Need Help with TSM and Jedi Training Strategy!

[C&C Disney Mom]

We will be at HS next Friday, 4/20 and I need some help with our strategy! Here are the details:
Park opens at 9
We have 8:30 ADR at Disney Jr Play and Dine
This is our last day at the parks so we only 1/2 day in HS (probably need to leave around 1:00) and I would love to get my daughter in Jedi Training and try and ride TSM. They discontinued FP+ for TSM so we will be standby.

I am thinking either my husband or I will duck out of breakfast early to get in line for Jedi Training and then the other meet up with kids at TSM entrance to avoid a long line. Does that sound doable? I am thinking that maybe we could get to our ADR breakfast early and they would potentially seat us so we can get out by RD?

Do y’all think this is possible? What would you do different?

 

[bigbabyblues]

I think you have to take the child with you to sign up for Jedi Training.

 

[Amv209614]

Before you check in for breakfast, go with your child to sign up for Jedi training. They even ask you at check to H&V if you planned to sign up for Jedi Training. Eat quick and then head to TSM - it's a madhouse. We left breakfast before we saw all of the characters a couple weeks ago since we wanted to head to TSM - we were on with only a 5 minute wait.

 

[C&C Disney Mom]

Before you check in for breakfast, go with your child to sign up for Jedi training. They even ask you at check to H&V if you planned to sign up for Jedi Training. Eat quick and then head to TSM - it's a madhouse. We left breakfast before we saw all of the characters a couple weeks ago since we wanted to head to TSM - we were on with only a 5 minute wait.

Oh wow! So there will be someone there so we can sign her up even before the park opens!? That’s amazing!! We will also have my 2 yr old so that is why we won’t be able to stand in any line longer than like 15 min... pretty much limits us all around WDW but that’s ok! We just love being there and taking in the magic!

 

[Hope Soda]

Most reports say that an early ADR at Hollywood and Vine gets you early access to Jedi sign-ups. They'll let you through a little before 8 for your 8:30 reservation. Sign up for Jedi, then eat breakfast.

We rope dropped TSMM when there was one track running (but it still had FP that day) and it took about 45 minutes, as we're slowed to the pace of our slowest party member and there are a lot of speed walkers and runners passing us on the long walk over... I would not count on having to wait less than 15 minutes. However, it's a must do for our family every time. It helps our kids to have a little toy or two to play with while in line. We started bringing glow toys to use while waiting for fireworks and in Christmas party character lines, and it's been so helpful.

 

[catccc]

We rope dropped TSMM when there was one track running (but it still had FP that day) and it took about 45 minutes, as we're slowed to the pace of our slowest party member and there are a lot of speed walkers and runners passing us on the long walk over... I would not count on having to wait less than 15 minutes. However, it's a must do for our family every time. It helps our kids to have a little toy or two to play with while in line. We started bringing glow toys to use while waiting for fireworks and in Christmas party character lines, and it's been so helpful.

I'm wondering if standby only with one track will be a little faster since there will not be FP+ holders to slow the standby line?! We'll be there next week. Here's to hoping!

 

[ArielSRL]

I'll agree with the other posters and tell you to sign up for JTA before your ADR. That is what we did last June. Also get to the gates around 7:45 or so and I think they will go ahead and let you in when they let in all the PPOs. Sign up and try to check in early for breakfast. Ask for the check when you first order your drinks so you are ready when you are done and don't need to wait on that.

 

[StarSeven7]

We're in the same boat, we'll be at HS on April 21 and want to sign up for Jedi training and rope drop TSMM. There are EMH that morning that we plan to use but we don't have a PPO breakfast. What should our strategy be??

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

We're in the same boat, we'll be at HS on April 21 and want to sign up for Jedi training and rope drop TSMM. There are EMH that morning that we plan to use but we don't have a PPO breakfast. What should our strategy be??

I'd wait for reports in how things work on the 12th when they go down to one track. Before that, it's just a guess. We want to do both JTA and TSM and right now I'm assuming we'll need to do TSM at Park close. But we'll see in few days if there is a workable morning non-PPO strategy.

 

[Eccle]

One thing to bear in mind is that they will be letting people through the tapstiles from 8.30 and holding them at the top of Hollywood Boulevard, so unless you are out from breakfast before they come through, you won't be at the front of the crowds going to TSM

I would also plan in advance what Jedi Training you want to get to work around FP times etc. they have to be there 30 min before, so don't choose the 9.40 show if you are queuing for TSM

 

[RJstanis]

Everyone said all the key things:
1) get to gates by 745 bc they will let you in the others with times before you
2) go straight to JTA signups (right past the H&V restaurant (they won't seat incomplete parties anyway)
3) grab a time for JTA that will allow you to be back 30 min before showtime to check in and that fits your FP times
4) as soon as your waiter gets your drinks ask for your check
5) be out the door no later than 845 so you can run with the bulls to tsmm. Remember HS is notorious for opening early so they might have already let people go before 845. if they havent dropped the rope yet, you won't have any advantage over the non ppo breakfast people already at the rope but at least you'll be running with them
6) plan on a rushed breakfast and not seeing all the characters. You might get lucky but will be difficult. The food is not bad, big variety, but definitely nothing special

 

[pup975]

We're going to be at HS on Tues May 8th. We don't have a PPO breakfast planned. How early should we get to the park to guarantee a spot in Jedi Training? If you get there at rope drop, do you usually get a spot?

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

We're going to be at HS on Tues May 8th. We don't have a PPO breakfast planned. How early should we get to the park to guarantee a spot in Jedi Training? If you get there at rope drop, do you usually get a spot?

Yes. If you want to get in and out without much wait and maybe hit other RD attractions, then I would be there around 8:15 for a 9 an opening. If you're just worried about getting a spot in JTA and don't mind a bit of a wait you can get there closer to 9.

 

[Crystal824]

As everyone else said, get there early and register for JTA before breakfast. This is a trick we have used several times and it has always worked. They usually have people with signs directing you to the sign-up area. This will also allow you to choose the time that fits best with your schedule (earlier show in your case since you are leaving early). The earlier you sign up, the more choices you will have.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

You HAVE to have the kids with you to register.

 

[ArielSRL]

We're going to be at HS on Tues May 8th. We don't have a PPO breakfast planned. How early should we get to the park to guarantee a spot in Jedi Training? If you get there at rope drop, do you usually get a spot?

The last time we attempted to get signed up without a PPO (June 2016) they opened the gates around 8:20. We were behind the pack, having just arrived as they starting allowing guests through so we ended up waiting about 30 minutes or more to get signed up (rope drop had already happened by the time we actually got signed up). Only the first show was filled once we did get to sign up, so that wasn't an issue but I refuse to do a 30 min wait again, so we do the PPO now. But if we did not do the PPO, we would arrive much earlier than we did.