RotR Planning & Daily Boarding Group Discussion - *CLOSED*

[SouthFayetteFan]

Through the taps at 6:46
Group 42

Quick Q - when you went through at 6:46 was it pretty chill (i.e. the early morning rush was already through) or were you in line behind a large wave of people?

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

Interesting, that is new as far as I know. Looks like they switched AM EMHs to PM EMHs for January.

Smart move, though many onsite guests (of which sometimes I am one and sometimes not) will be upset. It solves the problem of how to handle releasing BGs on EMH mornings. Now it's a non issue.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I'm assuming you're asking about the PM EMH in January. If you weren't, just ignore me.

We don't really know yet, but my GUESS is that anyone in a BG will be allowed to ride ROTR, even if they are off-site, but they will probably be carefully checking at any other ride to make sure you are eligible to ride (eligible for EMH).

EDIT: This also assumes they will use the EMH to continue to try to get through their daily allotment of boarding groups.

I think your comment is accurate based on what we know.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Smart move, though many onsite guests (of which sometimes I am one and sometimes not) will be upset. It solves the problem of how to handle releasing BGs on EMH mornings. Now it's a non issue.

Judging by the reactions of onsite guests to the way they handled EMH last Sunday, I think they'll have FEWER upset guests doing it with PM EMH than they had with the AM EMH.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Right now, EMH doesn't give a greater advantage to on site guests than just getting there early does for anybody on a non-EMH day.

HOWEVER, we only have 1 day to go by and it would seem that it wasn't an ideal way to handle EMH. If Disney is also not happy how it turned out, they'll likely try a different plan on future EMH days.

Best plan would be to keep checking how things go on upcoming Sundays and see if they settle on a new plan (or on the original plan) and plan accordingly.

yeah, the key is there has only been one EMH day so hard to build a plan around it

It SEEMED like the plan from Disney was to have EMH for guests to get to do all the other stuff, then open up the Boarding Groups for booking at 7:45 to give those on site guests a 15 minute head start to booking, then open up the park at 8am to everyone so off site guests could only join a BG start at 8am.

BUT there were so many non-resort guests there they had to open the gates early and it just messed up the plans

I assume they will try something different for this coming Sunday, but who knows what it will be

 

[Aprilshack]

O

I'm assuming you're asking about the PM EMH in January. If you weren't, just ignore me.

We don't really know yet, but my GUESS is that anyone in a BG will be allowed to ride ROTR, even if they are off-site, but they will probably be carefully checking at any other ride to make sure you are eligible to ride (eligible for EMH).

EDIT: This also assumes they will use the EMH to continue to try to get through their daily allotment of boarding groups.

Ok. I thought the purpose of EMH was being able to go to the park and it being less crowded? Or have I got the purpose of that wrong?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

yeah, the key is there has only been one EMH day so hard to build a plan around it

It SEEMED like the plan from Disney was to have EMH for guests to get to do all the other stuff, then open up the Boarding Groups for booking at 7:45 to give those on site guests a 15 minute head start to booking, then open up the park at 8am to everyone so off site guests could only join a BG start at 8am.

BUT there were so many non-resort guests there they had to open the gates early and it just messed up the plans

I assume they will try something different for this coming Sunday, but who knows what it will be

...SURPRISE you now have evening EMHs??? LOL!! That honestly would be the best change...although they could frustrate some on-site people with that.

 

[Mzpalmtree]

But they didn’t move the remaining am EMH for the month of December to pm so I’m wondering what they have up their sleeve for those? Hoping at least a tweak on what happened last Sunday.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Ok. I thought the purpose of EMH was being able to go to the park and it being less crowded? Or have I got the purpose of that wrong?

Yes - and that will achieve this. Outside of RotR (which is stated to not operate during EMHs) the other rides should be available to only resort guests. There will be no more FPs so standby lines will move quicker (i.e. touring with lower crowds).

 

[Ghostridethedolewhip]

So does EMH really matter? What advantage will it give me entering at 8 vs 9?

 

[Aprilshack]

Yes - and that will achieve this. Outside of RotR (which is stated to not operate during EMHs) the other rides should be available to only resort guests. There will be no more FPs so standby lines will move quicker (i.e. touring with lower crowds).

So do they check tix/magic band tap in to get onto a ride & off site guests get told they can’t go on?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

So does EMH really matter? What advantage will it give me entering at 8 vs 9?

again, we only have one data point to work with but, as far as RotR it didn't give you any advantage. The advantage of the EMH was the other attractions in the park which only resort guests could access ... vs the other days when the park is opening earlier than posted times but everyone can come in and ride everything that is open

 

[GADisneyDad14]

So do they check tix/magic band tap in to get onto a ride & off site guests get told they can’t go on?

Yep.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

So do they check tix/magic band tap in to get onto a ride & off site guests get told they can’t go on?

yeah, we won't know about how RotR is being handled - my guess would be still just BGs and anyone who has a valid boarding group will be allowed in regardless of if they are resort guests or not but for the other rides you will likely have to scan your ticket or MB to access it. Non-resort guests are sort of still allowed to mill about just can't get on any attractions

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

For those trying to gauge early morning arrivers yesterday vs. today we have two good time-based DPs to compare:

YESTERDAY 6:46 am = BG 35
TODAY 6:46 am = BG 42

We still probably can't pinpoint exactly if BG sizes are the same each day, but assuming they are consistent then there was an uptick in people arriving before 6:45 this morning.

 

[Brett Wyman]

I know its been asked and answered, but this is a big thread. How long after your boarding group is called, and you arrive, do you wait to actually board the ride or start the experience (i.e. not standing in line).

 

[TravelingTotMom]

So any guesses to what time they will open the park for EMH to on-site guests this Sunday? The posted time is 8 am (which has been the regular time this week), so do you think it will continue the pattern of opening around 6:30?

I think we are going to attempt Sunday, with the plan being letting the rest of the family go on rides while I continuously refresh the app.

 

[yulilin3]

Back home, here's s rundown of our morning:
left home 5am
parked at DHS 5:17am-saw plenty of Uber/lyft/taxis dropping off people
Bag check opened: 5:23am
Tapstiles opened at 6:31am
Joined BG: 6:33am and got BG 12
Rope dropped Starbucks third in line very quick. Line really long when we left it
Had breakfast and coffee
Called to board 6:52am
Tapped into the ride 6:54am
Exit the ride 7:22am
There was a 5 to 10 min hold before the cell room

We basically just walked casually around BSO after that, went over to TSMM and walked on at 7:50am. Left via Skyliner to grab breakfast at AoA, came back to the parking lot to get out cars and back home at 10am

I cannot tell you how great the system is, casually walking into the park without the need to rope drop was great. I understand not everyone knows about this system (saw plenty of people complaining when we were leaving) but because of the rides issues this is the best possible scenario. Again imagine waiting for hours in a queue only to be told that you can't ride and having missed all those hours while you were able to ride other things.
We are rope dropping Hagrid's on Friday and I know the situation will be quiet different , we will have to fast walk over if we want to get off that ride in an hour.

Stephanie loved the entire experience, she was only able to do the "ride" portion before but seeing the entire thing was amazing for her, she reacted in all the right moments
If you must ride this it is quiet simple, be in the park very early and that's it. Lyft/uber/taxi. We did not rely on Disney WiFi just used our data to connect. Stephanie's phone (apple) got into the BG quicker than my Android, if that makes any difference, I don't know but that was my experience

 

[yulilin3]

I know its been asked and answered, but this is a big thread. How long after your boarding group is called, and you arrive, do you wait to actually board the ride or start the experience (i.e. not standing in line).

Once your BG is called and you enter the queue, if the ride is operating properly, the entire experience takes about 18 min. It's a fluid story. Sometimes they hold people before the "pre show" but after that it's a total of 18 min.

So any guesses to what time they will open the park for EMH to on-site guests this Sunday? The posted time is 8 am (which has been the regular time this week), so do you think it will continue the pattern of opening around 6:30?

I think we are going to attempt Sunday, with the plan being letting the rest of the family go on rides while I continuously refresh the app.

Yes, if the EMH stay at 8am I expect the park to open at 6:30am

 

[Ghostridethedolewhip]

again, we only have one data point to work with but, as far as RotR it didn't give you any advantage. The advantage of the EMH was the other attractions in the park which only resort guests could access ... vs the other days when the park is opening earlier than posted times but everyone can come in and ride everything that is open

So all it will allow me to do getting there that early is ride things while waiting for my BG? So I still have to get there around 630?