***Official*** Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Information Thread *** Contains SPOILERS ***

[UrsulaTime]

I don't know what you mean about less liberal interpretation? But I will have my huge SW fan husband and 2.5 year old son, so we would need rider swap. I will be SUPER unhappy if that is not offered here at opening.

Just to be clear, I haven't heard or seen anything to indicate that it won't be offered at opening (and I hope my post didn't cause you extra stress)! I was just wondering if, after a few months, the Rider Switch process for Galaxy's Edge would be at all different than elsewhere in the World.

 

[ksromack]

They had a queue to get into the store in Pandora when it first opened so I am sure they will have to do similar here. I know they will have a time registry for the “build your own lightsaber” and wonder if they might do the same for the creature stall and/or droid store

I believe only announced for the lightsaber shop - I don't think any sort of limit for the others, but clearly you can't have thousands of people in there trying to build droids at the same time so will have to have some sort of queue system or return time (even if not a "sign up for a time slot ahead of time" thing)

I might be in the minority but I am actually more interested in the droids based on the potential for them to interact with other droids and the land itself. I mean, the lightsabe is cool, but then it is just a "thing" to have in your house, vs something that adds to your experience in the land

I agree, I am much more inclined to build a droid than a light saber

I want to build a droid.....and hubby wants the light saber. I will need to collect many more disney gift cards to pay for our souvenirs!

Oh man, I'm sorry to hear you were sick! I had that 2 weeks ago (Influenza A is the one going around here the most) and I'm STILL not back to 100%.

Yep, it's still influenza A season. B usually comes around a little later. I'm a Med Tech and we spend a lot of time testing for influenza.

Just to be clear, I haven't heard or seen anything to indicate that it won't be offered at opening (and I hope my post didn't cause you extra stress)! I was just wondering if, after a few months, the Rider Switch process for Galaxy's Edge would be at all different than elsewhere in the World.

I will be interested as well. Dh and I will be checking it out in September but we'll be bringing our son/daughter in law/ granddaughter in December. I hope rider switch is working smoothly by then.

 

[ninafeliz]

I have been following along just to know what’s going on and when things change. We have a trip planned to WDW in June and I don’t know when we’ll plan another and attempt to brave GE. Possibly not until summer 2020.

As I caught up tonight I read all of the posts about how there won’t be FP at opening, and all of the speculation about how long that will be the case. I just wanted to say that I was kind of assuming it would be months if not a year or many years without FP. I have no real reason for thinking that and no specific knowledge or inside info like many of you here, but just thought I would mention it since many of you seem to think it could be as short of a time as weeks to a few months. I guess maybe some of my subconscious thought process included that the Harry Potter rides in US didn’t participate in Express Pass for years.

 

[Sarah1024]

I have been following along just to know what’s going on and when things change. We have a trip planned to WDW in June and I don’t know when we’ll plan another and attempt to brave GE. Possibly not until summer 2020.

As I caught up tonight I read all of the posts about how there won’t be FP at opening, and all of the speculation about how long that will be the case. I just wanted to say that I was kind of assuming it would be months if not a year or many years without FP. I have no real reason for thinking that and no specific knowledge or inside info like many of you here, but just thought I would mention it since many of you seem to think it could be as short of a time as weeks to a few months. I guess maybe some of my subconscious thought process included that the Harry Potter rides in US didn’t participate in Express Pass for years.

This is true, but the EP at Universal is very different from FP+ at WDW

 

[ThistleMae]

They also have a paid max pass. Seems like best of both worlds between legacy fp and fp+

Yes, I was just doing some reading about the Max Pass, def. sounds like the way to go...I mean in general. Who knows when it will open up for SWGE.

 

[ninafeliz]

This is true, but the EP at Universal is very different from FP+ at WDW

Oh I agree, I just meant that might be why my gut assumption was months or years for no FP when I heard they weren't having FP for the GE attractions when it opened. I'm also torn on how I feel about it. Honestly I feel like it is probably a good idea, it just took me by surprise since Disney has never done that before (a new ride without FP when it opens). But in the grand scheme FP and FP+ are pretty new, it's maybe not true to say their normal is to have FP, because aren't SDMT and FOP the only E-ticket rides to have opened since FP+ began? If this works I suspect they will open most new big rides without FP+, or some paid FP option will have happened and everything will be completely different.

I know we aren't willing to wait longer than around 30 min (and we rarely do that) for any ride, so if they don't offer a paid option that we are able and willing to pay for or start FP, I don't know when we'll be able to ride the new rides. If it were just my DH and I we might just make an event of it and be willing to wait longer, like a couple of hours, but no way in the 6-8 hr range, but with the kids it's not happening. So I'll continue to follow along and wait and see what our best option ends up being. It might be a long time before we get to ride the new rides!

 

[ThistleMae]

Oh I agree, I just meant that might be why my gut assumption was months or years for no FP when I heard they weren't having FP for the GE attractions when it opened. I'm also torn on how I feel about it. Honestly I feel like it is probably a good idea, it just took me by surprise since Disney has never done that before (a new ride without FP when it opens). But in the grand scheme FP and FP+ are pretty new, it's maybe not true to say their normal is to have FP, because aren't SDMT and FOP the only E-ticket rides to have opened since FP+ began? If this works I suspect they will open most new big rides without FP+, or some paid FP option will have happened and everything will be completely different.

I know we aren't willing to wait longer than around 30 min (and we rarely do that) for any ride, so if they don't offer a paid option that we are able and willing to pay for or start FP, I don't know when we'll be able to ride the new rides. If it were just my DH and I we might just make an event of it and be willing to wait longer, like a couple of hours, but no way in the 6-8 hr range, but with the kids it's not happening. So I'll continue to follow along and wait and see what our best option ends up being. It might be a long time before we get to ride the new rides!

Me too! I'm just not willing to wait in line, not even for 2 hours. That's okay. I'll ride when FP+ is available, whenever that is.

 

[yulilin3]

Had my first dream about day one. I was with 2 of my friends and we were corralled in this huge enclosed space, think of an expo room in a large convention center (which is how they corralled us for SW Celebration) There was a huge screen showing SW movies, people were sleeping on the floor, or in chairs but I was so happy. They finally let us into DHS and my 2 friends and I walked (everyone was walking which shows again it was a dream) and we were all so hyped and saying OMG it's happening!! When I turned the corner to go on to Grand Avenue my dog wakes me up with a slobbery kiss

 

[Sarah1024]

Oh I agree, I just meant that might be why my gut assumption was months or years for no FP when I heard they weren't having FP for the GE attractions when it opened. I'm also torn on how I feel about it. Honestly I feel like it is probably a good idea, it just took me by surprise since Disney has never done that before (a new ride without FP when it opens). But in the grand scheme FP and FP+ are pretty new, it's maybe not true to say their normal is to have FP, because aren't SDMT and FOP the only E-ticket rides to have opened since FP+ began? If this works I suspect they will open most new big rides without FP+, or some paid FP option will have happened and everything will be completely different.

I know we aren't willing to wait longer than around 30 min (and we rarely do that) for any ride, so if they don't offer a paid option that we are able and willing to pay for or start FP, I don't know when we'll be able to ride the new rides. If it were just my DH and I we might just make an event of it and be willing to wait longer, like a couple of hours, but no way in the 6-8 hr range, but with the kids it's not happening. So I'll continue to follow along and wait and see what our best option ends up being. It might be a long time before we get to ride the new rides!

According to a podcast I listen to, the last ride to open WITHOUT FastPass access was Test Track in 1999. And that was because there was no FP yet.

 

[ThistleMae]

I really don't think they'll hold off on FP+ or Max Pass for a long time. I think it's just for the opening months, and IMO, not until the second ride opens and they don't give FP+ until they are both open. At least this is my hope. Of course this is all speculation at this point, with a pinch of anticipation and a dash of optimism.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I really don't think they'll hold off on FP+ or Max Pass for a long time. I think it's just for the opening months, and IMO, not until the second ride opens and they don't give FP+ until they are both open. At least this is my hope. Of course this is all speculation at this point, with a pinch of anticipation and a dash of optimism.

I definitely don't see it until at least RotR is up and running and also MMRR (which should be well before RotR) ... and they did indicate that RotR would open without FP too - probably for the same reason that everyone would want that as their Tier 1 option, so maybe a month or two after that is open is when they will re-evaluate

I would think they would want these rides in the FP inventory at some point so it is more motivation for people to stay on property and stay for longer duration, etc.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Choose your path. Join the Resistance or Pledge allegiance to the New Order.

In the force awakens, the New Order is portrayed as Nazi's complete with red banners.



Is this really the optic we are going for at Disney? Come to SWGE and join a military junta?

 

[yulilin3]

Choose your path. Join the Resistance or Pledge allegiance to the New Order.

In the force awakens, the New Order is portrayed as Nazi's complete with red banners.

View attachment 389449

Is this really the optic we are going for at Disney? Come to SWGE and join a military junta?

I'm not sure if you are joking with this or being serious....but the entire SW saga, starting with Vader has always had nazi implications. I definitely don't want this whole thread to go off topic, but that is the origin of Vader and the stormtroopers, stylistically. There are a lot of political, mythological and military undertones in the original SW movies and they have been explained by Lucas himself.

 

[cadien]

I think the concern is that instead of them just being bad guys this time, you can JOIN them.

 

[Mome Rath]

You could always join them in any gaming situations, and it's not been a problem. SW fans aren't going to bat an eye about it.... maybe just Disney fans who aren't acquainted with the SW universe will, or rather those not acquainted with all the add-on's to the SW universe will. I think Disney will be fine, as these aren't actual Nazi's we're talking about, and Disney has used symbolic stuff a lot in it's movies and cartoons. People absolutely "love" the villains and meeting them (something that has always made me scratch my head lol).

 

[yulilin3]

I think the concern is that instead of them just being bad guys this time, you can JOIN them.

meh, about the same as kids used to be able to join Cap Jack and take a tutorial on how to be a pirate

 

[HCinKC]

Blue milk. Cool. Green milk, I know where that comes from. No Thanks.

LOLOL...so gross! I really could have done without that scene.

yes DL had summer and then Iger let it slip that it was opening in June

I do think it is possible that the entire land could have been ready no issue by end of summer and potentially even by the end of June - but maybe they got a little worried that there could be hold ups with RotR or that at least it would be pushing it to get it done by then and rather than risk it they said move people off of that to get everything else done by May 31st and get the land open and get some return on their investment, and because of that it pushed back RotR a little bit because not as many people were dedicated to it and plus, separate out the "grand openings" makes more fiscal sense as well and just takes pressure off getting some brand new tech to work right - and not just work right once but work right hundreds of times a day with little to no downtime

I don't know - it could be any of hundreds of things and like most things in life, likely isn't any one thing. I just think it is hard to say, knowing only what we know, that the reason they are opening part of the land early is due to bad project management

Can't we just be happy they are opening anything early?

I agree that it happened by accident. I think things were on schedule (party helped by Disney not announcing actual dates but just general season), but when everything was moving faster than scheduled, it opened up the possibility of phased opening. I would imagine the overall 100% finished product will be more or less on time. I think being done early led to several thoughts...
1) DL has very real issues with infrastructure and capacity, so a phased opening may help to alleviate that to a degree.
2) If you phase the one, why not both, and, as stated, end up with 4 "grand openings" to (ideally) spread crowds. Plus, the (minuscule) added bonus of some people doing multiple trips. So possibly spreading the crowds while still increasing bookings overall.
3) All of the phasing has the potential to highlight and fix issues that arise. DL opens phase 1 first and they discover X. Problem solve and X doesn't happen at WDW phase 1.
4) And there can be no doubt that the argument to start bringing in money sooner is a factor. No way Disney is leaving that on the table. Certainly there are people who don't like it and will wait for the whole area to open. But those people aren't going to cost Disney anything. They will certainly earn from everyone else who is eager to see the land regardless of phasing and anyone willing to book more than one trip.
From a business perspective, I really cannot see a downside to their decision. Sure, you will have complainers, but the vast majority won't care, will actually be happy, or don't even know what is GE is anyway.

I think the concern is that instead of them just being bad guys this time, you can JOIN them.

Except that you don't "join" either side. You can do tasks or whatever that lean one way or the other, play all sides, or abstain from the interactivity.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I think the concern is that instead of them just being bad guys this time, you can JOIN them.

Is this really a concern, though...?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

that's the thing with Disney....never expect

The back and forth about 'expect' sorta reads like shades of meaning around the word expect.

Like it or not, pre-planning and WDW are now a conditioned response kind of pairing.

Personally, I'm a little glad WDW is trying this.

Remember what happened when FOE, TT and even Gringotts first opened and each had a few glitches.

A long line is one thing, a long line that doesn't move is horrible. Even worse, is when YOUR line doesn't move- but the folks who arrive hours after you arrived get to go right on the attraction. It would be kind of crazy to have some folks waiting more than 5hours while others wait less than 30min.

Other potential problems are also possible, like FP scalping.


A FP is great when you have one, not so great when you don't. When everything is new, simple is often a good way to maximize flow.

 

[cadien]

Is this really a concern, though...?

Well I don't think so. I just think that's what OP was getting at with the question.