Jedi Training... Yes I have read all the blog posts first

[vallygirl0221]

So i know I am probably in the running to be the millionth poster with questions about this, and as mentioned in the title I have already read about a dozen blogs on the subject however my questions remain.

A bit of background, I will be taking my now 5 year old nephew down in December, we are a party of 4 adults and 1 child, I am an AP and my aunt is a CM who has has guest passes so besides me as a solo artist it is either all or nothing.

Nephew wants to do Jedi Training for sure this year (last year he made it to the stage and then got scared and came back out) and I am concerned about getting a time slot that works, we will only be in the park until about 2 or 3 that day. Last year I made reservations for H&V at 8:00, we arrived at 7:30, and had absolutely no issues, he was the second one signed up for the day. However now he is 5 and thinks he is very much a big kid, when I asked if he wanted to dine with the Disney Junior Characters he didn't seem super into it.

So my question is do I just bite the bullet and get the H&V reservation for 5 that no one is really into or excited for or is it totally doable to get there around 7:45 or 8:00 wait for the park to open at 9 (not a magic hours day sadly) and hope for the best. Last year's Jedi Training (almost) is my only experience with it so I still feel like a newbie on this front...

TIA for any advice or tips, also if there is already a current thread with like 100+ pages that I just didn't find feel free to point me in that direction.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

If you show up at 7:45 or 8, you will be one of the first to sign up, after the H&V people, and you should get your choice of times.

So, do you prefer to stand outside the gate for an hour, or pay to sit in an air conditioned buffet with good food (and characters you could ignore if you choose)?

 

[robl45]

I've done it twice. You can show up at 30 minutes to park open and run like a lunatic like the rest of the people to get there. You should end up with a time before noon. Alternatively, you could make the reservation, go into the park, and just don't actually eat. Worst case you suck up the 10 dollar per person cancel charge and you are first in line for jedi training.

 

[robndani]

Or just your nephew and one other person could have the reservation (and either eat or lose $20) and book Jedi training. The rest of your party could come in when the park opens.

 

[vallygirl0221]

I've done it twice. You can show up at 30 minutes to park open and run like a lunatic like the rest of the people to get there. You should end up with a time before noon. Alternatively, you could make the reservation, go into the park, and just don't actually eat. Worst case you suck up the 10 dollar per person cancel charge and you are first in line for jedi training.

I was actually curious about the whole making a reservation, paying the fee and not using it thing I had considered it but

A. I wasn't sure if it was against Disney rules
B. If it would be too awkward to just be milling around for an hour after making Jedi Training reservations and then not actually dining....

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I was actually curious about the whole making a reservation, paying the fee and not using it thing I had considered it but

A. I wasn't sure if it was against Disney rules
B. If it would be too awkward to just be milling around for an hour after making Jedi Training reservations and then not actually dining....

People do it. Whether or not you feel comfortable with it is up to you (and your personal Jiminy Cricket).

 

[DisAWin]

We did HS and Jedi Training last week. We arrived at HS around 8 am for a park opening at 9. I became nervous because of all of the people who were already in the park, even though in all reality, there was a chance they didn't care about Jedi Training at all.

They let us into the park around 8:30 and we were signed up and back out by 9 am. We had the 10:10 and all other shows to pick from, so the 9:40 show had filled by the time we signed up.

I think if you're willing to wait at rope drop, and you're willing to hustle to the sign up spot, you'd be okay without H&V. Looking back, I sort of wish I would have made an ADR just for peace of mind and not having to stress about the entire process.

 

[Capang]

If you make an ADR they will let you in at 7:45 as long as your adr is before park opening. You sign up before you go to eat. My ADR was at 8:50. Got in at 7:45. First to sign up which was good because rain was expected from 11 on. Got my choice of time, got seated at H&V by 8:10 and out by 8:50. Otherwise get there before rope drop and be towards the front of the line for entry. You should have many times to choose from if you get to the front of rope drop.

 

[TinkerPan]

If your 5 year old nephew starts to get cold feet again - here are a couple of suggestions:
1. Consider when you go with him to line-up asking a CM if its possible for him to battle 7th Sister and not Darth Vader. While a lot of kids want to battle Darth Vader, Darth can be more intimidating, and kids are up on a higher stage, which I think can be scarier.

My grandson is somewhat timid. At first we had hoped that he would fight Darth Vader, but luckily he didn't. He ended up being at the lower level which was closer to where his mom was, and he could readily look at her for courage. It worked out very well. Who knew?

2. They will ask the young Jedi trainers a few questions when they sign up. One was "Can you be brave". When my grandson started to express some reservations, I reminded him that he said he could brave. That seemed to help.

Good luck. Have fun.

 

[vallygirl0221]

If your 5 year old nephew starts to get cold feet again - here are a couple of suggestions:
1. Consider when you go with him to line-up asking a CM if its possible for him to battle 7th Sister and not Darth Vader. While a lot of kids want to battle Darth Vader, Darth can be more intimidating, and kids are up on a higher stage, which I think can be scarier.

My grandson is somewhat timid. At first we had hoped that he would fight Darth Vader, but luckily he didn't. He ended up being at the lower level which was closer to where his mom was, and he could readily look at her for courage. It worked out very well. Who knew?

2. They will ask the young Jedi trainers a few questions when they sign up. One was "Can you be brave". When my grandson started to express some reservations, I reminded him that he said he could brave. That seemed to help.

Good luck. Have fun.

Thanks I will talk to him again about it and remember to say something about the 7th Sister. It was the craziest thing he is SO into Star Wars and lightsaber battles it was all he ever wants to do, he was in line, they were getting ready to actually get the lightsabers before the characters came out so I moved to stand in front of the stage to get video and then the next thing I knew he was walking next to me holding my mom's hand he had told them he didn't want to do it. I think this time in addition to more talking and watching at least one training group before he goes I am going to just let the disney photographers handle capturing the moment and stay as close to where he is as I can so he can see me and I can encourage and talk to him. Even more reason to ask for him to be in the bottom group.