What would you do for Hollywood Studios?

[mshanson3121]

For the attractions that are really our "must dos" (Frozen, Indiana Jones, TSMM, Fantasmic, Star Tours, not saying there aren't other things we would enjoy, but those are our musts), I figure we can easily arrive at 4 or 5 in the afternoon and just stay for the evening. This would give us the day to relax, swim, maybe even go to the water park for a couple hours in the morning.

BUT... the kids want to do the Star Wars Training Academy. Now, will they miss it if we don't do it? I really don't know, but I do know they'd love it. But I know if we arrive at 4 or 5 there's pretty well no chance of getting in for an evening show, is there?

The other option is we can get up and go in early at 9:00, sign up and stay for a couple hours, then go back for a break and come back in the evening. But I admit, the idea of having to get up so early to get out the door, spend that whole hour long process of driving there, parking, getting into the park, to just have to turn around and do it in reverse a couple hours later?? Not overly appealing. But... again, I know they'd like the SWTA.

So, what would you be inclined to do?

Also, with the SWTA... what do they expect of the children? Our daughter is just turned 5, and has high-functioning autism. I can't guarentee 100% how she's going to feel being left there for 30 minutes with them for practice, BUT, she does Sunday School, gymnastics etc.. and those are all things we drop her off for, and she does fine. My fear is, if for some reason she doesn't meet their qualifications... it would be an absolute meltdown if her brother got to do it, and she didn't.

 

[eyehartdisney]

Zero chance of getting in SWTA if you show up at night. You could have both kids go together if she would be uncomfortable. How old is your son?
There's a video somewhere on disboards of the questions they ask the kids, it's not strenuous, basically "are you okay being up on stage alone, and are you afraid of darth vader."

 

[mshanson3121]

Zero chance of getting in SWTA if you show up at night. You could have both kids go together if she would be uncomfortable. How old is your son?
There's a video somewhere on disboards of the questions they ask the kids, it's not strenuous, basically "are you okay being up on stage alone, and are you afraid of darth vader."

So... I'm thinking a compromise is probably in order, maybe we arrive around 10, and stay for a few hours. From what I've read, if we're there by 10:00 (non EMH day) we should still have a good chance of getting them in for an evening show?

 

[Doug M]

If you arrive at 10 JTA is full. To get in you need to be there within the first hour, or the first 30 minutes depending on crowds to get signed up. Max 15 kids a show, and like 10 or 12 shows a day is all. Ends around 5 pm as i recall. If this is a priority, get there at RD and head straight to sign up.

 

[mesaboy2]

If you arrive at 10 JTA is full. To get in you need to be there within the first hour, or the first 30 minutes depending on crowds to get signed up. Max 15 kids a show, and like 10 or 12 shows a day is all. Ends around 5 pm as i recall. If this is a priority, get there at RD and head straight to sign up.

Exactly this. Arrive after rope drop and you will likely not get into JTA.

 

[Doug M]

Correction to my post, looks like around 15 shows a day, but 15 max per show is generally only on SWW, 12 otherwise. Either way, RD or miss out.

 

[soniam]

It also could rain out easily as the afternoon approaches, so earlier shows may have less weather risk. You could use the opportunity of getting there at rope drop to ride some things without an FP+, like Star Tours, Rock n Roller Coaster, and Tower of Terror. Toy Story may already have too long of a wait if you don't get there right at RD.

 

[ghtx]

#TradeOffs
You have three options:
1) Skip JTA
2) Skip Fantasmic (i.e. arrive at RD and finish everything in the morning/early afternoon)
3) Head back and forth to DHS twice in one day

 

[mshanson3121]

It also could rain out easily as the afternoon approaches, so earlier shows may have less weather risk. You could use the opportunity of getting there at rope drop to ride some things without an FP+, like Star Tours, Rock n Roller Coaster, and Tower of Terror. Toy Story may already have too long of a wait if you don't get there right at RD.

We have a DAS card, so TSMM is no problem, we'll grab a return time, plus we have a FP+ for it in the evening, so they'll get to ride it twice at least. We don't be doing RnR. We're actually hoping for the evening Star Wars show, the 6:20 or 7:10 one. Our original plan was arrive for RD, stay till 1:00, take an afternoon break then come back. But.. I was kind of hoping we could just condense it to an evening, but, guess not if we want the Jedi thing.

 

[mshanson3121]

Exactly this. Arrive after rope drop and you will likely not get into JTA.

How long does the whole sign up process take? If we are there for RD, would we have time to do the sign up AND make the 9:30 show of Frozen (without FP)?

 

[Doug M]

How long does the whole sign up process take? If we are there for RD, would we have time to do the sign up AND make the 9:30 show of Frozen (without FP)?

Possible, the closer to the front the more likely. Last year this week of June we were at the turnstiles roughly 30 min prior to opening and it took about 35 minutes to get signed up, they had 3 counters signing up folks. Had we been in line 5 minutes sooner it would have helped significantly.