RotR Planning & Daily Boarding Group Discussion - *CLOSED*

[SouthFayetteFan]

I think the only think that it does eliminate for some folks is the ability to get in line right before park closing which people love to do.

I have to imagine they would’ve cutoff this line early due to capacity. They were not going to operate this ride until 4am tomorrow to clear a 6-8 hour queue at park closing.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I think the only think that it does eliminate for some folks is the ability to get in line right before park closing which people love to do.

That’s true, but I kind of assumed with the reliability and popularity of this one that strategy may not have worked like it does with most.

 

[goofynut41]

Yes if its in use. Keep watching the boards. Since you aren't going until February they may go back to the regular line experience by then but do be prepared for this.

Yes if its in use. Keep watching the boards. Since you aren't going until February they may go back to the regular line experience by then but do be prepared for this.

Ok I'll Keep Watching and reading....

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Except the old system still had the option of a standby line.

Currently Disney have opened a ride that you can’t go on unless you arrive at the park 2 hours before scheduled opening time. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

Two improvements to this would be to not allow people to join a boarding group until they actually tapped into the park AND to only allow one ride per guest. Some people will have the ability to ride twice today at the expense of others not riding at all. With demand so high on this ride I think it actually would’ve warranted a one BG per guest limit.

 

[MrsHammer]

I just want to be prepared for our trip in Feb...This is a new one...

I'm guessing that by the time you go in February, this ride will operate the same way as any other ride. This virtual boarding group system is to handle the large influx of visitors today and in the next couple of weeks. Once the initial pandemonium dies down, it most likely won't be necessary. However, for your Feb trip, I would be prepared to arrive at rope drop or plan to ride late at night once the crowds thin out. In the meantime, keep an eye on the message boards leading up to your trip in case the boarding groups are still being used. You'll have the advantage of knowledge over many other visitors.

 

[Magnoliafan]

If you didn’t get a BG position though it is easy to be angry at the system, especially when you think that some people who are riding due to the VQ system may not tolerate the length of wait required without it.

I think that’s the main argument that you can make against it: the majority of people holding spots in the Boarding Groups for later in the day would not stand in line for 6 or 7 hours if that was the alternative. So the people who aren’t early risers but would be totally fine with an hours long wait if they could queue up at noon or later will be angry that they don’t have the opportunity.

Personally, I think this system is great for a ride with such high demand. My only quibble is the decision not to announce the use of the VQ ahead of time. I’m sure that there are people who are upset because they would have planned their day differently if they had been given a heads up.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I think that’s really the only argument that you can make against it: the majority of people holding spots in the Boarding Groups for later in the day would not stand in line for 6 or 7 hours if that was the alternative. So the people who aren’t early risers but would be totally fine with an hours long wait if they could queue up at noon or later will be angry that they don’t have the opportunity.

Personally, I think this system is great for a ride with such high demand. My only quibble is the decision not to announce the use of the VQ ahead of time. I’m sure that there are people who are upset because they would have planned their day differently if they had been given a heads up.

Absolutely agree! In some respects I would love if they continued to use this system even after it isn’t “needed”. That would benefit early park goers but would hurt the late arriving crowd. It would be really great if they could tweak the process to get the actual wait to reliably be under 30 minutes but logistically I’m not sure they can with needing to provide the 2 hr return window and being at the mercy of when people actually choose to return.

 

[unveilmyeyes]

So you just go to App and push join boarding group and they let you know?

yes

 

[rad91]

I havent read anyone reporting a ride closure since 10:30am. Has it really stayed open that long without issues?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I think that’s the main argument that you can make against it: the majority of people holding spots in the Boarding Groups for later in the day would not stand in line for 6 or 7 hours if that was the alternative. So the people who aren’t early risers but would be totally fine with an hours long wait if they could queue up at noon or later will be angry that they don’t have the opportunity.

Personally, I think this system is great for a ride with such high demand. My only quibble is the decision not to announce the use of the VQ ahead of time. I’m sure that there are people who are upset because they would have planned their day differently if they had been given a heads up.

Regarding the 6-7 hours comment - I bet that is especially true for those with kids. Would families with younger kids really be able to tolerate 6hrs of kids doing nothing! The boarding group structure is definitely family friendly.

The childless millennial crowd I’m sure would be fine using their smart devices to surf MyFace and SpaceBook and posting pouty selfies to pass the 6 hours...(I kid...I think...I hope...)

 

[Mikey_B]

There are a few other issues with this system. You don’t actually know how long your wait is. It’s like being given a ticket at a deli counter but you don’t have a clue how long it will take to serve those in front. And why not allow fastpasses? My understanding was that they were concerned about the effect of FPs on the standby line but there isn’t a standby line so that doesn’t make sense.

This system might work if you are able to get to the park at the crack of dawn and don’t mind pottering around for a non-specified length of time but that won’t suit everyone.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

So for people that watched a POV ride through video and then rode ... did watching the video spoil it for you - or was reality just so much more amazing that even watching the video didn't lessen the experience. Wondering if you weren't going until February would you avoid the video or does watching the video just get you more excited and not detract from the experience?

Asking for a friend ....




... that friend is me

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Regarding the 6-7 hours comment - I bet that is especially true for those with kids. Would families with younger kids really be able to tolerate 6hrs of kids doing nothing! The boarding group structure is definitely family friendly.

The childless millennial crowd I’m sure would be fine using their smart devices to surf MyFace and SpaceBook and posting pouty selfies to pass the 6 hours...(I kid...I think...I hope...)

it's also more friendly to Disney's bottom line as instead of standing in a 6-7 hour line you are off doing other things - including shopping and eating

 

[HockeyMomNH]

I just assumed any of those boarding groups would have been super late in the day, especially since almost no one rode right at opening. I’m guessing they got in another group before actually riding? So they got a return pass AND a 2nd boarding group.

We were in one of the first groups this morning. We got removed from the ride and got a fast pass. We were also early enough to get in a second boarding group. 49, which ended up going at about noon.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

There are a few other issues with this system. You don’t actually know how long your wait is. It’s like being given a ticket at a deli counter but you don’t have a clue how long it will take to serve those in front. And why not allow fastpasses? My understanding was that they were concerned about the effect of FPs on the standby line but there isn’t a standby line so that doesn’t make sense.

This system might work if you are able to get to the park at the crack of dawn and don’t mind pottering around for a non-specified length of time but that won’t suit everyone.

the "not knowing your return time" is definitely a negative - and basically the same negative as the old paper FP (e.g., FP-) system (though with that you do have the standby option - but even that, you won't necessarily know ahead of time how long the line will be at the time you arrive)

Good thing is the 2 hour return window so you can go off and do other things, even go back to you hotel or go eat or whatever as you have up to 2 hours to get back to the park.

No system would be perfect for everyone, but I think, especially given the fears of technical issues, this is probably the best they could do for the most people

 

[wareagle57]

So for people that watched a POV ride through video and then rode ... did watching the video spoil it for you - or was reality just so much more amazing that even watching the video didn't lessen the experience. Wondering if you weren't going until February would you avoid the video or does watching the video just get you more excited and not detract from the experience?

Asking for a friend ....




... that friend is me

I didn't even watch a video and I think even reading the ride summary a year ago (or however long ago it was) spoiled it for me significantly. Not that it wasn't cool, but I just know I would have been so much more in awe if I had no idea what to expect. That's what the preshow was like for me. So then my expectations for the ride were even higher, and it just didn't match up to everything that came before it.

 

[Mikey_B]

the "not knowing your return time" is definitely a negative - and basically the same negative as the old paper FP (e.g., FP-) system (though with that you do have the standby option - but even that, you won't necessarily know ahead of time how long the line will be at the time you arrive)

Good thing is the 2 hour return window so you can go off and do other things, even go back to you hotel or go eat or whatever as you have up to 2 hours to get back to the park.

No system would be perfect for everyone, but I think, especially given the fears of technical issues, this is probably the best they could do for the most people

The paper FP advised of the return time before you requested one. You just didn’t get to choose when it was.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The paper FP advised of the return time before you requested one. You just didn’t get to choose when it was.

That's true, and I guess then you could choose to get it or not once you see the time. So not the exact same - but still that idea of not knowing what your return time would prior to going to get your pass (nor even if there would be any left) is similar

 

[rteetz]

I havent read anyone reporting a ride closure since 10:30am. Has it really stayed open that long without issues?

There have been minor stoppages.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

There have been minor stoppages.

all in all Disney has to be pretty happy with how well it has functioned for Day 1 though