Question re: something one of the CMs said to me

[Robo]

~Fabulous~





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[Traveliz]

Thanks Robo! I know that stuff happens, I was just curious as to the validity of the statement that local (to the ride) CMs have no control over the wait time listed. It was also odd to me that the expected wait time didn't change even though there were several of the red line timers that went through, both ahead of and behind our group.
And, totally OT but boy did I look like the hero at EPCOT on our first morning when I spotted the RFID entries that had NO lines after my BIL had gotten in a long line for the old style tickets! It was funny because he refused to get out of line at first, sure that I was incorrect and we'd be sent right back to an even longer line. He changed his tune real quickly when he saw my family scanning our tickets and walking right on in.

Yes that is true - the CMs right there have no control over what time the return time is listed.

Liz

 

[123LuckyMom]

I am very worried about the fast pass plus system, because there have been MANY times when we've missed our fast pass window due to an inaccurate wait time at another ride (one that said 20 min but ended up being over an hour, and such). I don't mind these hiccups, but I do mind now that you can't eat anywhere without having made a reservation six months in advance! How much worse will it be when you have to pay for fast passes? I really miss the days of just wandering the parks, getting on rides as you encountered them, and popping in to a character meal when your feet got tired. Disney shouldn't be stressful!

 

[juliebug1997]

Yes that is true - the CMs right there have no control over what time the return time is listed.

Liz

ITA. I don't think Disney would allow the possibility of a disgruntled CM having absolute control over the ability to put up the wait time.

 

[Robo]

ITA. I don't think Disney would allow the possibility of a disgruntled CM having absolute control over the ability to put up the wait time.

Or, even a gruntled one.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Stuff happens.

Frequently.

 

[DebbieB]

I saw something strange at Space Mountain when I was there 2 weeks ago. I had a fastpass so it didn't matter to me but the standby line said 80 minutes. There was a long line outside. I went through the tunnel on the fastpass side and there was no one in the tunnel! The queue on the platform on the left side was full, fastpass went to the ride, not bad line. I just didn't understand why they had people lined up outside and no one in the tunnel, they added the interactive stations and no one was there to play with them.

 

[Robo]

Now that we're deep into this discussion...

What of the situation very near park closing time of the "Wait Time" showing an artificially L-O-N-G wait time so as to discourage guests from deciding to get into that line as the park is about to close?

If the CM's at the attraction can't manually change the Wait Time, doesn't that seem odd that the posted time is cranked up so high?

Does somebody get called on the phone and is THAT person, from a "central location," able to manually crank in a bogus extra-long wait time?

Is it a standard policy and is it "built-into" the computer software to kick in an extra wait time at a certain time of the evening?

Or, is what I'm talking about just a Disney Myth and doesn't really happen?

 

[anniemck]

I am very worried about the fast pass plus system, because there have been MANY times when we've missed our fast pass window due to an inaccurate wait time at another ride (one that said 20 min but ended up being over an hour, and such). I don't mind these hiccups, but I do mind now that you can't eat anywhere without having made a reservation six months in advance! How much worse will it be when you have to pay for fast passes? I really miss the days of just wandering the parks, getting on rides as you encountered them, and popping in to a character meal when your feet got tired. Disney shouldn't be stressful!

We still travel this way... If we decide we want to try to eat someplace special we will go to that place early in the day and see if we can get an opening for later... have done this with Liberty Tree Tavern several times, and had no problem, Same with 50's Prime Time twice last year including on Mothers Day, and even Hoop Dee Doo Revue, don't know what we want to eat until that day, no way am I making reservations months or even days in advance.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Now that we're deep into this discussion...

What of the situation very near park closing time of the "Wait Time" showing an artificially L-O-N-G wait time so as to discourage guests from deciding to get into that line as the park is about to close?

Um, yes, it happens. Why, I could not tell you, but it does. I've also seen wildly inflated wait times in the morning. I am getting the impression that Disney has been playing around with fastpass distribution as of late, which is wreaking havoc with standby waits. BUT - I'm not at WDW, so I can't verify my theory with personal experience.

My own crazy random theory is that in preparation for FP+, Disney has increased the number of FP's for each attraction- in the hopes of better training guests to use more fp. If I understand fp+, then I think it will work best if guests learn to use fp more than they are currently using it. Guests avoid lines, Disney improves flow, which increases capacity. Right now, the 'common' wisdom is for guests to all head to Fantasyland at RD. That means that PotC and the Tiki House are practically empty. I think that is part of why waits for Peter Pan get- and stay - so long all day. Once the queue backs up, it's hard to undo. It's a lot like how rush hour traffic works. If all the area businesses make employees work from 9-5, it's bad for everyone. Get businesses to stagger work hours- some open at 7, some at 10...then everyone wins. Schools are another very important variable. Change school hours, and the impact is huge.

Once you get a traffic tie up, they are hard to undo.

Here's my other evidence...Disney's website now does a much better job of advertising non-park activites. Currently, a very large portion of guests follow the same pattern- arrive at the parks between 8:45am and 10:15am, eat lunch at noon. If they take an afternoon break- it's around 3pm - 5pm. Almost everyone who goes to a park-is in the park between 11am and 1pm. Again, there would be a huge benefit for Disney if they could get guests to visit a spa at 11:30am instead.

You can learn a tremendous amount watching the ebb and flow of a food court between 7am and 10am. Another insightful thing to do is to watch the flow of buses coming and going from MK - maybe from a good vantage point at CR.

 

[sassie_kat]

We had the same problem at LM last Friday. Sign said 30 minutes but it was actually an hour and 30 minutes. You can't tell how long the line is because alot of it is hidden from the outside. This was the only time we've ever had this problem. Maybe there's something wrong with that ride's timecard reader?

That was the day we were there! If you were one of the unfortunate people who had to put up with my daughter screaming as we left the line, I am SO sorry!!! The line is deceiving - but then, most of them are. You cannot see that there are multiple rooms that you go through. Since this was our first trip since NFL was completed, I had NO idea what the queue area was like. If I had known how much of it was hidden from view AND where the line was forming when we got in, we probably would have skipped it.

Since I now know that ride CMs can't adjust the wait time, are they permitted to give guests a heads up? The helpful CM up front heard us discussing whether or not to get in line, couldn't he have chimed in with something of a warning?

I get the whole FP thing, and trust me - we used the heck out of both that system and the rider swap tickets (we may not be returning until my youngest has gotten tall enough to ride most of the rides though . . . she LOVES her thrill rides and was NOT happy to be left behind!**) There were no large groups of FP returners and like I said earlier, there were plenty of red timers going through the line in front of and behind us. I'm just so glad that was our last ride of the day and we had nowhere else to be. I shudder at the thought of what would have happened had we had to leave the line for good without riding it. I'm pretty good at averting a tantrum most of the time but all my tricks wouldn't have saved that night!

** My BIL got a cute video of my daughter singing a song about being left behind while Mommy rides the rides. It went something like "baby swap, momma makes me wait, baby swap, mommy gets to ride . . . BARN STORMER . . . no baby swap for that, baby swap, momma makes me wait . . . "

 

[juliebug1997]

Or, even a gruntled one.

That's an even worse kind of employee. I try very hard not to get gruntled.

 

[TLSnell1981]

It sure seems that standby times are less accurate in recent months, judging by the number of times it is coming up here. WDW needs to improve this. "

So, it's not just my family. I was beginning to feel a bit paranoid.

Yep. I really don't recall seeing all these reports about wildly inaccurate wait times back before the change to fastpass enforcement.

"Enhancement"..

I am very worried about the fast pass plus system, because there have been MANY times when we've missed our fast pass window due to an inaccurate wait time at another ride (one that said 20 min but ended up being over an hour, and such). I don't mind these hiccups, but I do mind now that you can't eat anywhere without having made a reservation six months in advance! How much worse will it be when you have to pay for fast passes? I really miss the days of just wandering the parks, getting on rides as you encountered them, and popping in to a character meal when your feet got tired. Disney shouldn't be stressful!

Supposedly, we should anticipate every scenario and not pull a FP. t's the guest fault.

 

[juliebug1997]

It seems that there is no pleasing anyone. People are mad because of FP enforcement times. Others are mad because they can't come late with their FPs. Some are mad because FPs just exist. And still others are mad because the stand by line times aren't accurate enough. No wonder there are so many meltdowns at WDW.

 

[Traveliz]

That was the day we were there! If you were one of the unfortunate people who had to put up with my daughter screaming as we left the line, I am SO sorry!!! The line is deceiving - but then, most of them are. You cannot see that there are multiple rooms that you go through. Since this was our first trip since NFL was completed, I had NO idea what the queue area was like. If I had known how much of it was hidden from view AND where the line was forming when we got in, we probably would have skipped it.

Since I now know that ride CMs can't adjust the wait time, are they permitted to give guests a heads up? The helpful CM up front heard us discussing whether or not to get in line, couldn't he have chimed in with something of a warning?

I get the whole FP thing, and trust me - we used the heck out of both that system and the rider swap tickets (we may not be returning until my youngest has gotten tall enough to ride most of the rides though . . . she LOVES her thrill rides and was NOT happy to be left behind!**) There were no large groups of FP returners and like I said earlier, there were plenty of red timers going through the line in front of and behind us. I'm just so glad that was our last ride of the day and we had nowhere else to be. I shudder at the thought of what would have happened had we had to leave the line for good without riding it. I'm pretty good at averting a tantrum most of the time but all my tricks wouldn't have saved that night!

** My BIL got a cute video of my daughter singing a song about being left behind while Mommy rides the rides. It went something like "baby swap, momma makes me wait, baby swap, mommy gets to ride . . . BARN STORMER . . . no baby swap for that, baby swap, momma makes me wait . . . "

They can if they know how the wait time is running. They just don't always know either.

Liz

 

[TLSnell1981]

It seems that there is no pleasing anyone. People are mad because of FP enforcement times. Others are mad because they can't come late with their FPs. Some are mad because FPs just exist. And still others are mad because the stand by line times aren't accurate enough. No wonder there are so many meltdowns at WDW.

Not mad, just exteremly frustrated. The guests are expected to be prompt and efficient, but Disney is blameless. We get charged and/or lose our T'S ressie, if we aren't timely. We are supposed to factor in broke rides, inaccurate wait times, extend waits for ADRs, slow meal service, etc. and, if we can't...don't pull a FP.

FP wasn't enforced because latecomers clogged lines. Just wait for it..soon we'll be on our knees, begging to pay for the privilege.

 

[juliebug1997]

Not mad, just exteremly frustrated. The guests are expected to be prompt and efficient, but Disney is blameless. We get charged and/or lose our T'S ressie, if we aren't timely. We are supposed to factor in broke rides, inaccurate wait times, extend waits for ADRs, slow meal service, etc. and, if we can't...don't pull a FP.

FP wasn't enforced because latecomers clogged lines. Just wait for it..soon we'll be on our knees, begging to pay for the privilege.

I know that, but i also know what was posted here in several heated discussions.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I know that, but i also know what was posted here in several heated discussions.

Gotcha.

 

[mom2rtk]

Just wait for it..soon we'll be on our knees, begging to pay for the privilege.

Surely not....... I mean.... what are the odds?

 

[TiggerBouncy]

From these forums you would have thought half the line would have physically blocked you from joining your bil, half would have started a chant of cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater and half would have punched you out right there in line.

That's what they claim, anyway.

Still sorry you had that experience. At least it sounds like overall you had a good trip.