Is SWGE impacting your trip? Discuss your plans here!

[Disneylover99]

We check in opening day so we will zero reports to go off on how to handle DHS. Planning in completely avoiding SWGE but my 4 year old is dying to go on slinky dog dash since we missed it last year and our other kids love the Aerosmith coaster and tower of terror. So I’m trying to decide if I should plan to go to DHS on Saturday August 31 which was original day we had planned or move it until Monday September 2 hoping for more fast pass availability. Not sure if crowds will really be any different. Wish I would have planned out trip a couple weeks later so I would have at least some info on how things were planning on at SWGE!

I’d maybe move it to Sept. 2nd. Crowds probably won’t be any different. But at least you’ll have a few extra days to decide the best way to tackle the crowds.

 

[Disneylover99]

Also, if the park reaches capacity and you can’t get it, what happens to the fast passes you previously made? Are they just gone and you’re screwed? Does Disney give you new ones?

You can just cancel those fp’s and make them at other parks.

 

[Turk February]

I guess I'm one of the people in the minority who is actually happy.

I booked Sept 25-Oct 2 because of Free Dining. We hate going in the summer, so I booked as late into the offer as possible within our budget and resort preference. I LOVE Star Wars. I was sad knowing that I probably wouldn't be experiencing GE until Oct 2021 because we did not plan to go back in 2020 but we are planning a giant trip for WDWs 50th and my wife's 40th.

I know the crowds at GE are going to be insane, and the overall attendance will probably be a bit higher, but I am so excited to see GE. I told my wife this must be how kids feel when they get a surprise trip to WDW. Never in a million years would I have expected them to open in late August.

So yea, I'll have to adjust my plans a bit. Make the 2 DHS half-days probably more like 3/4 days. I'll probably trade my planned Sci Fi lunch for a QS at GE to try something new. Pray even harder for a Slinky FP since I'll have to rope drop GE instead of TSL. But I'm still excited. It'll be a different experience.

That said, I TOTALLY get why a lot of people are angry and upset and it's completely justified. Booking to specifically avoid something and then be given the exact opposite really sucks. I'd feel betrayed too. I get why Disney is doing this (the bottom line, increasing their Q3 numbers, and spreading out crowds) but I feel for all of you who think their trip has been ruined/negatively impacted.

 

[fiasco32]

I am a shareholder.

Since the purpose of this thread was to ask people how they are impacted by the announcement of an earlier than anticipated opening of this new attraction, many of us responded with our personal story.

We all understand that Disney is in business to make money. However lectures about why we should not feel the way we feel are not helpful.

Some are extremely excited about this, some are not. Just because not everyone shares the same opinion is no reason to belittle them.

Nobody is belittling anybody.

 

[mshanson3121]

For the first week/month? Who knows? I can't even figure out a time for Thanksgiving week since ROTR could be open then.

I'm prepared to go at 5am if I have to. I'm hoping by 3 months in I can book an early morning event.

I was thinking within the first 2 weeks. I guess it doesnt really matter. Im changing our dates regardless. But at least it was something to give to the others as a "this is why!" lol. My kids cant do muxh more than 30 minute in any line

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Also, if the park reaches capacity and you can’t get it, what happens to the fast passes you previously made? Are they just gone and you’re screwed? Does Disney give you new ones?

The park would have to reach level 4 closure for them to not let you in if you have a FP or ADR - never say never but I would be truly surprised if it gets to that point

 

[mshanson3121]

I guess I'm one of the people in the minority who is actually happy.

.

Honestly if I was going on a solo trip I would have been pumped lol. Or even if my kids were older, better able to cope with waits etc... We LOVE Star Wars here and would love to see it. But, it is what it is. While I'm a bit disappointed, I'm happy for all the people that are going to be able to experience it though!

 

[SaintsManiac]

I guess I'm one of the people in the minority who is actually happy.

You are NOT in the minority in the big picture. The people who post on these boards are a very small percentage of Disney guests.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I was thinking within the first 2 weeks. I guess it doesnt really matter. Im changing our dates regardless. But at least it was something to give to the others as a "this is why!" lol. My kids cant do muxh more than 30 minute in any line

I think you did the best thing for your kids and your sanity.

 

[cebfennell]

Honestly if I was going on a solo trip I would have been pumped lol. Or even if my kids were older, better able to cope with waits etc... We LOVE Star Wars here and would love to see it. But, it is what it is. While I'm a bit disappointed, I'm happy for all the people that are going to be able to experience it though!

For sure! I’m not even a big Star Wars fan but if it was just me and my 13 year old, I would totally camp out and brave the crowds and lines. Unfortunately my husband doesn’t do crowds and my twin 7 year olds and and 4 year old don’t like lines

 

[MamaJessie]

I feel like I went through the 5 stages of grief when this announcement came out! I'm finally at "acceptance."

Hahaha I used the same analogy. I got past acceptance though and hit excitement (yeah yeah that's not part of the grief process so this is not a perfect analogy for me )

We will be there 8/31 - 9/7

I have been going back and forth talking to DH and I think we are going to switch our tickets from 4 day hopper and more to 6 day hoppers. Almost the same price and this way we have more flexibility with park touring. We are staying CBR and the kids love that pool anyway so we will have a lot of water time during our park breaks.

My husband will actually be agreeable to my insanely early mornings (Pandora he was cool with, TSL was a harder sell) or late nights. He is so amped about this! I love getting to see him looking forward to a trip as much as I do. I have asked him at like 10x though if he understands the chaos and lines we will most likely see. He swears he understands and is ready for the challenge.

I ended up making a couple afternoon SciFi reservations. Figure if DHS goes to a level 4 closure we will have an ADR, and we can just split a couple apps instead of using our ddp credits there. When we make our final decision on tickets I will narrow down those reservations in case it seems like overkill.

I am hoping they offer some sort of hard ticket event, if not I might do a TSL EMM just so we can focus our efforts there one morning. IDK. Seriously so many things I am not sure on yet - only thing I am sure of is we are going and we are excited!

 

[Marionnette]

With the pending opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge having an impact on lots of upcoming vacations discuss what your plans are here and how you plan to either attack or avoid the crowds. Will you move your trip or will you keep it? Or are you canceling altogether?

Let us and others know!

I have mixed feelings. Our trip was planned with F&W in mind. We never expected SW:GE to be open when we arrive in mid-September. I’m dreading the crowds and the overflow that will impact the other parks. My quiet September trip has now changed immensely.

I’m hoping that there will be either EMM or DAH that include SW:GE. It’s the only way that I would go near it in the opening weeks. I may avoid HS entirely otherwise.

I’m going to keep a positive attitude. We have a grand villa reserved at the Grand Floridian, so this trip will be epic with or without SW:GE. We may just end up enjoying time at our resort more than originally planned.

 

[fractalpotato]

We were holding a room reservation for 9/27 to 10/4 and waiting for a final announcement on the dates for Illuminations->Epcot Forever before getting airfare. Well, that week is hosed and airfare is now through the roof, so we're almost certainly canceling. It just isn't in the cards for us, which is really sad, we were just under budget before the airfare took off (no pun intended) and all set to go, but of course instead of announcing the thing we were waiting for, they did this profiteering garbage. This also just knocked a Disneymoon off the list for good, I don't want Iger getting any more of my money. This is a ridiculous decision, SWGE isn't even going to be able to handle guests in any meaningful capacity so everything is going to get slammed.

Matt

 

[cebfennell]

Maybe we will all luck out and RotR will open at Disneyland right before Labor Day and more people will head that way? (Probably not, just wishful thinking hahaha)

 

[Runnsally]

We already had a trip planned 8/25-8/31. My plan is to take it very easy Sun-Wed, get up crazy early and go by myself for the opening, and then push the family to the point of exhaustion on Friday. Optimistic.

 

[Runnsally]

Still a lot of details up in the air, but for me the biggest question is when will Runaway Railway open. This could make things a lot more interesting for those of you upset about the 8/29 opening date.

 

[Turk February]

You are NOT in the minority in the big picture. The people who post on these boards are a very small percentage of Disney guests.

Oh I know I meant in this thread, sorry!

 

[dkrauss]

Some are saying that historically when a new attraction(s) open (think Pandora) that the crowds slow up after about a month. From an overall park perspective.....maybe, however look at the wait times for things like 7DMT, Slinky Dog Dash, and of course FoP. I'm thinking that StarWars Land is a completely different animal...…...yes there are many Disney fans who love StarWars and they will spend their time there....the wildcard is there is also a large number of Star Wars fans that aren't WDW or DL fans that have now been added to the mix. The mix just got exponentially larger.

It's my opinion (and remember I've been wrong before....right @Max Rebo ) Star Wars land will cause an influx into the parks that has never been seen before and will last for a much longer period of time. I'm guessing until the 50th and TRON...…..which could mean crowds above expectations for 3 years or more.

Thoughts?

Doug

 

[cebfennell]

Star Wars fans aren’t necessarily Disney fans though so maybe a lot of them won’t care about the rest of WDW?

 

[rteetz]

Star Wars fans aren’t necessarily Disney fans though so maybe a lot of them won’t care about the rest of WDW?

Yes and no, I think many of them will bring their family and make a trip out of it. Some will do what you suggest too though.