Let's talk about how the opening of Galaxy's Edge will affect crowds at OTHER parks.

[smallsy]

Many of us are currently curled up in a ball crying at the moment since we feel like our early fall vacations dreams were just crushed(force crushed). Let's take this time to rationalize what the crowds will really be like at any park that ISN'T HS after 8-29! I can say personally I will be far far away from HS unless with do a TSL EMM during our stay.

I had been stalking the TSL EMM thread for weeks to see if our dates would open (9/3) as that’s the only wa i wanted to experience that part of HS with young kids. But when GE was announced it sank that ship quick. No way they’re going to offer EMM that week or maybe even that month with an 8am park open.

 

[rteetz]

Is WDW opening in phases too or is that just DL? Will people wait for phase 2 to come? I am going October 5-12. Think it will have died down a bit then?

Yes both are.

 

[chris benton]

Just to add another data point to this: I'm a DVC member owning at Animal Kingdom Lodge and I am signed up with a site that sends me a notification when someone requests to rent points at Animal Kingdom. I typically get 1-3 notifications per day, but since the news broke this morning I've already received over 20.

This is going to bring a ton of extra people in, and it's not like the only park they are going to visit for their whole vacation is Hollywood Studios.

I'd be interested to hear if you get MORE requests than today in the upcoming days.

 

[ellbell]

I'm just devastated. I've been planning my trip August 24th to September 2nd since the dates opened last year based on Galaxy's Edge opening in the fall. My HS day was August 30th. I don't even know where to begin since I already booked my ADRs.

 

[smallsy]

My TA said she’s been swamped today with requests to book in Fall

 

[Three cats]

I definitely think it’s going to have an effect elsewhere. When Hollywood Studios reaches capacity I am sure people will just head to the other parks.

 

[Brett Wyman]

I definitely think it’s going to have an effect elsewhere. When Hollywood Studios reaches capacity I am sure people will just head to the other parks.

I just hope those parks feature a certain boy wizard.

 

[;-)]

I know I’ll get a few eye rolls...lol...but we are to head back home from our trip August 20th. I also, in no way shape or form in the slightest bit interested in ANYTHING Star Wars related. At first i was happy that we were leaving before SWGE opened, but as I’m reading I see there will likely be “soft opening” for passholders/media/etc. I’m worried as well that, in my opinion, the best month to go is August for being the lowest crowds, is going to be swamped with people! But I do feel bad for those of you going during/after opening

 

[kristenrice]

My sister said, "Oh, I don't plan to do anything at HS except TSMM, SDD, the Frozen Sing Along, ToT, Star Tours and Fantasmic....so we should be able to avoid most of the crowd". I had to point out that she first has to GET INTO THE PARK! That could be the big problem if we don't get there at rope drop, and since we are not all early risers, it will be a tall order. I think she is grossly underestimating the magnitude of the crowds that will be there during our trip. We are going October 18-26 so we were also hoping that we would miss the opening.

 

[jimmyzluck]

How is this going to effect HHN.We are going to Disney for a week in may/june and were going back in late sept.for HHn.

 

[Brett Wyman]

I know I’ll get a few eye rolls...lol...but we are to head back home from our trip August 20th. I also, in no way shape or form in the slightest bit interested in ANYTHING Star Wars related. At first i was happy that we were leaving before SWGE opened, but as I’m reading I see there will likely be “soft opening” for passholders/media/etc. I’m worried as well that, in my opinion, the best month to go is August for being the lowest crowds, is going to be swamped with people! But I do feel bad for those of you going during/after opening

Not to mention people who have the flexibility to move their September and October dates may move them to August. But those crowds still won’t touch the post GE opening crowds I’m sure.

 

[gharter]

I just wonder how early you will have to get there to be able to be toward the front for RD.
For a 9 am opening we were there at 8 and it was good.
Now is it 5am, 6 am?

 

[Brett Wyman]

I just wonder how early you will have to get there to be able to be toward the front for RD.
For a 9 am opening we were there at 8 and it was good.
Now is it 5am, 6 am?

Star Wars fans camped out for days just to see Episode 1, so yeah the answer is “as absolutely early as Disney will allow”.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

My sister said, "Oh, I don't plan to do anything at HS except TSMM, SDD, the Frozen Sing Along, ToT, Star Tours and Fantasmic....so we should be able to avoid most of the crowd". I had to point out that she first has to GET INTO THE PARK! That could be the big problem if we don't get there at rope drop, and since we are not all early risers, it will be a tall order. I think she is grossly underestimating the magnitude of the crowds that will be there during our trip. We are going October 18-26 so we were also hoping that we would miss the opening.

Where's your sister??!! Get her here on the DIS! Bring up this conversation again and let the DISers loose on her. She will either 1) never be the same again or 2) rethink her strategies on visiting HS and "avoiding" most of the crowd!

 

[Three cats]

Star Wars fans camped out for days just to see Episode 1, so yeah the answer is “as absolutely early as Disney will allow”.

Which means we will end up avoiding HS altogether. It makes me sad to have to miss ToT and RnR but no way in hell are we going to wait in line for hours just to get IN to the park, know what I mean?

 

[;-)]

Star Wars fans camped out for days just to see Episode 1, so yeah the answer is “as absolutely early as Disney will allow”.

I totally forgot about that...meanwhile when that was happening all I could think of was what kind of clown you have to be to camp out for days to see a movie! That’s on a level that I’ll never understand!

 

[1926Moon]

I am bummed - I have saved up airmiles and $$ this last year to be able to take my 10 & 11 year old nephews to WDW for the first time. We have 9 days: 3 @ USO + 6 @ WDW. This is their first ever trip there, and I am excited that I get to take them on this adventure; I rented DVC points so I get to show them the Wilderness Lodge and the Boardwalk (split stay). I had everything pencilled in to get ready for ADRs and then fast passes, and now I haven't a clue how to plan this. We are west coasters, so far more used to planning for Disneyland, all the planning that needs to go into a WDW was already enough for me
I am overwhelmed

 

[MamaJessie]

A few weeks ago I heard that Illuminations would be ending while we were there and I was worried people coming to see that would affect crowds. I never expected to deal with this lol

lol yeah same here

 

[Dan Serson]

I agree that crowds everywhere are going to be up, but do you think all other parks will shoot from the typical 2 to 3 up to 10s automatically?.. we planned to travel sep 1 to 12 in order to avoid star wars, I guess thats not happening.. Im fine with staying away from HS but how hard will good fast passes be to get with the giant influx of people. We had some problems with our January travel and Disney has provided 2 anytime fast passes per day while were there in Sept, so atleast well have 2 rides.

 

[kristenrice]

Where's your sister??!! Get her here on the DIS! Bring up this conversation again and let the DISers loose on her. She will either 1) never be the same again or 2) rethink her strategies on visiting HS and "avoiding" most of the crowd!

Oh, believe me, I educated her. She's been to WDW several times, most recently in 2016. She's been to WDW over Easter week so crowds are not a foreign concept to her. Unfortunately, we are going into this trip from two different perspectives: I am a DVC member and I will be back; she is taking her kids on what will be their final trip until they are grown and go on their own. Obviously, she is going to be more "tolerant" of long lines and crowds. I have no desire to wait in long lines for attractions that I have done before and will do again. The only exception is FoP....that ride is AMAZING and totally worth a 2-hour wait.