Why wait times have gotten crazy

[Happy_2_B]

I don't mean to be a jerk but I think a quick Math lesson is due.

I kept my statements broad and basic- and said attendance was up. In my opinion, however, it is not up nearly enough to solely account for the increased waits. Since your 'math lesson' is based on what I see as incorrect presumptions and invented 'data' to back it up (since no one has the actual data except for Disney)- at this point we will have to agree to disagree.

 

[NYHeel]

I kept my statements broad and basic- and said attendance was up. In my opinion, however, it is not up nearly enough to solely account for the increased waits. Since your 'math lesson' is based on what I see as incorrect presumptions and invented 'data' to back it up (since no one has the actual data except for Disney)- at this point we will have to agree to disagree.

That's cool. I don't mind disagreeing on the assumptions. Just as long as we don't say stuff like, there was a 7% change so about 3.5% of that goes to DL and 3.5% goes to WDW (and further split by park). That's just mathematically wrong.

 

[RRRmouse]

Here now. Stand by waits insane. Much more so than the crowd level it seems. Leaving Epcot now - test track currently 90 min, 40 min single rider. 40 min prior to park close. At DHS TSMM was up to 85 min 15 min after park opening. MK crazy yesterday. Rides that never needed a FP before required 45 min wait if you didn't have one. Crowds are definitely higher than previous years at same time, but we have been here in similar crowd levels and never have seen waits like this. It is our first experience with FP+. We hate it.

 

[larryz]

It is our first experience with FP+. We hate it.

But wasn't it a great time saver to just "walk on" to your three FP+ attractions you reserved in advance?

 

[mom2rtk]

But wasn't it a great time saver to just "walk on" to your three FP+ attractions you reserved in advance?

 

[Planogirl]

But wasn't it a great time saver to just "walk on" to your three FP+ attractions you reserved in advance?

 

[notfrostyjosh]

So uhhhhh 40 pages. You guys ever figure it out?

 

[3DisneyFanz]

So uhhhhh 40 pages. You guys ever figure it out?

I'm beginning to think it's all related to the flooding boats on Pirates of the Carribean.

 

[Stubbzilla]

Here now. Stand by waits insane. Much more so than the crowd level it seems. Leaving Epcot now - test track currently 90 min, 40 min single rider. 40 min prior to park close. At DHS TSMM was up to 85 min 15 min after park opening. MK crazy yesterday. Rides that never needed a FP before required 45 min wait if you didn't have one. Crowds are definitely higher than previous years at same time, but we have been here in similar crowd levels and never have seen waits like this. It is our first experience with FP+. We hate it.

You were at Epcot and HS today? Both of those are listed as parks to avoid on easywdw and are crowd level 7 on Touring Plans (although who even knows what TP's numbers mean). The TP prediction for TSMM at 9:15 AM was 70 minutes, so 95 minutes actual wait is 15 minutes higher. Test Track is way off, TP had predicted wait time of 32 minutes at 8PM today. I wonder if it was down at some point, or if a bunch of people are getting another FP+ at night after using up their others and it's affecting the SB wait.

MK was also listed as a park to avoid yesterday on easyWDW, and TP had predicted it as a 6, but actually said it turned out to be a 9. Sounds like a pretty high crowd level, but TP crowd numbers seem to jump all over the place so who knows what that 9 really is.

 

[DoingDisney]

That's cool. I don't mind disagreeing on the assumptions. Just as long as we don't say stuff like, there was a 7% change so about 3.5% of that goes to DL and 3.5% goes to WDW (and further split by park). That's just mathematically wrong.

We actually really don't know if its wrong, we don't even know what Disney means when they say attendance was up at domestic parks 7%. They might be talking about absolute raw numbers, they might average the increase (or decreased) attendance per park and report that number, we really don't know.

THat being said I am most likely to agree with your sentiment and would like to assume they are talking about absolute raw numbers of visitors across all parks as a sum total. If that's the case I think you are correct that even a pretty huge jump at DL wouldn't weight as much as a modest jump at WDW. That's a fair point.

The post earlier about attendance in Q4 was pretty darn neat. Interesting to see that while attendance was up huge in late Aug and early fall, it was down during a bit during what is normally the busiest part of the summer as well. Def wonder what caused the spike in late Aug

 

[RedAngie]

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if a huge piece of that was indeed from DLR. Reports of peak crowds continue to roll in. I know we experienced some crazy crowds a few of our days, including one that turned out to be rated a level 10.

You were at DL/CA a few weeks ago, right? I was there, too, and the parks were much more crowded than I had experienced in October in past years. One day (non-party day) there was a HUGE crowd waiting to get into DL. Fortunately, that was our CA day. While waiting in lines, sitting down, etc. a few people told me they hopped from DL to CA because of the massive crowds at DL.

 

[DoingDisney]

So uhhhhh 40 pages. You guys ever figure it out?

I truly do love you.

And no, we just banter around until you say something and then some of us latch onto it like its the gospel and then some people show up and tell us how much of an idiot you are

Waiting on you so we can do this, otherwise how is this ever going to go another 40 pages ?

 

[Planogirl]

I truly do love you.

And no, we just banter around until you say something and then some of us latch onto it like its the gospel and then some people show up and tell us how much of an idiot you are

Waiting on you so we can do this, otherwise how is this ever going to go another 40 pages ?

I love this. It's funny and completely true.

 

[DavidNYC]

I just got back from a week and found it completely manageable. With some common sense we waitied in very few lines. Avoided all EMH parks. Yes - lines were longer for many attractions in mid-afternoon for a while but made sure to do those early and later and do the low lines in mid-day. I think in 5 days we only stood on 3-4 lines over 25 minutes long which I consider very good. Lots of extra FP options in MK after our 3. What it seemed like to me - as has been said in many threads - is that the lines have balanced out somewhat. Saw 45 minutes at PotC which I'd never seen before (but we used one of our add'l FP for that). However, also saw that Anna/Elsa was below an hour for parts of the day and not much over an hour all day. Mine Train was a steady 45-60.

Yes - I do miss just having paper fastpasses and using the various exploits, but I much prefer FP+ to the prior system (assuming the exploits were closed). Not having to criss-cross the park to get those tickets and being able to hop and have some immediate FP are great.

What I'm still surprised about (especially in MK) is how often I could get a 4th FP for something with a return time almost immediately after pulling it and often for rides with 20-40 minute standby times.

 

[Turtlegirl]

Increase in number of on-site accommodations (dvc additions), limiting MK to ticketed events (MNSSHP, MVMCP), reduction of buses (no more from FW after HDDR to resort, have to transfer at MK) without the addition of new attractions (except for Kiddie coaster 7 DMT) are apparent reasons to me while here now as to why wait times are up. Not to mention FP+. A 4th FP at a reasonable time for a popular attraction is virtually non existent. WDW is quickly becoming DWD (done with disney) to my Disney loving family, who can see that Disney's top priority is to Investors, not customers,

 

[RRRmouse]

You were at Epcot and HS today? Both of those are listed as parks to avoid on easywdw and are crowd level 7 on Touring Plans (although who even knows what TP's numbers mean). The TP prediction for TSMM at 9:15 AM was 70 minutes, so 95 minutes actual wait is 15 minutes higher. Test Track is way off, TP had predicted wait time of 32 minutes at 8PM today. I wonder if it was down at some point, or if a bunch of people are getting another FP+ at night after using up their others and it's affecting the SB wait.

MK was also listed as a park to avoid yesterday on easyWDW, and TP had predicted it as a 6, but actually said it turned out to be a 9. Sounds like a pretty high crowd level, but TP crowd numbers seem to jump all over the place so who knows what that 9 really is.

Yes the parks are crowded, more so than usual.

By the time more accurate crowd calendars were available, we had worked so hard to get certain ADRS and fastpasses we didn't want to change our plans. We were only at Epcot for dinner and I was just shocked by the wait on test track we thought we might ride on leaving.

My point was not the crowds but the wait times. We have been to parks on 8 or 9 level days and have been able to accomplish more in the past.

Yes 4th FP was available but the kiosk lines took me 20 min to get there - even if you get through the FP line in 10 min, that's equivalent of a 30 min standby... Though I guess when rides that usually were short waits in the past are now upwards of 45 min (iasw, hm, potc), it's worth it. I have never seen an 80 min wait for HM before, but there it was. First time in many trips kids were asking to leave. Even my 5 year old wants to go back to universal (we were there last weekend).

There is no good reason (for the guest) they couldn't let you book the additonal FP via app. And even the kiosk interface is klunky and not user friendly. The best thing to do is just book anything that pops up and then change it via app, much easier to see what is available and times.

Even standby posted times are unpredictable. We were in a 20 min posted line for barnstormer which ended up being 35 because after we got in line a large amount of FP people showed up.

I know some people like the new system,we don't. It takes the planning to an even more unpleasant level than 180 day ADRS, and for us the park experience has suffered as well.

 

[magik]

Yes the parks are crowded, more so than usual.

By the time more accurate crowd calendars were available, we had worked so hard to get certain ADRS and fastpasses we didn't want to change our plans. We were only at Epcot for dinner and I was just shocked by the wait on test track we thought we might ride on leaving.

Test Track always has a long wait now it seems, but I attribute that more to the refurb of it a few years ago as opposed to fastpass+. Adding in that car design part to the queue just makes that line take forever, even if there aren't that many people in the queue, and once there are some people in the queue, I don't think it's ever below 20-30 minutes, even with a fastpass. Add to the fact that it breaks down often, it's just a terrible ride in terms of moving people through the ride quickly.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

You were at Epcot and HS today? Both of those are listed as parks to avoid on easywdw and are crowd level 7 on Touring Plans (although who even knows what TP's numbers mean). The TP prediction for TSMM at 9:15 AM was 70 minutes, so 95 minutes actual wait is 15 minutes higher. Test Track is way off, TP had predicted wait time of 32 minutes at 8PM today. I wonder if it was down at some point, or if a bunch of people are getting another FP+ at night after using up their others and it's affecting the SB wait.

MK was also listed as a park to avoid yesterday on easyWDW, and TP had predicted it as a 6, but actually said it turned out to be a 9. Sounds like a pretty high crowd level, but TP crowd numbers seem to jump all over the place so who knows what that 9 really is.

So basically the recommendations for yesterday were to avoid WDW all together.

 

[Stubbzilla]

So basically the recommendations for yesterday were to avoid WDW all together.

No, yesterday's recommendation was to avoid Epcot and HS, which would still leave MK and AK.

The day before yesterday recommended avoiding MK.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

We actually really don't know if its wrong, we don't even know what Disney means when they say attendance was up at domestic parks 7%. They might be talking about absolute raw numbers, they might average the increase (or decreased) attendance per park and report that number, we really don't know.

THat being said I am most likely to agree with your sentiment and would like to assume they are talking about absolute raw numbers of visitors across all parks as a sum total. If that's the case I think you are correct that even a pretty huge jump at DL wouldn't weight as much as a modest jump at WDW. That's a fair point.

The post earlier about attendance in Q4 was pretty darn neat. Interesting to see that while attendance was up huge in late Aug and early fall, it was down during a bit during what is normally the busiest part of the summer as well. Def wonder what caused the spike in late Aug

IIRC, resort prices went down in late August. I think Disney addressed this with the price increases for next year and there is no value pricing in late summer anymore,