most accurate wait times?

[mjhannaf]

Thanks for the info. I like your site and intend to use it on my trip in a few weeks!

Not asking you to divulge trade secrets, but can you advise if you rely on users to submit data to obtain the actual times? Or do you have a way to do it that proves to be more accurate?

I hope it's an awesome resource for your vacation!

I don't rely on user input or any sort of statistics, just pure magic. I believe my website is more accurate than something that depends on user input.

 

[emokid9963]

I'm going to EPCOT this weekend so I will try http://disneywaittimes.com/ and see what the results are like. Usually for me I "check" MDE just to see, but I stroll around the park until I see a time that sounds good to me.

 

[mjhannaf]

I'm going to EPCOT this weekend so I will try http://disneywaittimes.com/ and see what the results are like. Usually for me I "check" MDE just to see, but I stroll around the park until I see a time that sounds good to me.

Sounds good! Epcot is a great park to just stroll around. One thing that might be helpful in Epcot is the Entertainment times. If you scroll down past the attractions, I list the times for shows and Meet and Greets

 

[emokid9963]

Sounds good! Epcot is a great park to just stroll around. One thing that might be helpful in Epcot is the Entertainment times. If you scroll down past the attractions, I list the times for shows and Meet and Greets

Excellent! Thank you for that, I will post back with my thoughts so everyone can have a look. Thank you again, the site is great.

 

[mjhannaf]

Excellent! Thank you for that, I will post back with my thoughts so everyone can have a look. Thank you again, the site is great.

Looking forward to the feedback. Thanks for the kind words!

 

[LSUfan4444]

I created that site and the biggest thing to keep in mind when using it is what I call "surge" times. Let me explain.

At certain points during the day, the big rides experience "surges". This occurs at park open, after a parade, after fireworks, or after a ride re-opens.

Think about this. When the Festival of Fantasy parade is going on at the Magic Kingdom it draws people away from the rides for 45-60 minutes as they wait for (and watch) the parade. After the parade is over they will rush or "surge" the top drawing attractions and meet and greets.

That means that while A&E meet and greet may be 30 minutes during the parade, it will shoot up to 75 minutes once the parade is done. It takes the site a little while to update the info.

A real world example: I've waited less than 20 minutes the past two nights for TSMM at around 7:45pm because Fantasmic is drawing the crowds. At 8:15 the wait shot back up to 75 minutes.

Just keep that in mind when using the site and have fun!!

How does that impact the actual wait time for TSM? Right not, posted is 50 but the site says actual wait time is 10 minutes. How confident are you that is accurate?

 

[nkereina]

I hope it's an awesome resource for your vacation!

I don't rely on user input or any sort of statistics, just pure magic. I believe my website is more accurate than something that depends on user input.

Thanks for the response! Excited to use it

 

[mjhannaf]

How does that impact the actual wait time for TSM? Right not, posted is 50 but the site says actual wait time is 10 minutes. How confident are you that is accurate?

The only way it could be more accurate is to have a person on each ride that just loops through the queue and reports back.

Without being at HS right now, I would bet that people are eating lunch. I know that it sounds like an impossibly simple answer, and maybe it is, but I'm pretty confident in these numbers.

TSMM dropped to 10 minutes from 34 minutes at 12:25pm. I wish I could be there right now to "test" it

 

[mjhannaf]

Thanks for the response! Excited to use it

No problem.


Side note: I don't want to hijack this thread as the OP was asking for opinions on wait times. Someone through my site into the mix and I wanted to answer questions and provide insight.

There are other apps out there (some that cost money), and of course the official MDE app that show wait times.

Thank you to everyone for the support and questions!

 

[Laketravis]

I have total confidence in mjhannaf's reported times, both posted and actual.

Another reason Actual can show such an unbelievable number has everything to do with FP+

If the arrival of guests into the FP+ queue dwindles, more Standby guests are moved thru the queue. This is an entirely random event but would result in a "Posted" wait time of, say, 50 minutes (which allows for an FP/SB ratio) to become an "Actual" of 5-10 minutes.

But probably not for very long, until the next surge of FP guests arrive in the queue.

 

[mjhannaf]

I have total confidence in mjhannaf's reported times, both posted and actual.

Another reason Actual can show such an unbelievable number has everything to do with FP+

If the arrival of guests into the FP+ queue dwindles, more Standby guests are moved thru the queue. This is an entirely random event but would result in a "Posted" wait time of, say, 50 minutes (which allows for an FP/SB ratio) to become an "Actual" of 5-10 minutes.

But probably not for very long, until the next surge of FP guests arrive in the queue.

Thanks for the vote of confidence

You bring up a great point! FP+ does negatively affect standby wait times, and I should include that in the FAQ I'm working on

A great example of FP+ having an affect was during the SDMT soft opening. I rode it 7 times in one day during soft opening (and could have rode more). I waited an average of 25-30 minutes when the line started from the entrance and sometimes stroller parking (wait was around 40 minutes from stroller parking).

As it was soft opening, there was no FP+. Put me next to the strollers now that FP+ is introduced, and the wait shoots up from 40 minutes to close to 75 minutes.

Yet another thing to keep in mind!

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

OP - I will also add that I used both the MDE app and the WDW waits app on our last trip. The MDE app was horribly inaccurate and mostly unreliable in even getting it to load times. The WDW wait app has been easy to use and fairly accurate. The only things that really didn't work with the WDW wait app is sometimes it listed something as closed when it wasn't or opened when it was closed. This would happen when a ride shut down for some unforeseen event. I think it just shows a lag in the app to report sudden ride closures and reopening.

 

[stpats317]

mfhannaf - I put your app on my phone the other day and will give it a try when we arrive in 12 days! Is there a particular location you'd like to have feedback posted?

 

[mjhannaf]

mfhannaf - I put your app on my phone the other day and will give it a try when we arrive in 12 days! Is there a particular location you'd like to have feedback posted?

I don't have an app. Just DisneyWaitTimes.com

You can leave feedback for the site at:
BlogMickey .com/contact/ would be great or even @********** on Twitter

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

BlogMickey .com/contact/ would be great or even @********** on Twitter

What is the name of the app? Is it available for iPhones?

 

[mjhannaf]

What is the name of the app? Is it available for iPhones?

I don't have an app. At all. Anything claiming to be an app of mine is wrong. I only have the website DisneyWaitTimes.com

 

[velotk]

The only way it could be more accurate is to have a person on each ride that just loops through the queue and reports back.

Without being at HS right now, I would bet that people are eating lunch. I know that it sounds like an impossibly simple answer, and maybe it is, but I'm pretty confident in these numbers.

TSMM dropped to 10 minutes from 34 minutes at 12:25pm. I wish I could be there right now to "test" it

I didnt even know your site existed until I made this thread this morning! I will definitely be checking it out next week while i'm there!

 

[mjhannaf]

I didnt even know your site existed until I made this thread this morning! I will definitely be checking it out next week while i'm there!

Awesome to hear! Have fun!!

 

[stpats317]

I don't have an app. Just DisneyWaitTimes.com

You can leave feedback for the site at:
BlogMickey .com/contact/ would be great or even @********** on Twitter

Sorry for the incorrect use of terminology and thanks for the location for feedback. My daughter also has it on her phone and even though we're traveling together we won't be together in the parks so you'll get some double feedback.

 

[mjhannaf]

Sorry for the incorrect use of terminology and thanks for the location for feedback. My daughter also has it on her phone and even though we're traveling together we won't be together in the parks so you'll get some double feedback.

No worries

Looking forward to the feedback! Keep in mind "surge" times and I think it'll work great for you