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Devine Fairytale

A Magical Lifestyle Blog and Theme Park Travel Expert

Categories: Disney, Travel

Tips to Get a Boarding Group: Rise of the Resistance

Update: As of September 23, 2021 boarding groups will no longer be in use. This could come back at some point in the future though.

Rise of the Resistance is one of Disney’s most incredible rides and you can find it in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. It is really more than a ride, it’s a whole experience! If you want to ride it, you’re going to need to be prepared and have a game plan because you cannot just walk up to the ride and get in line to wait. You’ll need to access a Boarding Group in order to get on the ride, so let me give you the best tips I know to ensure you are one of the lucky ones!

First and foremost, make sure that you have the My Disney Experience app downloaded and are familiar with using it. You’ll need to have valid park admission linked and a Park Pass Reservation for Hollywood Studios for the day you are attempting to get a Boarding Group. If you need help making a Park Pass Reservation, check out this blog post with some tips. Also, make sure everyone in your travel party is linked and sharing plans through your Friends & Family list.

You will need to use the My Disney Experience app in order to join a Boarding Group (an on-theme term for a virtual queue) and there is not any standby or FastPass+ line to wait in.

So, how do you join a Boarding Group?

The process has changed a few times, but currently (since January 2021) you will need to join a boarding group on the My Disney Experience app at exactly 7:00 am. Boarding Groups will be gone almost instantly, so don’t wait! You’ll need to be ready early. I would suggest having the app open and refreshing a couple of minutes prior to 7:00 am. You no longer need to be inside the park in order to snag a group, you can be in the hotel room, your car, etc. I have had the most success turning off the WiFi when in the park and using my cellular data, but make the choice that is best for you based on what level of service you have. If you aren’t able to get a boarding group at 7:00 am, you’ll have a second shot when the virtual queue opens again at 1:00 pm — you must be inside Hollywood Studios to try to join a boarding group at 1pm.

Here’s the process…

At 7:00 am, on the dot, open or refresh the My Disney Experience app home page. Select join under the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – Request Access with Virtual Queue section. The app will show those who are on your Friends & Family list that have a Hollywood Studios park pass reservation. Make sure everyone is included! Click join.

You will see a confirmation screen that will show you a boarding group number along with an estimated wait time. This wait time is not set in stone as sometimes there are delays, so be sure to check in on it.

It’s not overly complicated, however, you just need to have quick fingers to click the join button at exactly the right time.

You will receive a notification once your Boarding Group is called, but you can also see which groups are able to ride on the app and on signs near Galaxy’s Edge. You will have an hour from the time your group is called to scan into the line for the ride.

When your group is called, make your way over to the ride entrance and they will scan everyone in so that you can enter the queue.

About the ride…

Like I mentioned before, this is more than just a ride…it’s an experience. And a pretty amazing one at that! Once your group is called and you go through the line, the attraction in its entirety takes about 25 minutes. There are several different parts of this, but the ride portion is around 5 minutes. This ride has a height requirement of 40″. The ride portion is trackless and is a mostly smooth ride. There is a small drop that you may need to prepare yourself or kids for ahead of time, but it’s over very quickly.

This is definitely a favorite ride of ours. Have you ridden it yet?

You can see all of the latest Disney and Universal updates and my personal adventures over on Instagram @shannondevinetravel. Come say hi!

Make sure to pin this post for later!

Categories: Disney, Travel

What It’s Like to Go to Walt Disney World Right Now

Walt Disney World in Orlando certainly looks different compared to a few months ago in March of this year.  The four theme parks opened up again in mid-July since closing due to COVID-19.  My husband and I are Annual Passholders and since we were already going to be in town, we decided to try a short visit to the Magic Kingdom a week after its reopening.

Things are changing constantly, so for the most accurate and up-to-date information make sure to check out this website: Know Before You Go

The first step to planning a Disney trip now is checking the new Park Pass Reservation availability calendar to see if you are able to go to the certain park you want to visit on a certain day. Currently, there is no park hopping so you get one park per day. You can leave and come back to the same park on the same day if you want to take a break though. Make sure you select the correct view for the type of tickets you have (or will have)…tickets only, tickets with a resort reservation, or annual passes. You can learn how to make your Park Pass Reservations here.

So, what is it like going to the theme parks with all of the new health and safety measures in place? I’ll admit…it was a little strange, but there is still magic there. I may or may not have teared up when we walked down (an almost empty) Main Street USA to see the new paint job on Cinderella’s Castle.  

To get here though, we parked at the Transportation and Ticket Center, masked up, and went through our first temperature check. It took a couple seconds and we were both good to go on the first check. If you (or anyone in your party) has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, you will be asked to wait under a tent and they will check your temperature again. If your temperature is still too high, you will not be able to enter the parks.  

Next was the security screening, which was relatively similar to how it’s been in the past. 

We rode the monorail to the park. Only one family was in each section of the monorail with new dividers in between each normally open section. 


(Note: My husband’s face mask with the valve is no longer acceptable at Walt Disney World.)

To get through the park entrance, all you need to do is scan your Magic Band or ticket. They are not using the fingerprint scanners.

Our first stop was Starbucks and the line had two groups ahead of us. If you frequent this spot, you know this was a huge shock for us! 

We got to see our first Character Cavalcade after we got our drinks with Winnie the Pooh and Friends. They are not currently doing any parades, but instead are doing different cavalcades around the park (basically a small parade but not at a particular time, they just happen randomly throughout the day as to not draw a large crowd).  

Y’all Florida is hot in the summer, so wearing a mask all day outdoors is not fun. Trust me when I say, no one enjoys it. I definitely think if we continue to have park days with these restrictions, they will be short days where we can also enjoy the resort we’re staying at. I would recommend bringing multiple masks for everyone in your party to change out throughout the day. We got some of the Disney face masks (size large for adults) and they were comfortable and not too hot. There are cast members enforcing the new safety measures, as well as announcements every so often over the speakers. 

Here’s Cinderella’s Castle in all of her new pink and blue glory! I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure how I felt about this but it is starting to grow on me.

Mask: shopDisney

We did one of the Magic Shots with a PhotoPass Photographer and I couldn’t believe how empty the park looked once we saw the photos on the My Disney Experience app.

We were able to ride several rides with minimal wait times. Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train with a 10 minute wait??!  There are no Fastpasses, so you’ll need to check wait times in the app and wait in the line with everyone else. Make sure everyone in your party (and ride vehicle if another group is with you – spaced out) wear their masks for the entire ride or you will not get your ride photos on your account. They also did a great job sanitizing all of the ride vehicles on the ones we rode. Some of the queues have plexiglass dividers to block interaction with others in the line, as well as social distancing markers. There are hand sanitizing stands at the entrance and exit of each rides and also throughout the park.

There are several options for mobile ordering. We got lunch from Pinocchio’s Village Haus and it was ready quickly. Tables are blocked off inside to keep everyone spread out. You can also mobile order Dole Whip which was a win in my book!

There are a few relaxation stations where you are able to sit (spaced out) and remove your masks both indoors and outdoors. We checked out the one inside Pete’s Silly Sideshow by Storybook Circus and it was relatively empty and freezing cold. This is definitely a great spot to cool down!

So there aren’t any parades, fireworks, shows, character meet and greets…but Disney has found some fun ways to spread some magic safely. We got to wave goodbye to Goofy, Max, and some other friends over the train station on our way out!

I have seen several people say they felt “safer at Disney than the grocery store,” and while I don’t know that I would go that far, I did feel like the correct safety measures were in place and neither my husband or myself ever felt like we were in a situation that made us uncomfortable.

I’m not here to tell you whether you should or should not go to Disney right now, you need to make the decision based on what’s best for you and your family. I will say though, that I would not recommend taking your (or someone in your party’s) first trip right now. It just isn’t quite the same and you won’t understand what everyone thinks is so magical. If you’re an experienced park goer who has done all (or almost all) there is to do, you are more able to enjoy and appreciate the current situation and still get your Disney fix.

Stay tuned for a post on what items are currently in my park bag!

xoxo Shannon

 

Categories: Travel

How To: Pack for a Trip

Copy of How To Pack For a Trip

Does packing for a trip stress you out?

I am not one of those people on Pinterest who can pack an entire week’s worth of items in a single carry-on bag, although I totally give them props! I will share with you how I pack for a trip and make it a little less stressful. We travel pretty often so I have a bit of a routine that I follow to get ready for a trip.

 
Let’s break it down…
  • I try to start early and plan everything out.  Feeling prepared helps manage my stress level prior to traveling.
  • I plan out my outfits based on the number of days we will be gone and the activities we will be doing.  I lay out my outfit, shoes, accessories, and anything else I might need for a certain outfit.
  • I try to stay within a color scheme as much as I can. That way shoes, purses, and basic jewelry will go with everything. That way you aren’t trying to pack a pair of shoes for every outfit!
  • I have a general packing list saved on my computer that I print ahead of time. I then add anything special for a particular trip, like Magic Bands and ears for Disney.  As things are packed, I cross them off and I can make sure nothing is left at home. I also have a spot that I can add any items that need to be taken care of before leaving, for example placing our mail on hold if we will be gone for an extended period of time.
  • I use packing cubes in multiple sizes to keep items organized in my suitcase so I can easily find what I need.
  • If I have a lot of bulky clothing items, I will use space saving or vacuum bags for those items…they are AMAZING! 
  • I’m always cold so I throw in a lightweight sweater in my carry on (usually a large tote or backpack) for airports and planes. 
  • I tend to wear a pair of sneakers on travel days and they don’t have to take up space in my suitcase.
  • Airports can charge steep prices for food and drinks.  Obviously, you can’t take liquids through security, but you can prepare ahead of time with your own snacks.  I always stash some in my carry on.  Things like nuts, crackers, freeze-dried fruit, protein bars, etc. Great idea for road trips too!
  • I try to pack travel-sized toiletries if possible. It saves a lot of space and makes packing easier. Ulta has a great selection of items (usually by the checkout), as well as Target. I’m able to leave most of these items packed and ready to easily grab to pack. I use the eBags Classic Large Pack-It-All Flat Toiletry Kit. It holds a ton of items, packs flat, and has a hook you can hang it with while traveling.
  • I have a travel case that I pack all of my jewelry in with compartments. This keeps it all together and untangled. I also have another pouch that I use to hold other accessories, like headbands or clips. 
 
What are your best packing tips and tricks? Let me know!
Categories: Travel

Savannah, Georgia: Highlights

Devine Fairytale Savannah, Georgia Highlights

The sweet city of Savannah, Georgia is a city full of history, beautiful scenery, and plenty of unique shops and restaurants.  It’s one of my favorite places to visit!  I love to explore and find new spots around the town each time I go. 

Here are some highlights from a recent trip!

Lulu’s Chocolate Bar:  Chocolate covered strawberries were waiting for us when we checked into our room at the DoubleTree by Hilton located in the Savannah Historic District.  They were amazing and definitely lived up to the hype!  Lulu’s has been voted the best desserts in Savannah since 2008.

Old Savannah Trolley Tours:  Savannah is a town best explored on foot.  We opted for an all-day on and off trolley tour with almost 20 stops to make sure we could fit all of the best spots into our one full day.  It was so convenient and it was full of historical information. It is a great way to see most of the historic parts of the city, especially if you’ve never been before. We didn’t have to worry about finding parking in the busy areas and were able to get further than if we were only walking. The tickets were $35 per adult.

The Pirates’ House:  We had a great lunch at The Pirates’ House, one of the oldest buildings in Georgia and where Robert Louis Stevenson wrote a part of the novel, Treasure Island. The seafood was delicious! This is pretty popular spot and I would definitely recommend trying to get a reservation ahead of time. 

Belford’s:  City Market is full of shops, restaurants, and bars. It is a must see in Savannah.  We shopped at a few boutiques before eating dinner on the patio at Belford’s Seafood and Steak. The weather was perfect and I loved the lobster ravioli. It was voted Best Entrée by Southern Living Magazine at the 2006 Taste of Savannah. The white chocolate bread pudding they brought us for dessert was another winner.

Ghosts and Gravestones:  Whether you believe in a ghosts or not, it is still a unique activity to add to your trip. Savannah is widely considered to be America’s Most Haunted City. The stories and the history alone are interesting enough!  We rode on a trolley and made a few stops at some “haunted” spots. I would definitely recommend this over a strictly walking ghost tour. The tour lasts about an hour and a half. You can save on ticket prices if you purchase online ahead of time, but regular adult tickets are about $35 per person.

Broughton Street:  The best shopping is definitely on Broughton Street which features local boutiques and higher-end national chains.  Some of my favorites:  Kate Spade, Free People, The Paris Market, and Lucy Lu’s. Leopold’s Ice Cream is another great spot to stop for a sweet treat. 

River Street:  A wonderful spot to explore! There is so much history with a number of shops and restaurants as well. Vic’s on the River and The Shrimp Factory are a couple of spots worth checking out. You may also want to take part in a Riverboat Cruise. The Savannah Candy Kitchen is another little spot to find some tasty treats that also make great gifts to bring back!

Have you ever been to Savannah?  I would love to hear your favorite places because I am sure we will be back!  If not, I hope some of these hot spots can help you plan your next getaway. 

 
 

Need some packing help? Check out these tips!

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