Soft Opening ???

[LeeAnn]

I have heard this term before but it never effected me so I didn't look into it.

What exactly is a Soft Opening?
I had hear it b4 with the opening of Pandora and Toy Story Land but I wasn't going during that time.

Who gets to experience the Soft Opening?
Travel Agents, Press, Lucky Guest???
Are there random dates, times?

Going to WDW in mid August. Didn't expect SW to open in late August. Don't know if this good or bad.

We only have 8/11 scheduled to be in DHS.
Do you think there would be a soft opening?
Be any to view anything?
How will it effect me (if at all)?

 

[rteetz]

Soft openings are openings before the scheduled public opening. They are not guaranteed and do not always work the same. Sometimes it is for random guests, sometimes DVC or AP holders, etc.

I would not bet on there being a soft opening during your time.

 

[jbish]

I left literally one week before Toy Story Land opened in 2018. They were not doing anything up to that point, so I don't think you'll have much of a chance to see anything 2+ weeks out - sorry.

 

[gap2368]

I am guessing no on the soft opening. Toy story land had an soft opening the evening before about 5pm. There was no announcement Just a CM that came out and said they were going to open the land.

 

[jsmla]

Years ago, before New Fantasyland opened CMs invited everyone in my showing of Mickey’s Philgarmagic to a soft opening there. It was pretty cool.

 

[gharter]

My wife and daughter were lucky to be there at the right time to take advantage of a DVC soft opening for Pandora. They had a limited number of people who entered every 2 hours. They had to get a reservation about 1 month before. Said it was amazing to see the land and have a very small crowd.
As they didn't do it with TSL, and have not announced anything like that for SWGE at DL, doubt it will happen at WDW.

 

[Sean D Lowery]

My wife and daughter were lucky to be there at the right time to take advantage of a DVC soft opening for Pandora. They had a limited number of people who entered every 2 hours. They had to get a reservation about 1 month before. Said it was amazing to see the land and have a very small crowd.
As they didn't do it with TSL, and have not announced anything like that for SWGE at DL, doubt it will happen at WDW.

I thought that sometimes it is done to help build up hype, and I think TSL and SWGE likely didn't/don't need it

 

[gap2368]

My wife and daughter were lucky to be there at the right time to take advantage of a DVC soft opening for Pandora. They had a limited number of people who entered every 2 hours. They had to get a reservation about 1 month before. Said it was amazing to see the land and have a very small crowd.
As they didn't do it with TSL, and have not announced anything like that for SWGE at DL, doubt it will happen at WDW.

They did a preview of TSL it was the night before opening and not announced ahead of time

 

[siren0119]

Plus in a way the "official" opening of SWGE is kind of a soft opening - only one ride is going to be ready, and at least in DL they are tightly controlling entry for the first month. WDW won't have exactly the same system as DL, but I DO expect that WDW will enact some form of controlled entry for the first month.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

I thought that sometimes it is done to help build up hype, and I think TSL and SWGE likely didn't/don't need it

I think the main reason they do soft openings is to get all the cogs running smoothly before they let in the masses. Cogs includes both the human and mechanical elements. There's usually several soft opening events held for cast members only. TSL had a few soft openings that were cast member exclusive. They'll need guinea pigs for SWGE. My guess it will only be for some very lucky CMs. Otherwise, I foresee pandemonium. Who knows, though. Time will tell how it all plays out.