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

[montyz81]

Here’s my recap from yesterday and today.

Both days:

• Turned my phone off/on while in hotel room getting ready
• Turned off Wi-Fi after entering HS
• Didn’t open MDE until clock was about 06:59:30
• Clicked “Find Out More”
• Clicked “My Status”
• Clicked “Join Boarding Group” added party and whatever else required after that.

Sunday 1/26/20:

• Walked from Boardwalk at 6:25 and was in HS 6:45 (security/ticket scanned)
• Grabbed coffee from Fairfax Fair and sat at tables nearby (guests lined Sunset Blvd and CMs kept them in the street and off sidewalk)
• Followed my MDE app steps above
• Got Boarding Group 10 and was called at 7:15 to return by 8:15
• Immediately went to attraction and didn’t wait at all. Everything worked as far as I could tell.
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Monday 1/27/20:

• Walked from Boardwalk and was at HS in front of turnstile at 5:40. Held at gate until 6:25.
• After scanning tickets, walked to next hold point near Frozen Sing-a-long.
• Followed my MDE steps above
• Got Boarding Group 5
• About a minute later, we were walked back to Smuggler’s Run. What an awful walk but CM did a great job filtering everyone down to 2 across.
• While walking, my BG was called to return by 8:10. I decided to stick with the SR line as I was near the front of the pack.
• After SR, I went to RotR but it was down.
• Used my FP at Star Tours.
• Circled back to RotR and was back up so I went in. Short wait in queue but able to ride and all seemed to be working
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I have a few questions about this:
1. I am going the last week of April for a week. I will be at CBR. The question is, will I be able to get to HS via Gondola early enough to get in line for the park and have a chance to get on a good boarding group?
2. Do all of my family members have to have the MDE app or is it enough that their magic bands are scanned into the park and I can just include all 4 of us when I try to get on a boarding group. In other words, how are group parties handled? I feel like having more people in a group will delay you in the app, therefore, increasing your chances of missing a good boarding group or perhaps a boarding group at all.
3. How are extra magic hours handled with Rise of the Resistance?
4. What are the chances of a backup boarding group getting called?
5. Will there ever be a standby line for RotR?

I have to say, this frustrates me. I have been going to the parks since 1981 and have always managed to get on a new ride while visiting. This will be the first time that the chance is higher that I wouldn't get on vs being able to get on. My complaint factor will hit the roof if technology gets in the way of my being able to get on this ride.

 

[DCBaker]

I have a question that does not seem to have been addressed in the thread so far.

I hear a lot about not using WiFi to get a boarding group - instead using your 4G data connectivity to increase the chances of success. However, in my case, this is not practical, due to the extortionate costs of data rates when using my phone abroad (according to my last text, it would cost me 7.20 GBP [9.40 USD] per MB). Thus, since WiFi would be my only reasonable method of using MDE and to get a boarding group, I'd have to get to DHS first thing, what are my chances of getting a boarding group?

My trip isn't until September, but I like to plan ahead.

Thanks in advance!

Plenty of people use WiFi and still get boarding groups - sometimes they are higher, sometimes they are the lowest groups, but they still get a group!

 

[DCBaker]

I have a few questions about this:
1. I am going the last week of April for a week. I will be at CBR. The question is, will I be able to get to HS via Gondola early enough to get in line for the park and have a chance to get on a good boarding group?
2. Do all of my family members have to have the MDE app or is it enough that their magic bands are scanned into the park and I can just include all 4 of us when I try to get on a boarding group. In other words, how are group parties handled? I feel like having more people in a group will delay you in the app, therefore, increasing your chances of missing a good boarding group or perhaps a boarding group at all.
3. How are extra magic hours handled with Rise of the Resistance?
4. What are the chances of a backup boarding group getting called?
5. Will there ever be a standby line for RotR?

1 - With the 7am openings, many people have stated that the Gondolas have not been running early enough to get people in before park opening.

2 - No - as long as they are linked together in MDE, everyone just needs to tap through the turnstiles into the park. You will have an option of who to join your party when you click Join a Group.

3 - Currently RotR is not included during extra magic hours.

4 - Very good!

5 - Probably, but no one knows when.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I have a few questions about this:
1. I am going the last week of April for a week. I will be at CBR. The question is, will I be able to get to HS via Gondola early enough to get in line for the park and have a chance to get on a good boarding group?
2. Do all of my family members have to have the MDE app or is it enough that their magic bands are scanned into the park and I can just include all 4 of us when I try to get on a boarding group. In other words, how are group parties handled? I feel like having more people in a group will delay you in the app, therefore, increasing your chances of missing a good boarding group or perhaps a boarding group at all.
3. How are extra magic hours handled with Rise of the Resistance?
4. What are the chances of a backup boarding group getting called?
5. Will there ever be a standby line for RotR?

I have to say, this frustrates me. I have been going to the parks since 1981 and have always managed to get on a new ride while visiting. This will be the first time that the chance is higher that I wouldn't get on vs being able to get on. My complaint factor will hit the roof if technology gets in the way of my being able to get on this ride.

The skyliner opens at 7 am, which is the park opening hour and the time you need to be already scanned into the park. It’s quite frustrating (having just stayed at Art of animation and waiting 20 minutes for a bus that then had to load a chair so I missed getting to ride on this trip) that the skyliner doesn’t open at 6:30 which would make all the difference.

I’m sure it will get standby once it can run reliably. Even though people are acting like it’s some brand new type of experience it’s no different than any other popular theme park ride like radiator springs racers, Indiana Jones, flight of passage, etc.... (it’s a great ride! But same old type of thing).

 

[disneygeek90]

2. Do all of my family members have to have the MDE app or is it enough that their magic bands are scanned into the park and I can just include all 4 of us when I try to get on a boarding group. In other words, how are group parties handled? I feel like having more people in a group will delay you in the app, therefore, increasing your chances of missing a good boarding group or perhaps a boarding group at all.

It delays you slightly but I wouldn't recommend splitting your groups up at all. That leaves even more room for error. I'll be a group of 4 Saturday which is the most I've gone with in the post first come first serve days. What I've done is "color code" my family to the loudest, brightest character that will help in the identification process. If you have people with other last names, this could be even more helpful.

Example:

 

[MJJME]

1 - With the 7am openings, many people have stated that the Gondolas have not been running early enough to get people in before park opening.

2 - No - as long as they are linked together in MDE, everyone just needs to tap through the turnstiles into the park. You will have an option of who to join your party when you click Join a Group.

3 - Currently RotR is not included during extra magic hours.

4 - Very good!

5 - Probably, but no one knows when.

I agree with everything DCBaker has said.

What I would add is that this is a "learn as they go" experience and they are constantly changing the way to access this ride. When it first opened, you could get a boarding group as soon as you arrived and now it's not until official park open. Millennium falcon recently went to FP. Park hours have changed constantly. Time to get back to the ride after your BG was called just changed yesterday for some people from 2 hour window to 1 hour. MMRR is opening on March 4 and that could prompt some other changes. Disney just began surveying park guests on the best mode to access the ride so all of this could change at any time.

This ride has only been open for less than 2 months and already experienced a ton of changes. Your trip is still 3 months from now so a lot could change between now and then.

I guess the point is, I would monitor these forums and Disney's own websites for any changes as they seem to be happening quickly and without any notice is some instances.

 

[Weather_Lady]

It delays you slightly but I wouldn't recommend splitting your groups up at all. That leaves even more room for error. I'll be a group of 4 Saturday which is the most I've gone with in the post first come first serve days. What I've done is "color code" my family to the loudest, brightest character that will help in the identification process. If you have people with other last names, this could be even more helpful.

Example:
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Good advice, and a great way to shave off a couple of precious seconds in the boarding group lottery. In fact, I think it's finally time for me to call WDW tech support and get them to remove everybody from my Friends & Family who won't be with us next month. I have two family members who came with us several years ago and even though they used all park admissions and I deactivated their MagicBands and cards, MDE won't let me remove them because it insists that they have "active admissions and plans" when they don't! I have to click past them every time I make a FP+ or ADR...

I feel like that Dyson guy who "just wants things to work properly," and nothing related to Disney IT ever seems to.

 

[disneygeek90]

Good advice, and a great way to shave off a couple of precious seconds in the boarding group lottery. In fact, I think it's finally time for me to call WDW tech support and get them to remove everybody from my Friends & Family who won't be with us next month. I have two family members who came with us several years ago and even though they used all park admissions and I deactivated their MagicBands and cards, MDE won't let me remove them because it insists that they have "active admissions and plans" when they don't! I have to click past them every time I make a FP+ or ADR...

I feel like that Dyson guy who "just wants things to work properly," and nothing related to Disney IT ever seems to.

I had that issue for years as well but I looked a couple weeks ago and it let me remove them finally. Try again, maybe they put a patch in.

 

[KevinPage]

I had that issue for years as well but I looked a couple weeks ago and it let me remove them finally. Try again, maybe they put a patch in.

I have 8 people in my MDE and 3 I’ve never booked for, (too much of a hassle to remove and re-add for me). I haven’t bothered to color code or reorganize them either.

Technically I guess it has cost me a second or three during this process but hasn’t hurt me to date (knock on wood)

 

[KevinPage]

Did you have a bag with you when entering security at Hollywood studios?

I leave it in car as don’t feel like dealing with bag check process. I’m sure I’d be fine and get in park 5 minutes later but mentally it stresses me out

 

[KevinPage]

I have a question that does not seem to have been addressed in the thread so far.

I hear a lot about not using WiFi to get a boarding group - instead using your 4G data connectivity to increase the chances of success. However, in my case, this is not practical, due to the extortionate costs of data rates when using my phone abroad (according to my last text, it would cost me 7.20 GBP [9.40 USD] per MB). Thus, since WiFi would be my only reasonable method of using MDE and to get a boarding group, I'd have to get to DHS first thing, what are my chances of getting a boarding group?

My trip isn't until September, but I like to plan ahead.

Thanks in advance!

Some feel that Disney WIFI is slower than cold marmite oozing out of frozen Yorkshire pudding.

 

[WDWTrojan]

AK is biggest in terms of land area.
MK has the most attractions.
MK probably currently has the most guest accessible space as well, with current Epcot projects cutting it down.

Epcot has the most guest accessible space. The capacity there, even with the current construction, trumps MK. Hence why it never phase closes.

Epcot averages 33k per day and HS 30k per day BEFORE ROTR opened. So HS is probably averaging more guests per day with the new ride and all of Epcot's construction. So dumping even only 20% of the park average attendance into Epcot could def make Epcot feel crowded

Yes, but even if let's say 15k people have boarding groups are issued and 75% of them (11K roughly) go to Epcot, that bump in attendance won't "make it feel like New Years Eve," which is what the original comment was. It might make it feel a bit more saturated but certainly not to that level.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The New Year’s Eve comment was specifically this past saturday. All the other nights at Epcot were pretty normal this past week.

 

[disneygeek90]

Epcot has the most guest accessible space. The capacity there, even with the current construction, trumps MK. Hence why it never phase closes.



Yes, but even if let's say 15k people have boarding groups are issued and 75% of them (11K roughly) go to Epcot, that bump in attendance won't "make it feel like New Years Eve," which is what the original comment was. It might make it feel a bit more saturated but certainly not to that level.

I'd wager that any sort of increased crowds at Epcot were due to the Festival of the Arts, not people going over from ROTR. After all, there had been 17 full days with no festival at Epcot! People were just itching to get back.

 

[Epcot_Imagineer]

I have a question that does not seem to have been addressed in the thread so far.

I hear a lot about not using WiFi to get a boarding group - instead using your 4G data connectivity to increase the chances of success. However, in my case, this is not practical, due to the extortionate costs of data rates when using my phone abroad (according to my last text, it would cost me 7.20 GBP [9.40 USD] per MB). Thus, since WiFi would be my only reasonable method of using MDE and to get a boarding group, I'd have to get to DHS first thing, what are my chances of getting a boarding group?

My trip isn't until September, but I like to plan ahead.

Thanks in advance!

From my experience -- my MDE app died when I tried to boot it up at 7 am sharp. I thought I was screwed. My fiancé's phone didn't have any data and she was connected to the Disney WiFi... she got boarding group 35. I think some people make too big a deal over the quality of the wifi. I'm sure it's likely hit or miss, but when we were there it worked fine.

 

[DCBaker]

Stagnant for ~45 minutes at group 122 at 5:30pm

 

[KevinPage]

From my experience -- my MDE app died when I tried to boot it up at 7 am sharp. I thought I was screwed. My fiancé's phone didn't have any data and she was connected to the Disney WiFi... she got boarding group 35. I think some people make too big a deal over the quality of the wifi. I'm sure it's likely hit or miss, but when we were there it worked fine.

I only used it during first few weeks (pre lottery) with no issues, since you were only really competing with people who actually entered the park.

10-15 seconds can cost you hours of time when it comes to boarding groups, hence why people are looking for any edge they can

 

[MJJME]

Epcot has the most guest accessible space. The capacity there, even with the current construction, trumps MK. Hence why it never phase closes.



Yes, but even if let's say 15k people have boarding groups are issued and 75% of them (11K roughly) go to Epcot, that bump in attendance won't "make it feel like New Years Eve," which is what the original comment was. It might make it feel a bit more saturated but certainly not to that level.

Adding an additional 1/3 of the days average attendance will 100% make it feel like New Year's relative to what it normally feels like

 

[tecowdw]

It delays you slightly but I wouldn't recommend splitting your groups up at all. That leaves even more room for error. I'll be a group of 4 Saturday which is the most I've gone with in the post first come first serve days. What I've done is "color code" my family to the loudest, brightest character that will help in the identification process. If you have people with other last names, this could be even more helpful.

Example:
View attachment 444607

So if I'm a party of one, does my name automatically become selected when the screen pops up or do I still have to waste valuable seconds checking my name?

 

[Angry Warlock]

I have a question that does not seem to have been addressed in the thread so far.

I hear a lot about not using WiFi to get a boarding group - instead using your 4G data connectivity to increase the chances of success. However, in my case, this is not practical, due to the extortionate costs of data rates when using my phone abroad (according to my last text, it would cost me 7.20 GBP [9.40 USD] per MB). Thus, since WiFi would be my only reasonable method of using MDE and to get a boarding group, I'd have to get to DHS first thing, what are my chances of getting a boarding group?

My trip isn't until September, but I like to plan ahead.

Thanks in advance!

If your phone is sim free (unlocked) get a 3 Pay as you go sim (which will work in USA) and stick £5 of data on it. Might be a sound investment.