We are booked at WL in a deluxe studio villa with free dining from September 1st-8th. We are a family of 5 and our kids (6, 9, and 14) have never been to Disney. Our youngest and oldest really want to go to HS for TSL and Launch Bay, although both would also love SWGE, as would dh. I’m concerned about crowds that week due to SWGE and am wondering if we should go the week of 8/24 instead and go to HS early in our trip, foregoing free dining. If we were to go the week before the cost would be about $900 more, so my dh would want to stay off-site for 3 of the nights and at WL for 4 nights. Although more room, more bathrooms and a private pool are enticing, as well as avoiding the TTC, the extra driving if staying off-site has me concerned. I realize that the deluxe studio is on the smaller side, but with 5 of us it’s our only option at WL besides a 2 bedroom villa which is $800 a night and out of the question right now. If we plan on EEMH at HS one day and possibly an evening there both later in the week, do you think HS might be doable or should we cancel the FD package and book the week before for lower crowds at HS?
personally, I would not pay more to switch to an earlier date. Especially if your family would enjoy SWGE. I’m assuming you’ve got FPP scheduled and ADRs booked for September. You’ll have to scramble to change all those if you switch.
Thank you! It would end up costing the same if we stayed at WL for only 4 nights and offsite for 3 nights, but yes spending the entire week would cost a lot more so we wouldn’t do it.
Do you think SWGE will be doable though? I’m thinking we will need to arrive at 5:30am on the 7th.
Yes, we have FPP and ADRs booked but I grabbed some ADRs for the week prior (that I will cancel as soon as we decide) so it’s really just a matter of FPP.
unfortunately, I don’t think anyone knows for sure. I would plan on arriving very early if I wanted to do SWGE. I’m assuming there will be announcements in the next few weeks detailing how entrance to the new land will work, then you’ll be able to adjust as needed.
There’s going to be passholder previews of SWGE the last week of August I think, so that week may end up crowded anyway but you won’t get to see SWGE.
The Passholders previews were announced today and are 8/17-8/21, which makes me wonder what will be going on from 8/22-8/28. It would be amazing to be there for a soft opening, but I wonder how likely that is to happen?
okay, I knew I saw it but couldn’t remember the dates
I would not change plans to stay offsite. You will be fine with a good plan. Just go in with the expectation that things might be nuts.
Dont change! When Pandora opened, i couldnt get FP so i did a walk through land and skipped the rides. Did pandora next trip.
I’d say no for soft openings. if they follow suit with other recent openings, those dates will be a combination of media days, special invite days, and perhaps some down-time to make any “adjustments” that might be needed before the grand opening.