Locals: Are Season of the Force Crowds Ridiculous?

[DisneylandDancer]

To anyone who's been to the parks in the last couple of days: is the season of the force making crowds unbearable? I was planning to come to the parks in the next week or so, and I want to be prepared for anything. Thanks to anyone who replies!

 

[SMD]

It's too soon to say. Up until now it's been a combination of race and SotF crowds. Probably also some holiday crowds, since they officially started Friday. There may not be as many people once the merch starts selling out. But it could actually be worse once people don't have to wait an hour in a line for a popcorn bucket, as they'll be free to roam. If you're not going to TL I don't think you'll notice a difference once you pass Main St. On the other hand, if you're going to TL, yes, it will seem crazy compared to past openings, as those were limited to one attraction and not overlaying a whole land and revealing it all at once.

 

[Luckymommatoo]

We were there today. I was mentally prepped for a huge crowd, but it wasn't bad. Here was our day: Got through the gates around 8:48. Sent DH and DS to see if getting a FP to HyperSM would be possible. They were at Jingle Cruise by 9:15 with FP for 10:20. The crowds going into TL were huge, but they had lots of CMs and queues set up.

We rode JC and then Small World. Went back into Tomorrowland. Insane crush. People in line for popcorn, Star Tours, Innoventions (or whatever it's called now), HSM. Rode Space and got out of there for the rest of the day. Didn't even try to do anything else there. But the rest of the park was totally fine/normal. We hopped to CA, got FP for Soarin (an hour later), waited 30 minutes for TSMM (this was around 1).

Went back to DLand around 4, got a curb seat for the Christmas parade (which started at 4:30). We got back to Mickey and Friends around 6:45, and I would say that for a Monday night, there were a lot of people coming in. I'm assuming most were hoping to check out some of the new SW stuff. I called Otto just for fun and at that point HSM had a 95 minute wait.

So, long story to say, my feeling is that, yes, locals are stopping by to check everything out, but they're not really doing other things in the park. I was worried but it was fine for us.

 

[CassieF]

During the day it was actually pretty manageable. Initial lines for Launch Bay were crazy but that was because there was an hour before they opened. I was at the gates when they opened them (but passed the monorail, not even at the front) and then at Tomorrowland for Rope drop and a lot of people headed directly to ST, SM or FP for either. Half our group went straight to LB line and half got in the popcorn line, two people back, then we got nametags with no wait. Both of those would be loooonnng lines pretty quickly. We were in the first 20 inside LB to see Chewy and it was amazing!!! We wandered around, caught Boba Fett then headed upstairs and say Spidy with a 45 minute wait. By noon the lines had died down and M&G lines were 45 minutes (but I think at least Vader's moved MUCH more quickly!). Space line seemed to be between 60-90 minutes most of the day, ST was 30-60

 

[SMD]

During the day it was actually pretty manageable. Initial lines for Launch Bay were crazy but that was because there was an hour before they opened. I was at the gates when they opened them (but passed the monorail, not even at the front) and then at Tomorrowland for Rope drop and a lot of people headed directly to ST, SM or FP for either. Half our group went straight to LB line and half got in the popcorn line, two people back, then we got nametags with no wait. Both of those would be loooonnng lines pretty quickly. We were in the first 20 inside LB to see Chewy and it was amazing!!! We wandered around, caught Boba Fett then headed upstairs and say Spidy with a 45 minute wait. By noon the lines had died down and M&G lines were 45 minutes (but I think at least Vader's moved MUCH more quickly!). Space line seemed to be between 60-90 minutes most of the day, ST was 30-60

Not every group has someone hold a spot in another line while they make 2 shopping stops. You have to figure that for 99% of the guests that shop first, that extra stop will make the Launch Bay much, much longer, either because they can't cut into line or won't do it.

 

[CassieF]

I guess that is true but most of the people around us were taking turns to run out and get FP or shop during the first initial hour wait

 

[DisneylandDancer]

Thanks everyone! I think I am at least more prepared than before to take on the crowds!

 

[Ljbadfan]

Today wasn't as bad as yesterday. I'm here at park now. I had 15 minute wait to see darth Vader and 15 minute to see chewbacca. See them in afternoon, line for them will be shorter. Get the fans pass as soon as possible for hyperspace and star tours as early you can. Today at 1030 am fast pass pull time for star tours was 1:25 pm to 2:25 pm. Don't know about hyperspace didn't check. Here is my pics from today. Darth Vader scared my mom. He sounds like him from the movies.

 

[spectrecat]

Non-local here, but we were there today for our first day, and as "sort of" seasoned WDWers, we thought the crowds were nuts. We've been to WDW in the months of July and August twice, but I know it's difficult to compare them for many reasons. We still had a fantastically, exhausting day!

We got the HM fastpasses first after we got there at opening (not emh for us,) and our return time was 11:30-12:30, so we road Star Tours right away with a relatively short wait. We road the matterhorn, submarines, and something else, and returned to find that HM was temporarily closed. We grabbed lunch/ a snack, and it was open again.

Hubby, DSl, my mom, and I loved it, but DS2 was not a fan. It will be interesting to see how he feels about it another day....

We're just not used to these crowds. I'm hoping they improve a little, but I'm glad we set our expectations appropriately!

 

[BigCheese]

It's the first Friday since the launch of Season of the Force and right now (Launch Bay at least) is not too crowded at all. The wait for Chewie and Vader were both about 20 min in the early afternoon and meeting Boba Fett was very well organized and the CMs handling his "unscheduled" M&G have their act together. But I suspect crowds will increase as we get closer to early evening. This is for LB though. Wait time for Hyperspace Mountain is 75 min plus...

 

[Geemo]

Lots of good intell, Thanks!!!

 

[Love Tink]

It's the first Friday since the launch of Season of the Force and right now (Launch Bay at least) is not too crowded at all. The wait for Chewie and Vader were both about 20 min in the early afternoon and meeting Boba Fett was very well organized and the CMs handling his "unscheduled" M&G have their act together. But I suspect crowds will increase as we get closer to early evening. This is for LB though. Wait time for Hyperspace Mountain is 75 min plus...

Thanks for the info. We will be there in a couple of weeks and I hadn't yet read that it is possible to meet Boba Fett. Holy moly, my husband would love that. Does he have an unofficial schedule? Or does he just wander in at random?

 

[BigCheese]

Thanks for the info. We will be there in a couple of weeks and I hadn't yet read that it is possible to meet Boba Fett. Holy moly, my husband would love that. Does he have an unofficial schedule? Or does he just wander in at random?

He has an unofficial schedule from what I understand and he meets in the Cantina (which is to the right of the Chewie queue area). When we asked a CM, they said that he's a bounty hunter and comes and goes as he pleases. Another couple asked a different CM and we overhead them say that he has no set schedule. But he really does have a set schedule (it's just too early to tell what it is right now, and it's definitely not posted). We were at the Cantina at 3:00 and there was a Photopass photographer and several CMs hanging around in the Cantina, so it was a bit of a giveaway that something was up (and he clearly has a set schedule since the CMs know when to organize the area for the M&G). He entered the Cantina from a CM back door just to the right of the Cantina bar and he met guests at the bar. The CMs formed a line and it was pretty crowded throughout his entire set (he was there from about 3:15 to 3:45). He was an interactive Boba Fett and he spoke throughout the M&G. When you're in the Cantina facing the bar, the CMs blocked off the entry to the right of the bar area and only allowed guests into the Cantina from the left entry point (the right side served as the exit after you met with him). After Boba Fett left, the CMs and Photopass Photographer cleared out and the Cantina became an open area that people can walk through and wander around in. So the gathering of a bunch of CMs right before his appearance was a giveaway. Today was our first time in Launch Bay so I don't know what other times he meets guests throughout the day, but from other reports it seems that he appears regularly throughout the day. There are just no posted times yet and right now the CMs don't seem to be telling guests when he will be there, so at least for now it's tough to plan around.

 

[Ljbadfan]

So far twice this week he has been with Vader at cadets meet and greet. No one knows when he will be there. Lines in afternoon this week have been less wait time for the meets. Everyone runs there first thing. It doesn't open till 10am. Also this morning both star tour and hyperspace mountain was broken down at same time

 

[Lintasare]

I will be there Thanksgiving weekend. As long as I can ride Hyperspace Mountain once, Star Tours once and get a BB-8 sipper I will be happy.

 

[Bud Ice]

Crowds are actually pretty good right now.
This could change on the Holiday Break and when the movie opens.

FPs go pretty quick so don't expect last minute deals.

 

[Happyjenz]

We were there Sunday through Wednesday this past week. I was sooo pleasantly surprised by the crowds. Went into it expecting massive craziness with avengers, Holiday Time starting, and Season of the Force, but it wasn't bad at all!