I’d like to get a discussion going about how to handle Canto Bight.

It seems like there are three options.

A) Keep the existing structure intact, but trim down the fathier stuff somewhat. This option introduces the fewest issues, but solves just as much less of the problems this stuff has.

B) Remove fathier sequence altogether. This would look like:

Finn and Rose arrive on Canto Bight. Finn is infatuated with the place, until Rose spills her guts about her history with the FO and how the town houses war profiteers. (This will be trimmed just a little, removing the namedrop of ‘fathiers.’ Alternatively, Finn and Rose could immediately spot the master codebreaker upon entering the casino and be thrown in jail.)
Finn and Rose are incarcerated, meet DJ, and we transition directly to the three of them in hyperspace making their deal.
Later, their story proceeds as it does originally.
One slight problem is that transitioning to hyperspace heavily implies that we are viewing the same shuttle they left on, despite a brief establishing shot to the contrary that audiences wouldn’t pick up on. It might be slightly confusing when it is revealed that DJ stole the ship. I believe a FX shot of BB8 following the group as they leave the cell would be helpful. (Could even just be to show him leaving the shadows, similar to the shot where he watches the guards. Doesn’t even need to be added to an existing shot. Just something to indicate that he sees them leaving and is going to follow.)

C) Finn never leaves the rebels in the first place, and we are never formally introduced to Rose. This does not seem like a workable option to me, because the character of DJ will return in Episode 9, and I’d want to keep Finn’s involvement in the story. (I.e., it’s not an option to just keep Finn with the rebels all along and hardly show him. We do need to actually go to Canto Bight.)