RotR Planning & Daily Boarding Group Discussion - *CLOSED*

[ofcabbagesandkings]

but now guests can't complain that they were locked out of bg because the park opened so early. If you were in the park at 7am you could've gotten into a bg.

Unpopular opinion , but I see these 7am being worse for the guest experience:
There's more people lining up outside the park because the park is opening at 7am
There's more people joining the bg, thus having them go out faster
There's more people enjoying other attractions in the park, the "getting everything done before park opens" advantage is gone
And there's still going to be angry people that show up at 7:15-7:30 not being able to join a bg anyways
Just my opinion

Question - if they keep the posted opening at 8am for the week before Xmas, do you think they will actually wait to open the park around 7:30? I'm inclined to get there no later than 6 anyway because I a: don't trust Disney and b: want to be able to RD Starbucks after we get our BG. A quick venti latte is crucial for my mom's going along with my drill-sergeant WDW schedule.

 

[yulilin3]

Question - if they keep the posted opening at 8am for the week before Xmas, do you think they will actually wait to open the park around 7:30? I'm inclined to get there no later than 6 anyway because I a: don't trust Disney and b: want to be able to RD Starbucks after we get our BG. A quick venti latte is crucial for my mom's going along with my drill-sergeant WDW schedule.

I am almost 100% sure they will update to 7am, BUT if they don't the park will most likely continue to open at 6:30am.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

They’re only reporting what we were all able to see in the app at that hour this AM, but FYI. Also not noted here (and I’ve seen minimal discussion about it elsewhere) but Minnie Vans recently raised their rates to $17 base fare and $3.15 per mile. FYI.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1205140057553809410

 

[MrDisneyFan]

It seems like all the information is a moving target but I'm trying to figure out when parking is available at HS. We are going to get a BG Sunday (do or do not, there is no try). We're local so will be driving and planning to get to the parking lot by 5:30. Is parking open by then? Should that be early enough for a BG you think? Of course Saturday may be a better indicator of what Sunday may look like...

 

[Opie100]

Any reason to use Minnie Van over a cheaper Lyft ride (e.g. from Epcot Resorts to DHS)?

 

[yulilin3]

Any reason to use Minnie Van over a cheaper Lyft ride (e.g. from Epcot Resorts to DHS)?

absolutely no reason. Unless you need a colorful vehicle

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Any reason to use Minnie Van over a cheaper Lyft ride to DHS?

No, both drop off in the same place.

I can’t recall if Minnie Vans use the bus entrance vs the main entrance to get to DHS, I seem to remember last time I was there a driver was telling me they keep changing that around on them. I’m sure someone here knows for sure, but I don’t think it really matters.

Obviously Minnie Vans are most appealing to those that need car seats.

 

[FantasmicMike]

absolutely no reason. Unless you need a colorful vehicle

Well - there is that sense of staying fully in the "Disney bubble," particularly for those who go so rarely (it'll be our first trip back in 5 years). But I'm not sure that immersion is worth the extra money...

 

[dina444444]

No, both drop off in the same place.

I can’t recall if Minnie Vans use the bus entrance vs the main entrance to get to DHS, I seem to remember last time I was there a driver was telling me they keep changing that around on them. I’m sure someone here knows for sure, but I don’t think it really matters.

Obviously Minnie Vans are most appealing to those that need car seats.

They drop off and pickup at one of the bus stops at the parks.
The only advantage to using one is for pickup/drop off at MK.

 

[rteetz]

absolutely no reason. Unless you need a colorful vehicle

I guess one could argue a better sense of security. You’re getting a Disney CM vs. a stranger.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Can you preorder a minnie van the night before? We don't *need* a carseat really but a booster would be nice for my youngest.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

They drop off and pickup at one of the bus stops at the parks.
The only advantage to using one is for pickup/drop off at MK.

Maybe my experience is dated, but in the past Minnie Vans have dropped us off more towards the front entrance, not the bus stop. Sounds like this has changed lately with new parking lot operations based on your comment.

 

[wdw&sonny]

11:00; up to BG 47 called.

 

[Iowamomof4]

It seems like all the information is a moving target but I'm trying to figure out when parking is available at HS. We are going to get a BG Sunday (do or do not, there is no try). We're local so will be driving and planning to get to the parking lot by 5:30. Is parking open by then? Should that be early enough for a BG you think? Of course Saturday may be a better indicator of what Sunday may look like...

I've consistently seen people say the parking lot is open by 5 AM. Maybe I'm remembering wrong.

 

[hiroMYhero]

We're local so will be driving and planning to get to the parking lot by 5:30. Is parking open by then?

Yes.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Can you preorder a minnie van the night before? We don't *need* a carseat really but a booster would be nice for my youngest.

You can’t pre order a regular Minnie Van, only the larger specialized Vans equipped for ECVs.

 

[wareagle57]

Just a thought here, every minute extra outside the gate is I'd say an additional 2-3 minutes of waiting (because the people ahead of you fill up the queue)... up to some point where you have a BG that gets called after the first breakdown, in which case you've added an hour.

That's why getting there at 5am (which seemed like it was less people today than yesterday) seems like such a great idea, because the extra hour you wait compared to getting there at 6am, will probably save you more than an hour of time.

I think maybe you misunderstood what I was trying to say. It’s true that the very first people to actually get to the ride with the first boarding group will have a zero minute wait. BUT those people waited for upwards of 2 hours outside the gate. So best case scenario they waited 2 hours to ride. And a boring wait at that.

And that is a best case scenario. There is no guarantee that once you scan in that you’re immediately going to be able to book your boarding group in time to be in the first group called. If you end up in group 15 or so, then you’re going to be met with the same 30ish minute wait to the preshow that everyone averages throughout the day.

Add to that most days so far the ride has broken down in the first hour while loading anywhere from
Group 12-25. That means unless you were one of the very first ones on, you’re now either evacuated and have to come back and wait again or stuck waiting additional time in line.

I am by no means saying you shouldn’t line up at 4am. Anything could happen and the earlier the boarding group the better chance you have. I’m just saying everyone should think about what that actually gets them and if it’s actually worth it to them. What it gets you is essentially a ride earlier in the day. Yes, you’ll ride before the people who got there later. But the point of rope dropping the new attractions in the past (other than maybe on opening days) was not to ride it as early as possible. It was to avoid long waits and make sure you get to ride. There is now a much easier way to accomplish those 2 things.

Again, I am not telling anyone that has one shot to ride this to take any risks. But I do think there is very little risk involved in arriving at 6:15

 

[Lorrie7249]

Hi all...we are boarding group 42 and got in line at about 11....trying to figure out how long the wait has been once on line...any info is greatly appreciated

 

[yulilin3]

They drop off and pickup at one of the bus stops at the parks.
The only advantage to using one is for pickup/drop off at MK.

Actually for DHS the drop off/pick up is way closer to bag check, not at the bus loop

 

[Museick]

BG 40; 10:20am!

Off ride at 11:07am! Still awesome!!