RotR Planning & Daily Boarding Group Discussion - *CLOSED*

[GADisneyDad14]

Granted I’m not there and am just going from reading nearly every post here and in other places, but some of this seems unnecessary planning. Other than the first day folks, I’ve yet to see anyone complain about a material back up at the toll plaza. Most seem to be arriving via vehicle just fine.

 

[5onadime]

How early do the Minnie Vans start running? I want to leave the wilderness lodge around 6 to head to HS. Is this even an option?

 

[jamescanuck2001]

caught the 6 am boat from yacht club this morn, after some hiccups got BG 33

while we were in Smuggler's Run queue, we got called for BG 33

finished SR and went to ROTR, down

hung around, gave kids cotton candy, sat waiting, did Muppets, finally back up after over an hr

While on the pre-show for ROTR, breakdown #2 and we were evacuated

given fastpasses

went back to YC, after 30 mins at front desk, comp'ed 1 day PH for future visit

going back tonight, hopefully we don't get out of luck a 3rd time

 

[yulilin3]

The Uber/Lyft solution for some is to take your uber to the boardwalk resort(maybe Swan too?) and walk down the path along the canal to DHS entrance.

there's no need to be dropped off anywhere else, other than the park. Why chose to walk 10 15 minutes when you can be dropped off steps from bag check

 

[jsmla]

Used Uber from offsite this morning. I was dropped off 5:00 am(ish). Zero problems entering the drop off area, all went very smoothly.

 

[sachilles]

there's no need to be dropped off anywhere else, other than the park. Why chose to walk 10 15 minutes when you can be dropped off steps from bag check

In response to up thread, discussion if the parking lot was not open for drop off.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

How early do the Minnie Vans start running? I want to leave the wilderness lodge around 6 to head to HS. Is this even an option?

They officially get rolling at 6:30am, although I’ve been told they will sometimes put vehicles out outside of their published hours in special circumstances when needed. But I would definitely NOT 100% rely on them being available at that hour, so make sure to have a solid backup plan.

 

[Babsy]

Well, we tried to ride ROTR on our last two days in WDW. First day too late for a boring group. Second day we were on a boarding group, got called around suppertime, then the ride went down for the day. Given a FP+ for the next day (but we left early in the am, so no good to us) plus a one day PH ticket.

Disappointed as we really wanted to do the ride, but bottom line, I guess Disney did what it could to make it right with a FP and a 1 day PH. Unfortunately, we cancelled other plans in an attempt to do this, so our last two days were messed up by the attempts. But those were our choices and we knew the risk going in............just still pretty disappointing and ended our trip on a low point. Six of our group will just do it on a future trip. Four of our party will not likely be to WDW again, so it was possibly their only chance.

I just wish that Disney had made certain that the ride would work before opening it. Soft openings or AP previews would have been a better way to start, IMO.

 

[TrolleyTrouble2713]

Just realized you can see the Boarding Groups being called from the app without being in the parks. On 51-58 now with about 6.5 hours to go. They're a hair behind yesterday's pace.

I don't know why I'm still watching this thread. If they change Sunday's hours they'll do it while I'm on the plane. I can't get any strategy out of a Tuesday crowd. Still planning a 6:30 wakeup for a 7:00am gate storming in hopes of a BG around 7:15 so we can get out and go back to bed before the EMH ends.

Ultimately, I'm kidding myself. I'm not riding this for another two years at the very earliest. I planned my CP at Epcot for Monday because I read that the locals clog up World Showcase all weekend when the festival booths are out, and now I have Pat Sajak instead of Rise of the Resistance because of it.

 

[WIll C]

I just want to see what happens this Sunday with EMH. That will determine if we bother trying it the next weekend or just use our weekday I had planned and get there around 6am.

 

[Cloe Colton]

Im sure this is mentioned many times but what time does the gondola begin running to DHS from CBR? Am I better off parking?

 

[Duck143]

Does anyone know about the Skyliner time opening? We're staying CBR in January and we're planning on Skyliner getting to HS.

 

[yulilin3]

In response to up thread, discussion if the parking lot was not open for drop off.

Maybe that was 1st day chatter. You can be dropped off at the park early

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Well, @TrolleyTrouble2713, I'll definitely be watching for your comments on your experience because we're in the same boat, our DHS day is set for a Sunday and we can't change it now. I know my trip is close because I've already started to have the pre-trip dreams of things going disastrously. Last night was my extended family decided to come at the last minute and when we were at DHS trying to get boarding groups my uncle suddenly announces they haven't gotten tickets yet and they didn't know they needed tickets to get a boarding group.

I have no idea how EMH is going to go on the 20th but I'm grateful at least that we'll have the day before to work out any kinks with our Magicbands if they pop up on our first day of touring.

Has anyone else had experience about rider swap with ROTR they can share? I'm hoping the poster who said they had to stay in the stroller pen was an anomaly and my mom can take the little guy for some character meets while they are waiting for us to ride.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Im sure this is mentioned many times but what time does the gondola begin running to DHS from CBR? Am I better off parking?

Does anyone know about the Skyliner time opening? We're staying CBR in January and we're planning on Skyliner getting to HS.

From the past few days people have observed that the skyliner was running but just appears to be in testing mode on no guests were on it when the park opened. Seems to be the official start time for the Skyliner is 1 hour before the park opens so if you want to be there by 6:30 or so I would not expect to take the skyliner

 

[JuliaMLB37]

Any international visitors who can help ? I don't have a data plan because we are traveling from Europe. Is the Wifi reliable so that we can access MDE and get a boarding group? Or is it better to buy a prepaid card for our phone? Any experiences ?

 

[sachilles]

Any international visitors who can help ? I don't have a data plan because we are traveling from Europe. Is the Wifi reliable so that we can access MDE and get a boarding group? Or is it better to buy a prepaid card for our phone? Any experiences ?

Several folks up thread in similar situation used the park wifi successfully. That isn't a guarantee that it will work, and certainly having your own data access is not a bad idea as a back up plan.

 

[osufeth24]

Granted I’m not there and am just going from reading nearly every post here and in other places, but some of this seems unnecessary planning. Other than the first day folks, I’ve yet to see anyone complain about a material back up at the toll plaza. Most seem to be arriving via vehicle just fine.

ya, on Monday I got to the entrance around 510-515. They had almost every booth open (to my surprise), and there wasn't a single car around me going in.

 

[yulilin3]

Any international visitors who can help ? I don't have a data plan because we are traveling from Europe. Is the Wifi reliable so that we can access MDE and get a boarding group? Or is it better to buy a prepaid card for our phone? Any experiences ?

If you can't access wifi go to the cm under the blue umbrellas and they can help you join a bg. They literally have them everywhere, including the front of the park

 

[kwdw]

How early do the Minnie Vans start running? I want to leave the wilderness lodge around 6 to head to HS. Is this even an option?

Just do regular lyft unless you need a car seat. It will be cheaper