Jedi Training Times/# of shows

[Kathy Z]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered numerous times. I'm wondering how many times per day these coveted Jedi Training sessions are held? Is there a schedule of show times posted?

Since we will be staying at Wilderness Lodge and depending on Disney transportation for just about everything else I'm thinking of paying for a cab to get us to DHS on the day we try to get our grandson signed up for Jedi Training. There are no EMH there that day, thank goodness. Also, where does a cab let us out at DHS? Is an estimated cost about $20 & tip?

 

[mesaboy2]

This link include JTA times for this week, as an example.

http://wdwent.com/st/st.htm

 

[Robo]

Since we will be staying at Wilderness Lodge and depending on Disney transportation for just about everything else I'm thinking of paying for a cab to get us to DHS on the day we try to get our grandson signed up for Jedi Training.

No need for a cab at all.

The buses to the parks start running at about 6:30AM every day.

 

[Robo]

Arrive at DHS 30 minutes, or more, before opening time.
They will open the gates before the published "opening time."

No park tickets are needed for Jedi sign-up.
Send all the tickets with another adult in your party to grab TSM FP's.

How to sign up for Jedi Training:

NOTE: Recently, DHS has been actually opening to guests (unannounced) at about 8:30-8:45AM (or so) on days when the published opening time is 9AM.
I'd plan on arriving at DHS -at least- by 8:15 so as to be in a better position to enter the park when the gates open to sign up for Jedi Training and to grab TSM FP's.

On AM EMH days, I'd be there by 7:45 or earlier (if you are a WDW Resort guest.)
The line will start forming as soon as the gates open for AM EMH.
How soon the CM's will actually start taking names during AM EMH can vary.

That said,
arrive well before park opening time.
When you get inside, take the child with you to the sign-up area.**

Note: You do not need your park tickets to sign up for Jedi Training so,
if another member of your party is available, you can send that person
(along with ALL of your park tickets) over to grab FP's for TSM
while you and the Jedi candidate child head for the sign-up.

You'll get a time for the child to return to the Jedi stage and participate.

**Sign-ups will be either just past Hollywood & Vine Restaurant, or at the Sounds Dangerous entrance (even inside the Sounds Dangerous building,) or at the Jedi Stage.*
Look for the sign-up area, in the order of the above, until you find it.

Sometimes you can ask for the child to be signed up for a specific show, later in the day, but that can depend on the CM doing the sign-ups.*
However, it's easy to get a later show, even if they are doing it first-come, first-served.

Just pay attention to those being signed ahead of you.
If they are signing for a show earlier than you'd like, just step out of line slightly and invite guests behind you to "go on ahead."
Keep listening and when they begin to sign for the show you want, just step back into the line and sign up.

 

[Kathy Z]

No need for a cab at all.

The buses to the parks start running at about 6:30AM every day.

BUT DGS is not always up & running by 6:30 am I thought we'd make better use of our time and not begin with a grumpy kid if we leave WL later than 6:30 - 7:00 am but still arrive at DHS by 8:30.

 

[Kathy Z]

This link include JTA times for this week, as an example.

http://wdwent.com/st/st.htm

Thanks, mesaboy2! I've added that to the info I already had from Robo.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

BUT DGS is not always up & running by 6:30 am I thought we'd make better use of our time and not begin with a grumpy kid if we leave WL later than 6:30 - 7:00 am but still arrive at DHS by 8:30.

But you don't need to leave that early. If you're at the bus stop by 7:45, you should be fine. You could even push it back a bit, but I would plan on being there no later than 8:00. A cab really isn't going to get you there much faster than the bus.

 

[Itinkso]

And when you do enter the park, head straight for the Sounds Dangerous building as that is where sign-ups are held. If you veer towards Hollywood and Vine restaurant, all of the parents and kids heading straight to Sounds Dangerous will get in line before you and your grandson.

 

[Robo]

And when you do enter the park, head straight for the Sounds Dangerous building as that is where sign-ups are held. If you veer towards Hollywood and Vine restaurant, all of the parents and kids heading straight to Sounds Dangerous will get in line before you and your grandson.

Maybe. Maybe not.
You can't predict exactly where the sign-ups will be.
(They are most often at "Sounds Dangerous," but they
can be elsewhere.)

Also, there is not really a "straight to Sounds Dangerous" route.
Both main pathways will "veer" you off around Echo Lake
in one direction or the other.

 

[Autumnslight]

We just did Jedi Training sign ups this past week, Wednesday 9/25. We drove to the park, so I had to pretty much run with two little boys through the parking lot, through the park gates, and over to the sign up area. It wasn't fun. By the time we got signed up, it was almost 10am, and we got the 5:30pm show. Despite our best efforts, we didn't get to the sign up area until around 9:10am though.

Taking a bus, you'll at least be dropped off right near the park entrance, so you won't have to race through the parking lot. I think a cab would drop you off around the same area, so I'm not seeing much of a time difference in taking the bus versus a cab.

One thing that could make a difference is bag check. I'd plan to leave all bags with another member of your party, so you can just bypass bag check entirely and get straight in to the park. If you're there before the park opens, then you should have plenty of time to go through bag check, but if you happen to catch a line for bag check right as the park opens, then you could be delayed a little bit. That happened to us, and I was able to leave my bag with another member of my party and go right in. She didn't make it through bag check and into the park for another 10 minutes or so.

 

[Itinkso]

Maybe. Maybe not. You can't predict exactly where the sign-ups will be. (They are most often at "Sounds Dangerous," but they can be elsewhere.) Also, there is not really a "straight to Sounds Dangerous" route. Both main pathways will "veer" you off around Echo Lake in one direction or the other.

I meant straight as in don't veer to the restaurant.

DD is a JTA CM and after shows when numerous parents ask how they can sign up their kids for future visits, they are given the Sounds Dangerous directions. Only during SWW does the location change to IJ.

 

[Robo]

.

 

[Kathy Z]

Thanks, that is a great reminder about the bag check. I'll take the backpack from DH along with my camera & waist pack through security bag check so DH & DGS can head directly to sign up.

 

[Spunky946]

In January we stayed at ak and were at the bus stop at 7:30 and at a turnstile by 8. Bag check is before turnstiles and as long as you are early, bag check is no big deal.

 

[numberonenole]

Thanks for the information!

Is this an option for FP+?

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks for the information!

Is this an option for FP+?

No, sorry.

 

[Itinkso]

Thanks for the information! Is this an option for FP+?

No, because the CMs need to ask the child brief questions before they are signed-up. And, they need to make sure they aren't signing up toddlers or adults.

 

[Kathy Z]

AKL probably has a direct bus to DHS. WL most like will have at least one stop at the GF to pick up guests before heading to DHS and from GF I am told that it is about a 25 min bus ride. So I'm still a bit undecided but appreciate all the help in planning.

To head directly to Sounds Dangerous should one of us take grandson down Hollywood Blvd & turn at American Idol or turn left before Echo Lake, go past H & V & Prime Time then towards Sounds Dangerous.

Personally, DHS is my least favorite park when just DH & I travel, we've only been twice and the most recent time was 2010. This is why I'm not so familiar with it.

 

[Itinkso]

I like using the American Idol screen as a reference point for traveling to the Jedi area. I choose to avoid the restaurant Echo Lake area due to a smoking area located there.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

There will also be a CM holding up a sign "directing traffic" to the signups, especially if you're there early. When we went last fall, we were walking briskly toward Sounds Dangerous/the person holding the sign. Another CM tried to stop us, telling us that we couldn't sign up until 9:00 (it was around 8:35 when the internal ropes came down and we were able to get to the sign up). This despite the JTA signup CM holding the sign and waving to us. We chose to ignore the clueless CM who by then was yelling at us that we couldn't yet sign up and proceeded to Sounds Dangerous. We were the third family to sign up.

So, that's just a little tip...just head in the direction of Sounds Dangerous as soon as you can, regardless of what any CM might tell you. IMO, it's best to take the Echo Lake/H&V route just in case the signups are by Indiana Jones instead, because that route takes you by Indiana Jones en route to Sounds Dangerous.