Overwhelmed!

amscherm

"All your dreams can come true if you have the cou
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Dec 25, 2007
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Wow! There is just SO MUCH information to process!! Between, COVID-19, Meal Plan changes, Fastpasses, FastPass Plus and everything else... Anyone want to give me some of your best tips... for a family of 3.. my son is 17... and both Dad and son are HUGE Star Wars fans... We are planning to go in April over spring break... staying at WL...I made park reservations for DHS, Epcot, DHS, then MK... other than that I got nothing and don't even know where to go from here... :)
 
1. Everything will be great as long as you lower your expectations. (And theirs)
2. Expect long socially distanced lines
3. Make the kid order your lunch at breakfast time on the Disney app known as MDE around here. (My Disney experience) Mobile order is how you get food these days if you don’t have a reservation somewhere.
4. Try to get reservations for Droid making and light saber making and Oga’s cantina. If you don’t snag a boarding group, these other things will sate their thirst for Star Wars stuff when you’re not in line for the millennium falcon ride. Don’t skip Star Tours, because it’s awesome... and they change it up regularly.
Sci-fi Drive In is fun for geeks. ;)
 
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These seem like the 3 most important changes to know beforehand:

Mobile Order for Quick Service. You can poke around the system in MDE now. Get familiar, look up menus and even set up a credit card to get that out of the way. Reserve your order earlier in the day than you need, then when you want to eat let them know you're in the area (there's a button) and they'll get your order ready. Lunchtime pick up windows can fill up much earlier, it's good to not find that out after you're already hungry lol 😸

Parks open earlier than official posted time. Taking advantage of this and the slower first hour after official open can get alot of rides done easily. Less busy weekdays often open 30-45 mins early and busier days & weekend usually at least 45 mins (never more than 60 mins).
^If you plan to do this, check out some threads on transportation. Most people are saying that being on the bus stop 80-90 mins before official open works well. Due to physical distancing lowering bus capacity, you may want to go to the bus stop that picks up first at your resort.
*also note that sometimes Slinky Dog & Tower of Terror at HS are not open early, as well as Thunder Mtn in MK. Not good to plan on rope dropping these 3 rides.

The big ride at StarWars is Rise of the Resistance. The only way to ride is by getting a Boarding Group number which is a virtual queue. You'll need to plan ahead here. First you need to have a Park Reservation for Hollywood Studios that day. Then at 7am (before the park is even open) you have to try to grab a BG number in MDE for your party. They are sometimes already gone within a minute. It's doable but you can't count on it. If you missed, you can try later in the day at 1pm but you need to be inside HS to try for that.
^Some back up plans can be worth it for people who will go the extra mile to make sure they ride RotR. One is to have 2 days reserved at HS to give you more chances. HS is usually the first park to run out of reservations (it's easier to switch out from a HS Park Reservation than into a HS resvn). If you don't get a Boarding Group at 7am on your first reservation, you can switch that day to a different park and try again.

---I think preparing for these things ahead of time are worth the effort. Then once you get inside the parks you can be more spontaneous because you won't be distracted with this stuff. Relax and enjoy your trip! :)
 
If you plan on TS meals, I’d be sure to book the ADRs at the 60 day mark. There’s also plenty of QS options and Mobile Order.

Rope dropping was a huge success for us in early Dec. along with the first couple of hours after to minimize long lines. Wait times were usually 10-15mins longer than posted so that helped a lot.

MK - SDMT
EP - Frozen
HS - MMRR
AK - FOP

Check this out here on the boards for ROTR info(I credit the tips on here for securing a BG)

https://www.disboards.com/threads/r...planning-and-information-no-spoilers.3782822/
 

COVID-19, Meal Plan changes, Fastpasses, FastPass Plus and everything else...
Well, to start with, most of the above are not currently available. No dining plans, no FP+ (FP is in California equivalent). So tha simplifies some of the planning... just be aware that you will need a Parks Reservation to enter your first park of the day.
 
Take advantage of rope drop (parks open earlier than posted). Do some research ahead of time to determine what time to arrive at each park.

Getting in line for an attraction just before closing works too. Want to ride FOP again? Get in line five minutes before closing.

Make any ADRs when your 60 day window opens

Learn how to use mobile order on MDE before you go on the trip.

No need to worry about meal plans or FP+. They don't exists right now.

I think spring break time will see a big increase in crowds that will continue throughout the summer. With people getting the vaccine, more travelers will be willing to go to WDW. Everyone is getting tired of sitting at home, and as soon as they feel it's "safe," they will come to WDW in droves. Be prepared to navigate the crowds and waits. If I'm wrong, you'll be pleasantly surprised!
 
Then at 7am (before the park is even open) you have to try to grab a BG number in MDE for your party. They are sometimes already gone within a minute. It's doable but you can't count on it. If you missed, you can try later in the day at 1pm but you need to be inside HS to try for that.
Do I have to be in the park at 7am to make the first attempt?
 
Well, to start with, most of the above are not currently available. No dining plans, no FP+ (FP is in California equivalent). So tha simplifies some of the planning... just be aware that you will need a Parks Reservation to enter your first park of the day.

Thanks! I did make park ressies already.. so I think I am good there...
 
Take advantage of rope drop (parks open earlier than posted). Do some research ahead of time to determine what time to arrive at each park.

Getting in line for an attraction just before closing works too. Want to ride FOP again? Get in line five minutes before closing.

Make any ADRs when your 60 day window opens

Learn how to use mobile order on MDE before you go on the trip.

No need to worry about meal plans or FP+. They don't exists right now.

I think spring break time will see a big increase in crowds that will continue throughout the summer. With people getting the vaccine, more travelers will be willing to go to WDW. Everyone is getting tired of sitting at home, and as soon as they feel it's "safe," they will come to WDW in droves. Be prepared to navigate the crowds and waits. If I'm wrong, you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Thanks! This really is an early graduation gift for my son.. so if he gets to play around in Star Wars land - hopefully getting to on ROTR and he gets to build his lightsaber then it will be a succesful trip... :)
 
No, but be ready by 6:57! It books within seconds.
Another question... If my husband and son all have the app on their phones too and log into my account will we triple our chances or will that mess something up?
 
Another question... If my husband and son all have the app on their phones too and log into my account will we triple our chances or will that mess something up?
There are varying opinions and rumors on that. It worked for me the day three of us in the group were trying independently on our own mde accounts (linked), and it didn’t work the three or four other times I tried by myself.
 
IMO, it is impossible not to be overwhelmed by the first visit to WDW - or a visit with a long span between the previous visit. Our first visit with the kids was 10 years after our last and I couldn't even compare the two experiences. We tried to do too much in our first kid visit, which conversely made the kids feel they missed stuff. We just happened to find a really great deal and returned 20 months later. When we asked the kids what they wanted to do our youngest asked to stay at the room and our middle asked to go to the pool more.

Good luck! And I'll second getting to the Hollywood Studios an hour or more before the stated opening time (If you are staying on property, remember to try for a boarding group around 7am).
 
Another question... If my husband and son all have the app on their phones too and log into my account will we triple our chances or will that mess something up?
Haha, it was DH, DS17 and I when we went. Just like your group. All 3 of us simultaneously tried on our own phones and it worked out fine. Once the first person gets it, the system will stop for the other 2 and not fully process.

We tried on 2 days and got a BG both mornings. Goodluck :) A newer tip I've read recently is to temporarily turn off Location Settings in the MDE app while trying. We're going in 2 weeks and will try that.
 
When I got that boarding group, I was at a WDW resort on property using the WDW in room WiFi because I had one bar in my fancy new nearly useless 5G phone. (I had read that you shouldn’t use the WDW WIFI but I had no choice.)
 
Wow! There is just SO MUCH information to process!! Between, COVID-19, Meal Plan changes, Fastpasses, FastPass Plus and everything else... Anyone want to give me some of your best tips... for a family of 3.. my son is 17... and both Dad and son are HUGE Star Wars fans... We are planning to go in April over spring break... staying at WL...I made park reservations for DHS, Epcot, DHS, then MK... other than that I got nothing and don't even know where to go from here... :)
I suggest visiting easywdw.com where they have detailed strategies on visiting the parks. Read those and you will be miles ahead of others.

Basically, it's getting to the parks as early as possible, even if it means you may not be using Disney transportation.

The most challenging park is Hollywood Studios, and you want to study that one and understand how the Rise of Resistance virtual queue works.

In some ways, the changes make things easier. You don't have to script your day around fastpasses.
 
Haha, it was DH, DS17 and I when we went. Just like your group. All 3 of us simultaneously tried on our own phones and it worked out fine. Once the first person gets it, the system will stop for the other 2 and not fully process.

We tried on 2 days and got a BG both mornings. Goodluck :) A newer tip I've read recently is to temporarily turn off Location Settings in the MDE app while trying. We're going in 2 weeks and will try that.
Have fun on your trip... and please let me know if that location setting works... :)
 
I suggest visiting easywdw.com where they have detailed strategies on visiting the parks. Read those and you will be miles ahead of others.

Basically, it's getting to the parks as early as possible, even if it means you may not be using Disney transportation.

The most challenging park is Hollywood Studios, and you want to study that one and understand how the Rise of Resistance virtual queue works.

In some ways, the changes make things easier. You don't have to script your day around fastpasses.

Thanks! I'll check out that website!!
 
I mean its all extremely simple now. It just seems like a ton of information because WDW has you programmed.
  • Make park reservations
  • On HS day(s) try at 7am/1pm for boarding group for new Star Wars ride - see thread on how to practice trying to get boarding group
  • Make sit down reservations at 60 days out
The end

If you want to plan out your day you can make it easy get a TouringPlan subscription for like $15, plug in all the rides you want, and optimize. As your trip gets closer just take a look at what rides look like early vs late in the day for waits.

Also honestly things will change between now and when you visit so don't go crazy worrying as things change just make sure to monitor for any major changes regarding something you need to reserve.
 

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