Unsuccessful ROTR - Changing Reservation Same Day

[MomOTwins]

I thought at one time, you had to physically be in the park for the 1 pm time, but then that was changed. Maybe I misread that in the past. I know currently, you just need to have a park pass and have tapped into the park to try for the 1 pm Boarding Groups.

Yes, and no. "Officially" Disney said you have to be physically in the park. Their website says "The virtual queue will reopen daily at 1:00 PM for anyone inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios who wasn’t already able to join a boarding group earlier in the day." HOWEVER, as a practical matter, that has never been how their technology works. Their boarding group system is not linked to location (you can use it even if you don't have location services enabled on your phone, for example), and has zero idea where you are located physically. It just checks if you have an HS park pass for the 7am distribution, and if you have tapped into the park for the 1pm. So as a practical matter, you just need to be tapped it.

And for the record, people consistently report that the 1pm drop is easier to get a BG at than 7am. In fact, I tested it the other day and there were still BGs a full minute after 1pm, whereas 7am is gone within seconds. So something for OP to consider.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I thought at one time, you had to physically be in the park for the 1 pm time, but then that was changed. Maybe I misread that in the past. I know currently, you just need to have a park pass and have tapped into the park to try for the 1 pm Boarding Groups.

Yes, and no. "Officially" Disney said you have to be physically in the park. Their website says "The virtual queue will reopen daily at 1:00 PM for anyone inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios who wasn’t already able to join a boarding group earlier in the day." HOWEVER, as a practical matter, that has never been how their technology works. Their boarding group system is not linked to location (you can use it even if you don't have location services enabled on your phone, for example), and has zero idea where you are located physically. It just checks if you have an HS park pass for the 7am distribution, and if you have tapped into the park for the 1pm. So as a practical matter, you just need to be tapped it.

And for the record, people consistently report that the 1pm drop is easier to get a BG at than 7am. In fact, I tested it the other day and there were still BGs a full minute after 1pm, whereas 7am is gone within seconds. So something for OP to consider.

Yep, this. They don't know where you are, so it doesn't matter where you are when you try for a group, just that you have tapped into the park that day. I think there was a blogger who didn't pick up on this until a couple months ago and released an article saying it was new, but it wasn't.

 

[aggieland03]

The tip on only having to tap into the park to try the 1pm is cool. However, most people who would have taken advantage of that opportunity will probably be inside the park anyway. If I can't get the 7am spot, I will change my reservation to another park. Otherwise, to even try for the 1pm, I will have had to keep the DHS reservation, thus preventing me to visit another park before 2pm.

I started this thread specifically for a scenario for an arrival day. Our flight to Orlando arrives at 9:30am. If I can't get the 7am reservation from the Austin airport (6am central), then my options are switching to MK or keeping DHS.

With my luck, I'll get boarding group #10 which will be called while I'm en route to Orlando...

 

[MomOTwins]

The tip on only having to tap into the park to try the 1pm is cool. However, most people who would have taken advantage of that opportunity will probably be inside the park anyway.

I think what makes it useful for a lot of people is that HS is kind of a disaster mid-morning and lunchtime. Super high wait times on everything, sold out table service ADRs at 60 days and backed up mobile order the day of, and super crowded and hot. It can be a good strategy to rope drop, ride a couple things before the crowds really build and it gets scorching hot, and leave at 11am to go have a lunch/swim break back at the resort or a sit down lunch somewhere nearby (e.g. beaches and cream) before returning to the park later in the afternoon. Particularly useful if you are in Crescent lake area or a skyliner resort and can go back to your resort pretty easily for midday breaks.

 

[Southernmiss]

I think what makes it useful for a lot of people is that HS is kind of a disaster mid-morning and lunchtime. Super high wait times on everything, sold out table service ADRs at 60 days and backed up mobile order the day of, and super crowded and hot. It can be a good strategy to rope drop, ride a couple things before the crowds really build and it gets scorching hot, and leave at 11am to go have a lunch/swim break back at the resort or a sit down lunch somewhere nearby (e.g. beaches and cream) before returning to the park later in the afternoon. Particularly useful if you are in Crescent lake area or a skyliner resort and can go back to your resort pretty easily for midday breaks.

2 dhs days last week. Mobile ordering went very well for us both days no issues.

Only issue we had with 4 park days and 6 quick service meals for 7 was at Cosmic Ray's in MK. And they gave us free food to make up for our troubles. (Our food was not ready at the window when the app said it was and it took a few minutes to remake the order.)

 

[SL6827]

Will this ride ever go on FP?

 

[VickiVM]

The tip on only having to tap into the park to try the 1pm is cool. However, most people who would have taken advantage of that opportunity will probably be inside the park anyway. If I can't get the 7am spot, I will change my reservation to another park. Otherwise, to even try for the 1pm, I will have had to keep the DHS reservation, thus preventing me to visit another park before 2pm.

I started this thread specifically for a scenario for an arrival day. Our flight to Orlando arrives at 9:30am. If I can't get the 7am reservation from the Austin airport (6am central), then my options are switching to MK or keeping DHS.

With my luck, I'll get boarding group #10 which will be called while I'm en route to Orlando...

Is your trip soon? My husband and I are taking that same flight out of Austin in late October. I would like to know how this strategy works out for you.