General overall comment

[DisneyDadfromPittsburgh]

Sitting here for the past hour reading over all the posts about the new Star War's park in Hollywood Studios and how difficult it is to get on the rides and how you have to get there by 5 AM to get in line to get a boarding pass and how so many people can't get on the ride cause the boarding passes are all given out already and how the park sometimes opens up earlier than the posted time and that leaves out so many people that are following the Disney app with the posted opening park times.............wow.....the stress and angst of going to Walt Disney World is truly becoming unbeliveable. I still go, and we are going on January 23rd, but I am begining to ask myself where is the excitment and enjoyment in this anymore? I guess I am just venting................

[Cinderelley]

I understand the sentiment. It doesn't feel like a vacation any more.

[Goofeygal]

It doesn't feel like a vacation it feels like a job. I love WDW and have been a passholder for many years. I feel for people that are not frequent visitors and have to work so hard at getting on some of the attractions.

[magicofdisney]

It doesn't feel like a vacation it feels like a job. I love WDW and have been a passholder for many years. I feel for people that are not frequent visitors and have to work so hard at getting on some of the attractions.
This ^

I've been a pass-holder since 2004. I've always been content to just show up (riding nothing) and enjoy the atmosphere, because I know I can come back nearly anytime I want. I'd be hard-pressed to put up with it otherwise. Hard-pressed because Disney has my heart in such a way that I absolutely, positively have no desire to visit any other amusement park, ever. That doesn't mean I don't get frustrated with them, to no end at times, but I can't let go. :blush:

[ThanxForNoticin]

The Star Wars situation is really a tough one to swallow. I don't think they've had a situation like this before, at least not that I can recall.

That there are no fast passes in advance is definitely different from all their other new attractions. But the fact there are no fast passes AND no standby line, it's just crazy and extremely restrictive for families to do the attraction. If you and your entire party aren't scanned into the park within an hour of opening, you have almost no chance of getting on. I just cannot remember there ever being a Disney attraction without a standby line. It's strange. It seems to be a bit of an over-reaction to some mishaps they had when Flight of Passage opened.

The closest thing I can recall to a somewhat similar situation will likely age me a bit. But way back, 35-40 years ago perhaps, some of us might remember when you had to be at the EPCOT entrance at opening so you could rush in to get into Future World to grab a monitor to make same-day dining reservations at an EPCOT restaurant!! That was a long time ago and the park was completely different.

But for now, until they change the approach for letting people experience ROTR, it's likely a significant percentage of guests will not get to ride.

[PopPhan]

That there are no fast passes in advance is definitely different from all their other new attractions. But the fact there are no fast passes AND no standby line, it's just crazy and extremely restrictive for families to do the attraction. If you and your entire party aren't scanned into the park within an hour of opening, you have almost no chance of getting on. I just cannot remember there ever being a Disney attraction without a standby line. It's strange. It seems to be a bit of an over-reaction to some mishaps they had when Flight of Passage opened.

I believe there were no FastPasses for Flight of Passage when it originally opened. Only Stand-By...and those lines got extremely long for the first couple months until they opened up FastPass for the ride. Even then it was/is one of the hardest FP+ options to get.

Yes, Rise of the Resistance is ridiculous for lines and the way people are standing in the queues waiting for the park to open, but I think Disney is handling it better than I would have expected. It may take months for FP+ to be offered for this ride and possibly a year or more before Stand-By is viable.

What this does show is that Star Wars is still extremely popular and that this ride is truly amazing. I don't know when I will get back to WDW and/or get my first ride on the attraction, but from what I have seen and heard of it, it will be well worth the wait.

[PopPhan]

But for now, until they change the approach for letting people experience ROTR, it's likely a significant percentage of guests will not get to ride.

That is true, but they DID limit it to one "Boarding Group" per person per day, so that should help a small amount.

[Imalismom]

I have yet to see any star war movie after the very first one, so I am in no hurry to go the new section. I will eventually go I am sure, but not for a long while, meanwhile, I will continue to pop into the park for a few hours and then go home - one of the perks of living close by.

[DisneyDadfromPittsburgh]

Of course.........this is where we are staying.................

https://wdwnt.com/2020/01/buses-from-disneys-pop-centu
ry-resort-to-epcot-and-disneys-hollywood-studios-reduced-to-hourly-service/

[1DisneyNut]

It doesn't feel like a vacation it feels like a job. I love WDW and have been a passholder for many years. I feel for people that are not frequent visitors and have to work so hard at getting on some of the attractions.

This exactly. I didn't like FP+ and all the pre-scheduling the first day it started and I have only grown to hate it all more and more. The only reason I have even been back is due to kids sporting events that have been held there. I have one more cheer nationals to go to next month and that is it so it is very likely I won't be back for quite a while. I just don't have the patience to deal with how complicated it is to take what is supposed to be a vacation but seems more like a job.

[vilewmn]

Of course.........this is where we are staying.................

https://wdwnt.com/2020/01/buses-from-disneys-pop-centu
ry-resort-to-epcot-and-disneys-hollywood-studios-reduced-to-hourly-service/

I feel your pain. It was announced late yesterday that all the resorts on the Skyliner route will be affected by reduced bus service. We will be at AoA in March. My husband is claustrophobic and afraid of heights. Geesh! Waiting an hour for a bus? What if the bus is full at park close, must we wait an hour then? Not very magical IMHO.

[RunDMV]

This exactly. I didn't like FP+ and all the pre-scheduling the first day it started and I have only grown to hate it all more and more. The only reason I have even been back is due to kids sporting events that have been held there. I have one more cheer nationals to go to next month and that is it so it is very likely I won't be back for quite a while. I just don't have the patience to deal with how complicated it is to take what is supposed to be a vacation but seems more like a job.

This. I've grown to despise WDW for what it has become. I only go because my wife still loves it (because I am the sucker who has to do all the planning). As an executive, I PODSCORB all day long. When I am on vacation, I dont want to do that.

[goofyskier]

It doesn't feel like a vacation it feels like a job. I love WDW and have been a passholder for many years. I feel for people that are not frequent visitors and have to work so hard at getting on some of the attractions.

I just flat out refuse to go again given the current system. I’ve spent my money on multiple other vacations that I feel give me more value for the time I invest in planning them and are more rewarding from and excitement and cultural point of view than a 2 or 3 minute ride. Disney World lost me....but hey that’s one less person standing in line at 3am :)

[lawgirl]

I am a die-hard Disney fan. I've been going since I was 6 months old. And I am the official family trip planner. But Disney is becoming more and more stressful to plan and do. We're taking our kids to Universal for the first time ever and possibly not even doing a Disney day on this trip. I am considering a day at HS, but it seems so stressful and if we don't get to ride ROTR it will be pretty upsetting to everyone (and yes, I know that sounds very 1st World Problemish, but when you are looking at spending $500+ on a single DAY, its almost easier to just not go there.) I'm praying the Wizarding World won't be quite as stressful;)

[dsmichelle29]

Star Wars is a whole other ballgame. It's new and it's Star Wars. I expect it to be nuts for at least a year. I personally wouldn't have even attempted it, but my family wanted to give it a go. We approached it with no expectations just a let's see what happens. If you make the effort to do a minimum amount of prep and get there early, you can likely get on. In the short time that it's been open, Disney has already improved the process.


You know what else is nuts? The sightseers at Riviera. Again, it's new and probably to be expected. My point is if a hotel can draw crowds Star Wars is of course going to be next level and I wouldn't judge my whole vacation planning experience on one new ride.

Disney has never been a just show up and wander around kind of destination in my lifetime.

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[TheVBs]

I am a die-hard Disney fan. I've been going since I was 6 months old. And I am the official family trip planner. But Disney is becoming more and more stressful to plan and do. We're taking our kids to Universal for the first time ever and possibly not even doing a Disney day on this trip. I am considering a day at HS, but it seems so stressful and if we don't get to ride ROTR it will be pretty upsetting to everyone (and yes, I know that sounds very 1st World Problemish, but when you are looking at spending $500+ on a single DAY, its almost easier to just not go there.) I'm praying the Wizarding World won't be quite as stressful;)

We did Universal for the first time just before Christmas. It's no Disney, but we thought the Harry Potter area was exceptional!! Probably the closest thing to the magic we feel at Disney. The rest of the park was fun too, but no other area quite had that magic. No, I take that back, meeting Blue the Velociraptor was AWESOME and very well done.

It was definitely a more laid back trip with far less planning. The employees there really went above and beyond, we were so impressed! From a systems perspective, they have a lot to learn from Disney, but we really did have a good time, and would be interested in going back some time. We were NOT impressed with our hotel though.

[deedee73]

I hope you dont mind a few questions...
What hotel did you stay at and what did you not like?
If you were to have a non rider yet fearless child in your opinion what age would you take them to Universal instead of Disney? My BFF is considering a Universal trip but her 5 yr old isnt a big rider...loved Star Wars did not live 7 dwarfs or SDD. I am thinking he isnt ready for Universal yet but I would love your opinion as it has been a long time since I was there.
Thanks

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[dsmichelle29]

One reason we don't go to Universal more often is the limited options for little kids. Combine that with a kid who doesn't like thrill rides and I'm not sure what you could do for an entire day in Universal.

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[Susan A]

It doesn't feel like a vacation it feels like a job. I love WDW and have been a passholder for many years. I feel for people that are not frequent visitors and have to work so hard at getting on some of the attractions.

Yes! It’s a lot of work!
I’m sitting her now with my notebook and pen trying to figure out only two days.

[lawgirl]

One reason we don't go to Universal more often is the limited options for little kids. Combine that with a kid who doesn't like thrill rides and I'm not sure what you could do for an entire day in Universal.

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My kids are both obsessed with Harry Potter...we have watched the movies over and over again, read the books, got the wands...it really is the only reason we are going to Universal over Disney. I want them to be able to explore Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley at this age- 7 and 9. I am hoping it will be as magical for them as Disney. And we've done Disney a million times...I'm ready for something new. But I'm sure we'll be back soon!