Recent Jedi Training Experiences?

[tukkerlove]

Just wondering about the popularity of this and what our chances are of actually getting in to it. We plan to be at rope drop on the day, and will make our way directly there. We are going next week and i'm a little fearful crowds will be higher than anticipated.... is this becoming hugely popular? Anybody miss out even being there at rope drop? Any strategies on where to be at opening to get there quickly? Any advice welcome!!

 

[Swank]

Since now they take names at the beginning of the day, you may not be in the first group, but you should have no problem getting in sometime during the day. I suggest you go at rope drop and send somebody to Toy Story Mania for Fast-Passes.

 

[LilGMom]

If you already have plans to head that way first thing than you should have no problem getting your kids signed up for a show. You now sign up and the kids that want to participate have to be in line since they are asked a few questions prior to being assigned a show. You can't request a certain time slot, they fill the shows first come first serve. Keep the sign-up slip and make not as to what time you need to be back to JT prior to the start of your kids' show. Have fun and enjoy!

 

[The 6 J's]

We were there in late March at a time when I would say crowds were moderately heavy, not crazy. We showed up only about 5 mins before rope drop and were behind a huge crowd at HS. Just like the pic in that other thread about RDs. Anyway, I headed straight for RnRC FP and wife headed to Jedi Training with the kids. Even though we were in the back of the crowd she headed straight there, the vast majority of the crowd headed to TSMM, and she ended up with 2nd show. We did a couple of things, came back to do the show and it all went well. When you return for your show it does not matter what part of the line you are in, front or back, just as long as you get back in time so don't stress about being there extra early, just be on time.

 

[pigletto]

We were there on a moderately busy day in March (the first week). We were there for rope drop, and headed straight there. I think we were in line to sign up for about 20 minutes and got the 11:00 am show (sometime around there anyway).
As long as you make rope drop and head straight over you'll be fine.

 

[Anonomom]

We have 10:10 ADRs for a late breakfast/early lunch. If you can't request a time, does that mean we're SOL if we happen to get a slot at the 11 am show? Is there any wiggle room at all? We're trying to balance activities for our older daughter (Jedi Training) and our little one (Breakfast with Oso and the Little Einsteins).

 

[disneydreamkate]

I believe you can ask for a later time than the one they offer you. There was a family a bit ahead of me in the sign in line that were offered the first time slot and I heard then asking for a later time. Maybe someone else can confirm this. I suggest you get there very early for RD and once you are let in through the turnstile, make your way to the far left. That is where the CM will lead you to JT. Have fun!

 

[LilGMom]

We have 10:10 ADRs for a late breakfast/early lunch. If you can't request a time, does that mean we're SOL if we happen to get a slot at the 11 am show? Is there any wiggle room at all? We're trying to balance activities for our older daughter (Jedi Training) and our little one (Breakfast with Oso and the Little Einsteins).

You can always ask or if you see that the time for the child in front of you is going to conflict with what you need you can always step back and let the person behind you go next.

 

[kateybee]

We were there in January. Yes, it was obviously slower then but I thought I'd share our experience. We were actually there on the day that the marathon was running through so it was hectic and difficult to cross certain places. My die-hard Star Wars had said that if nothing else Jedi Training was the one thing he really wanted to do. So at rope drop he and I walked as fast as we could over to there. Now, "as fast as we could" was me getting us all turned around and a bit lost alonng with needing to cross two race paths. (They make you wait if runners are nearby.) So, anyways we got there and were the very first ones to sign up. No one was even headed that way as we were leaving. We then got to ride TSM and pick up FP for it too before heading back for him to be in the first show. I truly think that as long as you head over straight away you will have no problem getting into one of them. Good luck and have fun!!

 

[kateybee]

I believe you can ask for a later time than the one they offer you. There was a family a bit ahead of me in the sign in line that were offered the first time slot and I heard then asking for a later time. Maybe someone else can confirm this. I suggest you get there very early for RD and once you are let in through the turnstile, make your way to the far left. That is where the CM will lead you to JT. Have fun!

I've heard of that happening too, but it seems to depend on the CM. We did actually ask if we could have a slightly later time and they said no.

 

[tukkerlove]

Awesome, sounds like our chances are great then. We will be there at rope drop! Thanks, one less worry!

 

[sanantoniomom]

Last time we were there they didn't have the sign up they just choose people from the crowd. Where do you need to go to sign up?

 

[LilGMom]

Last time we were there they didn't have the sign up they just choose people from the crowd. Where do you need to go to sign up?

In March they still had the sign up area under the ST que area since ST is still under refurbishment. During May '10, during a SWW, they had the JT que under the It Sounds Dangerous que area. I'm not sure where the JT sign-up que will be once ST opens up again. But you can't really lose if you start walking that way (when everyone goes right towards TSM head left towards AIE and ST) and you'll find it.

 

[Delilah1310]

How late could they possibly still be taking names?
I'm wonding if anyone has had experience with just strolling up and still getting a place?

We are locked in for an 11 am lunch and the 1:20 LMA works best for our plans (and if the rumor about Lightning McQueen perfoming in this is true, then this is an absolute!)

I'm thinking we could swing by either before lunch or after the LMA show -- would we stand any chance at all?

We'll be there in mid-September on a non-F! / non-EMH day.

thanks in advance for any insight you can provide!

 

[Belleandtinker]

Just checking - you get the next available show time. You can't pick show times.

 

[Belleandtinker]

How early do you have to be back before your assigned show time?

 

[LilGMom]

How late could they possibly still be taking names?
I'm wonding if anyone has had experience with just strolling up and still getting a place?

We are locked in for an 11 am lunch and the 1:20 LMA works best for our plans (and if the rumor about Lightning McQueen perfoming in this is true, then this is an absolute!)

I'm thinking we could swing by either before lunch or after the LMA show -- would we stand any chance at all?

We'll be there in mid-September on a non-F! / non-EMH day.

thanks in advance for any insight you can provide!

It is always possible but keep in mind that since a lot of people now know that you can get a JT FP (for lack of a better term) that people will get these early in the day. On busy days I've seen all of the shows being filled up within two hours of the park opening up. Even if your child isn't in the show it is still a great show to watch if you are a SW fan.

How early do you have to be back before your assigned show time?

In Nov. '10 the return slips noted what time your show was and the verbage said to be back 30 minutes before. BUT DH & I both misread our boys' slips and thought that the time listed on the paper was the time to be back and totally blew it. We walked up a few minutes before the time stated on the paper and since that was actually the time for the show and our boys hadn't made it back 30 minutes prior to the start of the show they had given their spots away. Now I believe that the time on the paper is the time for you to be back and it might have been reduced to fifteen minutes. Whew, all that just for me to say - Check the slip and make note of what it says. I believe that the time to be back is between 15-30 minutes before the start of your particular JT show.

 

[SignMeUp]

If you get a time that conflicts with your ADR, then go to the restaurant and see if you can be seated earlier or later. This happened to us last year during SWW. We had a 12:10pm ADR at Sci-Fi and planned to go there right after the parade, but my boys were put in the 12:30pm JTA show. I asked if we could do a later show and the CM said no. I called the WDW Dine # because Sci-Fi wasn't open yet and they told me I couldn't change our ADR because it was booked. We showed up at Sci-Fi a little after 1pm, right after the JTA show, and explained why we were late. They were very nice and seated us right away. But we did agree to sit at a regular table rather than a car so we could be seated sooner.

 

[clshirk]

We were at HS 3 weeks ago and did not even know about the JTA. My son talked about it all morning so we finally made it over to the JTA to watch at 11am, fell in love, ran to sign him up... got him a 6:40pm time slot. Went home mid-day and came back after dinner right in time for that. It was awesome! That was on a Sunday.