News Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Standby Line and Boarding Groups at Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Leia'sMom]

OK. Helpful. So revised as follows:

1. Drive my own car or use Uber. Not staying at a skyliner hotel so know that busses are iffy.
2. Leave Poly by 5:45. This should give me plenty of time.
3. Don't carry a bag so I can avoid the bag check but I still probably have plenty of time if I need to check a bag
4. Open the app precisely at 7:00.
5. On the front page where it says "Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance - Access by Boarding Group", click on Find out more.
6. Click My status
7. Click Join a Boarding Group.
8. If it doesn't work go to guest assistance.
9. If I get a boarding pass of higher than 50, consider leaving the park and coming back.
10. Keep the app open during the day, and watch where the BG's are by clicking on the same "Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance - Access by Boarding Group"
11. If I leave the park, make sure I head back when the number is within 5 of my number.

OK. I think I can make this work. Thanks all.

 

[relic827]

I think around 7:30

So slightly better than the last 2 days. Are we still attributing the early BG closing to lingering holidayers and returning APs?

 

[disneygeek90]

So slightly better than the last 2 days. Are we still attributing the early BG closing to lingering holidayers and returning APs?

FWIW, the lady I was talking to this morning was from Alabama with 10 people. Arrived on Dec 27 (my birthday lol) and are leaving tomorrow. I think a lot would be heading out today or tomorrow if they are still here from NYE.

 

[relic827]

FWIW, the lady I was talking to this morning was from Alabama with 10 people. Arrived on Dec 27 (my birthday lol) and are leaving tomorrow. I think a lot would be heading out today or tomorrow if they are still here from NYE.

So Tuesday will be the first “slow” day, at least in a while

 

[MisterPenguin]

I just noticed EMH tonight also. I seem to remember reading here that Rise will not operate during EMH?, but I am not sure.

If so, I wonder if they will open Standby.

They had morning EMH (which was a disaster) which then moved to the evening (Sundays). They skipped the Sunday on Jan 29 because holiday crowd. Now they should be doing regular Sunday night EMHs.

 

[marni1971]

Is that basically how it used to be in WDW?

Yes, minus the paid option.

 

[Chet Dakota]

That's what my son did yesterday when we got 30.

This is what I have been doing and have not gotten anything worse than 65.

 

[Magenta Panther]

It’s reassuring that they are still able to do it when given what they need (more or less). Risking a thread drift, I can think of the original Universe of Energy, Orlando’s Tower, Spider-Man, Space Mountain From the Earth to the Moon and Forbidden Journey having the same effect.

The Tower is still superior to Resistance, IMO, in that it appeals to all people who can grasp the concept of a haunted hotel, and not need a movie reference in order to enjoy it (a la Star Wars and Guardians).

 

[disneygeek90]

The Tower is still superior to Resistance, IMO, in that it appeals to all people who can grasp the concept of a haunted hotel, and not need a movie reference in order to enjoy it (a la Star Wars and Guardians).

Disagree with you there. ToT is way more inaccessible/unappealing to the masses, based purely on fear of heights/drops or overall anxiety about super intense rides.

My mom won’t ride ToT. She loved ROTR and she has very limited Star Wars knowledge. She asks me every time we see a movie if the storm troopers are the “bad guys.”

I haven’t even seen Guardians, but I enjoyed the ride in DL more than I thought I would. Don’t want to see that overlay here, though.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

3. Don't carry a bag so I can avoid the bag check

In my personal experience there were empty bag checks open and I was told I had to wait in the 10 person deep no bag line since I didn’t have a bag. That made no sense to me but it’s Disney world security so what else is new. Not like the no-bag line kept me from getting in before opening time, as long as you get scanned in before open (which you will if you are there...) you have an equal chance of getting a boarding pass provided you have an expensive smart phone, running the latest app, understand the app, are quick to refresh the app and have a lot of good luck.

 

[Rich Brownn]

You make valid points here (re: balancing demand, etc) and yes the goal is to keep people staying on-site and yes some APs visit a couple times a year and spend no money. However, it is not a fair comparison to take a sample family visiting on a 7-day on-site trip, once per year, then to find a comparable AP family who visits 7 days in one year. APs might spend less per day, but often spend more overall with the company - heavily investing in expensive merchandise, dining experiences, trips to other resorts, even often staying at resorts when technically "locals," etc. It's all part of the pie and courting frequent guests who might spend 30 days at the resort, albeit without a room, can be just as important as someone staying seven days with a room.

As an aside, if there's one thing Disney isn't great at, it's rewarding high value guests vs. with those who come once every three years and stay at All Star Music. There should be added perks, other than a nicer room, to choosing to stay in a Presidential Suite at the GF, for example, over spending $150/night at ASM. As it stands now, other than the standard Club Level service, you don't get much more in terms of benefits which is a shame. There's a reason why so many of these guests are staying at Four Seasons or off-property.

If locals were more important than on-site there wouldn't be this rush to keep building rooms and DVC's. As was once pointed out, at Disneyland, Walt was dismayed not only by the tacky outside appearance of the area, but the fact that 2/3 of the money was being spent outside.

 

[RunningKoen]

A good friend got group 157, so I' tracking the progress today closely.

Seems like a very steady day for RotR so far

 

[marni1971]

You make valid points here (re: balancing demand, etc) and yes the goal is to keep people staying on-site and yes some APs visit a couple times a year and spend no money. However, it is not a fair comparison to take a sample family visiting on a 7-day on-site trip, once per year, then to find a comparable AP family who visits 7 days in one year. APs might spend less per day, but often spend more overall with the company - heavily investing in expensive merchandise, dining experiences, trips to other resorts, even often staying at resorts when technically "locals," etc. It's all part of the pie and courting frequent guests who might spend 30 days at the resort, albeit without a room, can be just as important as someone staying seven days with a room.

As an aside, if there's one thing Disney isn't great at, it's rewarding high value guests vs. with those who come once every three years and stay at All Star Music. There should be added perks, other than a nicer room, to choosing to stay in a Presidential Suite at the GF, for example, over spending $150/night at ASM. As it stands now, other than the standard Club Level service, you don't get much more in terms of benefits which is a shame. There's a reason why so many of these guests are staying at Four Seasons or off-property.

There’s actually a desire to entice APs more.

 

[flynnibus]

Group 31. The person next to me was having issues with the join group showing and got 99 about 30 seconds after me.

Highly advise you open the app from scratch right at 7.

Is there a screen you can jump on immediately from opening or does it require navigating to something to pick the bg?

 

[disneygeek90]

A good friend got group 157, so I' tracking the progress today closely.

Seems like a very steady day for RotR so far

It is! I’m currently standing by the exit because I’m lame. I mean because I like seeing everyone’s reactions coming off the ride.

 

[disneygeek90]

Is there a screen you can jump on immediately from opening or does it require navigating to something to pick the bg?

You have to click the ROTR header on the app and then “Join Boarding Group” (or “My Status”), choose your party, then done. Within those precious seconds of the app refreshing correctly to release the groups dozens of groups can go by.

 

[gerarar]

A good tip is to make sure the people that you have connected to your MDE account are the ones that are going to ride ROTR with you, therefore you just click the "Select All" button. This saves a few seconds as to instead clicking each member of your party that will join a BG.

For me, I got rid of any family member that was not with us this WDW trip, so it was just a "Join a Boarding Group", then "Select All", then "Done"

 

[Hawg G]

All boarding groups apparently gone at 7:07am. Is this the new normal?

Wait, I was told I was completely wrong when saying BGs only last a few minutes.

 

[disneygeek90]

Wait, I was told I was completely wrong when saying BGs only last a few minutes.

Backups were available until about 7:30 today, and it’s still on the tail end of a holiday weekend.

 

[relic827]

Wait, I was told I was completely wrong when saying BGs only last a few minutes.

I think there’s a lot of confusion about whether people are talking about all regular groups or all groups including backups. Personally, when I see “all,” I think that includes backups.