75 mins for HM!?!?!? Time to fire current Disney parks MGMT

[sonofanarchy]

When I went to IOA in 2011 the front of the line side was well over 30 minutes for one of the Harry Potter roller coasters, but the main Harry Potter ride was down so the crowds were all there. The rest of the park was pretty empty, though. I did wait at least 30 minutes for this weird Neptune attraction that I hated.

Won't go back to IOA, but I'd like to give the regular US a try someday when my daughter is older.

I always walk right on Dragon Challenge. Only time we wait is if we want the front row.

Sounds like Posiedon. Yeah, that stinks. You learn quickly which Universal attractions are a waste and which ones take time because of their pre-shows.

 

[wareagle57]

I always walk right on Dragon Challenge. Only time we wait is if we want the front row.

Sounds like Posiedon. Yeah, that stinks. You learn quickly which Universal attractions are a waste and which ones take time because of their pre-shows.

Last time I went to Disney (2012) I wanted to do a day at both Universal parks. Kind of stressful but I did pretty much everything. I was really mad when I waited for the "ride" with Christopher Walken though. It wasn't that it was awful, but it just lasted so long and I felt like I wish I had knows so I could ride Rip Ride Rocket on single rider or Minon Mayhem again instead.

Still a great day though. HP 3 times, MIB probably 10 (my favorite ride anywhere), Hulk was down all day but finally got to ride it at the end of the day. Rip Ride Rocket 2-3 times. And 90% of the mid-major stuff.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

I go every July.

Despicable Me is longer (as is The Simpsons) because of their ridiculously long pre-shows. Same usually goes for Shrek, Disaster and T2. Transformers was long most likely because the ride kept breaking down.

BTW - Sorry if I came off as rude. Pet peeve of mine is when Disney apologists try to scare people away from Universal. I love both. Not sure if you're one or not, but I think Universal Express is the bomb!!!

I like both too. But...Universal express is not all that. You still have to wait. We waited like a half hour for Shrek in the express line, and that show was terrible.

 

[Rebekkap]

Wait til you find out that the "front of the line pass" line is still 30 minutes for many rides.

Not in my experience - I walked on to everything.

 

[jms]

I was starting to get stressed out after reading all of the negatives posts on here about FP+ so I went to Trip Advisor and read recent reviews from people on their vacations. I feel much better now. It is the hard core Disney travelers that really do not like the changes. Most people who have went recently love the new system. This will be my 7th trip, but I have never been one to use more than one or two fp a day. If you are the few who were pulling 6 or more than I can see why you do not like FP+ but the majority of people do not tour like that. Therefore I do not think that the overall PR is negative.

 

[AshleeH]

I was starting to get stressed out after reading all of the negatives posts on here about FP+ so I went to Trip Advisor and read recent reviews from people on their vacations. I feel much better now. It is the hard core Disney travelers that really do not like the changes. Most people who have went recently love the new system. This will be my 7th trip, but I have never been one to use more than one or two fp a day. If you are the few who were pulling 6 or more than I can see why you do not like FP+ but the majority of people do not tour like that. Therefore I do not think that the overall PR is negative.

You hit it on the head. The people you see at The Dis are not the average Disney-vacationer. If you look through the threads, you would think FP+ was a massive failure, when in fact, it looks like (if a bit buggy) they will have it fine-tuned within the year and it will be a smooth system.

We usually did three or four FPs in a day, so I, for one, am very much looking forward to not being The Runner and not having to make HS at Rope Drop, just to have a Fast Pass to TSMM. It will be so nice to schedule it at my convenience and possibly have a morning to sleep in .

 

[TDC Nala]

seriously? Just listening to the dis podcast discuss their survey results should give you a good idea what the hardline disney park fans are thinking. Add publications such as themepark advisor, Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Weekly, and pretty much every single major wdw message board, blog, etc. and one should have a fair idea how bad it is getting. I am not even sure why I responded to you.

Hardline fans are not WDW's target audience.

If people keep coming, and the parks stay crowded, FP+ will not be deemed a failure by the management at WDW.

 

[Texas Crude]

What on earth has Disney management done to the parks? I cannot fathom spring break causing consistent days of 75 minute lines for Haunted Mansion.

How has management not been fired? I recall various Disney departments encountering unexpected retirements and RIFs but nothing from the theme park side of operations. There is no reason why the current management overseeing Disney theme parks should still be employed. IIRC, Thomas Staggs is the chairman of Walt Disney Theme Parks and Resorts. Why is he still employed? The majority of us hardliners know the exact solution to these fast pass woes for people eater rides, why does Staggs not know how to resolve these issues.

Without question, any other employees/contractors responsible for the magic bands should also be fired. Just the reality of the situation. Enjoy

You shod check out Josh's crowd calendar at easywdw... You chose a non-recommended park during the busiest week of the year so far and are complaining that the rides are crowded?

 

[sonofanarchy]

I like both too. But...Universal express is not all that. You still have to wait. We waited like a half hour for Shrek in the express line, and that show was terrible.

You're talking show versus a ride. Like I said, the shows don't work as well.

Why is Shrek terrible? Not my favorite attraction, but I'm not a fan of Shrek.

 

[siskaren]

You shod check out Josh's crowd calendar at easywdw... You chose a non-recommended park during the busiest week of the year so far and are complaining that the rides are crowded?

Also, I heard that The Middle was filming at MK yesterday. Maybe a lot of people tried going there yesterday but gave up because of the filming and tried again today.

 

[minnie mum]

What on earth has Disney management done to the parks? I cannot fathom spring break causing consistent days of 75 minute lines for Haunted Mansion.

How has management not been fired? I recall various Disney departments encountering unexpected retirements and RIFs but nothing from the theme park side of operations. There is no reason why the current management overseeing Disney theme parks should still be employed. IIRC, Thomas Staggs is the chairman of Walt Disney Theme Parks and Resorts. Why is he still employed? The majority of us hardliners know the exact solution to these fast pass woes for people eater rides, why does Staggs not know how to resolve these issues.

Without question, any other employees/contractors responsible for the magic bands should also be fired. Just the reality of the situation. Enjoy

Let's see: March break. Predicted crowd levels 8-9. Going to MK on a not recommended day. Doh. OP, please don't ever visit WDW during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, or July 4th. Just the reality of the situation. Enjoy.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

Let me get this straight: Management of the theme parks division is driving enough traffic to the parks that a second or third tier ride like Haunted Mansion has 75 minute waits and someone thinks that speaks of incompetence? WOW.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

Additionally, there is limited capacity on Haunted Mansion due to the Doom Buggys and the maximum speed they can move and the number of people they can transport. The fact that there really isn't another ride within 1/5th of a mile likely adds to it's allure too.

My apologies to anyone who actually likes Hall of Presidents, the Steamboat or Country Bear Jamboree. I acknowledge their existence, but seriously, who really views them as anything more but a fill-in.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Let's see: March break. Predicted crowd levels 8-9. Going to MK on a not recommended day. Doh. OP, please don't ever visit WDW during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, or July 4th. Just the reality of the situation. Enjoy.

These were the average observed wait times at HM during easter week last year (according to touring plans):

Easter Sunday: 32 mins
Monday: 44 mins
Tuesday: 50 mins
Wednesday: 63 mins
Thursday: 31 mins
Friday: 28 mins
Saturday: 33 mins

I think we can all agree that Easter Week is one of the busiest weeks of the year, and even then on *most* days in the week (even on 8-9 level crowd days), the waits at HM were not as high as are being reported now. And this isn't easter week.

If this is what the lines are like *now,* it actually makes me concerned for what lines will be like during easter week.

 

[Hannathy]

Easter is also very late this year. All the schools I know have already had or are having their spring breaks. Many are on break right now.


Also you are quoting average times which means half the time they were less than those numbers and half the time they were more. The OP didn't quote average he quoted what may have been the longest wait of the day. An hour earlier it could have been 30 minutes.

Until you compare the same thing you really can't make a judgement.

 

[maxiesmom]

Let me get this straight: Management of the theme parks division is driving enough traffic to the parks that a second or third tier ride like Haunted Mansion has 75 minute waits and someone thinks that speaks of incompetence? WOW.

You mean a busy park is not a bad thing???

 

[Angel Ariel]

Easter is also very late this year. All the schools I know have already had or are having their spring breaks. Many are on break right now.


Also you are quoting average times which means half the time they were less than those numbers and half the time they were more. The OP didn't quote average he quoted what may have been the longest wait of the day. An hour earlier it could have been 30 minutes.

Until you compare the same thing you really can't make a judgement.

I wasn't comparing today's report to last year.

I was commenting on the assertion that 75 min wait times are normal for HM during 8-9 crowd level days. Using that assertion as a base, it is entirely valid to go to a week in the past that had (and generally always has) 8-10 level crowds and see what the average wait times were and see if those averages support the theory that a 75 min wait is normal for HM during those crowd levels.

That's all I'm saying. My post was not commenting on whether wait times are higher or lower or what - just that I don't agree that a 75 min wait for HM is "normal" (which, to me, would mean average) for 8-9 level crowds.

 

[fbb]

third tier ride like Haunted Mansion

 

[Angel Ariel]

Oh, and FTR, I was there during spring break last year. I went back to look at what touring plans reported for our MK day, and then what they reported for MK this year on the same Friday. The average wait time this year was 10 mins higher than it was last year. Both days were the same reported crowd level.

Granted, 10 mins isn't a huge deal, and I'm certainly not saying it is, but there was a difference. I'm sure some will say it is due to attendance, but I have faith in Josh's analysis which pretty much said that the attendance increase this year is similar to years' past, and years' past did not see the attendance increase have this kind of effect on wait times.

 

[ariel326]

I waited over an hour for haunted mansion when I went for spring break back in 1997. So, to me this seems normal.