Crowd Predictions After SWGE Opening

[jakeman]

I like that picture! Posted it in another thread on the same subject. As pointed out by another poster, This is the line for Diagon Alley. Hogsmeade opened a few years earlier. The pictures in Diagon Alley are almost worse. I'm not sure if WDW wants guests packed in as tight as they can. Hurts the experience. Maybe they let that for a week or so, then work on some crowd control? Len Testa and Jim Hill have discussed on their podcast. They say WDW does not want the giant snaking lines throughout the land that FoP has, but you'll have to do something to minimize that.

Flip that. This is the Hogsmeade line. Wire article from the Sioux City Journal via the Sentinel from 2015 here:

http://siouxcityjournal.com/univers...cle_9c071457-d3a6-569d-b9dd-7a92790b4517.html

Note the date in the caption of the picture.

 

[po1998]

I wonder how long after SWL opens, DHS will see capacity closings?

 

[Amos1784]

I know I'm in the minority, but I plan on booking a trip right before it opens, when we can get a more definitive date. I'm not a massive Star Wars fan, and while I'm excited for what they are adding I can wait some time to check it out after the crazy dies down. I would think for 3-6 months after it opens the whole resort is going to be almost at max capacity. MK already everyday is getting to be crazy, and people that are planning trips down for Galaxy's Edge will for sure at least visit 1-2 other parks I would assume while there, not taking into account DHS capacity closures which I would think are bound to happen.

 

[winstongator]

Flip that. This is the Hogsmeade line. Wire article from the Sioux City Journal via the Sentinel from 2015 here:

http://siouxcityjournal.com/univers...cle_9c071457-d3a6-569d-b9dd-7a92790b4517.html

Note the date in the caption of the picture.

Yup, I was mistaken. That's the entrance to Universal Studios, but the line from IoA snaked all the way there.

 

[winstongator]

I wonder how long after SWL opens, DHS will see capacity closings?

I'm not sure it will. What will happen is a mass of people going into SWGE. I think that area will close to additional guests long before DHS does. I tried to see if DAK had capacity closures when Pandora opened, but couldn't find an article on it.

 

[HwdStudio]

Crowd levels after the opening of SW:GE = About a 12 on a 10 scale. Or, in other words, obscene.

I like that! Obscene. That’s what I’m going to say too.

 

[Damon7777]

but do you think that there will just be more people in general in all parks or just more people at DHS? I'm secretly hoping that everyone will be at DHS and that will leave the other parks much quieter. Is this just wishful thin

Best to premise these forecasts with an "all things equal".
approach.
Assumed:
1)US, Euro, South Am economy status quo
2)no significant terrorism at WDW just prior to or shortly after Star Wars opening
3)no super hurricane making landfall with cat. 5 in central Florida just prior to or shortly after Stars Wars opening

To answer your question expect entire WDW to be disgustingly crazy busy.......busier by 2 notches above the insanity of your typical Dec 24 to Jan 1 crowding.

Getting into Studios----- you won't!
((unless you have a burning will and desire and ready to persevere))
If by chance you get in the park you will not get into Star Wars Land itself...just playing the odds here. And only short of a miracle will you experience the 2 Star Wars rides. You and 10's of thousands of other WDW guests will not ride the 2 signature attractions nor will you see the entrance signage.

Potter opening is child's play compared to this.

 

[LAKid53]

I wonder how long after SWL opens, DHS will see capacity closings?

Within an hour of opening, most likely. Those pictures of Pandora crowds opening day, quadruple that.

 

[larryz]

I think for two years after it will be packed.... maybe more. You have star wars fans, and you have little new completion in the other 4 parks, and really no competition in the park its in. So the people at Disney world are going to flock there. It should help pandoras lines though, I think it would be huge if it was just star wars... you add in self inflected stagnation and you have a mess.

More. Toy Story Land will have a big impact and will still be having one when SW:GE opens. You'll be lucky to get in.

 

[Fable McCloud]

View attachment 285962
Anyone recall opening day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter? I would expect this for Star Wars except much worse.

That's insane! I know Star Wars is gonna be huge at the Studios, but here's to hoping it will eventually calm down. I remember when TSM opened that it had huge wait times, as did the 7DMT, but a few years later I was able to ride them. I like DHS but it may be a quick ride on the ToT and the coaster, then calling it a day if crowds are that bad.

Do we have a date for the opening of SWGE yet?

 

[HauntedPirate]

That's insane! I know Star Wars is gonna be huge at the Studios, but here's to hoping it will eventually calm down. I remember when TSM opened that it had huge wait times, as did the 7DMT, but a few years later I was able to ride them. I like DHS but it may be a quick ride on the ToT and the coaster, then calling it a day if crowds are that bad.

Do we have a date for the opening of SWGE yet?

Officially "late fall 2019". That likely means late November to early December 2019.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Officially "late fall 2019". That likely means late November to early December 2019.

Yep....right in line with the Episode 9 release date. The worst I've ever seen parking at Studios was for the last year of the Osbourne Lights about a week before Christmas a few years back. I know there is a new lot being built and a new entrance. But with locals and the holiday crowds - that lot will be reaching capacity quickly every day. Anyone thinking of going during opening - I'd be looking at Swolphin and walking over.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

More. Toy Story Land will have a big impact and will still be having one when SW:GE opens. You'll be lucky to get in.

I think the other factor here is a lot of people have given up going to DHS....and really want to find a reason to go back. It's been hard to rationalize to oneself......why? TSL and SWGE give them that reason.

Now, Disney can make this a bit bigger by announcing a re-theme of RnR and possibly ToT - essentially creating a "new" park. I'm a fan of RnR but have to admit Aerosmith is becoming a bit stale. Love ToT and would hate to see it go...but it would depend on what was coming in.

 

[ppete1975]

More. Toy Story Land will have a big impact and will still be having one when SW:GE opens. You'll be lucky to get in.

True.. the more I think about it... they really should have made a fifth gate. they could have broken all kinds of attendance records and taken so much pressure off of the other parks (and it wouldn't lose popularity for decades, id also have put the space restaurant there). I am usually all against a fifth gate but this one would have made sense. And the extra profits would have made up for the cast and crew.. in fact I think the other parks would do even better because they wouldn't be as crowded, more people would end up going to them "hey magic kingdom isn't as crowded anymore and its wonderful lets go next year!!"

 

[justintheharris]

That's insane! I know Star Wars is gonna be huge at the Studios, but here's to hoping it will eventually calm down. I remember when TSM opened that it had huge wait times, as did the 7DMT, but a few years later I was able to ride them. I like DHS but it may be a quick ride on the ToT and the coaster, then calling it a day if crowds are that bad.

Do we have a date for the opening of SWGE yet?

It’s Star Wars. Not Snow White or toy story. Star Wars is a HUGE and elaborate franchise. Just like Harry Potter

 

[justintheharris]

I like that picture! Posted it in another thread on the same subject. As pointed out by another poster, This is the line for Diagon Alley. Hogsmeade opened a few years earlier. The pictures in Diagon Alley are almost worse. I'm not sure if WDW wants guests packed in as tight as they can. Hurts the experience. Maybe they let that for a week or so, then work on some crowd control? Len Testa and Jim Hill have discussed on their podcast. They say WDW does not want the giant snaking lines throughout the land that FoP has, but you'll have to do something to minimize that.

First,, I’m sorry? Second, the picture does not belong to either of us so unless you want to tell me you were in a helicopter on June 18th, 2010, I don’t see why you want to passive aggressively pretend like I stole your post. Third, the picture of the line is heading towards IOA as well as is posted on an article concerning the opening of Hogsmeade. The picture is correct.

 

[po1998]

TDO already knows SWL should have been bigger with at least one more people eating attraction, and DHS as a whole needs more....A LOT MORE.

The question is...how quickly will they act on the capacity shortfalls?


The DHS admission gates are going to be closed a lot over the first few months

 

[Dunston]

I think that until 2021 when Guardians Coaster, Tron, and Rat tat tooey are complete, DHS and therefore the rest of the resort (everybody coming to see Star Wars will visit other parks on their vacations) will be overcrowded. Until these new rides add capacity and siphon crowds from DHS, that place is gonna be a zoo.

 

[DisneyDoctor]

I know I'm in the minority, but I plan on booking a trip right before it opens, when we can get a more definitive date. I'm not a massive Star Wars fan, and while I'm excited for what they are adding I can wait some time to check it out after the crazy dies down. I would think for 3-6 months after it opens the whole resort is going to be almost at max capacity. MK already everyday is getting to be crazy, and people that are planning trips down for Galaxy's Edge will for sure at least visit 1-2 other parks I would assume while there, not taking into account DHS capacity closures which I would think are bound to happen.

Not a bad idea actually. I did the same with Pandora, not by choice, but due to time constraints. The parks were noticeably less busy than the previous 2 years during the same time (2 weeks before Memorial Day).

 

[FettFan]

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge

Cannot lie. I totally read "SWGE" as Stitch's Wonderful Great Escape.