That is one of our decisions right now, if we should spend an additional $60 to get the Genie app and skip that line, or if we can get up and get moving early enough and just do that stuff ASAP.
My thought was do exactly like you mentioned, at rope drop, and then walk around the park the rest of the day, and return to Galaxy’s Edge that evening for a reservation to make a lightsaber, right at the end of the day. That way we get the two big things out of the way, we don’t carry around lightsabers all day, and we can go back to the Star Wars area a second time before leaving.
This was my first time going to Galaxys edge. I didn’t want to miss anything so I was scared. My girlfriend went back in 2019, she was alittle nervous about not having the virtual queue
It really was my decision to do it, but like we said. Realistically there is no reason for it if you run from the rope drop and go right to rise. There is a short cut.. I’ll try and get a map to show you how to get there before the hoard
We also went on a Saturday which some crew members said isn’t as busy as weekdays.. I don’t see how that’s possible but that’s what they said
We went 4 days after the freakn app launched.. none of the staff in the park even knew how it worked I had some random dude see me struggling with the crew member and he came over and showed us. Wicked cool of him
I’m not lying when I say we waited half, or just a few minutes over half the projected wait time
(We WALKED onto rocking roller coaster, Star tours, and mickys train ride)
I was amazed at how empty the gift shop was! Ondar’s shop didn’t have a lot of stuff.. I also went with a shopping list for my friends and I took picture for proof that they didn’t have what they wanted
Didn’t have list
Temple guard mask
Kalikori
Yoda lamp
Sith crystal
Jedi crystal
Blue kyber crystals
White kyber crystals
Boba fett helmet
Boba fett jet pack
(I later learned Disney springs has 2 Star Wars gift shops, if you are going to the springs and they have what you want buy it there!! Hell if they have the Kalikori and don’t mind purchasing it and filling out my shipping info, I’ll pay you to snag it for me)
There was more but I can’t think of it right now
I got a crew member to come out of character and he told me they haven’t had things for months.. and doesn’t know if this stuff is ever coming back
All the Jedi costumes were sold out except for mediums.. they also said they didn’t know when they would be back in stock
I will tell you, we learned this after the fact and would have changed if we knew
But I surprised my girlfriend with savi’s workshop when she went the first time she wasn’t able to do it, and didn’t see the videos online so we went in blind to it
Look at me babble.. get to the point Halliwax!! Anyway.. she picked a red crystal.. if we knew there wasn’t any blue left, we would have picked the blue. Then bought the red crystal in the shop..
Can’t get blue crystals unless you build it in savi’s right now. And they told me it’s been like this for months..
I documented the experience, if you haven’t seen it already, don’t watch it. It is an amazing experience and glad I waited until I saw it first hand, at the end I actually get goosebumps.. I think you can even hear my gasp