New Jedi Training Sign Up Test Outside the Park

[Robo]

Sounds good to me too. I just hope showing up 30 minutes before rope drop is early enough. What time would you guys show up?

It would be and would have been a good idea to show up at the DHS gates earlier than 30 minutes before the posted opening time even before this new Jedi sign-up wrinkle.

On some dates, they have actually opened the park as early as 20-30 minutes before the posted opening time
If that continues, and Disney wants to do the Jedi sign-ups outside the gates,
I would want to arrive at the DHS gates 45-50 minutes the posted opening time, just in case.

Also, we don't know if the Spring/Summer will bring a return of the "Frozen" Rope Drop Ceremony, which can complicate getting to popular attractions when it happens.

That is why these kind of changes can be much more significant (if not troublesome) than they appear on the surface.

 

[laughinplace199]

I'll have to keep checking for info. We don't go until August, but DS8 really wants to do JTA!

 

[BethanyLynnFit]

Following! Definitely interested in hearing if this sticks around. We will be going in October and both DS7 and DD5 want to to participate!

 

[dubskates]

Thanks for the heads up - I'll definitely be watching to see if the change sticks as we go in April and DS6 really wants to do this.

 

[johnrd]

Just when I thought I had it all figured out.......does this mean I should cancel my 8:00 breakfast at H&V?

 

[Robo]

Just when I thought I had it all figured out.......does this mean I should cancel my 8:00 breakfast at H&V?

Now, that's ANOTHER complication of this change.
Every time something changes, it can create untended consequences.

We don't know if the outside-the-gates Jedi signup will be permanent, but if you are having breakfast between 8AM and 9AM
and the only signup is outside the gates at that same time, looks like you and the signup child(ren) would have to
leave breakfast, go outside the gates, sign up, then come back through the gates.

 

[tcherjen]

My youngest wants to do this on this trip. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[lovethattink]

Now, that's ANOTHER complication of this change.
Every time something changes, it can create untended consequences.

We don't know if the outside-the-gates Jedi signup will be permanent, but if you are having breakfast between 8AM and 9AM
and the only signup is outside the gates at that same time, looks like you and the signup child(ten) would have to
leave breakfast, go outside the gates, sign up, then come back through the gates.

And there's some kind of time limit rule too. Because twice now, we forgot something in the car and dh went outside the park to get it (SWW and December). He was given issues both times that not enough time passed since he left the park to return again??

 

[Lstockma]

Following. We are going to HS on my son's 6th birthday, and this is at the top of his list!

 

[mom2jax]

Following!

 

[Robo]

And there's some kind of time limit rule too. Because twice now, we forgot something in the car and dh went outside the park to get it (SWW and December). He was given issues both times that not enough time passed since he left the park to return again??

Yup.
But, easily explained to the gate CMs.
There must be hundreds of guests per week who forget to bring in something left in the car and go back out to get it.
Still, it can be another slow-down in the mornings at the gates.

 

[johnrd]

@Malacai did you sign up at 815? Did it look like they'd been there before. I'm wondering if getting there for our ADR at 8:00 will still allow us to sign up or if we'll have to change plans.

 

[frozenfan5]

We will be at HS next Sunday with the first priority of signing up for Jedi Training. I wonder if anyone can report back as to how to process is going this week? I will report back after Sunday! The park opens at 8am (not EMH just a busy holiday weekend) so my DH and DS plan to be there bright and early.

 

[Amyphee]

We will be at HS next Sunday with the first priority of signing up for Jedi Training. I wonder if anyone can report back as to how to process is going this week? I will report back after Sunday! The park opens at 8am (not EMH just a busy holiday weekend) so my DH and DS plan to be there bright and early.

Please report back on this thread! We will be there the following Sunday, and this is our first priority, too.

 

[Robo]

We will be at HS next Sunday with the first priority of signing up for Jedi Training. I wonder if anyone can report back as to how to process is going this week? I will report back after Sunday! The park opens at 8am (not EMH just a busy holiday weekend) so my DH and DS plan to be there bright and early.

Always remember that at WDW, what happens on Tuesday may or may not happen on Wed. or Thu.

When you arrive, just kelp looking around for the sign-up in the following order:
1. Outside the gates.
2. Just inside the gates.
3. Near Hollywood & Vine restaurant.
4. At Sounds Dangerous building.
5. At the Jedi stage area
Or anywhere along the way (it has been at each of these at one time or other.)

 

[BMonhaut]

We will be going on Monday, President's Day, also an 8am start day. I'd definitely love to know about this as well. Will be following

 

[dmband]

I hate fp+ but why not just make it a fp+ attraction and have people fight it out at 60 days online
Then if people don't show up pick fillers from the crowd like the old days or dl.
My son did Jedi at DW and dl, dl was much more fun and exciting for him juts being picked vs running to the sign up spot

 

[Itinkso]

I hate fp+ but why not just make it a fp+ attraction and have people fight it out at 60 days online
Then if people don't show up pick fillers from the crowd like the old days or dl.
My son did Jedi at DW and dl, dl was much more fun and exciting for him juts being picked vs running to the sign up spot

The participants have to be within the correct age range and with FPs and MagicBand swapping, there's no way to ensure appropriate participants.

JTA runs very efficiently for the sake of the Younglings and the onstage cast. Adding FP or choosing from a crowd of kids, isn't very efficient.

 

[yulilin3]

they used to pick kids at random for JTA years ago and I know many, many kids that would go to every show, jump up and down to get picked and never did. The parents would get frustrated because they would 1: get the kids hopes up each show and 2: spend a considerable amount of time trying to do this.

 

[dmband]

The participants have to be within the correct age range and with FPs and MagicBand swapping, there's no way to ensure appropriate participants.

JTA runs very efficiently for the sake of the Younglings and the onstage cast. Adding FP or choosing from a crowd of kids, isn't very efficient.

have you seen them pick from the crowd?
It's very fast and efficient, in fact far more efficient then getting in line early and running the sign ups then wait there while they ask you questions and give you a time slot. Follow that by coming back early and getting led over to the show.
Dl you show up as early as 1 minute before, get picked or don't that's it.

they used to pick kids at random for JTA years ago and I know many, many kids that would go to every show, jump up and down to get picked and never did. The parents would get frustrated because they would 1: get the kids hopes up each show and 2: spend a considerable amount of time trying to do this.

I can see and understand that but that's life and kids need to be prepared for it and taught it.
My kids learned real fast that if they wanted to get into Jedi at wdw they needed to get up and to the park early. We did this and they still didn't make the cut because there were to many people ahead of us. I was disappointed not because we didn't get in but because we "spend considerable time". We we knew this going in though and I told my kids it wasn't a sure thing, the next day we did what it took to get there even earlier.
It worked out for them but if it didn't that's life and they were preframed for it