Why are cast members putting so many people in a ride vehicle?

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

THis past trip we noticed something very odd that we have not seen happen before. While ride waits were usually under 20 minutes, the cast members were squeezing people into ride vehicles. My MIl, FIL and SIL were together in a doom buggy at haunted mansion, then they put two couples (4 total adults) in the last row of a pirates boat, 5 adults in one people mover, 3 adults in big thunder mountain, two larger adults together on the barnstormer and dumbo. Then one night when there was NO wait, DH, SIL and myself each wanted our own car on thunder mountain but the cm told us if we know each other we have to sit together. Let me also point out we aren't 90lb adults! All of these happened specifically to us with the exception of pirates which was the row behind us. The two couples didn't even know each other.

My only possible understanding is that they are told that starting late December to pack rides to keep wait times down for the holiday crowds?? This is purely a guess. Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone know why this happens? It really made some of the rides extremely uncomfortable and in some cases unsafe. The pirate boat in front of us was so loaded down (4-5 adults in each row) that they started taking on water at the bottom of the drop.

 

[Planogirl]

Maybe that's part of the strategy to keep those wait times low.

 

[TDC Nala]

You do not have to sit three in a doom buggy. Somebody just waits for the next one. Cast members shouldn't be MAKING people squeeze into rides where they'll be uncomfortable.

Nor should 3 adults be seated together on Big Thunder. Although I can see them saying that you have to ride 2 per seat if you have 2, instead of having each of the 3 of you take your own seat. I think you may have misunderstood that one as the CM saying all 3 of you had to be in the same seat.

Not unusual, though, to find them packing the rows at Pirates when it is busy.

The new Pirate boats are the reason they take on water. They now need a "you may get wet" sign for that ride.

 

[DebbieB]

THis past trip we noticed something very odd that we have not seen happen before. While ride waits were usually under 20 minutes, the cast members were squeezing people into ride vehicles. My MIl, FIL and SIL were together in a doom buggy at haunted mansion, then they put two couples (4 total adults) in the last row of a pirates boat, 5 adults in one people mover, 3 adults in big thunder mountain, two larger adults together on the barnstormer and dumbo. Then one night when there was NO wait, DH, SIL and myself each wanted our own car on thunder mountain but the cm told us if we know each other we have to sit together. Let me also point out we aren't 90lb adults! All of these happened specifically to us with the exception of pirates which was the row behind us. The two couples didn't even know each other.

My only possible understanding is that they are told that starting late December to pack rides to keep wait times down for the holiday crowds?? This is purely a guess. Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone know why this happens? It really made some of the rides extremely uncomfortable and in some cases unsafe. The pirate boat in front of us was so loaded down (4-5 adults in each row) that they started taking on water at the bottom of the drop.

Haunted Mansion they usually don't even ask how many, you just jump on.

 

[ArwenMarie]

On our last trip, I was getting on to Peter Pan with my DD who is little...anyway, she was getting on first and went to the wrong ride vehicle, like she missed one. She got on so quickly and I had no choice but to follow her obviously. The CM ws freaking out "NOT THAT ONE!!! NOT THAT ONE!!" Not sure what we were supposed to do at that point.

Anyway, maybe they are stressing to the CMs to maximize capacity

 

[surferdave]

Look how much more efficient wait times are since we created Fastpass+!

 

[Cais]

All they say at mansion is 2 or 3 per buggy.

Most likely at Pirates they were loading back to back boats. Back row seats three so throw a two person party there and you're good to go. Then they go ahead and get in thereby packing themselves.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[the little marla]

THis past trip we noticed something very odd that we have not seen happen before. While ride waits were usually under 20 minutes, the cast members were squeezing people into ride vehicles. My MIl, FIL and SIL were together in a doom buggy at haunted mansion, then they put two couples (4 total adults) in the last row of a pirates boat, 5 adults in one people mover, 3 adults in big thunder mountain, two larger adults together on the barnstormer and dumbo. .

oh my gosh! i cannot believe that you noticed this too! i thought i was crazy, we were just down the second week in december and i was telling my DH it seemed like we kept getting squished into rides! in pirates we were in the front row and they put 4 adults, when they have always just let two adults ride.. then again in the great movie ride, they were packing adults into the rows! i thought it was so odd and i was wondering if anyone else was thinking the same! glad i'm not alone hahaha

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

All they say at mansion is 2 or 3 per buggy. Most likely at Pirates they were loading back to back boats. Back row seats three so throw a two person party there and you're good to go. Then they go ahead and get in thereby packing themselves. Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

No actually they told them you three in the next one. One person couldn't have even gone by herself since the next 4 were preloaded from wheelchairs.

 

[AlohaAnnie]

We always ask to ride separate from our kids. We put them together and then we ride together. Our kids are 12 & 17 so no bog deal. There are times we have been refused but most of the time they honor it. Usually it depends on the line.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

You do not have to sit three in a doom buggy. Somebody just waits for the next one. Cast members shouldn't be MAKING people squeeze into rides where they'll be uncomfortable. Nor should 3 adults be seated together on Big Thunder. Although I can see them saying that you have to ride 2 per seat if you have 2, instead of having each of the 3 of you take your own seat. I think you may have misunderstood that one as the CM saying all 3 of you had to be in the same seat. Not unusual, though, to find them packing the rows at Pirates when it is busy. The new Pirate boats are the reason they take on water. They now need a "you may get wet" sign for that ride.

Like I said to previous poster there wasn't a next one to wait for on HM since they were preloaded.

We know on thunder she was saying 2 then 1. What I wasn't used to is being told we can't sit alone when there is no wait.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

THis past trip we noticed something very odd that we have not seen happen before. While ride waits were usually under 20 minutes, the cast members were squeezing people into ride vehicles. My MIl, FIL and SIL were together in a doom buggy at haunted mansion, then they put two couples (4 total adults) in the last row of a pirates boat, 5 adults in one people mover, 3 adults in big thunder mountain, two larger adults together on the barnstormer and dumbo. Then one night when there was NO wait, DH, SIL and myself each wanted our own car on thunder mountain but the cm told us if we know each other we have to sit together. Let me also point out we aren't 90lb adults! All of these happened specifically to us with the exception of pirates which was the row behind us. The two couples didn't even know each other.

My only possible understanding is that they are told that starting late December to pack rides to keep wait times down for the holiday crowds?? This is purely a guess. Has this happened to anyone else? Does anyone know why this happens? It really made some of the rides extremely uncomfortable and in some cases unsafe. The pirate boat in front of us was so loaded down (4-5 adults in each row) that they started taking on water at the bottom of the drop.

How is it possible to sit three adults in Big Thunder? The seats are meant for two. There's no way three would fit.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

oh my gosh! i cannot believe that you noticed this too! i thought i was crazy, we were just down the second week in december and i was telling my DH it seemed like we kept getting squished into rides! in pirates we were in the front row and they put 4 adults, when they have always just let two adults ride.. then again in the great movie ride, they were packing adults into the rows! i thought it was so odd and i was wondering if anyone else was thinking the same! glad i'm not alone hahaha

So happy to know we weren't the only ones who noticed. It was just a very odd and uncomfortable experience.

 

[dwheaton]

Last year, they tried to put five of us in a row for It's a Small World. It was four adults and our nearly three-year-old daughter. We squeezed four, but my father-in-law just waited. Thankfully, people shifted and found him a spot in another row. It was a little stressful and sort of odd. My wife and I were also squeezed onto one vehicle for Astro Orbiter. That wasn't so fun either.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

How is it possible to sit three adults in Big Thunder? The seats are meant for two. There's no way three would fit.

We didn't end up sitting 3, we did 2&1. Maybe they thought we had an adult and two small kids? I don't know. We also didn't put 5 in a people mover since it was physically impossible and no wait, so we separated ourselves.

 

[Jkpark]

I have noticed this at DLR too. We were a large group on Pirates (7 adults and 7 kids) and they suggested the last two rows. I spoke up. The parks weren't crowded and lines were short. And once on HM, they were saying 2-3 each. DH and DD got on and then me and other DD behind and the woman behind us in line started to climb in with us - ummmm...

 

[mouseclick1]

Not unusual, though, to find them packing the rows at Pirates when it is busy.

The new Pirate boats are the reason they take on water. They now need a "you may get wet" sign for that ride.

That explains why I got drenched on Pirates during our recent trip! I didn't realize they had new boats. I was seriously soaked all the way through my jeans from my thigh to my foot on my left side. I felt like I had been on Kali River Rapids!

And yes, we were crammed into a few rides like the OP mentioned. My DH couldn't wait to get off Small World! No, not because of the song, but because we were so uncomfortably crowded into our seat with too many other people!

 

[kmb584]

oh my gosh! i cannot believe that you noticed this too! i thought i was crazy, we were just down the second week in december and i was telling my DH it seemed like we kept getting squished into rides! in pirates we were in the front row and they put 4 adults, when they have always just let two adults ride.. then again in the great movie ride, they were packing adults into the rows! i thought it was so odd and i was wondering if anyone else was thinking the same! glad i'm not alone hahaha

GMR was the one attraction that I noticed this on as well and it was back in October. We had a party of 5 (4 adults, 1 child) and right before the doors closed the CM squished 2 more adults into our row. I remember thinking "odd" and "wow, this is uncomfortable" as it's something I've never encountered before.

 

[si-am]

Pirates is notorious for this. They always try to squeeze our party of 4 adults into one of the shorter rows. Great Movie Ride also tends to pack too many people into their vehicles. I don't like being squished next to someone, even family. But being squished up next to a stranger is really awkward!

On some of the boat rides, we've started splitting into two parties of two, pretending we're not together so that we have a greater chance of having more space.

 

[momof2n2]

See. I like this. Keeps the ride lines moving.