Reservations for SWGE at WDW?

[TheMaxRebo]

… and what concerns me is the wish-washy wording whenever they talk about reservations. No where has Disney said clearly, "Reservations will not be needed for GE at DHS". If they have made the decision not to have reservation I don't understand why they don't just say it.

I think they have said as much as they know for now - they are clear in saying it is not required at this time. Could that change in the future? perhaps but I think it is more that is how it is and they are waiting to see how things go at Disneyland with the virtual queue before deciding otherwise.

And they announced the 3 extra, extra hours so i think that is how they will handle it.

I also think they had the reservations for the first few weeks at Disneyland so what the media put out to the world looked less crowded than what a typical day will be long term - so I think opening at WDW will be much more crowded in the land than these reservation times and they are ok with that

 

[krinicone]

I am just nervous about being able to actually get in and see it during my vacation in November! I thought the colored wristband idea at DL was good so that they can control how long people are staying in the land. But if they don’t do this at WDW, what’s to prevent people from staying in there all day?? I guess my best plan for now is to try and utilize the EMH for resort guests and get there as early as possible?

 

[DanBoris]

I am just nervous about being able to actually get in and see it during my vacation in November! I thought the colored wristband idea at DL was good so that they can control how long people are staying in the land. But if they don’t do this at WDW, what’s to prevent people from staying in there all day?? I guess my best plan for now is to try and utilize the EMH for resort guests and get there as early as possible?

Yeah, I am planning my trip in mid-September so I have one night where I get back to the hotel early so I can get up early the next day for GE. Hopefully in the couple weeks after opening we will get a feel for how early you actually need to arrive.

 

[merry_nbright]

I’ve got a hotel reservation for the night of the 28th, so, I just have this bad feeling we’re all going to have to line up at like 2:30 AM just to get in on opening day and it’s killing my anxiety.

 

[Jack_Sparrow_NJ]

I’ve got a hotel reservation for the night of the 28th, so, I just have this bad feeling we’re all going to have to line up at like 2:30 AM just to get in on opening day and it’s killing my anxiety.

YOU are not alone

 

[merry_nbright]

YOU are not alone

I’m so happy to hear this. It’s impossible to plan when you have no clue what’s going on, am I right? Plus, we wanted to do the After Hours MK that night, but who knows how this insanity is gonna go?

 

[dachsie]

I’m so happy to hear this. It’s impossible to plan when you have no clue what’s going on, am I right? Plus, we wanted to do the After Hours MK that night, but who knows how this insanity is gonna go?

No way would I try that. You will be up almost 24 hours

 

[MamaJessie]

My only issue with the virtual queue is having the rest of my day planned. With booking dining 180 days out and FPs 60 days out I am going to have plans for my day long before actually arriving. As of now I am just planning on arriving bright and early (9/1 so not until EMH starts) and hope to get in. I am interested to see how the virtual queues will work in DL.

 

[gorkt]

I would just like to hear what the transition is going to be from EEMH to normal park operation. I am arriving the week after EEMH end, and I would like know if they will extend the EEMH, only do them a few days a week, or go cold turkey and go back to normal EMH.

 

[Brett Wyman]

My only issue with the virtual queue is having the rest of my day planned. With booking dining 180 days out and FPs 60 days out I am going to have plans for my day long before actually arriving. As of now I am just planning on arriving bright and early (9/1 so not until EMH starts) and hope to get in. I am interested to see how the virtual queues will work in DL.

This is a seriously excellent point. I guess to be safe don't plan too much outside of your three FPs for that day.

 

[10CJ]

I understand they can not guarantee a reservation for every hotel guest. However to rule out reservations at all seems foolish.

As a hotel guest, sure I would love to have some type of advantage. Maybe set aside 2/3 of the times for hotel guest and they get a chance to book first. Then open up the window to everyone else. Even if that is not possible I would sooner have a chance at a guaranteed time to enter with controlled “lower” crowds then a complete free for all with the potential to wait in line all day and still not get in.

 

[Rach3975]

I would just like to hear what the transition is going to be from EEMH to normal park operation. I am arriving the week after EEMH end, and I would like know if they will extend the EEMH, only do them a few days a week, or go cold turkey and go back to normal EMH.

We're arriving mid-afternoon on the last day of EEMH, and we have the same question. For now we've planned parks and have ADRs, but we could still change things around fairly easily depending what they decide to do about extended hours/EMH/EEMH. But our FP day is on day 3 of EEMH, so I'm nervous that they won't have made a decision and announced it by then.

 

[jbish]

Sure not everyone would want to go to SWGE but Disney needs to guarantee a reservation for the day they are staying...there are just to many variables and that's a huge, unnecessary headache for Disney.

This part I don't understand. IF they go to a reservation, why would they have to guarantee a reservation for on-site guests? They aren't guarantying that ANYONE can get in at this point, even if you do have a resort reservation. In Disneyland, that was an easier promise because there's enough capacity in SW:GE to accommodate every on-site resort guest. But I could see WDW opening up a reservation and just saying it's first come first serve. All WDW resort guests are guaranteed entry into any WDW park, even at a stage 4 closing, right? (Or maybe up to Stage 3?) But, they could still potentially say that they could come into DHS just not SW:GE - just like any other day if the park were to ever hit that stage. There's no reason WDW couldn't implement a reservation and tell resort guests there's no guaranty that they could obtain one.

 

[MamaJessie]

This is a seriously excellent point. I guess to be safe don't plan too much outside of your three FPs for that day.

Yeah I have hopper tickets so I plan on going to another park in the afternoon, but will just leave it open for now and see how it all goes.

 

[yulilin3]

This part I don't understand. IF they go to a reservation, why would they have to guarantee a reservation for on-site guests? They aren't guarantying that ANYONE can get in at this point, even if you do have a resort reservation. In Disneyland, that was an easier promise because there's enough capacity in SW:GE to accommodate every on-site resort guest. But I could see WDW opening up a reservation and just saying it's first come first serve. All WDW resort guests are guaranteed entry into any WDW park, even at a stage 4 closing, right? (Or maybe up to Stage 3?) But, they could still potentially say that they could come into DHS just not SW:GE - just like any other day if the park were to ever hit that stage. There's no reason WDW couldn't implement a reservation and tell resort guests there's no guaranty that they could obtain one.

I've basically moved on from this point, like I said we can discuss all you want the point is that Disney has said time and time again There will be no reservations for SWGE at WDW.
Did they use the phrase "at this point" yes could it mean they change their mind? yes. Is it worth discussing? to me, no. I would plan on what they have already said.
As to your point DL did guarantee a reservation for everyone staying at a DL until June 23rd, by saying, time and time again it was the only way and still is the only way to guarantee entry into the land until that date.
Could they do an open reservation on a first call first serve basis for WDW resort guests? sure but it will be a PR nightmare when people don't get in that are staying on property, and knowing how WDW operates I don't think they will want that.
I think they are comfortable leaving it as a "free for all" still obviously controlling crowds by controlling the amount of people going into the land and by a virtual queue.
Again, I won't keep discussing this since it's complete guessing at this point, for me I will continue to plan with what WDW has said, no reservations for WDW, I'm planning on sleeping over the night of the 28th. If they change their mind I am "staying" (not really just on the reservation) of a friend of mine that has a room for opening day and will hope to be able to get a reservation if need be.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

If Disney decides to do a virtual queue, will everyone in your party need to be present to get in the virtual queue? Or can I show up at 6 am, get a time slot for later in the day for the 5 people on my room reservation and let other people sleep in/get there later? Even if I had to take all the MBs with me, I think that would be preferable to getting a bunch of us out the door at 5 am. Has there been any specifics on the virtual queue at Disneyland yet?

 

[rteetz]

If Disney decides to do a virtual queue, will everyone in your party need to be present to get in the virtual queue? Or can I show up at 6 am, get a time slot for later in the day for the 5 people on my room reservation and let other people sleep in/get there later? Even if I had to take all the MBs with me, I think that would be preferable to getting a bunch of us out the door at 5 am. Has there been any specifics on the virtual queue at Disneyland yet?

Since it’s done inside the app you may only need one person to be there at that time.

 

[siren0119]

If Disney decides to do a virtual queue, will everyone in your party need to be present to get in the virtual queue? Or can I show up at 6 am, get a time slot for later in the day for the 5 people on my room reservation and let other people sleep in/get there later? Even if I had to take all the MBs with me, I think that would be preferable to getting a bunch of us out the door at 5 am. Has there been any specifics on the virtual queue at Disneyland yet?

Nothing specific yet. I do wonder if they might allow one person to make a reservation for their whole party, as long as all members are linked in MDE (similar to how DAS passes are handled). That is of course IF a virtual queue is how the flow is handled.

 

[yulilin3]

Since it’s done inside the app you may only need one person to be there at that time.

I haven't read to much on the virtual queue system for DL, but isn't it that it goes "live" once the land hits capacity? then on the app it will say something like "the land is full enter our virtual queue" and then give a time to come back?
Meaning you can't show up at 6am and expect the virtual queue to be up and running

 

[rteetz]

I haven't read to much on the virtual queue system for DL, but isn't it that it goes "live" once the land hits capacity? then on the app it will say something like "the land is full enter our virtual queue" and then give a time to come back?
Meaning you can't show up at 6am and expect the virtual queue to be up and running

Correct