A&E Stampede this morning was insane!!!

[minniegirl19]

i posted this yesterday:

My friend works in entertainment so I'm not sure how credible this is but he told me that Anna and Elsa are just temporally at magic kingdom. In Norway they are making the old meet and greet into a double room with theming. So hopefully this is true so the line will die down. He said he wasn't sure if they would stay in magic kingdom too. He heard snow white is supposed to go back to FTH but i have a feeling Disney will re think that and keep them in both parks. so if this is true it will calm the lines down with the ability of being able to see them at two parks

 

[ucfknight]

I think it was on easywdw, but I remember reading that FP+ gets all priority over standby now. They aren't working in standby riders with a set ratio anymore.

This is simply not true at most attractions. There are a select few rides where very few FP+ are given out and they always hold the standby line and clear the FP+ line whenever anyone comes through it to the merge point. There are also a few rides which have completely separate sides for FP+ with no official merge point like Pirates of the Caribbean or Space Mountain (although they will shuffle people from standby over to the FP+ load area of those rides if the FP+ line gets low).

However, the vast majority of attractions still have a FP:Standby ratio they go by. I'm not saying those ratios haven't changed and a particular ride might be 5:1 FP-to-standby now when it might have used to have been 3:1. I'm just saying the ratios are still clearly in place on most rides.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm just glad that they're out of Norway even though putting them in the restaurant seems logical. I know that where they were couldn't handle the demand.

 

[morethananyonex]

If your happy settling for less, good for you. However, at the price of a Disney vacation, it shouldn't be either wait in line forever or tour the park. You shouldn't have to choose either/or. You should be able to do both.

What part of my post made it seem like I'm happy settling for less?

I'm happy not meeting Anna and Elsa at all, but that's beside the point. I was just responding to the suggestion of making it FP+ only. It would be a mess for Disney's front of the line CMs if they have to tell families that there is absolutely no option for them to meet Anna and Elsa that day. A 300 minute wait is better than nothing.

But why shouldn't you have to choose either/or? Choices are made at Disney all the time. Anna and Elsa is the busiest "attraction" in the parks right now. If you choose to wait in line for them, you're going to be missing out on other things, just like any other long wait. Just like spending the morning at the pool. Just like eating 3 TS meals vs. QS, etc.

I agree, and that could be why Disney is doing this, so at least they can say standby is available. But really, doesn't a 300+ minute wait for an attraction make it a FP+ only attraction at this point?

I think they are moving to a 100% ride reservation system anyway, slowly but surely. And the 4th rotating FP is final piece of that. That is just going to increase standby times even more, especially once they build that functionality into the app (which I think they will).

I guess it's not FP+ only for the people who are willing to wait that long .

IMO there's only so much Disney can do to deal with this short of kicking out other princesses/characters or building a new space for them. Yeah it's a crazy wait, but the last thing I want to see is Anna and Elsa everywhere just to attempt to curb it.

 

[libinatorsmom]

I just don't get it I hope no one gets hurt....

 

[mom2rtk]

Maybe I just got lucky, or maybe it's because I was only making a FP+ for one, but 3 days ago I was able to make FPs for those two on either this Sunday or next Saturday (I chose Saturday).

That's not because there is ample capacity. It's because they released FPs for this time, and they "sold out" with many disappointed people giving up. Then after the move on Sunday, Disney added a bunch more FP capacity. Unfortunately many of those who were disappointed before have no way to know that a second wave was released. It's one of the things I don't like about this system. If you check early, you should have a greater chance of getting what you want than somebody stumbling across it later.

That said, I'm glad it worked out for you.

 

[ArwenMarie]

This is simply not true at most attractions. There are a select few rides where very few FP+ are given out and they always hold the standby line and clear the FP+ line whenever anyone comes through it to the merge point. There are also a few rides which have completely separate sides for FP+ with no official merge point like Pirates of the Caribbean or Space Mountain (although they will shuffle people from standby over to the FP+ load area of those rides if the FP+ line gets low).

However, the vast majority of attractions still have a FP:Standby ratio they go by. I'm not saying those ratios haven't changed and a particular ride might be 5:1 FP-to-standby now when it might have used to have been 3:1. I'm just saying the ratios are still clearly in place on most rides.

I don't disagree, but yes, the old idea of the ratios are gone. It's not total priority, but very high. The other factor is how many FPs they will give out. I don't believe there is set number held back to leave room for standby. A&E being the prime example.

This is what I read...

"Remember that FASTPASS/FastPass+ holders receive priority boarding. If there are 100 people waiting in standby and 100 people in FASTPASS, the 100th person in the FASTPASS line will likely board before the 30th person in standby. If there are 300 people in FASTPASS and 100 in standby, the 300th FASTPASS user will likely board before the 100th person in standby because FASTPASS users are so heavily favored. That’s how ratios work."

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

RD is still OK at MK but the other parks there isn't enough Tier 1 rides and standby's have gone through the roof. We did much less last week then we ever did. The kids vetoed Disney next Easter. We can go to a 5 star hotel anywhere in the country for less than last week's trip.

So did you make RD at the other parks and find the waits to be long even early in the morning? We are hoping that by making RD when we visit next week that we can still get a lot done to offset the limitations imposed by FP+.

 

[bdtracey]

As a rope dropping non-character greeting family, this is music to my ears!

THIS!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

For those who do have to suffer the standby line I think the poor souls could at least be given a number so they can return and don't have to wait in line ...oh no wait that's a paper FP lol... Dust off a machine from the deep dark volts and bring it back!

 

[bella2117]

Ugh I'm having serious anxiety this morning reading all the threads lol no way I'm waiting hours on line for these chicks.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

It's one of the things I don't like about this system. If you check early, you should have a greater chance of getting what you want than somebody stumbling across it later.

I agree! It is one of the many things I don't like about the new system. If I use the great new system Disney is forcing on me, then stop playing with the FP+ spots and put them out there as a first come, first serve. But I still hate FP+ and I'm waiting for my t-shirt.

 

[Mad Hattered]

I agree! It is one of the many things I don't like about the new system. If I use the great new system Disney is forcing on me, then stop playing with the FP+ spots and put them out there as a first come, first serve. But I still hate FP+ and I'm waiting for my t-shirt.

Oh, you're on the list.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

What part of my post made it seem like I'm happy settling for less?

I'm happy not meeting Anna and Elsa at all, but that's beside the point. I was just responding to the suggestion of making it FP+ only. It would be a mess for Disney's front of the line CMs if they have to tell families that there is absolutely no option for them to meet Anna and Elsa that day. A 300 minute wait is better than nothing.

But why shouldn't you have to choose either/or? Choices are made at Disney all the time. Anna and Elsa is the busiest "attraction" in the parks right now. If you choose to wait in line for them, you're going to be missing out on other things, just like any other long wait. Just like spending the morning at the pool. Just like eating 3 TS meals vs. QS, etc.



I guess it's not FP+ only for the people who are willing to wait that long .

IMO there's only so much Disney can do to deal with this short of kicking out other princesses/characters or building a new space for them. Yeah it's a crazy wait, but the last thing I want to see is Anna and Elsa everywhere just to attempt to curb it.

I disagree. You shouldn't have to give up everything for 1 character M&G. No where else has a 5 hour wait.

Disney isn't meeting demand.

Just because I have no interest in seeing them myself doesn't make it OK for Disney to say "Tough luck". Either you ruin your vacation with a 5 hour wait or you ruin your vacation by not letting your child do the one thing they wish to do.

Sorry if the last thing you want to see is happy, satisfied guests.

 

[Skywise]

I keep seeing these threads and wondering when Disney made a deal with the Arts and Entertainment channel...

 

[nighttowll]

I keep seeing these threads and wondering when Disney made a deal with the Arts and Entertainment channel...

Me too! The first 5 or 6 threads I saw. I kept thinking they were doing a taping or something. I almost asked someone what A&E was doing at Disney World. What show were they hosting? Then I realized what everyone was talking about and felt silly.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

So did you make RD at the other parks and find the waits to be long even early in the morning? We are hoping that by making RD when we visit next week that we can still get a lot done to offset the limitations imposed by FP+.

Yes. We definitely did less.

In fact, my kids were bored at DHS (thank goddness they don't mind the single rider line at RNR)

We had to sit and wait 20 minutes for our FP+ at The Great Movie ride, only to get in line and the FP+ line was less than 20 people and the SB line less than 10 but we didn't know that until we got in line.

A lot of hurry up and wait. Wasn't expecting Maelstrom to be 36 minutes (posted 30) right at 11 AM. And would you believe it had a steady FP+ line because all of Soarin' and TT were gone by 10AM?

 

[ks-man]

It's one of the things I don't like about this system. If you check early, you should have a greater chance of getting what you want than somebody stumbling across it later.

That is the intention but clearly they decided they could offer more than the original allocation. Not much they could do at that point but open up a new block and a few lucky or informed people can grab them.

Perhaps they could open a wait-list for an attraction and time and when somebody cancels or a new block open they go to the wait list but the logistics would be a nightmare.

Nothing is perfect including FP-. It worked perfectly for many people around here but that still is more a function of not everybody having taken advantage of it. I have no stats but I would guess a far larger percentage of Disney visitors are taking advantage of FP+ as compared to FP- and I'm guessing that is a big plus from Disney's point of view.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

In Norway they are making the old meet and greet into a double room with theming.

They would have to tear the buildings in Norway down,and rebuild them, to have a hope of getting the pavilion ready to handle the kinds of crowds A&E are getting now. And by the time they finish, it's possible they won't have those crowds anymore so such a refurbishment would not have been needed.

 

[morethananyonex]

I disagree. You shouldn't have to give up everything for 1 character M&G. No where else has a 5 hour wait.

Disney isn't meeting demand.

Just because I have no interest in seeing them myself doesn't make it OK for Disney to say "Tough luck". Either you ruin your vacation with a 5 hour wait or you ruin your vacation by not letting your child do the one thing they wish to do.

Sorry if the last thing you want to see is happy, satisfied guests.

Yes, I definitely said the last thing I want to see is happy, satisfied guests. No, what I said was I don't want to see Anna and Elsa thrown in every possible corner of WDW because they are popular. It's not the Frozen Kingdom. It's not Walt Frozen World.

What are the alternatives here, really? New construction for what is surely not permanent demand? Kicking out classic princesses/characters in favour of them? I don't want to see them monopolizing the parks, which is what it would take for a line that is regularly 5 hours to become anything close to reasonable. Disney doubled capacity when they moved them to MK and also added FP. The lines are still just as long as they were before. Know what that means? More people are now getting through to see Anna and Elsa. If Disney adds even more, there is no guarantee the lines will go down, more people may just be getting through again.

It's funny, because every report I've read from people who actually did wait in no way imply it ruined their vacation. It was worth it to them, so they did it.