boys, ages 2 and 4. It probably doesn’t need to be said, but for families with similar needs, both of our boys are autistic and we saw this as a good opportunity to experience TSL without the crowds.
I had booked it the moment it became available, so 7:30am was the only option. I noticed on Monday afternoon that my date now had a 7:00am option and called Dining to change just in case there was a difference. I honestly still don’t understand the difference between the two, so I’m not really helpful on that front!
We are at POFQ and have a car. I wanted to be in line at 6:45am, so left early. We got to the parking lot at about 6:30am and were the second car there. We walked to security and were probably the fifth group to arrive. They had us stand in a single line and explained that the iPads weren’t downloading the day’s info properly, so they were printing out paper lists as they wanted to start letting us in at 6:50am. Every single CM was wonderfully happy and bright for that time of day!
It was very clearly explained that ABC Commissary was open from 7:00am and TSL would only open at 7:30am. The man we spoke to also said that less people had been booking than they had anticipated.
We walked towards breakfast and there would have been about 10 CMs ready in front of the Chinese Theatre to direct us. It was very strange as no one else was around.
We decided to eat before the event and went in to grab some food. You could either line up and order off the menu (every single register had someone ready to take orders) or you could visit the continental buffet to get cereal, pastries and drinks etc. There were 4 identical buffett tables set up- 2 on each side of the restaurant. For us, the buffett was enough and we left the restaurant at 7:20am to head over to TSL. Again, it really didn’t feel busy.
When we got to TSL people were already on rides and my oldest son and I walked straight into SDD with no wait. We went straight around again and walked straight on. While we did this, my husband took my younger son on Aliens. I never once saw Aliens operate at full capacity during the whole event- there was never a big enough line up to have it full.
My husband and I swapped kids and he went back on SDD twice more with or oldest. At most, they waited about 5 mins each time. One of the CMs mentioned that as the event goes on, everyone spreads out more and there is never a wait for SDD.
As a Family we then did Aliens again, followed by Toy Story Mania. For us this was also a walk-on, but by the time we got off there was a small line and they’d noted a wait of 10 mins out the front.
Buzz and then Woody and Jesse together were out greeting guests for most of the morning. If they left to swap with their replacements, it was a very quick swap and the line kept moving. The line for Buzz was usually quicker and shorter. We joined the line for Woody and Jesse at about 8:40 and met them just after 9:00am, so I’d recommended doing this earlier if you can.
While in line for Woody and Jesse at about 8:50am, the CMs lined up across the walkway and walked the crowds into TSL ready for 9:00am. There was an insane amount of people walking behind them, but I have to say it was pretty well-controlled and those of us doing EMM could still get straight into the rides and move around.
At 9:10am we were happy to leave TSL, having achieved more than we thought we could. We don’t move too fast with the kids, but had still done SDD 6 times, Aliens 4 times, TSM once and had met all characters. We had the option of going back to grab more food until 10:00, but we were happy with what we’d eaten earlier.
After a quick RnR and ToT ride, we left the park at about 10:30am.
In my opinion, it was outstanding value for money and I’m really glad we did it!
I had booked it the moment it became available, so 7:30am was the only option. I noticed on Monday afternoon that my date now had a 7:00am option and called Dining to change just in case there was a difference. I honestly still don’t understand the difference between the two, so I’m not really helpful on that front!
We are at POFQ and have a car. I wanted to be in line at 6:45am, so left early. We got to the parking lot at about 6:30am and were the second car there. We walked to security and were probably the fifth group to arrive. They had us stand in a single line and explained that the iPads weren’t downloading the day’s info properly, so they were printing out paper lists as they wanted to start letting us in at 6:50am. Every single CM was wonderfully happy and bright for that time of day!
It was very clearly explained that ABC Commissary was open from 7:00am and TSL would only open at 7:30am. The man we spoke to also said that less people had been booking than they had anticipated.
We walked towards breakfast and there would have been about 10 CMs ready in front of the Chinese Theatre to direct us. It was very strange as no one else was around.
We decided to eat before the event and went in to grab some food. You could either line up and order off the menu (every single register had someone ready to take orders) or you could visit the continental buffet to get cereal, pastries and drinks etc. There were 4 identical buffett tables set up- 2 on each side of the restaurant. For us, the buffett was enough and we left the restaurant at 7:20am to head over to TSL. Again, it really didn’t feel busy.
When we got to TSL people were already on rides and my oldest son and I walked straight into SDD with no wait. We went straight around again and walked straight on. While we did this, my husband took my younger son on Aliens. I never once saw Aliens operate at full capacity during the whole event- there was never a big enough line up to have it full.
My husband and I swapped kids and he went back on SDD twice more with or oldest. At most, they waited about 5 mins each time. One of the CMs mentioned that as the event goes on, everyone spreads out more and there is never a wait for SDD.
As a Family we then did Aliens again, followed by Toy Story Mania. For us this was also a walk-on, but by the time we got off there was a small line and they’d noted a wait of 10 mins out the front.
Buzz and then Woody and Jesse together were out greeting guests for most of the morning. If they left to swap with their replacements, it was a very quick swap and the line kept moving. The line for Buzz was usually quicker and shorter. We joined the line for Woody and Jesse at about 8:40 and met them just after 9:00am, so I’d recommended doing this earlier if you can.
While in line for Woody and Jesse at about 8:50am, the CMs lined up across the walkway and walked the crowds into TSL ready for 9:00am. There was an insane amount of people walking behind them, but I have to say it was pretty well-controlled and those of us doing EMM could still get straight into the rides and move around.
At 9:10am we were happy to leave TSL, having achieved more than we thought we could. We don’t move too fast with the kids, but had still done SDD 6 times, Aliens 4 times, TSM once and had met all characters. We had the option of going back to grab more food until 10:00, but we were happy with what we’d eaten earlier.
After a quick RnR and ToT ride, we left the park at about 10:30am.
In my opinion, it was outstanding value for money and I’m really glad we did it!
). Even doing that the SDMT had a 3-5 min wait the first few times, and was down to no wait after a few cycles. I'm thinking this might be similar. My plan for the moment (could change as late as when we get there) is to get PP photo at the entrance to TSL, meet the characters, ride TSM and Aliens, ride SDD multiple times, and end with another TSM and Aliens. Then ride TOT and/or RNRC (not sure if we can do both since we have to do RS for RNRC and our youngest is afraid of TOT, so probably only get 1 of them in) and then go eat close to 10. Not sure if we'll to to eat a pastry first or just hang around to wait for the rides and land to open. Probably depends on if we get there before 7:00 as I'm planning, or are a little late and get there at or just after 7:00. At least we can walk, so no more worry about bus vs minnie van vs lyft like I had when we were at AKL.
