Disneyland changes the way to get into Oga's Cantina

I guess if you seat parties by a conventional reservation system, you have to wait for that party to show up, and if they're late, you're holding the spot for them (I'm assuming), or you have to keep calling their name, and if they don't show in say, a few minutes, you call the next party. By calling them back to a short standby queue, you're drawing from the head of the line, so you cut out that wasted time waiting for the party to show up. Sounds like a smart solution.

About the milk, just make it simple and make the Blue Milk a blueberry banana smoothie. I've had one at the smoothie shop near the Balboa Fun Zone and it was delicious. For the Green Milk, make it a mango or pineapple banana smoothie.

So you can now get into a virtual queue, to get into another virtual queue, which leads to a real queue where, if you’re lucky, you might get to have a drink...

@Chad H exactly … virtual queue has always been a joke. I absolutely HATE the attractions that implement it at Universal.

It is still better then actually having to wait in a cramped line and twiddle you thumbs for two hours.

I'm not sure why this is such a difficult operational challenge for Disney. If Oga's has a limited capacity and high demand, it's very simple to institute a restaurant-style queue as they appear to have done here. If you're first in line, you're immediately seated until the space fills. Once the space fills, a line forms until a second "round" of guests is queuing outside the Cantina. Guests who arrive later provide their cell phone for a return text (or a pager if they for some ridiculous reason don't have a cell phone, which must stay within a certain radius of the establishment). When the standby line moves up, guests are paged/texted to return to the Cantina with 5-10 minutes to claim their spot in the line (with their entire part present). If guests miss their return (or their entire party is not there), they give up their spot in the line and have to claim a new spot at the end of the virtual queue. This is the only fair way to ensure Oga's stays at capacity and guests have a reasonable expectation to enter the Cantina.

The biggest issue that seems to be slowing the flow of guests in the Cantina is the service along with meandering guests. I've read the guests at the bar and tables get reasonably prompt service, but those in the standing tables in between the seated areas are not given the same level of attention. It also doesn't help that guests at the standing tables are apt to wander around the Cantina looking at stuff since they're already standing, occasionally missing their server as they come by to take orders. It really sounds like Disney seriously underestimated the demand for this experience and didn't fully flesh out the operational challenges with the way the place is set up. I'm not sure if there's space available to expand Oga's or if altering the seating and staffing is the way to go, but it definitely sounds like something will need to be done to ensure that everyone who wants to belly up to the first bar in Disneyland can actually do it.

From most reports I've read, it sounds like most of the delays for Savi's Workshop is because guests are moving too slow. All of the Instagramers out there are insistent on taking photos and narrated videos of every single piece of the build. What's annoying is that all of these Instagramers are taking photos/videos within the Workshop, which is already dimly and intimately lit, and either have to take multiple shots to get the lighting right or using flashes/strobes, which is distracting to other guests trying to be immersed in the experience. Disney was hoping to cycle 4 groups per hour through the workshop, but are only ending up with 2 or 3. When you can only handle 14 builders (and 14 guests) at a time, losing 1-2 cycles per hour can dramatically affect the overall capacity of the attraction. It also sounds like some of the CMs running the attraction are a bit long-winded, which is easy to correct. The obvious big fix is that CMs/Gatherers need to be more aggressive in moving guests along in the build. You would think by initially limiting guests to the parts they could chose by forcing them to pick their theme ahead of time (reducing the number of interchangeable parts to select from) would be enough, but it sounds like they really need to start giving guests countdowns to make each selection to keep the experience to 15 minutes. The other adjustment will probably be to eliminate/limit photography inside the Workshop. This would annoy me, because I consider myself a conscientious photographer and wouldn't ever use a flash when not appropriate or let my photography get in the way of others and their enjoyment of an experience, but if Instagramers cannot control their obsession to the point where it is halving the capacity of the attraction, then Disney will have to do something more drastic.

The one thing I hope they don't do is to up the price. From the sounds of it, the lightsabers are every bit worth the $200 with the experience as a bonus. Honestly, I don't think pumping the price up to $250 or $300 will have much of an affect on demand, but it certainly would upset those that haven't had a chance to visit yet to find that something they were hoping to buy for $200 now costs 25+% more simply because of a bunch of selfish morons. I do think that Disney could probably introduce an early reservation system where maybe a third of the available capacity can be locked in 30 days in advance much like ADRs. Disney could charge a hefty deposit (say $50) for your spot if you don't show up or don't cancel within 24 hours, but it would eliminate the long lines of guests just standing around waiting. As with the rest of the land, everything changes when they stop limiting the length of time guests can spend in Galaxy's Edge, so whatever Disney does now to address some of the operational challenges through the reservation period will have to be reassessed after June 24th.

Ooh, the ADR-like reservation system for Savi's Workshop sounds fantastic. I would love a lightsaber, but I'm already on the fence about spending $200 one one. So, the prospect of having to wait 2 hours to do so is enough for me to pass on the experience altogether. Perhaps demand will diminish. I mean, there's not a 4-hour wait for Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique, so hopefully this premium experience settles down after a few months (or at least by the third week of October when I arrive!).

Jeremy, don’t get me wrong - I am in favour of virtual queues and like the Wbot system, for example.

But a queue for a queue to get into a third queue is silly, virtual or not.

I don't that that's what they're doing here Chad. They are creating a single virtual queue, allowing guests to roam a bit while they wait. Once they're called back, guests are placed into a holding pen until space opens up in the Cantina. If CMs waited to call people from the virtual queue when tables open in the Cantina, there would be a delay while guests made their way back after receiving their text. That means tables would be sitting empty during this period, which under most circumstances is not that big of a deal, but when Disney wants to get as many people through Oga's as possible, even a 5 minute gap with an empty table can significantly affect the number of guests that can cycle through in a day.

My understanding is that there are only 2 queues...

1. The virtual one that allows guests to roam around waiting for a text to return to Oga's, just like many bars and restaurants around the country.
2. A real queue where guests that have been called back wait for tables to open.

Like any restaurant, it will probably take a few weeks for CMs to get a feel for how fast they can turn tables and how long guests will linger. That will allow them to provide more accurate wait times and to reduce the number of guests that need to wait in the physical queue for an empty table.

However, it's still unclear what will happen when guests no longer need a reservation to enter Galaxy's Edge. Honestly, I don't want to have to rush back to Oga's at 8 AM for a beer (breakfast of champions), but if that's the only way to guarantee entry to the highest demand experience currently in the land, that's what I'll do. If you show up at 10 AM to put your name on a list and won't be called back until 4 PM, that's pretty useless IMHO. Again, everything that's happening now has to be taken with a grain of salt as Disney will have to reevaluate all of these operational decisions after June 24th.

>>>They are creating a single virtual queue, allowing guests to roam a bit while they wait. Once they're called back, guests are placed into a holding pen until space opens up in the Cantina.

The first queue I'm referring to is the virtual queue to get in the land. The holding pen is the third (but first real) queue. Admittedly the first is only temporary, but I still find it bizaire that people would subject themselves to three levels of queueing....

There is no virtual queue to enter Galaxy's Edge. It's a reservation system that designates what day and time you can visit the land. This is not a queue at all (doesn't move or change), just a way for Disney to control the number of people that can enter Galaxy's Edge on a given day, and to set expectation for guests that show up on a whim and think they can just walk in, which is not permitted right now.

The reservation to enter Galaxy's Edge is more like an after-hours or other ticketed event than a queue (physical or virtual), so I don't agree with your assessment that there are three levels of queuing. If you show up to Disneyland this afternoon with your Galaxy's Edge reservation, there's no queue for you to stand in aside from the one at Launch Bay to pick up your wristband.

Now I am reading that Disney is likely to utilize a virtual queue to enter Galaxy's Edge starting on June 24th (when the reservation period ends) on days when the land reaches capacity (obviously the capacity of the land will greatly increase when RotR opens, but of course the demand will also increase). Guests will sign up for a return group through the Parks App or picking up a physical FP tied to their admission ticket, and will receive a text when capacity becomes available. Guests will then have 2 hours to report back to the land after being paged. However, I haven't seen anything official yet from Disney, so this is just a plausible working theory as to how things will work starting on June 24th.

Disney should just use this whole reservation thing that they have had going on for the rest of the summer. It seems like people are enjoying the land and wait times are manageable. They probably would have to up the number of reservations somewhat so that more people would be let in (still keeping it reasonable of course). More people would be let in to the land, wallets and credit cards as well which would please Disney. People would know beforehand whether or not they will see Star Wars and this can just make everything smoother for everyone else.

This won't happen since Disney has already promised a June 24 opening but perhaps Disney World can benefit from this.

WDW already said no reservations will be required for Disney's Hollywood Studios version and added Extra Extra Magic Hours, so we know this is not their east coast procedure.

Disney should use the same reservation system for Savi's and Oga's that they use for Disney Dining - advance reservations via mobile, web or phone.

I'm not entirely sure how Oga's Cantina operates, but in my mind the best solution would be something like this:

1. Guests put their name on a list (only possible once they enter the land), then wander the land until they are summoned.
2. Once guests are called, they must return within 10 minutes to claim their spot. Guests are queued up outside the cantina in a line that holds 1/2-3/4 of the cantina capacity.
3. While waiting, guests are given a menu and are asked to make their selections prior to entering. This is recorded by a cast member managing the line, who gives guests a card with their orders. If someone changes their mind, they can change the card.
4. Once inside, guests proceed to the bar and hand over their card. After they pay, they take a table locator and find a table. Drinks are delivered as soon as they are ready.
5. Guests are politely asked to vacate their table once they have finished their drinks, but they may remain in the cantina to soak up the atmosphere. However, they may not make another purchase unless they exit and get back in the queue. Periodically, Oga appears and evicts those who do not have drinks.

I think the lineups for Savi's workshop will eventually clear up on their own after the initial opening window though. I mean how many people are going to go back and spend $200 to build a lightsaber for a second or third time? For most people, it's mostly a one-time experience and unlike a ride or a dining experience like Oga's it's not something that has a lot of value from repeat visitors.

@CosmicMonkey - You have a good point, but also need to realize that there are a lot of fans out there that haven't even gotten to visit Savi's to get their first lightsaber. Because crowds are being significantly limited through the reservation system, which is all occurring while most kids are still in school, I would expect the demand for "Scrap" to explode once guests no longer need reservations to visit Black Spire Outpost. You will then get another wave of demand once the lowest level APs are no longer blacked out in the fall. Disney will probably have to put some more restrictive procedures in place starting on June 24th that will likely last at least through October.

What Disney did do that is smart is allowing guests to purchase accessories and extra pieces for their lightsabers from the Den of Antiquities, which allows the super hardcore fans to further customize and change their lightsabers without having to pony up another $200 and go through the experience again (though I've heard you could easily spend hundreds buying add-ons and extra parts and Kyber Crystals for your custom lightsaber). However, it does sound like for the biggest fans that Savi's is as much a religious experience as it is a fancy souvenir purchase, and those that are deeply engrossed in the ways of the force would willingly go through the experience multiple times regardless of the cost.

@AJ - I think the pre-ordering part would significantly speed up the turnover in Oga's. You would think the App could be configured to allow guests to make their selections online, and then have them authorized by a CM (verifying age for alcohol) just prior to entering the Cantina. It should be easy for the system to be configured to send orders to a CM's tablet standing outside, and then forward them to the kitchen/bar as soon as the guests are permitted entry and tagging the order with their assigned location in the bar. The only drawback of this system would be reducing the guest interaction with the CMs in the bar, which is supposed to be part of the experience, particularly the CMs behind the bar. I expect Disney to try a lot of different techniques to see what works best to allow the most number of guests through this experience. I'll reiterate that this reservation period needs to be viewed more as a "soft opening" than standard operations, and any procedures or rules established now are subject to change.

I visited Oga's Cantina on opening day. I attempted to stand in the outdoor queue at 11am. My Galaxy's Edge boarding group window ended at 12pm. I was told that my group's time was up 1 hour early(blue wristbands) and that I could not enter the queue. I exchanged kind words with a supervisor and they let me and party (of 2) in the queue. They were clearly having capacity issues and started cutting people off unfairly.

The biggest timesuck at Oga's is the service. It literally took 45 min to get our drinks at the standing table where we were 'seated'. We ordered about 5 min after arriving from the roaming server. Our drinks arrived 40 min later. There is maximum 45 min visitation time in the bar. She attempted to rush us out after we received our drink but we refused and spent another 20 min enjoying the music while sipping our one drink and eating snacks.

But what happens if they text you when you’re in line for Smuggler’s Run?

@Susan - SOL. Don't get in a 30+ minute line when you're waiting for the Cantina. CMs should have a good idea how fast the virtual queue moves to tell guests how long it will be until they're texted. If the estimated wait is less than 30 mins, they should advise guests to stay close and just browse the shops. If you're not back to Oga's in time, your spot goes to the next person in the virtual queue, and if you do return after they've given your spot away you either go to the back of the virtual queue (if you're egregiously late) or worked into the next available opening (if you're just a few minutes late). That's pretty much how most popular restaurants work where guests can roam the mall or nearby stores while they're waiting for their table. It might not be how Disney wants to run it since they're overly conscious of their public image and perception of their customer service, but that's how I'd do it.

I love the fact that the lightsaber experience is $200 and its still getting a long line even with them tightly restricting entry into the land. I wonder how many of these people lining up to buy them are struggling to pay their bills.

What a waste of money 200 dollars for a lightsaber. Cost of admission to the park on top of that and hours in a queue for an experience that lasts for a few minutes at best.
Some people have more money than sense.
The land looks great but just not worth the money or the hassle.
Two rides in the land also with very long queue times.

Different strokes for different folks Del69. For many, the $200 price tag for the experience at Savi's is more than worth it, and the lines indicate that there is more than enough demand despite the seemingly high price point. The lightsabers are reported to be of extremely high quality (equivalent to $100-200 models you can purchase online and from toy/comic book stores) with the experience to boot. No one is forcing you, or anyone else, to visit Savi's, though you have to wonder if Disney is doing guests a disservice by not having a larger venue so guests not interested in purchasing $200 souvenirs can see it for themselves - however, doing so would eliminate the mystique of the experience and break the story line that the Workshop has to be concealed from the First Order. FWIW, the experience in the workshop is supposed to last about 15 minutes, but really is much longer than that if you chose to immerse yourself into Batuu. If you ignore the crowds bee-lining their way to Savi's and explore Black Spire Outpost to actually find it, talking to in-character CMs along the way, you can turn the experience into a role playing adventure that could last for well over an hour, including the time that you're waiting to enter Savi's. From what I've read, the 4-hour visiting windows allotted during the current reservation period means that most guests are not waiting more than an hour outside the Workshop because CMs are turning guests away during the second half of the periods since all the building slots have been claimed (really only allowing guests 3 hours to visit Savi's - and Oga's - because of the 1-hour overlap between windows). However, during your wait, you can shop, or simply explore and immerse yourself into the land, and then peruse the options available to you in Savi's (so long as the First Order is not walking past).

As of right now, there is only 1 ride in Galaxy's Edge, and from what I've seen from reports and listed times, the wait for Smuggler's Run has been averaging about 30 minutes even during the 1-hour overlap between windows. In fact, lines have been reported to be as short as 5-10 minutes occasionally, so the fear of "very long queue times" has simply not materialized for the ride. That may change once the reservation period ends on June 24, and more guests are physically allowed inside Galaxy's Edge. It may also change when the land's second ride, Rise of the Resistance, opens later in the year - though I might expect the second ride may level lines out across Galaxy's Edge since it is supposed to be a landmark attraction.

It seems when it comes with virtually everything Disney, there are those that have more money than sense, but you can either stomp your feet and miss out on something you might want to do because you think it's too expensive, or go with the flow. I'm a very value-conscious person, and I agree that some of the prices on Batuu are obscene when added to the cost of simply walking through Disneyland's front gate. However, I'm also a HUGE Star Wars fan, and realize that there will be a premium placed on the exclusivity of Galaxy's Edge. We will only have 3 days to visit Disneyland in August, and don't plan to visit WDW and it's version of Galaxy's Edge until probably 2021, so if I don't want to wait another 2 years to get a custom lightsaber, I'll just have to wait in the line.

Russell just because there is a demand for something doesn't mean its worth it.
While I remain a huge Disney fan the current management strive to make as much money as they can per guest to the point where the magic is gone.
You are experienced enough to know when Disney remove their prebook time slots and current restrictions the queue will only go one way.
The opening of the second ride will also do little to reduce wait times, except to drawn further crowds who are waiting until the land is fully operational before paying a visit.
Two rides and a lightsaber for over three hundred dollars per person is simply not worth it.

That's fine Del69, but it's obviously worth it to some. I'll definitely be covering my eyes when I plop down $200 (plus tax) for my lightsaber, but I will make the most of it. I personally think it's ridiculous to see parents shelling out $200+ dollars for a makeover and dress so their kid can look like a Disney Princess. I find it repugnant that Disney charges $500+/night for a hotel room that is on par with a Holiday Inn (minus the complimentary hot breakfast). I also find it obscene that Disney charges @$500/hour (with a 7-hour minimum) to get a VIP tour of Disneyland. However, that's what the market will bear, and the consumers have the option to pay for it or reject it. I paid $250/person for a meal at the Victoria and Albert's Chef's Table (and seemingly extravagant amounts for other high end meals both at WDW/DL and elsewhere), so it is not just about the quality of the product(s) that you receive, but also about the exclusivity of it and the ability to say "I did that".

Again, I was initially startled by the price for Savi's and assumed that Disney was deliberately jacking the price to reap huge profits and to use the cost to artificially reduce demand for the intimate and limited throughput experience. However, all reports indicate that the finished product is on par with lightsabers sold elsewhere in the $100-200 range (not the cheap plastic ones you'd let your younglings play with), and that the most hard-core Star Wars fans (including those already owning multiple prop-replica quality lightsabers) felt that the overall experience more than lived up to the price. I have yet to read a review that has said that the experience is at all overpriced (like you see for some of the dessert parties and a few of the limited admission experiences/events).

If you expected short lines and cut-rate prices for Galaxy's Edge, you haven't been following theme parks (nor Disney) for very long. Disney spent over $1 billion to create Galaxy's Edge, and as a business, they need to recoup that investment. Thinking they're just going to give stuff away for free, or not use financial incentives to try to keep crowds under control (they've been utilizing such strategies for over a decade now) is foolish. This is Disney we're talking about, and a tiger doesn't change its stripes.

That's exactly what I am taking about overpriced dessert parties and extra experience up charges including Starwars.
While 250 for a meal at Victoria and Albert's is expensive you do get as you pointed out exclusivity.
This experience as with many of the other up charge experiences packs in too many people for the price being charged.
While you get a lightsaber in the 100-200 dollar range probably closer to the 100 dollar range you also have to pay an admission price of over 100 dollars also to gain entry.
I have been following Disney and other parks for a very long time. But each time I visit Disney I find the experience is getting worse and losing its appeal everything is about the up charge.

I can see your point. The upcharges are infiltrating every part of the Disney experience, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them expand even further in the future, perhaps into ticketing that limits the time or lands guests can visit on the cheapest ticket.

Perhaps I'm not as taken aback by the price for Savi's because I'm a serious Star Wars fan and collector who's wanted a Master Replica lightsaber for years, but could never justify the extravagant purchase. The one thing that does bother me is the requirement to make a purchase just to see the Workshop (and only allowing 1 guest to accompany the builder - my wife doesn't need/want a lightsaber, so she'll be stuck outside while my son and I go in). Disney took Olivander's and decided to charge guests just to see the show (though they get to go home with a pretty fancy souvenir). Universal looked at the high demand for Olivanders and replicated the experience 3-fold when they opened Diagon Alley, so the lines were far more manageable (well over 3 hours back in 2010 when Hogsmeade first opened). Disney saw high demand for a similar experience and instead of building capacity to meet the demand, they put a price tag on it. A shareholder would see that as a smart business decision, while a guests scrounging their couch cushions just trying to pull together enough money to get through the Disneyland gate see it as exploitative and a cash grab. I see it as par for the course, not only for Disney, but for Star Wars, which has been a commercial engine for overpriced products and "collectibles" for decades. Put Disney and Star Wars together, and you have a perfect storm of entities seeking to suck every last penny out of their fans' bank accounts. In the end, it's up to the guests/consumers to speak with their wallets, because that's the only language profitable companies can hear. My only hope is that the price for Savi's doesn't go up between now and beginning of August, because I've convinced myself that $200 is OK to spend for the experience, but if it goes higher, the calculus definitely changes.

Exactly "instead of building capacity to meet demand, they put a price tag on it" and very expensive price tag at that.
While I don't suggest they should build capacity to meet the current demand. It is my view that what they have built does not come close leading to an overpriced product because capacity is so low.
Yes the shareholder is happy but the customer is not. The number of customers who are not happy is growing.
This for me is what is ruining Disney corporate greed at its finest. Its not the same place I first visited back in 2003 and twelve vacations since.
In recent times I'm not a pushed anymore whether I go or not.