We booked all our dining plans etc for our late August trip before SWGE opening was announced - and we have a 1700 reservation for Sci-Fi Diner on 30th (yes, Day 2 of SWGE!)
I’m starting to wonder about the best plan. Personally I’m quite a big Star Wars fan so I am excited to try and experience SWGE…but I have a 7yo and 8yo to think about, plus a wife with no interest in SW and a low patience threshold
We were very excited about SFD as we think our two boys will really love it - I’ve checked and there are no other reservations available that week surprise !
We are staying on park resort, but it looks like the Early MH (0600-0900) at HS don’t start until the 1st September - so on 29/30/31 anyone can get it an 0600. So I think it’s certain there will be a crush and we’ll need a super early start to stand a chance against the hordes…
I’m thinking there’s four options:
a) GO FOR IT! - get there at 0530 ash and hope the kids last until 1700…presumably by doing lots of rest stops…
b) Stick to HS plan, but turn up later (0900?) accept SWGE will be a no go and do that later in our vacation (we have a couple of options to go back). Will we be able to get into HS at all?
b) Ditch HS that day, but try and head over to SFD for our 1700 reservation - will we get in??
c) Cancel SFD reservation and do something else that day - go to HS later but accept no SFD unless the Reservation Finder comes up trumps.
If you have a reservation that will give you priority into the park so I say keep it. Heading in towards evening might be good as crowds may have died down a tad.
I agree. Having an ADR will let you into the park unless it hits a Phase 4 closure. That means no-one gets in!
And realistically, if it’s going to reach Phase 4 (and I think it will) it will only be transient. Once it gets that busy, people will start to leave the park. Which means they can reduce the level of closure, and let people in with ADRs.
Worst case, they will waive the no-show fee if you can’t get in.
As to what you should do, I would replan that day, and turn up mid afternoon with the hope of doing a couple of things before dinner. Showing up at 5:30 will likely still see a wait to get into Galaxy’s Edge. People will be queuing once the park closes the night before, and many will arrive by 4am.
Following. As someone who had a lunch ADR for Sci-Fi on Aug. 29, and cancelled it because we moved our trip a week earlier to avoid SW:GE, I am really interested to hear your choice and to hear how it goes.
I think if I was in your shoes at this point, I’d keep it and give it a whirl. Maybe even go with Plan A, if you think your team is up for it.
As someone with 9 year old twins who only makes it to WDW every few years at most, we changed our trip to avoid SW:GE. But I also think it could be a lot of fun being there for the excitement of the first week.
Please keep us posted. …And, of course, may the force be with you.
I would keep it. We have an early supper ADR eight days after yours which I also wondered about and got reassured here.
If HS is at phase 4, you’re not getting in but hopefully that’s transient as a pp said. Maybe noon to mid afternoon?
If HS is at a phase 3 closure, you’re golden. Disney lets guests of several categories have entry into the park: WDW resort guests or park hopper guests coming from another park or guests using WDW transportation OR guests with a dining reservation.
My wife and I had a long chat about this tonight, and have come up with (what we think is) a cunning plan:
We have juggled our itinerary to create a free morning on a day that is pre-SWGE opening. EMH from 8am, so plan is to get in, do the stuff we want to do that isn’t Star Wars (Jedi Academy, Toy Story etc) and then leave lunchtime-ish (we have HDDR booked later that day).
On our ADR day (30th) we have decided to move as little as possible (reaching for ice cream is maximum allowable effort in order to conserve energy and head over to HS about 4 ish (ADR is 5pm).
Assuming we can get in, we can have a nosey at what’s going on / soak up atmosphere / enjoy the squishing of all the people trying to step on each other to get in if we can’t get into SWGE, but are able to eat, that’s fine.
Hang around to see the fireworks at 2200 if the kids can hack it. If not, go home after tea. If we stay out, maybe the crowds will have calmed down a little…maybe!
If that doesn’t work to get into SWGE on 30th, we’ve pencilled in another day later in the holiday to get up at silly o’ clock for the 0600 RD with EMH, which I’m hoping should thin the crowds ever-so-slightly…
Thoughts welcome! Will of course report back on whether the cunning plan paid off!
We just returned from WDW, and the one must-do ADR for us is always Sci-Fi.The food is fine, the shakes are great but the atmosphere is just so much fun and it’s just a great place to cool off and unwind in the middle of a hot, busy day. We’re all scifi fans but even if you aren’t, the cheesy movie clips are just fun to see.
Just an update on this one… phase 1 completed as we did our “pre Star Wars” day successfully catching TSM, Indiana Jones, muppets etc. Boys decided they didn’t like the look of SDD which was just as well as queues were enormous even just after RD.
Tomorrow we’re going to aim to get to HS for 3 or 4ish… we have ADR at 5, then Droid build at 7. Hoping we make it to the fireworks (at 9)?
I would aim for the earlier end of your time, 3 pm-ish, just in case. If there is any kind of closure, I’d imagine that being further up in line with the right kind of entry criteria (ADR) would be better. Also, it might not be possible to plan a 4 pm arrival - even the Disney buses could be struggling with the crush of traffic trying to get into the park.
To me, this seems like a situation where the parent who’s interested in SW can go in early alone while the other parent can come later with the kids (if she’s willing). Sci Fi diner is great and if you haven’t experienced it I think your kids would love it at those ages. It would be a respite from the crowds b/c it is dark and quiet except for the show they are projecting.
in order to conserve energy and head over to HS about 4 ish (ADR is 5pm).
if we can’t get into SWGE, but are able to eat, that’s fine.
