Rock 'n Roller Coaster testing queue-less system

[Katie Dawn]

also, i cannot wait in the sun at all, (med gives me a sun allergy), so it would be difficult for me if i could not be in the shade that the queues provide...

I see what you're saying. It occurred to me, though, that if they switched to this system on any ride that all of the space normally used for people waiting in line could potentially be re-purposed. That way you could still wait in the shade/air conditioning.

Disney has to know that guests that have regular access to an indoor air-conditioned building in the middle of the summer are happier guests. And happier guests probably buy more stuff. Which is, after all, the point isn't it?

 

[wdwtweets]

I see what you're saying. It occurred to me, though, that if they switched to this system on any ride that all of the space normally used for people waiting in line could potentially be re-purposed. That way you could still wait in the shade/air conditioning.

I think this would be the logical course of action. This is what I've been thinking too.

 

[GrumpyFan]

I'm going to make a prediction and say that this concept, once thru the test and adjust phase, will be rolled out to all of the major attractions across the resort. Once it's rolled out, they will then provide a means by which a guest can schedule their activities in the parks ahead of time, like maybe from your resort, in your room, or even at the park. So, you might log on to the scheduler from your hotel the night before or morning you’re visiting Magic Kingdom and select from the attractions with queueless waiting and choose the ones you want to go on for the day, then generate a reservation for the time you want to ride. The system would then generate a list of all your reservations.

I could foresee them putting a tiered system in place for this as well where guests staying at the higher dollar resorts (deluxe & DVC) might get to schedule more attractions than those staying at moderate and values. For example: Guests staying at a deluxe or DVC might be able to schedule 8-10 attractions for a given day, versus a moderate guest might only be able to schedule 6 and a value guest might only be allowed to schedule up to 4 attractions. I could see them placing time limits on how close the attractions could be schedule together as well, maybe no more than 1 per hour, or based on the class of property where Deluxe and Moderates could do 1 every hour, and values only 1 every 2 hours.

I should add that my prediction here is loosely based on patents that Disney applied for more than 2 years ago as enhancements to Fastpass. I’m just speculating here, but I can see where the groundwork for this is being laid.

For Disney, queueless waiting should be a win-win scenario, at least on paper. No longer will 70-90% of their guests be spending 80% or more of their time while in the parks standing in line. Depending on how many rides get upgraded to use this new queueing concept, guests’ wait time in line could be throretically reduced to under 50%. I’m not a fortune teller, but I’m guessing that Disney is hoping that something like this will encourage guests to shop, eat and spend more money. However, I have to wonder if it will. When we visit WDW, we usually go with a set amount that we intend to spend on food and merchandise. We plan carefully how much we’ll spend on food, and the the rest is for souvenirs. Sure we occasionally spend more than what we planned, but it’s not a significant amount, maybe 10-20%. So, I have to wonder how many other guests are like us and plan their spending similarly. If they are, then Disney won’t see a huge jump in spending from queueless waiting, and it may even cause them to lose money after all is said and done to add this technology and then additional technology and features to entertain guests waiting for their number/slot.

 

[KPeveler]

I'm going to make a prediction and say that this concept, once thru the test and adjust phase, will be rolled out to all of the major attractions across the resort. Once it's rolled out, they will then provide a means by which a guest can schedule their activities in the parks ahead of time, like maybe from your resort, in your room, or even at the park. So, you might log on to the scheduler from your hotel the night before or morning you’re visiting Magic Kingdom and select from the attractions with queueless waiting and choose the ones you want to go on for the day, then generate a reservation for the time you want to ride. The system would then generate a list of all your reservations.

I could foresee them putting a tiered system in place for this as well where guests staying at the higher dollar resorts (deluxe & DVC) might get to schedule more attractions than those staying at moderate and values. For example: Guests staying at a deluxe or DVC might be able to schedule 8-10 attractions for a given day, versus a moderate guest might only be able to schedule 6 and a value guest might only be allowed to schedule up to 4 attractions. I could see them placing time limits on how close the attractions could be schedule together as well, maybe no more than 1 per hour, or based on the class of property where Deluxe and Moderates could do 1 every hour, and values only 1 every 2 hours.

I should add that my prediction here is loosely based on patents that Disney applied for more than 2 years ago as enhancements to Fastpass. I’m just speculating here, but I can see where the groundwork for this is being laid.

For Disney, queueless waiting should be a win-win scenario, at least on paper. No longer will 70-90% of their guests be spending 80% or more of their time while in the parks standing in line. Depending on how many rides get upgraded to use this new queueing concept, guests’ wait time in line could be throretically reduced to under 50%. I’m not a fortune teller, but I’m guessing that Disney is hoping that something like this will encourage guests to shop, eat and spend more money. However, I have to wonder if it will. When we visit WDW, we usually go with a set amount that we intend to spend on food and merchandise. We plan carefully how much we’ll spend on food, and the the rest is for souvenirs. Sure we occasionally spend more than what we planned, but it’s not a significant amount, maybe 10-20%. So, I have to wonder how many other guests are like us and plan their spending similarly. If they are, then Disney won’t see a huge jump in spending from queueless waiting, and it may even cause them to lose money after all is said and done to add this technology and then additional technology and features to entertain guests waiting for their number/slot.

I can see where they would go with this, but i will say that would suck for me... I cant plan ahead what i am able to do, due to my illness/disability, so i cant say, well i will ride A B and C today. in fact, i cant plan more than an hour ahead at all... I hope that this is not the only way to get on rides!

 

[Planogirl]

I'm going to make a prediction and say that this concept, once thru the test and adjust phase, will be rolled out to all of the major attractions across the resort. Once it's rolled out, they will then provide a means by which a guest can schedule their activities in the parks ahead of time, like maybe from your resort, in your room, or even at the park. So, you might log on to the scheduler from your hotel the night before or morning you’re visiting Magic Kingdom and select from the attractions with queueless waiting and choose the ones you want to go on for the day, then generate a reservation for the time you want to ride. The system would then generate a list of all your reservations.

I could foresee them putting a tiered system in place for this as well where guests staying at the higher dollar resorts (deluxe & DVC) might get to schedule more attractions than those staying at moderate and values. For example: Guests staying at a deluxe or DVC might be able to schedule 8-10 attractions for a given day, versus a moderate guest might only be able to schedule 6 and a value guest might only be allowed to schedule up to 4 attractions. I could see them placing time limits on how close the attractions could be schedule together as well, maybe no more than 1 per hour, or based on the class of property where Deluxe and Moderates could do 1 every hour, and values only 1 every 2 hours.

I should add that my prediction here is loosely based on patents that Disney applied for more than 2 years ago as enhancements to Fastpass. I’m just speculating here, but I can see where the groundwork for this is being laid.

For Disney, queueless waiting should be a win-win scenario, at least on paper. No longer will 70-90% of their guests be spending 80% or more of their time while in the parks standing in line. Depending on how many rides get upgraded to use this new queueing concept, guests’ wait time in line could be throretically reduced to under 50%. I’m not a fortune teller, but I’m guessing that Disney is hoping that something like this will encourage guests to shop, eat and spend more money. However, I have to wonder if it will. When we visit WDW, we usually go with a set amount that we intend to spend on food and merchandise. We plan carefully how much we’ll spend on food, and the the rest is for souvenirs. Sure we occasionally spend more than what we planned, but it’s not a significant amount, maybe 10-20%. So, I have to wonder how many other guests are like us and plan their spending similarly. If they are, then Disney won’t see a huge jump in spending from queueless waiting, and it may even cause them to lose money after all is said and done to add this technology and then additional technology and features to entertain guests waiting for their number/slot.

If they go to a tiered system depending on resort that's when we will go elsewhere. I don't agree with that approach at all. It's unfair to those who can't afford the luxury hotels and definitely unfair to locals and those who stay offsite.

 

[GrumpyFan]

If they go to a tiered system depending on resort that's when we will go elsewhere. I don't agree with that approach at all. It's unfair to those who can't afford the luxury hotels and definitely unfair to locals and those who stay offsite.

I think you're missing how the system might work. Just like Fastpass, everybody will still be able to get a queueless wait pass. However, resort guests will simply be able to get them ahead of time and hold a few more than the regular day guest. I should point out that this is just my prediction. They could make it so the resort guests all get the same number of advance passes/reservations, only Disney knows.

 

[Glencora]

I think you're missing how the system might work. Just like Fastpass, everybody will still be able to get a queueless wait pass. However, resort guests will simply be able to get them ahead of time and hold a few more than the regular day guest. I should point out that this is just my prediction. They could make it so the resort guests all get the same number of advance passes/reservations, only Disney knows.

I have a really hard time believing that the majority of Disney vacationers would be willing to plan their days around individual rides. I mean which is going to be more important - making the 2:15 appointment at RnR or letting your kid stay in line to meet the fairies? There are just so many people to whom riding these rides is so important that they would be willing to make sure that they are there on time. IMHO, of course

 

[seashoreCM]

... to be more important - making the 2:15 appointment at RnR or letting your kid stay in line to meet the fairies? There are just so many people to whom riding these rides is so important that they would be willing to make sure that they are there on time ...

If the regular fast pass system is still in effect concurrently, you have an hour leeway instead of missing your appointment.

 

[Spaceship Earthfan]

The queue is back to normal now. Looks like the test only lasted about 3 days. I'm kinda surprised how quickly they got the TV monitors, DJ stage, railings, etc out of there.

 

[Micca]

The way I understand it is that you are supposed to wait around for the ride, just as if you were standing in a normal line. It's just that you don't have to stand in an actual line until just before you get on.

If a ride with a standard queue has a 45 min wait, you stand in line slowly advancing for approximately 45 minutes until you get on the ride. With a queueless attraction, if the wait is 45 minutes, you get a ticket and then wander around the waiting area and enjoy the games or entertainment. Then approximately 40 minutes later you would hear an announcement asking you to come to the main queueing area to board the ride.

Disney doesn't want you in a line where you aren't spending money. Imagine being able to shop for Dumbo toys, shirts, DVDs, coffee mugs, etc while waiting to board. It's kinda like moving the merch shop from the exit of the attraction to the beginning of the attraction.

 

[Planogirl]

I think you're missing how the system might work. Just like Fastpass, everybody will still be able to get a queueless wait pass. However, resort guests will simply be able to get them ahead of time and hold a few more than the regular day guest. I should point out that this is just my prediction. They could make it so the resort guests all get the same number of advance passes/reservations, only Disney knows.

No, I do get it but I don't like it. To me there should be no favoritism of any kind within the parks but of course YMMV.

 

[doconeill]

I don't think ANYONE should be worrying about resort guests getting more than non-resort or deluxe vs. value. There are ZERO indications that that is going to be the case at this point and is only supposition - not even really a rumor at this point.

Lets not get in a bind about it. Disney has had those patents for Fastpass for years now and there has still been nothing. Disney does not have to use its patents.

 

[kmk1180]

Grumpyfan,
Those are the same rumor and fear mongoring things people said before the FP system was rolled out.
Guess what? nothing even close ever came to be. As far as I know, was never even considered.
I think your prediction is much of the same. Compaining about things that don't even exist or likely to ever exist.

Try and being a bit more optomistic about about it.
How would Happyfan think of it?

 

[SamR]

One downside that I see in this is the disorganized crush that will likely occur as they call each group and allow them to enter the real queue. Now if a group is only twenty or thirty people, that probably won't be too big a deal, but with only 30 groups before they start over (A1-10, B1-10, and C1-10, as someone described earlier in this thread), I suspect the number per group is fairly large. I assume most of us have witnessed the mass of people hovering around the fast pass entrance at 11:29, waiting for the 11:30 window to open...This would be the same behavior, but probably more pronounced. To many folks, that may not be a big deal, but I've always enjoyed Disney's ability to carefully and control crowd movement, and I hate it every time they introduce another "cattle crush zone". (The pre-shows exits to the rest of the queues at rides like Test Track and RnRC are classic examples of this mess.)

It will be interesting to see how this evolves...

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I don't think this is a bad thing. You don't HAVE to spend money. They are not locking you in the gift shop at least...

Now, if they start piping the smells of fresh baked stuff down from the counter services up the hill....

not yet, that will come on the next redesign of fast pass.. give it a few more years. We will be locked in the gift shops as we exit off the rides until the window has opened up for us to get another FP.. and by then, the FP's will be given out in 3 hours window blocks

 

[inspire]

On our Thursday 12/18 visit this queue test system was in place. We were given A3 cards and were called within 15 minutes. Being early in the morning we were lucky to not have a large gathering during our wait time. While in line I spoke to a cm and asked about the filming. He told me they were not really filming but trying to gather information regarding interactive games in the queue. He told us they are considering adding interactive activities such as those in the Soarin queue. He also told us there was no definite time frame for any implementation of such activities-could be this year could be years down the line.

 

[danceintherain]

One downside that I see in this is the disorganized crush that will likely occur as they call each group and allow them to enter the real queue. Now if a group is only twenty or thirty people, that probably won't be too big a deal, but with only 30 groups before they start over (A1-10, B1-10, and C1-10, as someone described earlier in this thread), I suspect the number per group is fairly large. I assume most of us have witnessed the mass of people hovering around the fast pass entrance at 11:29, waiting for the 11:30 window to open...This would be the same behavior, but probably more pronounced. To many folks, that may not be a big deal, but I've always enjoyed Disney's ability to carefully and control crowd movement, and I hate it every time they introduce another "cattle crush zone". (The pre-shows exits to the rest of the queues at rides like Test Track and RnRC are classic examples of this mess.)

It will be interesting to see how this evolves...

I can see this as the major flaw in the system, unless they somehow make waiting areas for each time period. I suppose those people who have a time that is a couple hours away may actually leave and come back, but a lot of the people will probably stand around, or come back waaay too early.

As far as them making it a "plan ahead" system, giving preference to resort guests, I just can't see it.
If anything I suppose they could have computers throughout the parks that allowed you to "book" your rides for the day, based on available times. However, some people don't even believe the Wait Times boards, or the CMs telling them they can't get into a restaurant at all that day.

Disney just wouldn't make enough money if they let Resort guests have THAT much preference. Sure Disney probably makes most of their money from people who stay on the property, but they do make a considerable amount of money from those who don't. If you walked into a park one day around 11am (which is about the time people started flocking in) and you realized you couldn't ride any rides, you would more than likely turn around and leave. The average Joe just doesn't find pleasure in the Disney ambiance, he needs the rides too. While I could probably spend at least a day in every Disney park and never ride a ride that just doesn't appeal to everyone.

The Fastpass system works because if people fail to use their Fastpasses, the StandBy wait time decreases, which makes the people who don't have FastPasses happy. However, even though its available to everyone, people still get mad, because they're uninformed. I suppose with this they could just keep adding more Passes into the machines based on how quickly the "line" moves. But if 50 people miss their return time, and you can't return after your time, then there's the potential of a huge lag where they don't have people riding the ride at all.

Anyways... it will be interesting to see what, if anything, comes from this trial. It might not be what we think it is at all... it could just be that they're testing this method on a ride, but they're actually planning on using it for character Meet & Greets like in the new portion of the Magic Kingdom. I don't know how that would be connected to the Rockin' Rollercoaster, but maybe it was the closest thing to what they project for crowd levels for that area.

 

[Tamar]

We were there during the test, and in response to the concerns about the "massive crush" as each group is called...as far as I could tell, groups were no bigger than 50 people, maybe smaller. We had B2 cards, and when B1 was called we started paying attention, then about 5 minutes later when B2 was called we got up from where we were sitting and walked in. The initial crush was about 20 people, we just waited for them to get in. Our wait to get into the preshow was about 5 minutes.

The wait times were posted as ranges...0-10 minutes, 10-20 minutes, etc.

It worked out fine for us, during a non-busy time. Not sure I'd be thrilled with it during a rainy day or a real scorcher...but we wouldn't stand in a 45 minute queue, either.

We didn't respond to a written survey, but a cast member interviewed us after we got off the ride for feedback.

 

[seashoreCM]

To reduce crowding around the entrance by what Flyertalk folks refer to as "gate lice" there could be multiple entrances. For example the announcement goes: "Group B2 meet me over at door number three."

One subtopic has not been discussed, or has it? After they run out of group numbers (say A3 is now being let in and slips for all groups A4, A5, ... B1, B2, ..., D9, D10, A1 (cycling around again), and A2 are fully distributed and the estimated wait time is less than 70 minutes, would they stop issuing slips and tell people to wait a few minutes? Then folks would congregate around the place where CM's hand out slips leading to creation of a queueing area with zig zag ropes there..

 

[homeschoolmomof4]

I haven't read the full thread, but wanted to share our experience with this new system. We used this during our visit last week and hated it!!! There was a DJ playing music and having little mini contests which really wasn't so bad. However, outside the RNR the posted wait times were 30 minutes. We got in there with an A11 ticket and the total wait time was in actuality 70 minutes!! If we had known the wait time was going to be so long we would have gotten a fastpass and ridden it later in the day. Not impressed.