RotR Planning & Daily Boarding Group Discussion - *CLOSED*

[Opie100]

What are "backup boarding groups"? I've been following along but missed this part somehow.

They are the last boarding groups issued that are particularly unlikely to garner a concession if they aren't called. Yesterday none were called, it appears.

 

[Weedy]

What are "backup boarding groups"? I've been following along but missed this part somehow.

People are able to book BG’s that may or may not be called.

 

[yulilin3]

What are "backup boarding groups"? I've been following along but missed this part somehow.

they started them yesterday. After all the regular bg are given (which somehow Disney has figured out how many they need to give to make sure people ride) they are giving backup bg, like a standby bg, these are not guaranteed to be called at the end of the day but if the go through all the regular bg they will start calling the back up bg. Yesterday they did not get to any backup bg
If you go on the app and click on the RotR tab you can see the info

 

[Gentry2004]

they started them yesterday. After all the regular bg are given (which somehow Disney has figured out how many they need to give to make sure people ride) they are giving backup bg, like a standby bg, these are not guaranteed to be called at the end of the day but if the go through all the regular bg they will start calling the back up bg. Yesterday they did not get to any backup bg
If you go on the app and click on the RotR tab you can see the info

Ok. So you are told in advance if your BG is this different type?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Now that I have a bit more time, wanted to add that a manager was chatting with us up front before opening and said that they have two main goals right now, which are unfortunately conflicting with each other. One was that they want people to be able to be IN the park at opening - that you paid for a full day ticket, and if you’re there at opening they want you to get in ASAP so you get that full day you paid for.

However, they also don’t want to encourage people to keep showing up earlier and earlier - that it’s not sustainable for the park to keep this up long term. I asked if FP would be a part of that, and he said yes, but that of course there are a lot of variables they have to consider.

Not really “new” information, but I suspect we’re going to start seeing these start times staying closer to opening to discourage us from being way early.

My question is, why are they allowing people to line up so early? Could they not open the parking lot? Not run buses and Skyliner so early? I'm sure I don't fully understand how this all works, but it seems if you are offering transportation options so early in the morning, people are going to use them and line up early.

 

[yulilin3]

Ok. So you are told in advance if your BG is this different type?

Yes, so lets say today you tapped into DHS at 7:45am, all the regular bg are already gone but when you go to the app to join it gives you the message that you are joining the backup bg and this does not guarantee your number will be called.

My question is, why are they allowing people to line up so early? Could they not open the parking lot? Not run buses and Skyliner so early? I'm sure I don't fully understand how this all works, but it seems if you are offering transportation options so early in the morning, people are going to use them and line up early.

They can't control access to DHS simply because of the resorts that are withing the walking path.
If they were to close the parking lot, skyliner and buses, people would uber and be dropped off at Boardwalk/Yacht/Beach Club?Swan Dolphin and walk over

 

[Opie100]

My question is, why are they allowing people to line up so early? Could they not open the parking lot? Not run buses and Skyliner so early? I'm sure I don't fully understand how this all works, but it seems if you are offering transportation options so early in the morning, people are going to use them and line up early.

Not opening the parking lot would just create lines outside the parking lot. The safest and fairest process is to allow folks to park and wait at DHS.

To the CM's earlier comment about what's "sustainable" -- if there are enough people entering early, it's worth it for Disney to open the gates earlier. I don't know what "enough" is. But if they are getting 12K people entering the park by 7:30am that's a good number.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Not opening the parking lot would just create lines outside the parking lot. The safest and fairest process is to allow folks to get there and wait. To the CM's comment early about what's "sustainable," if there are enough people entering early, it's worth it for Disney to open the gates earlier. I don't know what "enough" is, though.

I guess it's encouraging that they were able to open within 15 - 20 minutes prior to official opening as opposed to 30 - 40 minutes and it seems that is the trend they will try to continue if they can. I certainly appreciate all of the information on this thread. It helps me tremendously as we try to figure out our DHS day during Christmas week.

 

[yulilin3]

I guess it's encouraging that they were able to open within 15 - 20 minutes prior to official opening as opposed to 30 - 40 minutes and it seems that is the trend they will try to continue if they can. I certainly appreciate all of the information on this thread. It helps me tremendously as we try to figure out our DHS day during Christmas week.

Christmas week will be extremely busy, I anticipate DHS to open their tapstiles 30 minutes to an hour before official opening time so if experiencing RotR is a priority for you I would plan on getting there 2 hours before official time

 

[focusondisney]

Sustainable or not, it is going to be getting earlier stilll because the park times are opening an hour earlier next week. Interesting that he didn't mention safety concerns, as others have suggested that they have to open whenever they hit critical mass at the entrance. Did he comment about when he expected the FP system to be cranked up?

My issue with those theories: when they have opened “early”, the whole park has opened. That means they have a fully staffed park. They didn’t just call all those CMs at 4 am & tell them, get here by 5:30. They are planning to open early on some level, because they have those CMs scheduled to start that early.

And I agree with other posters, opening the whole park 1 -2 hours before announced opening & having guests arrive to find all the boarding groups gone well before opening only encourages more people to keep showing up earlier & earlier. I don’t know what the whole answer is, but I don’t know hat this is it.

 

[Opie100]

I guess it's encouraging that they were able to open within 15 - 20 minutes prior to official opening as opposed to 30 - 40 minutes and it seems that is the trend they will try to continue if they can. I certainly appreciate all of the information on this thread. It helps me tremendously as we try to figure out our DHS day during Christmas week.

Just keep in mind the park opens at 6am 12/26-12/31. I would expect the same 30 min early open from that but keep watching here.

 

[goofynut41]

Unless they change their hours again, no. They used to be 630a until a week or two ago.

So does regular lyft run at 3:30 and can you schedule a pickup a day ahead of time?

 

[mamaode]

do you know if they there is a guest relations outside of the tapstyles at HS that would handle a DAS? I don't remember one being there but another DIS'er had suggested that location.

There was not. We arrived the day before and were able to set one up at Magic Kingdom. However I would suggest going later in the morning if you need to have one set up. The wait times were all under 20 mins until about 9am. Probably go to Smugglers Run first or Slinky Dog.

 

[yulilin3]

So does regular lyft run at 3:30 and can you schedule a pickup a day ahead of time?

I've never used Lyft but you can try to do so right now and check

 

[DGsAtBLT]

It feels like the only fix is get it running at full capacity and stop losing hours a day to downtime. Until then, I don’t think they’re going to be able to do much to discourage crowds from coming early. Bit of an odd thing to say when Disney is moving to 6 AM openings next week anyways.

 

[yulilin3]

do you know if they there is a guest relations outside of the tapstyles at HS that would handle a DAS? I don't remember one being there but another DIS'er had suggested that location.

There was not. We arrived the day before and were able to set one up at Magic Kingdom. However I would suggest going later in the morning if you need to have one set up. The wait times were all under 20 mins until about 9am. Probably go to Smugglers Run first or Slinky Dog.

There is a guest relations window outsidde of the park. As you face the entrance it's all the way to the left, left of the gift shop that is also outside of the tapstiles

 

[goofynut41]

I have read all in your group has to be in the park to get in a boarding group does that mean everyone who wants to ride it? What if one person with us does not want to get up and come to park can we still go and get in a BG?

 

[Cloudless Nights]

So does regular lyft run at 3:30 and can you schedule a pickup a day ahead of time?

Usually there are Lyft and Uber drivers at any time of day - it just depends on which drivers want to be out at that time, and where they are in relation to you - neither things you can control. Yes, you can schedule an Uber or Lyft for a specific time, but they can never guarantee that specific time if there are only a few drivers out. Today I waited five minutes for an Uber, while the other day I waited 15+ minutes. I would take this into account for your estimate of travel time.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I have read all in your group has to be in the park to get in a boarding group does that mean everyone who wants to ride it? What if one person with us does not want to get up and come to park can we still go and get in a BG?

Yes everyone who wants to ride. If someone doesn’t care they don’t need to be there.

 

[Cloudless Nights]

I have read all in your group has to be in the park to get in a boarding group does that mean everyone who wants to ride it? What if one person with us does not want to get up and come to park can we still go and get in a BG?

Yes, they can meet you later.