**September 2019**

[mamamelody2]

Still not sure what I think about the whole SWGE opening thing.
I mean, we are arriving August 29. Who woulda thunk?? Not me!!!
We will not change/cancel. I guess we'll just hope for the best!!

 

[Jocelynaus]

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[wendlle]

Disney parks blog said no fast passes for smugglers run at this stage.

We aren’t going for SWGE so wouldn’t wait for ROTR to open, when you’ve never been to a US Disney park ‘new’ isn’t as big a deal. Actually I’m more excited about Minnie and Mickey’s runaway railway because TDRs Poohs hunny hut is also trackless and our fav at Tokyo disney.

I really didn’t expect it to open and choose September to minimise crowds specifically.

Me too, I'm anxiously awaiting the opening date for the Mickey Runaway Ride. We specifically chose September again this year because we wanted to avoid SWGE, well now that's shot! I'm just hoping that the bulk of the crowds will wait until the entire land is open - wishful thinking I guess but it might not be as insane as it could be.

 

[mamamelody2]

I expect tomorrow to wake up to an update from Touringplans upgrading HS crowd level to "10" for our whole trip.

 

[Superchikk]

at least it isnt opening in September. Where is my nervous laugh emoji?

Right? That's the first thing I thought when the news hit. Well... I was right - sort of. Ugh.

I'm still in shock, honestly. And when I texted my husband the news, I told him I was a little bit mad about it. I thought I might settle down, but I'm still a little bit mad. We, like many of you, booked September with FD thinking it would surely be BEFORE all the SWGE madness and we'd have a great opportunity for our kids to see TSL without a mob of people in HS. We have flexible schedules, so DH asked if we should change our trip to mid-August, but I reminded him that if we do, we lose FD, which would easily add $1000+ to our trip, plus all the people who are determined to go before SWGE opens and are now moving their trips to accommodate (I've seen several on various boards today). If it were $500, I'd do it. But for what it would cost, I just can't. I'm sure there are others like us, who would move if they could, or if it were feasible for them. I was thinking that Disney was offering FD to fill rooms, but maybe they really offered it to KEEP people from ditching to move before opening. There's no way they just decided in the last few weeks that SWGE would be ready at the end of August.

My hope is that with a phased opening, it will not be a huge crowd (like, shut the park down every day crowd) by the time our trip rolls around. But I've already told my kids that I'm not standing in line for hours to ride a single ride, and I'm not elbowing my way through crowds just to try to see a land I can't see because there are so many people in it. There will be people who come for it, but I don't see the huge masses who want the full experience to be able to swing 2 trips - one for this opening, and one for the second phase. Especially if it's coming in the following few months, which is when it was originally expected. All the Nov/Dec people who have been booking with hopes it would be open will be ecstatic, and I think it will even get busier then with hopes that the second phase will be running by then.

So we've just decided to grin and go with it. I mean, at this point, we either cancel and go in spring 2020, or we forge ahead. And I'm not really sure that crowd-wise, spring 2020 would be any different.

 

[Superchikk]

Also, I'm encouraged by what a caricature artist at AK told us in September. He's been in the same place in DinoLand for 18 years. He said that when Pandora opened, their area of the park became a ghost town. He said they were hearing about the crowds & 5-hour waits for FOP etc., but their part of the park was never like that. So I'm hoping that we can at least enjoy part of HS if we avoid SWGE.

 

[Wishfuiiy]

Okay, so I've had some MAJOR time to process this news and now I'm starting to get a little pumped about it all. Here me out *again*

I looked across several FB groups, and boards to see if people were insane enough to book during opening (it was mainly mad lads/gals booking for opening to there for the mayhem). Okay cool, I can deal with that especially since my trip is later in the month anyway. I saw more posts with people CANCELLING their trips more than adding days/booking there trips.

I also then proceeded to CRUNCH numbers, and looked at the historical wait times/crowd levels for the opening of Pandora/TSL, and yes, I realize that the SW IP is insane. A lot of people love SW, but there is still a mess load that don't so looking at the HISTORICAL crowd levels during summer, which is one of the busier parts of the year especially considering TSL opened June 30, prime vacation time: TSL was crowded but not the entire summer crowded. Pandora opened late May, which is spring break/summer time. Plus TSL had several big attractions, Pandora has 2 and SW only has 1, for now. Disney figured they add EMHs, and what not. I mean, people will be insane and want to deal with that hot mess but a lot of y'all and many more will not be interested in the chaos for just 1 ride. The insanity will definitely peak the first few days, and then wane slightly but not so much for everyone to panic over. September is going to be a "slow" month, especially since most people will have school, work etc and can't take off then. The weekends will be a big swamped but that's to be expected anyway with APs and FL residents down.

Logically, this was all announced during a shareholders meeting which tells me that Disney was feeling strain especially since this timeframe is fitting with FD. It tells me that because SW:GE wasn't announced yet, they NEEDED to try to make money but I don't know if it will exactly. It still seems like an offtime to open especially since it's only a phase 1 type of deal. I don't think they sold out for FD, and as I checked several different times today Sun&Fun Discount was still up, and lots of rooms were still not sold so... this is all my two now optimistic cents.

 

[asfarrell]

UGGGGGGHHHHHHHH. Arriving September 26th! Flights paid for, can't change...
So do we just skip HS all together? We were looking forward to seeing Toy Story Land (haven't been back since it opened) and my daughters favorite ride EVER is the Tower of Terror.
So SKIP HS completely?
OR
Maybe just the Star Wars area will be crowded??? Doubtful
WHAT DO I DOOOOOOOO

 

[Superchikk]

UGGGGGGHHHHHHHH. Arriving September 26th! Flights paid for, can't change...
So do we just skip HS all together? We were looking forward to seeing Toy Story Land (haven't been back since it opened) and my daughters favorite ride EVER is the Tower of Terror.
So SKIP HS completely?
OR
Maybe just the Star Wars area will be crowded??? Doubtful
WHAT DO I DOOOOOOOO

Honestly, I think the rest of HS could see normal crowds. I really want to figure things out RIGHT NOW, but I don't think I'll be able to make an educated decision until we know more and maybe not even until it actually opens and we see what happens at the other parks. We aren't canceling, for sure.

 

[Jocelynaus]

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[anneboleyn]

I am not thrilled with this announcement, but I will just continue to tell myself that just because something is SCHEDULED to open on August 29th doesn’t mean it will open then. Especially if the East Coast has another summer of biblical amounts of rain like last year...so basically, we all have to have a prayer circle and figure out some type of rain dance to throw a wrench in to the construction lol

 

[jmkjr72]

Well I’m ready to cancel my booked sept trip and my Jan 2020 trip because the zoo Disney will be

 

[Christi0909]

I was already planning on TSL EMM so we could (hopefully) use our teir 1 FastPass for MMR railway.

There are still TSL EMM tickets showing for 3 September. Do I just keep checking that daily?

Then I guess leave it early to try to rope drop smugglers run... I think you enter galaxys edge from toy story don’t you? Or there are 2 entrances, I have not been reading about it at all.

Part of why I wanted TSL EMM was so we could avoid the rope drop stampede.

When I look, there are no dates open after Aug. 28. Did they previously have Sept. dates open? We planned to be in HS on 9/2 and I would DEFINITELY consider EMM if it was offered now!

 

[Superchikk]

When I look, there are no dates open after Aug. 28. Did they previously have Sept. dates open? We planned to be in HS on 9/2 and I would DEFINITELY consider EMM if it was offered now!

Check the EMM info for HS... it does not yet include SWGE, only TSL. At least, that's what I saw earlier.

 

[ksromack]

I wouldn't be surprised if they came out with EMM for DHS and not specifically TSL. At least I'm hoping for it!

 

[KNovacovschi]

I am excited for SWGE however I had no plans of going to it until 2021, my DH and I are doing Disneyland Paris in place of it in 2020 so we could miss the opening. My AP expires Sept 24th so I booked a last trip for this year for the 15-21st and have already bought my airfare so I am unable to cancel or move my trip. I will make the best of it and not expect to get on rides but am hoping to at least get into the land, afraid of the wait times just for that since they were so long for TSL. Now instead of going 1 year plus after it opens I get to be there 2 weeks after it opens. I am however excited to try the blue and green milk.

 

[StageTek]

We're arriving Sept 3...

Looks like it's gonna be crazy!

 

[wdw4rfam]

Sorry, but all of HS will be packed. Everyone is going for Star Wars. Everyone will not be allowed in Star Wars area, just like every other new land, they will only allow so many in that area. So all those people that can’t get in will need to go SOMEWHERE

 

[MamaJessie]

So how are my September peeps handling the announcement of SWGE opening early? I guess this is another plus to me having to change my trip to August. I'm just hoping this doesn't cause my already busy week to become even busier.

Processing for quite a bit today honestly!

We are not sure how to feel, someone help us! LOL

Okay, so I'm back on the maybe it will be okay train! Pandora and Toy Story opened during the summer, not exactly during the fall. We will have DL to lessen the blows so to speak for diehard SW fans, and the ones who were waiting for November news will probably still book then hoping to beat the crowds. I'm trying my damnest to be optimistic about all of this, because I feel the free dining was released cause people weren't booking September, and still - it's underbooked so they were gonna try to let SW rip to get the November/December crowds boosted.

I agree that DL should help lessen the intensity a bit.

Still not sure what I think about the whole SWGE opening thing.
I mean, we are arriving August 29. Who woulda thunk?? Not me!!!
We will not change/cancel. I guess we'll just hope for the best!!

Aug 31st and yeah. I have gone through something like the stages of grief today (even though I am honestly excited about SWGE in the long run) and have landed on excitement. This will be the first time we get to be there during such a big event.

When you’ve never been to a US Disney park ‘new’ isn’t as big a deal. But I am more excited about Minnie and Mickey’s runaway railway because TDRs Poohs hunny hunt is also trackless and our fav at Tokyo disney.

I am legitimately just as excited for the Mickey Minnie ride!!!

I noticed a lot of references to vacation times - if you want to be added to roll call let me know, otherwise I assume you are on it and just commiserating or getting excited about SWGE

Ok so now that I am embracing the opening I am just going to work on our plans. I am considering switching our tickets from 4 day hopper plus to a 6 day hopper for almost the same price. That way I can be more flexible with our park time if the crowds are really intense.

Fingers are crossed for some awesome EMH - just not sure if I am hoping more for the early ones like at TSL or evening like at Pandora. I am not worried about even riding the one ride that will be open, would love to just walk around and check it out!

Oh and DH is so excited that when he got home from work he changed into his new Star Wars shirt to celebrate lol

 

[Allie B]

I was crushed when first heard this news but still going on our trip first week of September
If all else fails I will relax by the pool