READ POST 1 & 2 FIRST-Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group Planning and Information-*No Spoilers*

[DavidNYC]

Seems like the late openings for all the other parks impacted the initial serge of BGs. Yesterday There was only an hour difference in rope drops and I’m sure that not everyone is educated on the BG process at the start of their vacation. so when they went to another rope drop it caused them to arrive later To DHS to ride, it was explained so they came early today.

I definitely think that is going to be a factor. We're heading January 24-27 which should be a "light" day. We've planned our days but realized that if DHS opens at 7am and the park we're planning on going to first opens at 9am, why not just give it a shot and head to DHS from 7-9 and see if we can get lucky with an early boarding group (particularly on the day we're planning Epcot since we can always pop back over to ride if we want). It's really like DHS has morning EMH for everyone for a while.

 

[Nole95]

What's the current consensus on how early to arrive if you want to be at the front of the pack to ride MFSR with a minimal wait at a 7am opening? Would 5am be a good arrival time to be near the front of the crowds?

My son and I will be there in two weeks (Saturday 1/25). We have no issues getting up early as we have done it for multiple runDisney races. We have FPs throughout the morning beginning at 8:45, and then an Oga's reservation at 11:20. We would like to get MFSR done early, and then depending on what BG we get, do whatever else we can before our BG is called.

 

[yulilin3]

DIS shareholders certainly love it.

DHS has always been my favorite park, not so much for the attractions but I have A LOT of personal memories and strong nostalgic connection to it. Each time I step into DHS it feels like home to me. So I'm happy it will no longer be considered a half day park anymore

 

[DGsAtBLT]

QUOTE="NYHeel, post: 61407882, member: 561146"]
So for everyone that says that a good plan is all you need to beat heavy crowds, what’s a good plan for DHS now? It seems crazy that every ride in the park has at least a 35 minute wait and the shows haven’t even started.

I get that because of the tiering there are more tier 1 fast passes available later in the day but what do you do before 10:30 when initial fast passes aren’t used up yet and shows haven’t started? Legitimately asking because I’m going to be in DHS, god willing, next Wednesday and I have no idea what to do. I’ve never been to Disney during busy times.

-Starbucks
- It'll change people's FP selection timing too - especially when MMRR gets activated too. They may actually have a BG Tier -- that will be interesting to see. Choose your BG poison? Yikes.

If they make you pick between a BG for those two attractions I’m thinking it has to help. There has to be a limit to the number of people that are realistically able and motivated to attend DHS in a single day. Right? RIGHT?

If MMRR pulls a few thousand more people out of the woodwork...

 

[yulilin3]

What's the current consensus on how early to arrive if you want to be at the front of the pack to ride MFSR with a minimal wait at a 7am opening? Would 5am be a good arrival time to be near the front of the crowds?

My son and I will be there in two weeks (Saturday 1/25). We have no issues getting up early as we have done it for multiple runDisney races. We have FPs throughout the morning beginning at 8:45, and then an Oga's reservation at 11:20. We would like to get MFSR done early, and then depending on what BG we get, do whatever else we can before our BG is called.

5am is more than early enough. Remember that they start operations at MFSR with a standard 60 min wait every morning although that is not true, obviously no wait if you are in the front pack

 

[YawningDodo]

I haven't been able to keep up with this thread, so I apologize if this has been discussed already.

I'm staying at AoA, so I was planning to use the Skyliner for my DHS/Epcot transportation. It sounds like the Skyliner doesn't start early enough for RD at DHS, though, and that despite the overall decrease in bus service to Skyliner resorts, the buses do run at full capacity until the Skyliner opens in the morning. Is that all correct? And I guess to distill the question down, do I use buses or Skyliner on my DHS morning(s)? My first DHS morning opens at 7:00; any repeats will be 8:00 openings unless they extend hours again before the end of January. I'm okay with not being at the front of the pack; I just want to be in the park in time for the BG frenzy.

 

[MacII]

Been following and reading for some time and I've got a very good handle on things but I've got to say, something with the data just doesn't make sense anymore. Yesterday it took 13 minutes to go through all the boarding groups. Today only 5. That means that either more than twice as many people had to request boarding groups OR less than half were given out. I just don't see how those wild swings are possible this time of year. It doesn't make sense. I think there is something else at play. Not sure what, but something. Maybe Disney is changing the size of each boarding group on a daily basis. Regardless, I'm continuing to watch with great interest as we are there in just 10 days (17th of Jan) with the overarching goal of getting to ride RotR.

Also, what happens to BG 1-X? Why don't they start with 1 every day.

 

[Nole95]

5am is more than early enough. Remember that they start operations at MFSR with a standard 60 min wait every morning although that is not true, obviously no wait if you are in the front pack

Thanks. I am trying to find that sweet spot between being there too early and getting there too late where we would be behind a ton of people. We will have our own car, so driving in would put us ahead of those that needed to rely on Disney transportation. Definitely seems that those that can drive, Uber or walk over early are definitely at an advantage for getting there early.

 

[yulilin3]

I haven't been able to keep up with this thread, so I apologize if this has been discussed already.

I'm staying at AoA, so I was planning to use the Skyliner for my DHS/Epcot transportation. It sounds like the Skyliner doesn't start early enough for RD at DHS, though, and that despite the overall decrease in bus service to Skyliner resorts, the buses do run at full capacity until the Skyliner opens in the morning. Is that all correct? And I guess to distill the question down, do I use buses or Skyliner on my DHS morning(s)? My first DHS morning opens at 7:00; any repeats will be 8:00 openings unless they extend hours again before the end of January. I'm okay with not being at the front of the pack; I just want to be in the park in time for the BG frenzy.

The skyliner is opening at 7:30am so that won't help if you want a "guaranteed" bg. Buses run every 20 min before skyliner begins operations and by an earlier report they even have more buses running depending on demand. So I would bus or uber/lyft

 

[yulilin3]

Been following and reading for some time and I've got a very good handle on things but I've got to say, something with the data just doesn't make sense anymore. Yesterday it took 13 minutes to go through all the boarding groups. Today only 5. That means that either more than twice as many people had to request boarding groups OR less than half were given out. I just don't see how those wild swings are possible this time of year. It doesn't make sense. I think there is something else at play. Not sure what, but something. Maybe Disney is changing the size of each boarding group on a daily basis. Regardless, I'm continuing to watch with great interest as we are there in just 10 days (17th of Jan) with the overarching goal of getting to ride RotR.

Also, what happens to BG 1-X? Why don't they start with 1 every day.

I am not the best for making sense of the numbers, I have always been of the idea to not think about it too much, be there early, be prepared to sign up at 7am, is my motto.
But yesterday something happened with the first part of the attraction where people were being diverted, I am assuming todays numbers are a reflection of that, also a lot more technical difficulties yesterday as opposed to the day before, they might not have the ride at full strength today, even for RotR standards (which has not run at 100% yet)

 

[PendingPeril]

5am is more than early enough. Remember that they start operations at MFSR with a standard 60 min wait every morning although that is not true, obviously no wait if you are in the front pack

I don't understand this strategy. Aren't you basically waiting over an hour for MFSR anyway then?

 

[yulilin3]

I don't understand this strategy. Aren't you basically waiting over an hour for MFSR anyway then?

waiting before park opening doesn't affect a tp. You wait an hour before park opening and ride MFSR in 20 min, out of the attraction by 7:20am. Instead of getting there as park opens and getting off at 8am. You waste almost an hour of park operation time

 

[montreid]

DHS has always been my favorite park, not so much for the attractions but I have A LOT of personal memories and strong nostalgic connection to it. Each time I step into DHS it feels like home to me. So I'm happy it will no longer be considered a half day park anymore

I do miss the backlot and active studio tours of the MGM days. Wish they would have kept that portion. Get my fix of that at Unviersal still, but just....not....Disney

 

[Iowamomof4]

I don't understand this strategy. Aren't you basically waiting over an hour for MFSR anyway then?

They POST a 60 minute wait time, but the ACTUAL wait isn't 60 minutes, especially if you are at the front of the initial wave of guests.

 

[PendingPeril]

waiting before park opening doesn't affect a tp. You wait an hour before park opening and ride MFSR in 20 min, out of the attraction by 7:20am. Instead of getting there as park opens and getting off at 8am. You waste almost an hour of park operation time

ah. i feel like even if i got there early, everyone would push/rush in front of me. disadvantages of having to deal with a double stroller lol.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Been following and reading for some time and I've got a very good handle on things but I've got to say, something with the data just doesn't make sense anymore. Yesterday it took 13 minutes to go through all the boarding groups. Today only 5. That means that either more than twice as many people had to request boarding groups OR less than half were given out. I just don't see how those wild swings are possible this time of year. It doesn't make sense. I think there is something else at play. Not sure what, but something. Maybe Disney is changing the size of each boarding group on a daily basis. Regardless, I'm continuing to watch with great interest as we are there in just 10 days (17th of Jan) with the overarching goal of getting to ride RotR.

Also, what happens to BG 1-X? Why don't they start with 1 every day.

In my opinion, a few things:

1) Today had less regular BGs than yesterday. 114 vs 133.

2) I think the last 2 weeks have shown that BG fill time is heavily influenced by even small shifts in crowds.

3) We don’t know if regular BG guest count numbers are static day to day. They probably are, but we don’t know that.

Just guesses of course, but it’s probably some combo of the above factors.

 

[NoTime42]

I haven't been able to keep up with this thread, so I apologize if this has been discussed already.

I'm staying at AoA, so I was planning to use the Skyliner for my DHS/Epcot transportation. It sounds like the Skyliner doesn't start early enough for RD at DHS, though, and that despite the overall decrease in bus service to Skyliner resorts, the buses do run at full capacity until the Skyliner opens in the morning. Is that all correct? And I guess to distill the question down, do I use buses or Skyliner on my DHS morning(s)? My first DHS morning opens at 7:00; any repeats will be 8:00 openings unless they extend hours again before the end of January. I'm okay with not being at the front of the pack; I just want to be in the park in time for the BG frenzy.

This week bus is the only 7am rope drop transportation. The current 7:30 start might not be early enough for an 8a opening (there’s probably a line at the CBR transfer)

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Been following and reading for some time and I've got a very good handle on things but I've got to say, something with the data just doesn't make sense anymore. Yesterday it took 13 minutes to go through all the boarding groups. Today only 5. That means that either more than twice as many people had to request boarding groups OR less than half were given out. I just don't see how those wild swings are possible this time of year. It doesn't make sense. I think there is something else at play. Not sure what, but something. Maybe Disney is changing the size of each boarding group on a daily basis. Regardless, I'm continuing to watch with great interest as we are there in just 10 days (17th of Jan) with the overarching goal of getting to ride RotR.

Also, what happens to BG 1-X? Why don't they start with 1 every day.

Using an Assumption of 100 per BG, then there were 1,800 less “regular BGs” available today. That right there could explain the 8 minute difference. Overall BGs almost lasted the same amount of time yesterday vs. today. Nobody has enough data though to really give a clear explanation on this stuff. That’s certainly my best guess though.

 

[PolyRob]

This might just be me... but I think you are giving Disney IT WAAAAAAY too much credit here. I don’t think it’s nearly as sophisticated as many of us are guessing.

Actual footage of what is going on behind the scenes with the boarding groups in IT...

 

[TheMaxRebo]

ah. i feel like even if i got there early, everyone would push/rush in front of me. disadvantages of having to deal with a double stroller lol.

Seems like everyone is pretty packed together at "rope drop" as being led back to either GE or TSL so I don't think a ton of people would run ahead of you negating any benefit of being there early/towards the front of the rope drop crowd. I am sure some will be able to shift themselves ahead of you but shouldn't be too bad