News Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Disney's Hollywood Studios opening date

[JohnD]

so weekday select APs are not allowed to visit this year?

That’s incorrect. THEME PARK select don’t have access Sept 1 - Dec 31. Weekday Select have same access as Silver except weekends obviously. They’ll be blocked out over Christmas season and that’s it.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Can someone clarify this...

"During Extra Magic Hours guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can spend extra time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios enjoying select attractions."

Do you think they are saying screw the peasants who are staying at the value and moderate resorts?

They use this normally but, it is referring to the Disney owned hotels..Not the good neighbor hotels or other hotels that are not owned by the company..

 

[AEfx]

I’m curious if all the shops and restaurants will be open for phase 1? Or if some of them will still need to be completed and held for phase 2?

Oh, don't you worry...they will make sure they are all open. At least the stores. Maybe a tiny kiosk here or there won't be ready, but before that sucker opens they will make sure every available spot is chock full of ways for people to buy stuff. No question.

 

[AEfx]

What's funny is that these three days are probably the ones that they would have wanted to block the most. We don't have that pass, we just found humor in that fact.

Oh, don't be so sure. It's frigging brilliant, really.

They WANT the place overrun the first few days while press is still watching. No one will ever forget those pictures of the Potter lines that went around City Walk. They want this to overshadow that as much as possible. I'm sure the aerial shots will be breathtaking.

They could have easily scheduled this three days later and avoided the extra access from those passholders. They want people waiting 8 or 9 hours to get into the land. This was not a mistake nor an accident.

That's why it is so smart. While it still will be ungodly busy even after the three days are up, it won't be quite as bad as it could have been had they not been blacked out the rest of the year. They are ensuring that the headlines will scream on the first days that people are lined up half way to Epcot to get in, then they get a tiny bit of breathing room.

It could have been easily avoided had they wanted to - but they didn't want to, because they want this to be the biggest theme park event of all time, regardless of actual guest experience on those first days.

 

[jt04]

Oh, don't be so sure. It's frigging brilliant, really.

They WANT the place overrun the first few days while press is still watching. No one will ever forget those pictures of the Potter lines that went around City Walk. They want this to overshadow that as much as possible. I'm sure the aerial shots will be breathtaking.

They could have easily scheduled this three days later and avoided the extra access from those passholders. They want people waiting 8 or 9 hours to get into the land. This was not a mistake nor an accident.

That's why it is so smart. While it still will be ungodly busy even after the three days are up, it won't be quite as bad as it could have been had they not been blacked out the rest of the year. They are ensuring that the headlines will scream on the first days that people are lined up half way to Epcot to get in, then they get a tiny bit of breathing room.

It could have been easily avoided had they wanted to - but they didn't want to, because they want this to be the biggest theme park event of all time, regardless of actual guest experience on those first days.

And it will all happen again when RotR opens.

 

[jt04]

In defense of this strategy, a lot of people will delay for RotR. Thereby spreading out the crowds. These lands are going to be full for years. Literally years.

 

[sndral]

Many Bothans died to bring this information....

So, after talking with my insiders, WDI have planned ROTR to be opened later than the rest of the land for a while now. After having lots of problems, they knew they wouldn’t make the target date. The land opening way ahead of schedule was almost undoubtedly Iger’s handiwork as park attendance across the country has been low, plus the quarterly analysis. Likewise, operationally, they probably want to avoid a Diagon Alley incident. Simply put, Falcon has been very reliable in testing, but ROTR hasn’t been. From an operations standpoint, it’s going to be a nightmare to keep running before it breaks down, as well as the upkeep. They want to work out all the issues before trying to open.

That being said, if you’re visiting Disneyland late July, you may have a possibility of a soft opening for ROTR, but that’s one very big IF.

Interesting. It feels like the goal early on was to open the whole thing, but technical difficulties w/ ROTR delayed the projected opening date - so rather than miss the already vague target opening, particularly in DL, they’re gonna go w/ what they’ve got, claim they beat their target opening and hope ROTR comes on line sooner rather than later - wonder how long the issues w/ ROTR will take to work out, let’s hope it’s not another ROL scenario where the ‘fix’ took forever and things were cut just to get it open.
I wonder if ROTR will even be open when I’m at WDW next Jan..

 

[jt04]

Interesting. It feels like the goal early on was to open the whole thing, but technical difficulties w/ ROTR delayed the projected opening date - so rather than miss the already vague target opening, particularly in DL, they’re gonna go w/ what they’ve got, claim they beat their target opening and hope ROTR comes on line sooner rather than later - wonder how long the issues w/ ROTR will take to work out, let’s hope it’s not another ROL scenario where the ‘fix’ took forever and things were cut just to get it open.
I wonder if ROTR will even be open when I’m at WDW next Jan..

Most likely.

 

[HonorableMention]

So after reading all of this I want to say that you all have changed my mind a bit. I wasn’t as angry as some people, but there definitely was some disappointment from me that the land wouldn’t be opening with its headliner.

I’m not going to be at Disney for a few years at least, so it isn’t like this is affecting me, and it is always better to get something than nothing. Best of luck to people trekking out or those who have trips around opening!

 

[jaxonp]

Nobody is forcing anyone to go the first few months without RotR open so I’m not sure why people are getting upset.

 

[flynnibus]

The online urge to be 'first' is way over hyped.

All this drama about the opening dates will be forgotten 6months later.. and for the decades to come for the land. We should care more that they figure out how to make the land WORK WELL... so we don't get it dumbed down and reduced. If that means they spend more time dialing it in... and it means the attraction runs better... I'm all for it.

I'm not going to lose any sleep at all over the people who will 'suffer' these months without TWO attractions open.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I wish I was at the shareholders meeting. I hear they do a Q&A at the end. I would have asked why do reservations at Disneyland and not disneyworld and why doesn't the disneyland version have early magic hours.

DL is fighting the huge crowding by making this early opening for a limited number. Many on these forums have suggested ways to limit the crowds so that you don't get people camping overnight or turning away folks from even entering the park at a Phased Closing starting at 9 AM.

WDW is fighting the huge crowding by doing almost nothing except opening it the slowest time of the year and funneling a portion of the guests to EMH hours.

 

[flynnibus]

WDW is fighting the huge crowding by doing almost nothing except opening it the slowest time of the year and funneling a portion of the guests to EMH hours.

Extra hours...
You can probably expect earlier opening hours... just like they did TSL..
It's already in a separate park so there is some filtering action by that alone (unlike Cali)
And you can be sure they'll have plans on the ready if needed.

How about instead of chastising them for the future... we wait till we see if they fail to respond?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Extra hours...
You can probably expect earlier opening hours... just like they did TSL..
It's already in a separate park so there is some filtering action by that alone (unlike Cali)
And you can be sure they'll have plans on the ready if needed.

How about instead of chastising them for the future... we wait till we see if they fail to respond?

You're confusing me with the Disney can't do anything right crowd.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

DL is fighting the huge crowding by making this early opening for a limited number. Many on these forums have suggested ways to limit the crowds so that you don't get people camping overnight or turning away folks from even entering the park at a Phased Closing starting at 9 AM.

WDW is fighting the huge crowding by doing almost nothing except opening it the slowest time of the year and funneling a portion of the guests to EMH hours.

Well with Labor day and whenever F&W start I`m sure this is the reason they did it before the holiday weekend begins...

 

[Animaniac93-98]

We just realized that the Theme Park Select Pass is not blocked out for the big opening weekend. That's just ironic. lol

They seemed to have been planning to avoid that.

The Canadian discount tickets are also valid until Sep 27.

Opening Star Wars in phases was clearly a last minute decision.

 

[djkidkaz]

Yes they will be open in phase 1

So phase 2 is just the opening of the second ride?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

So what happens when the 1 ride breaks down and there’s nothing to?

 

[jt04]

I guess Disneyland is selling out all rooms already.

WDW is no doubt doing the same.

 

[jt04]

So what happens when the 1 ride breaks down and there’s nothing to?

Falcon has multiple turntables.