Is Anyone Else Really Stressed About Scheduling their HS Day for later this year?

[DisneyCowgirl]

I'm going at our Spring Break and have planned HS for Sunday because it is the one day we don't have a late night before. Today was my FP+ day. Couldn't get SDD, but hoping we can ropedrop that without too long a line. But there are still so many uncertainties: Will they change the hours that week (seems likely)? Will they still be doing boarding groups (oh gosh I hope so)? Will I even be able to make my family get up on time? What about Runaway Railway?

I have to say, even though I have gotten increasingly frustrated with the amount of planning required for our trips, this is the first time I haven't enjoyed it at all. In addition to uncertainty about HS, since we are going at such a busy time,I booked ADRs at 180 days (first time to ever do that), and then had to change everything (mostly just cancel because nothing we want is available anymore) because of after hours and villains after hours, and changing park hours and EMHs.

I know I know, I sound whiney! These are first world problems. I'll put it another way, these are WONDERFUL problems to have. In the end, I know my family will have a great time.

 

[Heather07438]

HS now being hard to accomplish in 1 day sure beats seeing hula hoops left on the ground as an attraction during the construction phase before TSL & SWGE opened, lol.

The easiest way to avoid HS stress is scheduling 1.5 days, or even 2.

If 1 day is the only option then know your priority/secondary choices ahead of time. Knowing what can be sacrificed to stay on course makes it easier, especially when you're tired and overwhelmed in the park.

We hear 'manage your expectations' so often because it's true. Don't set yourself up with an impossible plan that's likely to disappoint. Make a plan that 'hopes for the best' and could be accomplished with some wind in your sails, and 'prepare for the worst' by knowing which eliminations will be least disappointing.

 

[cjlong88]

We were at HS on Christmas Day. We were pleasantly surprised how many FP's were available for tier 1 rides, even in the evening. We hopped from AK to HS around 5:30 pm and got additional FP's for ToT, RnRC, and TSM all within the first two hours we showed up. I know that's not true for every night, YMMV. We rode MFSR at the very end of the night with a 25 minute wait. Not bad at all and the line was constantly moving.

We dedicated one morning to visit HS again to grab a BG for RotR, then turned right around and went back to the hotel for some pool/nap time. We got called around 12:00 pm. We headed back to ride, and then hopped to Epcot for our 3 FP's afternoon/evening FP's. We purposely planned evening FP's on that day due to RotR. It worked out perfectly.

 

[PaladinButters]

There isn’t an attraction in any park that is worth the hoops they are making people jump through for RotR, in my opinion. I decided from the first day it opened that I would not be riding until they offer FP. If they never offer FP, then I am OK with not riding. I get up at 3:00am to go to work. I won’t do that on vacation unless it involves immediate family and life support!

Having made the decision, I am not stressing about my trip. I have one day at DHS on the agenda, because I like to spend a lot of time at the Arts Festival instead. I will probably end up canceling the Studios for Epcot. Maybe by the time I go in the fall FP will be available, but not holding my breath.

As a fellow 3 AM work person I have the opposite problem where I'm up anyways. I love mornings. Never miss a rope drop. That being said, the 'hoop' to jump through for me is the whole free-for-all lottery of getting a BG. Front of the line means nothing. I know Disney has to do something to keep people from camping out hours before open but it still disappointing.

Side disappointment story. We did Disneyland last month. Booked the trip a whole year in advance after seeing the GE opening 'dates'. (We had planned to do DL 'soon - hopefully that year' anyway - but this gave us a target time frame). Figured with a "SUMMER 2019" opening that going at the very end of the year would give us plenty of buffer time and crowds would level out for weekdays at least. Everybody got so excited - GE opens and AND RISE DID NOT OPEN. We waited and waited for news. Thinking that surely the bugs would be worked out and the delay would be minimal. And when they finally gave us opening dates - It was the next year. Vacation days expire at the end of the year - we couldn't just move down a month to January.
This time we're going where we are sure the ride is open and there's no FP+ and no line to stand in. Internally I'm screaming WON'T SOMEBODY PLEASE LET ME GET ON THIS RIDE!

 

[DisneyandBeerLover]

Stressed may be an understatement for us, our next HS day is March 4, when Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is going to open, and we're also going to try to go to Epcot for the opening of Flower & Garden that night. I'm just hoping to get into the park ASAP, hopefully grab a relatively early boarding group (but not too early so we can queue and ride MMRR) and jump into line for MMRR as soon as we get there. The thing is for us, the merchandise is just as important so we have to factor in the craziness of the merchandise lines/availability.

 

[xipotec]

Yep!
However, I still don't think that it's a 2 day park! With the addition of SWGE and now MMRR, it's a full day. And if you struggle to get in a boarding group... probably have to hit it on 2 mornings. The shame is if you don't have a hopper.
For now.... I'm just seeing what happens...

Correct . I am not sure where all this anxiety is coming from. Before SWGE HS was a half day park at best, unless you want to see every show. Then its still just a single day park.

MAYBE if you want to see every show and ride every ride twice AND have sit down casual ADR for every meal you might need 2 full days......

3 days at HS and you will be bored and repeating alot of things that do not warrent repeating on a single trip.
IMO