Rise of the Resistance BOARDING GROUPS Superthread Part 1 *No Ride Spoilers Please* *PLEASE READ POSTS 1-4*

[MommyLove]

Oh dear, downtime already.

My DH and I played from home for the first time this morning. He had his Apple watch with second hand at the ready and his iPhone on our WiFi. I have an Android and was using 4G. We both opened the app 15-ish seconds before park opening. After clicking 'Find Out More' right at park opening, we both got the orange 'Join Boarding Group' button on the next page. So that was encouraging. We're thinking about trying for real tomorrow...

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Yeah, that's why I think it's like a convention group or something that comes in for rides --- cause if that shakedown -- why start later groups to count? That just doesn't make sense from a logistical maintenance issue.

If convention groups - or anyone - were getting in early, it’d be all over social media.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

So I have a moment and wanted to share what I did to secure a boarding group this morning.

Arrived at Mickey and Friends at 7:45. Re-routed through M&F to Pixar Pals.

Walked to DTD security. 5-10 minute wait.

DL lines back to DCA at 8:20 and curving back around. Hard to find the end of the line.

pened the gates around 8:20(?). It was hard to tell from so far back.

Through the DL gate in less than 20 minutes. Our line was moving well.

Immediately left DL and crossed the esplanade trying to look for a good connection. Settled on just outside the DCA gate all the way to the left (Harbor side). Had a great connection here and not many people around.

Restarted my phone around 8:40. Closed all apps around 8:55. Opened the DL app only at 8:58. When my phone’s time switched to 8:59, I started counting in my head. Right at 9:00 clicked on main boarding group page “find out more”. No red button so clicked My Status. Where I was able to click Join Boarding Group.

Got BG 21. I’m on Verizon with an iPhone 7.

 

[ironband74]

Got escorted off. We were given a fast pass that we can use to reboard anytime.

We saw a cast member go by with a long grip tool, if you know what I mean. Used to pick up trash, etc. I swear someone must have dropped their phone.

On the one hand, I get that everybody thinks they have to record everything.

On the other, aren't there enough freakin' videos of this thing on youtube by now? When I eventually go...all my stuff will be in my pockets/backpack.

 

[crystal1313]

On the one hand, I get that everybody thinks they have to record everything.

On the other, aren't there enough freakin' videos of this thing on youtube by now? When I eventually go...all my stuff will be in my pockets/backpack.

I never get this either. Usually the videos online are better than what I could record myself. I prefer to be in the "moment!"

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

Apparently Disney is trying to find out what guests prefer. There are surveys going around asking if they prefer standby or the virtual queue.

I prefer virtual queue but an idea I had is if they would do it twice a day. Meaning, at opening for BGs into early afternoon. Then open up more BGs in afternoon for riding later in the day. That would make it less crowded in the morning and give those of us who don’t like getting there early a better time

 

[pokee99]

Apparently Disney is trying to find out what guests prefer. There are surveys going around asking if they prefer standby or the virtual queue.

Like I've said before, this BG solution is NOT sustainable. They need a solution that is going to alleviate the morning entry chaos. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

I think they're trying to approach the issue as "what is fair? what would make guests happier?", because of all the complaints. But really, if they can't consistently start opening the turnstiles earlier each morning, they need better crowd managment processes in place at the main entrance.

 

[midnight star]

On the one hand, I get that everybody thinks they have to record everything.

On the other, aren't there enough freakin' videos of this thing on youtube by now? When I eventually go...all my stuff will be in my pockets/backpack.

Gotta get those pics and videos for Instagram

 

[pokee99]

I prefer virtual queue but an idea I had is if they would do it twice a day. Meaning, at opening for BGs into early afternoon. Then open up more BGs in afternoon for riding later in the day. That would make it less crowded in the morning and give those of us who don’t like getting there early a better time

I had the same idea, but to completely eliminate the morning BG distribution frenzy with reservations, and use the current method for BG backup in the late afternoon.

The morning's are ALREADY insane enough with diehards getting there early for FastPass distribution! People are going insane! The fact that this thread is so long and there's graphs and spreadsheets analyzing entry data is MADNESS!!!

 

[NorthernCalMom]

I prefer virtual queue but an idea I had is if they would do it twice a day. Meaning, at opening for BGs into early afternoon. Then open up more BGs in afternoon for riding later in the day. That would make it less crowded in the morning and give those of us who don’t like getting there early a better time

Why do you think there would be less people coming in the morning? What I would instead expect is the same amount of people coming in the morning and competing for less BG-spots, hence more heartbroken, disappointed people. There’s actually a thread specifically dedicated to brainstorming and speculation about this:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/boarding-group-issues-resolution-thoughts.3787676/

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

Anyway...practice switching from the clock app to the DL app at open.

I’ve read this tip from many people (or they say they watch the second hand on an Apple Watch, etc). Why wouldn’t you just keep your phone on the DL app and look at the time on your phone (top of the screen) from there? Shouldn’t that time be the same as the time on your home screen or Apple Watch?

 

[montreid]

I’ve read this tip from many people (or they say they watch the second hand on an Apple Watch, etc). Why wouldn’t you just keep your phone on the DL app and look at the time on your phone (top of the screen) from there? Shouldn’t that time be the same as the time on your home screen or Apple Watch?

you don't a second countdown. that's the problem -- you're guessing on the turn of the minute.

2secs literally can be: 20-40 group spread in the first initial secs.

 

[Mark_E]

Moving again, up to 24! Heading over soon

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

you don't a second countdown. that's the problem -- you're guessing on the turn of the minute.

2secs literally can be: 20-40 group spread in the first initial secs.

But you can see the second it changes to the hour—and it seems like toggling between the home screen and the app would waste even more time? Anyways just wondering if I was missing something.

 

[JWelch62]

I’ve read this tip from many people (or they say they watch the second hand on an Apple Watch, etc). Why wouldn’t you just keep your phone on the DL app and look at the time on your phone (top of the screen) from there? Shouldn’t that time be the same as the time on your home screen or Apple Watch?

Possibly. But this worked for me 3 out of 3 tries. Just my experience

 

[NorthernCalMom]

But you can see the second it changes to the hour—and it seems like toggling between the home screen and the app would waste even more time? Anyways just wondering if I was missing something.

That’s actually what I did in my at home practice (ancient iPhone here...5s with AT&T service ). I guess this only works for those of us whose app refreshes in the background, while we wait for the clock to strike, do to speak. If you have one of the android phones that need the app restarted at just the right moment BEFORE the BG distribution starts, then maybe being able to tell the exact time down to the second can come in handy.

In my case, with an app that does refresh, even when run in the background, the main question is not if I can tell to the last second what time it is but if my venerable granddaddy of iPhones can hold its own against all those that are much newer, fancier, and slicker within those first 30 to 50 secs (after the clock has jumped to 8:00 or 9:00 or whatever the official opening time is that day) when it comes to getting enough signal strength for doing its thing (so exact knowledge of the time down to the second or lack thereof is not MY bottleneck and toggling between the Disney app & a virtual clock may in my case hurt rather than help).

So, I guess the answer is “it depends.”

 

[katyringo]

Do you all know that the clock app icon on iPhones actually display the seconds. Like the icon is a real clock.

im playing at home, but at home I’ve been able to click on the red BG button many times before getting back up notification.

I close all other apps and open only disneyland app. I then go back to home home screen and watch the seconds had tick down on the clock icon then right before it hits time I use the double click my home button to re open my disneyland app and then click on find out more.

 

[Aurora0427]

21!

Yes!!!!! I came to this thread just to see if you got a boarding group. We were lucky #21 as well on Sunday! So happy for you!

 

[DLgal]

Like I've said before, this BG solution is NOT sustainable. They need a solution that is going to alleviate the morning entry chaos. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

I think they're trying to approach the issue as "what is fair? what would make guests happier?", because of all the complaints. But really, if they can't consistently start opening the turnstiles earlier each morning, they need better crowd managment processes in place at the main entrance.

I agree with you. In fact, they should open the gates no less than an hour before official park open, AND THEN ENCOURAGE guests to leave the park and spread out, for a better chance. A large number of people in the park at opening are leaving immediately anyway. The exodus is kind of amusing.

 

[DLgal]

Apparently Disney is trying to find out what guests prefer. There are surveys going around asking if they prefer standby or the virtual queue.

I got a question like this right after GE opened.