We are headed to the world in July! Super excited but need to have a plan to beat the heat.
Currently have the following:
PPO ADR at H&V for 8:15
TOT 9:15
RNR 10:15
SDD 11:35.
Trying to decide when to do Jedi Training and factor in the heat of mid-July. JTA happens at 9:40, 10:20, and 11, and you have to arrive 30 min early for the kids to get set up. Is the 30-min prep time for the kids in a non-air conditioned area and will it be insufferable for them at 10:30 am for the 11 show (I am not worried about DH and myself)?
If we do JTA first (arriving 9:10), we lose all rope drop advantages and we would be doing TOT after JTA, at the tail end of our window, possibly in the grace period (but I might be able to modify it to later). By contrast, if we opt for the 11 am JTA show, we could RD TOT and RNR , and have some rope drop advantage to maybe do one or both of them twice, and then arrive for JTA at 10:30 (this had been my original plan). But–will the 11 am be too hot, or probably okay? WWYD? I have a DS6 who does well in heat, and a DD8 who melts.
We would plan to do SDD after, then a few shows, and then GTHO.
Yes the 30 mins is in a non air conditioned area, assuming it is still outside the Indy gift shop. It is as hot as hell. But it won’t be much better at 9am.
The prep time is in a hut area by the Indiana Jones building. Open to the elements, under shade - but still pretty hot. And the kids will be in Jedi robes.
I’d still have a hard time not taking advantage of the RD though.
It has been a few years since we done this but don’t you have to get there early in the day and sign up for a time period later on or is now just show up at the given time. Used to be on busy days all the available time slots went quickly first thing in the morning.
Since TSL opened, you don’t need to sign up first thing unless you want an early show. But you do still have to sign up in advance, you can’t just show up.
We just had this same question back in early September. We decided to do the ~11am show. It was hot. My kids were drenched in sweat at the end.
That said, we did all of Toy Story land before hand + meet BB8. It was worth it.
What’s your evening look like? There are shows until around 7pm. I think it would be cooler. Could you go back in the evening? Might be able to score a fastpass for Star Tours and grab a bite.
That’s a great suggestion, but we have an Epcot evening planned. When we were there last (October 2018), TS was such a hot crowded mess. We loved SDD, skipped AS2, and did TSM. I think the only thing we care to repeat is SDD.
We have done it that time of year with our boys twice. Never done the first show and if I remember correctly both time were late morning-early afternoon. They were drenched with sweat and never happier It’s already hot and humid with no shade in that area. Then they put on the robes with hoods. But they were so excited about doing it and then engrossed in the experience they didn’t notice or care!
I have an August trip. Never taken DS7 & DS9 to JTA.
Are these realistic expectation for a 9am opening if JTA signups start at 8:45?
If we arrive at the front gate at 8:00, we should get through the JTA line by 8:50, we can pick any show time, and we don’t miss much “rope drop” ride time unless we pick an early show. If we pick the 9:40am show, we should have 20 minutes to sneak in a ride on ST:TAC before rehearsals start.
If we arrive at the front gate at 8:30, we should get through the JTA line by 9:00 and we might still be able to pick any show time, but if the 9:40am show is still available, we would only have time for a bathroom break before rehearsal.
If we arrive at the front gate at 8:45, we should get through the JTA line by 9:15, and we should expect shows before 11:40 to be booked.
If we do TSL EMM, we would need to leave TSL by 8:30 to beat the rope drop crowd at the JTA signup line. That’s not ideal because we would lose 45 minutes of the prime EMM ride time, but we would be close to the breakfast location (Backlot Express) after the JTA signup with plenty of time to eat.
If we do TSL EMM and don’t leave TSL until 9:00, the JTA signup line may take an uncomfortably large chunk out of the remaining breakfast time. Shows before noon will likely be booked.
Does that seem like good expectations for this summer?