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

[UNCgolf]

There are many school districts which require that type of schedule.

Many of those families probably had to start their drive to WDW or get to the airport at that time.

They have the option of not going to DL or not riding RotR until such time that they change the gatekeeping so that it's more convenient for the family. No one is guaranteed to be on a specific ride of a park when they visit that park. And if that uncertainty is unbearable, don't bear it. Opt out until a later time.

That misses the point, though. First of all, kids get far more fatigued being at Disney then they do in every day life (i.e. need more sleep), and secondly, it's a vacation and you shouldn't have to operate on the same schedule as if you were going to school. That seems like a crazy statement to me. You get up your kids up early for something like the airport/school/etc. because you HAVE to. You shouldn't HAVE to do that as your only option for getting on a ride; Disney is supposed to be fun, not a continuation of school.

As for the second part, yes, exactly, But that's my essentially my whole point. It's not about a guarantee to be able to ride, it's about having an equitable chance to do so -- right now the system seems skewed towards childless people. At some point I said it was skewed towards locals, but I think flynnibus said that was the wrong thing to say and he was right -- I really meant childless people.

I get the impression that a lot of the people who are posting in this thread and who love the current system in general are childless, which would make sense because they have the freedom/flexibility to be there first thing without anyone else to worry about.

EDIT: Another option would be to allow one person to make the BG for their entire family so that only one parent would have to get up and head out early -- but that creates a ton of other problems for Disney and I don't think that's even feasible.

 

[SplashJacket]

I would think a lottery system in which every day you can put your group in for a chance "to board" seven days later with a portion set aside for resort guests that can put in for the lottery two days advance. If you "win" you receive a time to show up. Winners blacked out from winning again for a month.

Resort guest have access to the seven day and two day lotteries. Locals have access to the seven day lottery year round.

Not totally perfect, but very fair.

No problem of gate rushers trying to beat everyone else so they can ride. No promises to be broken about opening time. No need to open early unexpectedly. No system of "to the hardy go the spoils."

I actually think this would have been a good alternative, however, I would still go with boarding groups.

That being said, boarding groups with a month blackout would be an enormous improvement. In the span of a week, I did it three times, I have a friend who rode it 6 within a week. It definitely would free up a lot of boarding groups.

 

[RobWDW1971]

My better system is a lottery/FP hybrid...



No one shows up trying to ride and being turned away. By two days ahead of time, everyone knows if they have a ticket to ride or not.

But that gets you back to the problem DL had last summer with the reservations. Once people heard you had to have a reservation in advance, people just didn’t go at all. Disney needs people to come to the see the land and rides and then deal with not getting on ROTR and enjoying the day at DHS anyway.

 

[MisterPenguin]

But that gets you back to the problem DL had last summer with the reservations. Once people heard you had to have a reservation in advance, people just didn’t go at all. Disney needs people to come to the see the land and rides and then deal with not getting on ROTR and enjoying the day at DHS anyway.

No perfectly fair system.

So, again, Operations does what's best for themselves.

 

[UNCgolf]

But that gets you back to the problem DL had last summer with the reservations. Once people heard you had to have a reservation in advance, people just didn’t go at all. Disney needs people to come to the see the land and rides and then deal with not getting on ROTR and enjoying the day at DHS anyway.

Hopefully that issue would go away with MMRR open.

 

[SplashJacket]

Isn't that why people are at the parks to begin with... to be in the parks?

Yes, but I'd still argue that HS is not a full day park. On my three HS days, we rode everything by noon. If you want to throw in Beauty and the Beast and Indy it is still not a full day park. The only way to make it a full day is to do really obscure stuff.

The boarding group system primarily benefits those who are spending a short about of time in the parks. If there was a lottery system an individual who would spend a week would have a very high chance, however, those who spend short amounts of time would have a much lower chance.

If you are spending 2 or 3 days in the parks you are not going to want to spend a full day at Hollywood Studios. You'd much rather hit the highlights and then move on, or wait for your boarding group to be called, not for the small chance that you are able to ride.

 

[RobWDW1971]

No perfectly fair system.

So, again, Operations does what's best for themselves.

An option I’d wish they’d add is nighttime limited ticket events so I can just pay an extra price to ride and not get up early.

That way folks who don’t want to pay can try the current system and folks who are willing to pay and don’t want to get up in the dark have another option.

 

[UNCgolf]

They could also do a day of lottery, which would be more fair IMO. Everyone who wants a boarding group can sign up for one when they enter the park, and then at some point (9 AM?) assign BGs to everyone who entered the lottery.

That would also give them more time to do ride maintenance before opening it for the day.

 

[Nunu]

I've visited WDW with my senior dad, twice. The whole point of both trips, has been spending and enjoying our time together. I wouldn't take him on a "vacation" where I'd have to make him be awake and ready that early only so that I can ride an attraction, that is, if I get lucky in this so-called lottery. Some might suggest that I leave my dad behind at the room, I wouldn't do that to him, he gets anxious if left by himself in an unfamiliar place to him. He doesn't speak English either.

My H has an overnight job. He has to be awake at 3:30am most days (nights?). Can we show up at DHS at 6:30/7?, sure, we might try it. But, we're supposed to be on "vacation", right? We are international visitors, so we don't get as many opportunities to ride, unless we go by this system.

Most importantly, BG's are far from ideal for families with seniors, special-needs family members, babies, etc.

Anyway, add another 2 cents to my account on this matter. I believe my balance is 6 cents?

 

[disneygeek90]

Most importantly, BG's are far from ideal for families with seniors, special-needs family members, babies, etc.

240 minute queue times aren’t ideal for these groups, either. At least one option only requires waking up early. Another requires the physicality of standing, sitting, and being in an enclosed line for hours.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Most importantly, BG's are far from ideal for families with seniors, special-needs family members, babies, etc.

Yes, but, what do you suggest be done instead that divides those who get to ride from those that don't? Because not everyone's going to get to ride.

A totally standby solution would allow people have difficulties with the early time to show up much later in the day, only to find that they couldn't handle a four hour queue.

 

[RobWDW1971]

Yes, but, what do you suggest be done instead that divides those who get to ride from those that don't? Because not everyone's going to get to ride.

A totally standby solution would allow people have difficulties with the early time to show up much later in the day, only to find that they couldn't handle a four hour queue.

And I think people really aren’t grasping how truly low the capacity is - when it can’t even handle who’s in the park at rope drop over an entire operating day, it’s going to be a mess regardless of the system.

 

[flynnibus]

Yes, but I'd still argue that HS is not a full day park. On my three HS days, we rode everything by noon. If you want to throw in Beauty and the Beast and Indy it is still not a full day park. The only way to make it a full day is to do really obscure stuff.

Star tour, rnrc, tot, tsm... then slinky, and mfsr... thats 6 headliners right there.. without stepping a foot into any show, minor attraction, shop, or dining. Kundos for fitting all that in by noon...

I guess if you got your rotr ride in you could have left 30mins later too...

 

[Demarke]

I think Disney should have an essay contest where guests will have 1500 words to explain why they should get priority to be on the ride. Each day the top 10,000-15,000 entries would be ranked and given passes based on criteria to include: distance travelled, age of children, personal desire to sleep in, disability status, on-site hotel costs, length of stay, aggregate time spent complaining to guest services, how infrequently they are able to make it to WDW, total amount spent vs percentage of annual income, and passion level for three most recent Star Wars films and extended universe over the original trilogy (points deducted for referring to The Child as “Baby Yoda”).

This is the only really fair way to distribute access.

 

[disneygeek90]

I think Disney should have an essay contest where guests will have 1500 words to explain why they should get priority to be on the ride. Each day the top 10,000-15,000 entries would be ranked and given passes based on criteria to include: distance travelled, age of children, personal desire to sleep in, disability status, on-site hotel costs, length of stay, aggregate time spent complaining to guest services, how infrequently they are able to make it to WDW, total amount spent vs percentage of annual income, and passion level for three most recent Star Wars films and extended universe over the original trilogy (points deducted for referring to The Child as “Baby Yoda”).

This is the only really fair way to distribute access.

I’m sure there’s a very simple algorithm to calculate that. Way easier, than say, waking up early one day.

 

[Nunu]

240 minute queue times aren’t ideal for these groups, either. At least one option only requires waking up early. Another requires the physicality of standing, sitting, and being in an enclosed line for hours.

Not ideal either. But I think these groups could benefit from FP+ or getting into a BG without the need for everybody in your party to physically be at the park. Problem is, this ride's capacity and unreliability (from what I've read on this thread) makes this whole thing, a mess. I just don't get what is so crazy about letting people get a BG from their homes or resort rooms? I'm not trying to be argumentative here, just trying to understand.

 

[disneygeek90]

Not ideal either. But I think these groups could benefit from FP+ or getting into a BG without the need for everybody in your party to physically be at the park. Problem is, this ride's capacity and unreliability (from what I've read on this thread) makes this whole thing, a mess. I just don't get what is so crazy about letting people get a BG from their homes or resort rooms? I'm not trying to be argumentative here, just trying to understand.

It would be even harder if everyone could grab a group not being in the park. You’d be competing with tons of hotel rooms and locals. They’d be gone in seconds because there’s very little risk in setting an alarm at 7:58 and going back to sleep at 8:01 when you miss getting a group.

 

[RobWDW1971]

It would be even harder if everyone could grab a group not being in the park. You’d be competing with tons of hotel rooms and locals. They’d be gone in seconds because there’s very little risk in setting an alarm at 7:58 and going back to sleep at 8:01 when you miss getting a group.

And every BG could be taken by AP’s in Kimmissee under their blankets who end up never going to the park.

 

[Nunu]

Yes, but, what do you suggest be done instead that divides those who get to ride from those that don't? Because not everyone's going to get to ride.

A totally standby solution would allow people have difficulties with the early time to show up much later in the day, only to find that they couldn't handle a four hour queue.

I know not everybody gets to ride everything they want, whenever they want. I've never suggested a total standby either. What I can say, is that I've never waited four hours with a FP, and if a ride is out of order, which happens quite often, well, at least I didn't have to wake-up at 6am to be at a park taking a gamble.

I'm not the one supposed to have a perfect or reasonable solution, Disney is.

 

[Nunu]

It would be even harder if everyone could grab a group not being in the park. You’d be competing with tons of hotel rooms and locals. They’d be gone in seconds because there’s very little risk in setting an alarm at 7:58 and going back to sleep at 8:01 when you miss getting a group.

Isn't that the same with FP's, or ADR's though? Not everyone gets a spot. We might not be happy about it, but we accept it.