Artificially Inflating Wait Times?

[lentesta]

Thank you. Any theories on why Disney, which has access to much more raw data than you do, nonetheless so consistently trails the accuracy of your Lines app? I use your app on every trip and with very rare exceptions usually involving breakdowns it always seems to be plus or minus 5 minutes from how long I actually wait.

Ha! Thank you! I suspect that they don't see the ROI in investing to make it better.

 

[Jennasis]

This US patent application from 2014 indicates how they'd use (for example) RFID chips in MagicBands for tracking guest movement in the parks. IIRC, some of these ideas were used in the switch from the old, red "Flik" cards, to embedded RFID sensors in the lines. There are similar patents but my USPTO search skills seem to have left me at the moment.

For what it's worth, we've looked at whether G+ and ILL wait times are artificially inflated to boost sales. As of last month, we can't say that's what's happening - the posted wait times are too all over the place. They tend to be inflated, but enough of them are underestimates that it clouds the analysis.

Can I just say, thank you? Your LINES app is an absolute Godsend and the only thing that salvaged our vacation in December. I could not survive Disney without it. THANK YOU.

 

[Discopij]

The variability in certain rides is different than others. Last week we waited an extra 15 minutes at Thunder Mtn because there was a backlog of LL people that happened to all arrive at the same time, and since we all funnel into the same ending line it makes the total standby wait unpredictable. Space Mountain operates as 2 separate lines from start to finish --- one for ILL and one for standby --- so theoretically the standby waits should be more predictable. While I didn't write anything down, our belief is that nearly every standby line we waited in was shorter than advertised, which means 1 of 2 things: 1) they inflate the wait times to get people to buy Genie+ or ILL; or 2) they inflate the wait times to make people feel better when the waits are shorter than advertised. I actually think it's a bit of both, and to be honest, we were very happy when we hopped on rides faster than expected every time.

 

[Orsino]

Space Mountain operates as 2 separate lines from start to finish --- one for ILL and one for standby

Is this true? I always thought they sent people to one side or the other at the merge point, mixing standby and LL.

 

[Discopij]

Space mountain was completely separate the entire way both times I rode it last week

 

[Yoshi]

Yes it's usually separate. The left side is only standby. That side has the switchbacks filled with more people waiting past the merge point. The right is usually Lightning Lane only with typically a few minute wait past the merge point. Sometimes when there are very few people waiting with Lightning Lane, they will send some people from the standby line to the Lightning Lane side. I saw that happen 2 weeks ago.

 

[musicguy856]

Is this true? I always thought they sent people to one side or the other at the merge point, mixing standby and LL.

Every time I've gone through the LL/FP queue I've been sent to the right-hand side.

It's a good thing if they're filling the switchbacks because I ride it solo most of the time and the single rider option skips that last part of the queue after the split.

 

[Orsino]

Hmm. Last week we rode three times. With ILL we were sent left. Standby we were sent right one time and left the other.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Can I just say, thank you? Your LINES app is an absolute Godsend and the only thing that salvaged our vacation in December. I could not survive Disney without it. THANK YOU.

Which lines app are you referring to?

 

[Turksmom]

Which lines app are you referring to?

Touring Plans

 

[meghanmione]

In our experience, it was the same. Posted wait at HS for Rn’RC was 95 mins, we timed it and waited 45. ST was a posted 45, it felt more like 25 to us. TT was a solid 135 almost all day. We didn’t ride it, but I’m doubtful it was that long. I’m sure they were trying to draw crowds from that one as its seemed to be the popular one yesterday.

 

[Mousetopia]

All technology aside, they should be able to make a very close estimate based on where the physical standby queue actually ends. That is basic information they have immediate access to and can see in real time as it changes.

I agree exactly. It is there business after all. I just cant believe with all my uber planning over the years I have never heard they inflate times as "needed" eye opening!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I agree exactly. It is there business after all. I just cant believe with all my uber planning over the years I have never heard they inflate times as "needed" eye opening!

We first read about Disney’s Line Stacking techniques (yes there is a name for it) in the 1998 Unofficial Guide so this is nothing new,

The goal is crowd control and to steer guests away from the rides and toward the gift shops and eventually the exits late in the evening,

In my experience, the posted wait can be as much as 4x the actual wait close to closing time.

A good example is Space Mtn, where there is no way to see the line. On our most recent visit, the posted wait was 50 minutes about 35 minutes before closing but we were able to ride four times. The last two loops did take a little running. It’s a long way back to the entrance for that one.