RotR Planning & Daily Boarding Group Discussion - *CLOSED*

[yulilin3]

It seems like most people get a Lyft or Uber to the park? Is anyone driving and parking? How much time do you need to allow between arriving/parking to reaching the gate and checking in?

before 5:30am I would say you are at about a 5 min walk to bag check.

 

[SugarSweetLee]

This is great! Relatedly, if staying on site (POP) what's the best way to get to the park by that time (actual opening, 6:30ish)? I've read the buses don't run quite that early, but will the Skyliner be going by then? Or is it better to take a car?

 

[courtney1188]

This is great! Relatedly, if staying on site (POP) what's the best way to get to the park by that time (actual opening, 6:30ish)? I've read the buses don't run quite that early, but will the Skyliner be going by then? Or is it better to take a car?

Uber or Lyft would be better - no guarantees on Disney transportation.

 

[ThistleMae]

This is great! Relatedly, if staying on site (POP) what's the best way to get to the park by that time (actual opening, 6:30ish)? I've read the buses don't run quite that early, but will the Skyliner be going by then? Or is it better to take a car?

Someone else told me better to take the bus. It sounds like the bus runs earlier but I question if there are EMH hours whether the Gondola would open earlier. I don't think we have a final answer on this. Does anyone else know if the Gondola will open early for EMH hours?

 

[yulilin3]

This is great! Relatedly, if staying on site (POP) what's the best way to get to the park by that time (actual opening, 6:30ish)? I've read the buses don't run quite that early, but will the Skyliner be going by then? Or is it better to take a car?

Car is your best bet

 

[GADisneyDad14]

This is great! Relatedly, if staying on site (POP) what's the best way to get to the park by that time (actual opening, 6:30ish)? I've read the buses don't run quite that early, but will the Skyliner be going by then? Or is it better to take a car?

Hi @SugarSweetLee, FYI I moved your post into this thread vs the less visited Time Tracking thread as there are more people here that can help.

My opinion for the time being is it’s best to take a car (or Uber/Lyft/Taxi) IF your goal is to be lined up pre-6:30am. If you’re OK not being in the initial wave and getting a higher Boarding Group number, then resort bus would be OK - but that bus might not even get to your resort until around 6:30am, so only go that route if you’re OK arriving and getting a later in the day boarding group.

It’s possible Disney gets better with super early bus service as this continues to evolve, I just wouldn’t 100% depend on it right now IMO.

 

[TrolleyTrouble2713]

Did the queue at the front fill up to the security checkpoint this morning? 6:30 seems awfully precise, I it possible that that's there "standard" time they'd open if the crowd at the gate didn't become an issue?

It seems like Everyone arrives 3 hours before posted open to be let in 90 minutes before posted open so they can get BGs up until they close 30 minutes after posted open. So, if Disney could just find a way to hold them for even just another hour, BGs would last until about 9:30, well into the Park's operation.

Maybe they need to start opening the parking lot later.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Did the queue at the front fill up to the security checkpoint this morning? 6:30 seems awfully precise, I it possible that that's there "standard" time they'd open if the crowd at the gate didn't become an issue?

According to posts in this thread, the lines were from touchpoints to the ticket booths.

 

[tbrown6791]

Has anyone seen the ticket booths open at 6:30am too? Or do they only open closer to the official park open time?

 

[Wreckem]

Did the queue at the front fill up to the security checkpoint this morning? 6:30 seems awfully precise, I it possible that that's there "standard" time they'd open if the crowd at the gate didn't become an issue?

It seems like Everyone arrives 3 hours before posted open to be let in 90 minutes before posted open so they can get BGs up until they close 30 minutes after posted open. So, if Disney could just find a way to hold them for even just another hour, BGs would last until about 9:30, well into the Park's operation.

Maybe they need to start opening the parking lot later.

Don’t count on them doing that anytime soon and certainly not before the end of the year.
Also the longer the ride is open the more customers can actually ride.

 

[yp65]

Any estimate on what BG group you may get if tapped in at 7:00? We are planning to go next Monday and hope to ride before 3 pm to leave for airport. We also have MK Xmas party the night before.

 

[PrincessV]

I'm following along with hopes of being able to ride in late January, but man - this BG system is really messing with how we typically visit! I'm only planning a day trip, and it's a two-hour drive, so arriving hours before opening is... challenging. The more salient problem, though, is that if I can, in fact, get us there that early, I will be in no condition to get us back home later, thanks to sheer exhaustion. So if the current situation continues, I guess I'm really going to have to consider an overnight stay. Well played, Mouse, well played.

 

[krayzie]

Any estimate on what BG group you may get if tapped in at 7:00? We are planning to go next Monday and hope to ride before 3 pm to leave for airport. We also have MK Xmas party the night before.

You should try to get there earlier due to all the potential downtime.

 

[hiroMYhero]

You should try to get there earlier due to all the potential downtime.

Perfect advice!

Number crunching the data and estimating when a BG may load isn’t worthwhile due to all the downtime.

 

[rad91]

Question: How is cell and/or wifi coverage inside ToT and RR? I'm asking because if we do EMH, and they are randomly going to turn on RotR BG in the morning after we tap in, I want to make sure I have internet access so I can refresh ever so often.

 

[kwdw]

Did the queue at the front fill up to the security checkpoint this morning? 6:30 seems awfully precise, I it possible that that's there "standard" time they'd open if the crowd at the gate didn't become an issue?

It seems like Everyone arrives 3 hours before posted open to be let in 90 minutes before posted open so they can get BGs up until they close 30 minutes after posted open. So, if Disney could just find a way to hold them for even just another hour, BGs would last until about 9:30, well into the Park's operation.

Maybe they need to start opening the parking lot later.

It was passed the ticket booths, but maybe only half way to the security stations.

 

[Jonfw2]

Question: How is cell and/or wifi coverage inside ToT and RR? I'm asking because if we do EMH, and they are randomly going to turn on RotR BG in the morning after we tap in, I want to make sure I have internet access so I can refresh ever so often.

WiFi at Disney parks tends to be exceptional even during peak crowds.

 

[aviva5675]

If you Lyft/Uber very early is there a lane they use at the parking entrance to bypass long lines of cars? Or are they stuck in with all the others?

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

It seems like most people get a Lyft or Uber to the park? Is anyone driving and parking? How much time do you need to allow between arriving/parking to reaching the gate and checking in?

I drove & parked on opening day. Got to the park at 5, was parked at like 5:05, at the gate a few minutes later. There was no wait until I got to the line to enter the park itself. I did hear that people who arrived earlier were held at the entrance to the parking lot but I don't know how early they arrived.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

If you Lyft/Uber very early is there a lane they use at the parking entrance to bypass long lines of cars? Or are they stuck in with all the others?

You're in line with everyone else, and the line (at least on opening day) was only waiting for them to open the parking lot. I can't help with how long the line was close to park open, but my experience with uber/lyft is they wait in the same line as everyone else.