Need info, any info, on SGE

Stitchfan712

Stitchfan712

New Member
Original Poster
OK, after reading the new update saying that Stitch's Great Escape will not officially open until Oct. 1, I'm a little worried. And I need anyone's input on what they've seen or heard and are allowed to tell about this ride.

What I had originally heard was a projected Sept. 2004 official opening for the ride, which meant that if we were lucky, there would be soft openings at the beginning of August.


Well based on some comments to the contrary in another thread, I've now got to figure out what to do, because....

We have a group coming to WDW to celebrate the opening of SGE, from July 29- August 10. One member coming is flying in all the way from Sweden to see this thing. We've taken a large gamble, but every update so far has pointed to an earlier-than-expected opening. We've heard things like "construction progressing faster than expected", we've seen the nearly finished Stitch animatronic and a friend of mine who works for Disney believes that the exterior of the ride, which hasn't been worked on much yet, shouldn't take more than a month to complete. So everything has looked good so far.


But now I'm being told that we planned this thing too early. Well it's not easy to postpone it. If we cancel the August dates and rebook for September, everybody involved will take an air penalty, plus we lose the contract with the hotels and may have to rebook at a higher rate. Plus, some people coming have school to get back to, so the August dates were the latest they could come. If we push it to September, some people will not only take an air penalty, but not be able to come at all.


If we get there in August, and SGE isn't open, there's going to be some angry people...and although I've issued disclaimer after disclaimer that it might not be open...the ride is the central issue for the group meet. some are coming for no other reason than to see the new Stitch ride. And if they go home let down, well, it'll be partly my fault. I share the responsibility, with a more senior agent, for making this trip work and be magical for everyone. Our necks are on the line but there's also the feeling of not wanting to let our friends down that have their hopes up for this.


So I'm looking for any good news...any at all, that might indicate this thing may be open by August 1...a soft opening.

I'm not asking for sensitive details that you aren't allowed to tell, all I'm wanting to know is....COULD this thing be open by August 1? At all?


Has anyone seen or heard anything that would suggest an early opening?

I've heard that the interior of SGE is almost finished. Have you heard or seen anything that would confirm that?

What about training...are they training people on how to operate it yet?


If you can't tell me these things, at least give me your best guess....can this thing be open by August 1? It may be almost impossible to reschedule this....but if it comes to that...everyone takes a loss. Give me good news if you have it, because necks are on the line here. :(

Thanks all. Praying.
 
netenyahoo

netenyahoo

New Member
I feel bad for you that you planned this big trip around an unopened ride. I hope you are lucky and it does have soft openings for you.
 
Chux

Chux

Member
I really don't want to be the naysayer, but I really don't think it's gonna be up that early. When I went to the MK 2 weeks ago we went on the TTA and we saw old XS Tech signs, and hoses and pipes laying around in plain sight at the entrance.
 
StevenT

StevenT

New Member
I don't know the exact time frame but Test Track opened WAY behind schedule. I think it was somewhere around a year, please feel free to correct me on that.
 
TimeTrip

TimeTrip

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by testtracker
Not sure about this one either, but didnt mission space open right on time?
Click to expand...

Test Track wound up horribly behind schedule. I think it was delayed almost 2 years. Even then it broke down very often. The reason why M:S opened on time was because they went the extra distance to give themselves a ton of time so that they wouldn't repeat the mistake they made with TT.

That being said, I'm guessing SGE is still "ahead of schedule". They don't really need "time padding" because its nowhere near as complex as M:S or TT. Doubtful if will be before mid-august though :(.
 
Jerm

Jerm

Well-Known Member
Fantasmic! opened late also.....we were set to be there just for the set opening date Oct. 1st and then like a month before they pushed it back. But as far as SGE I am with you on the hopes of it being open way early. I am going to be there in mid July and I can only hope....but we will be right back in October so we will get lucky no matter what. But one thing forsure it is never good to plan a trip on a hope when it comes to Disney.

J
 
Thrawn

Thrawn

Account Suspended
The reason I said that is because Test Track was given at least 4 different opening dates and delayed just under two years. It is plain stupid to schedule a trip around the opening of a ride, especially when Disney hasn't announced it. If you said the trip was in October, thats all well and good, but in August? It can still open early (Sept) and never have a single day of soft opens, and you wouldn't see it. Just a bad decision. Sorry.
 
GenerationX

GenerationX

Well-Known Member
If it's any help, last year's two major new attractions (Mickey's Philharmagic and Mission:Space) both officially opened on-time in early October. As for soft openings to the public, Mission:Space started theirs in mid June and Mickey's Philharmagic in late August. Good luck. :)
 
Stitchfan712

Stitchfan712

New Member
Original Poster
Yes, you're right. There might be some luck for me after all.


I've double-checked with the group about moving dates to september...it's a no-go. We either go in August, or we don't go at all. We're stuck. So, I hope to high heaven that the Stitch attraction opens two months early like Mission Space did.



In another thread they all were saying that nothing opens two months early, but yes, yes it does.


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se8472

se8472

Well-Known Member
I can tell ya that no one is being trained there. Nor are there any real talks of it happening any time soon.
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Mission: SPACE opened two months early because it was a $100,000,000 E-Ride over three years in the making. I would never plan a trip around the opening of a single attraction before any date is announced. I would be very surprised if Disney considered soft opening this ride in July/August. That is the busy summer season--not prime season to open a ride in tests. Even Mission: SPACE had its first soft openings in early June, before crowds got really bad, and then continued through the summer as it became clear that no large glitches would be encountered. PhilharMagic, closer to the scale of Stitch's Great Escape!, then waited until September for true soft openings (it was very spotty prior to this--right place at the right time type deal), after the big crowds left. Based on how much work must still be done...if I had to bet money, I would say it won't be ready in just a month and a half. There is absolutely no reason to soft open a show 2 to 2½ months early...thrill rides are the only attractions I have ever seen open that early (again, because they take so much longer to build and can use the additional testing)
 
Poncho1973

Poncho1973

New Member
I wouldn't expect a soft opening that early. Signs are good, yet not THAT good.

As has been said, I know you had hopes... but I think it would be a good idea in the future not to plan your trips around something that isn't open yet. Unforseen things tend to happen.

I hope it works out for you. I would also hope that you find a better airline... I fly a lot and I've never had a company charge more than $25 for a ticketing change. I've had to pay the difference to a higher fare... but even that never added up to $100 a ticket. You need to find a more customer-friendly airline to spend your money with.
 
WDWhumanmap

WDWhumanmap

New Member
here to clear the air....
Mission:Space aka M:S opened right on time so did Philarmagic. All the other past rides opened on time or earlier i should know i was there for most of them. test track was behind like usual becuase guess why its the same reason it breaks down every hour they can't get it to work too well. so was the new tomorrowland but i think because they were waiting for the 25th birthday celebration to begin so they held it back on purpose.
if stitch is opening in October which it sounds like it will it should be ready soon because let's look at the signs people Stitch is in the ride already they only got to redue a few more things they aren't changing alot by any means if you read the plot. also the store is open that should be sign for any true disney person that the ride is opening soon they wouldn't keep the shop open too long before the ride.
another thing is let's take mission for example mission opened on time in mid-october i feel very hopeful as someone going in august that is will be in previews by then because mission space was and so was Rock and Roller Coaster which i think opened in october or november and i went on it in soft previews in mid-july.
 

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