A&E Stampede this morning was insane!!!

[ks-man]

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.

Could be the plans are to eventually move them there with a smaller pavilion and Frozen themes but it is for the future when the crowds are more normal. I'm sure Disney intends to have the girls there for many years to come. As you say, why build a massive pavilion and completely rearrange everything when it won't be needed (that size of a structure) in the future. That isn't to say though that 5 years from now an A&E meet and greet in Norway wouldn't make sense.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

They will have the girls there for years to come. But not in Norway - not while they are this popular. It's been proven that Norway can't handle it.

If in a couple of years they will still pull them in without clogging the pavilion, they may meet in the pavilion area like other characters do (without a special area built just for them).

 

[ArwenMarie]

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!

That's what I was thinking, just like a paper FP lol. Seriously though, why not? At least people could walk around. Someone is going to pass out in that line and hurt themselves.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

And the mega fits people throw when all the FP+ are out and their little darling can't meet Anna and Elsa will be epic. At least with a line, even a 300 minute one, people do have the option to get in it if they choose. Not to mention, its pretty scary from a guest perspective if Disney creates an attraction that is strictly FP only. If they decided they liked the way that works, imagine them moving to something similar for all the big attractions.

I went back and reread your post just to be sure.

I'm glad you don't want to see it but to imply that other guests shouldn't be unhappy because they can't really isn't your call.

I don't think a 5 hour wait is an acceptable choice. If you do, good for you, but I don't think guest should expect to give up 5 hours of precious park time.

How old are your "little darlings"?

 

[ks-man]

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!

That's what I was thinking. Seriously though, why not? At least people walk around. Someone is going to pass out in that line and hurt themselves.

Because then it isn't truly Standby and at that point it would be no different making it FP+. When they did FP- it wasn't like there was no standby. So what happens at 10am when they've handed out all the available ticket reservations for the day. Now somebody arriving at 10:30am is told you can't see them. Tons of people would RD, go to A&E, get a 4pm return time and go do the park for the day.

The whole reason that A&E still has a standby is to allow those people without FP to be given some way of seeing them. And while yes, at 1pm in theory the line may be too long to see them, but the cutoff time will extend much later as it is far more of a commitment to wait in line that long vs. showing up and grabbing a paper pass. If you want a reservation, aim for a FP+, and if you don't get one you can decide how important it is to you to see them and what you are willing to sacrifice.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Oh, you're on the list.

I'll wear it when we visit in June!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

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.

Why do you have an issue with more people getting through? I would say it is a good thing.

If more people are getting through and there is STILL a line. That tells me that there is still and demand and Disney isn't meeting it and they REALLY weren't meeting it before.

 

[morethananyonex]

I went back and reread your post just to be sure.

I'm glad you don't want to see it but to imply that other guests shouldn't be unhappy because they can't really isn't your call.

I don't think a 5 hour wait is an acceptable choice. If you do, good for you, but I don't think guest should expect to give up 5 hours of precious park time.

How old are your "little darlings"?

My little darling is 2. Not seeing how that's relevant to any of this.

I never said other guests shouldn't be unhappy about the long waits, I said I don't want to see Disney do what would be necessary to get the waits down to a more reasonable level. The girls are popular. They doubled the capacity and the waits stayed the same because more people came. That is likely to happen again if they stick them somewhere else. I don't want to see them everywhere in the parks, and I don't think Disney would do that either. The waits for them are going to be nuts until people stop waiting for them.

I don't know why you keep putting words in my mouth. To me, 5 hours is not acceptable. I wouldn't wait in it. I would try my hardest to get a FP, and if I couldn't I would tell my child too bad we'll see them in the parade. Again, the alternative to bring the waits down to an acceptable level is not acceptable to me either.

I also said that I don't see Disney taking away the stand by line entirely, because the fits from parents who don't even have the option to wait would indeed be epic. I don't think Disney wants to deal with that. That's what the post you're quoting came from.

 

[morethananyonex]

Why do you have an issue with more people getting through? I would say it is a good thing.

If more people are getting through and there is STILL a line. That tells me that there is still and demand and Disney isn't meeting it and they REALLY weren't meeting it before.

I have no issue with that.

I'm saying that the solution to add more Anna and Elsa's is pretty likely to get more people through instead of lowering wait times. The hours and hours of waiting will still be there.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

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?

Well, that sucks. Sorry that was the case for you. Interested to see how it goes next week when it is supposed to be a bit less busy than recently. And it is supposed to rain some which may help thin out the crowd.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

It gets pretty circular.

A 5 hour line is unacceptable.

Then don't wait in it.

But what if I want to see them?

Get a fastpass, or get there very early.

But what if I can't do either, and I still want to see them?

Then you have a choice to make.

But I shouldn't HAVE to make that choice. It is up to Disney to ensure that I do not have to make that choice.


Once you put it up to Disney then you must have an idea of what they can do. Take out Rapunzel and her friends on the other side and put Anna and Elsa on that side too. Put Anna and Elsa in every park, put them in restaurants, put them anywhere you can fit them in, just so nobody has to wait in line longer than an "acceptable" amount of time (which would not be the same for everybody.) and do it NOW, before someone gets angry or injured running to get in line, or before you disappoint one more child just because their parents think the line is too long.

But if you're thinking like Disney and not like a frustrated guest, is that really a realistic thing to do? What do you do when something is THIS popular? Flood the market with it, to keep people happy? You can't make everyone happy.

 

[ks-man]

Why do you have an issue with more people getting through? I would say it is a good thing.

If more people are getting through and there is STILL a line. That tells me that there is still and demand and Disney isn't meeting it and they REALLY weren't meeting it before.

Because a well run organization whose mission is to delivery a profit to shareholders doesn't only look at the short term. As a Disney shareholder I definitely don't want Disney to spend a ton of money and build out everything A&E with the hopes of reducing the current line from at worst 5 hours for a select group of people down to 1.5 hours. Then in a few months the lines everywhere are far less and they have to scrap those plans and it is essentially wasted money.

What I'd like to see them do is move them to an area that has more capacity (such as from Norway to MK), expand the number of sets of A&E groups so it isn't just a single group (such as what they did by adding a second group of A&E girls) and potentially look to bring in one or two more sets so they could expand hours and potentially add them to a character meal (along the lines of sending out open casting calls for princesses that was reported earlier today).

Gee, guess I know now why my Disney stock has been performing so well the last few years...

 

[SillyFamily]

I know this has probably been suggested already but why not create a character breakfast with A&E? They could use one of the already existing buffet breakfasts that aren't packed like the wave, captain's grill, or even trails end (though transport to that would be a pain). All they need is a back drop, couple of characters, and a photographer or 2 and that restaurant would be packed.

Disney could charge 30-50 a plate and i am sure it would be filled every day.

 

[mom2rtk]

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.

But you got it wrong. I'm in charge of the drinks.

MadHattered will set you up with a shirt.

I'm still trying to remember who was in charge of the cookies.......

 

[morethananyonex]

It gets pretty circular.

A 5 hour line is unacceptable.

Then don't wait in it.

But what if I want to see them?

Get a fastpass, or get there very early.

But what if I can't do either, and I still want to see them?

Then you have a choice to make.

But I shouldn't HAVE to make that choice. It is up to Disney to ensure that I do not have to make that choice.


Once you put it up to Disney then you must have an idea of what they can do. Put Anna and Elsa in every park, put them in restaurants, put them anywhere you can fit them in, just so nobody has to wait in line longer than an "acceptable" amount of time (which would not be the same for everybody.) and do it NOW, before someone gets angry or injured running to get in line, or before you disappoint one more child just because their parents think the line is too long.

But if you're thinking like Disney and not like a frustrated guest, is that really a realistic thing to do? What do you do when something is THIS popular? Flood the market with it, to keep people happy? You can't make everyone happy.

Because a well run organization whose mission is to delivery a profit to shareholders doesn't only look at the short term. As a Disney shareholder I definitely don't want Disney to spend a ton of money and build out everything A&E with the hopes of reducing the current line from at worst 5 hours for a select group of people down to 1.5 hours. Then in a few months the lines everywhere are far less and they have to scrap those plans and it is essentially wasted money.

What I'd like to see them do is move them to an area that has more capacity (such as from Norway to MK), expand the number of sets of A&E groups so it isn't just a single group (such as what they did by adding a second group of A&E girls) and potentially look to bring in one or two more sets so they could expand hours and potentially add them to a character meal (along the lines of sending out open casting calls for princesses that was reported earlier today).

Gee, guess I know now why my Disney stock has been performing so well the last few years...

Disney doubled the capacity and more people flooded the lines. What exactly is the breaking point where the waits will finally decrease instead of more people joining the line? There is only so much they can realistically do for temporary demand. Does anybody really believe that 2-3 years from now Anna and Elsa are going to draw this kind of crowd?

ETA: As far as the matter of choice, it's like blaming Disney that if I make the choice to spend 5 hours at the pool instead of in the parks I'm riding less than a family who chose to spend those additional 5 hours in the park. It's not Disney's responsibility to open up the parks longer for me, I made a choice.

 

[mom2rtk]

Everyone should be careful complaining too much about that line and the RD stampede.

Remember how they solved it when Rapunzel and Flynn caused so much angst?

 

[ArwenMarie]

Because then it isn't truly Standby and at that point it would be no different making it FP+. When they did FP- it wasn't like there was no standby. So what happens at 10am when they've handed out all the available ticket reservations for the day. Now somebody arriving at 10:30am is told you can't see them. Tons of people would RD, go to A&E, get a 4pm return time and go do the park for the day.

The whole reason that A&E still has a standby is to allow those people without FP to be given some way of seeing them. And while yes, at 1pm in theory the line may be too long to see them, but the cutoff time will extend much later as it is far more of a commitment to wait in line that long vs. showing up and grabbing a paper pass. If you want a reservation, aim for a FP+, and if you don't get one you can decide how important it is to you to see them and what you are willing to sacrifice.

It would be different than FP+ because you would have to physically show up at the attraction and get the return time. And it would allow for a chance for same-day to get in, unlike current FP+.

Yep, they would run out, but they run out now at some point too when the wait time exceeds the hours of operation.

 

[morethananyonex]

Everyone should be careful complaining too much about that line and the RD stampede.

Remember how they solved it when Rapunzel and Flynn caused so much angst?

See ya Elsa! Maybe she'll be released from her bedroom come Halloween.

 

[jo-jo]

I know this has probably been suggested already but why not create a character breakfast with A&E? They could use one of the already existing buffet breakfasts that aren't packed like the wave, captain's grill, or even trails end (though transport to that would be a pain). All they need is a back drop, couple of characters, and a photographer or 2 and that restaurant would be packed.

Disney could charge 30-50 a plate and i am sure it would be filled every day.[/QUOTE



Shhhh please don't ruin our breakfast spots. We used to love Norway, until the princess' and the prices more than doubled.

 

[BlueGiraffe]

Eeeeek!!

I had originally planned to go straight to A&E and use FP+ for other things. But reading about this stampede, I've gone right off the idea. I'll try and get FP+ but if it doesn't happen, then it doesn't happen. DD4 only wants some Mickey waffles and a pony ride anyway, so she'll be fine.

I did think that maybe we'll go back one evening and the wait might not be so long, but then I thought I'd read somewhere that they only meet until 5pm, is this right?

90 days to go!