At EPCOT now Anna n Elsa OH MY!

[Iowajes]

Can you all imagine what this will be like on a Saturday during the Food and Wine fest if A&E still command 5 hour waits?

They need to be moved to a better location. STAT.

F&W seems like it would make the wait more palatable if you have a small group. One person sits in Anna/Elsa's line- the other stands in kiosk lines and returns with food and wine!

 

[KatieCharlotte]

Endlessly grateful that I have two girls who have never wanted to wait in a long line to meet princesses. We were at MK when the Rapunzel line was crazy and DD didn't mind skipping it. When she heard about the Epcot lines, 9yr old DD said, "It's just people dressed up like movie princesses, I don't get it?" and her 5 yr old sister chimed in, "Yeah, they're not the real Anna and Elsa."

Of course, we're going to be at Islands of Adventure at 6:45 a.m. for early entry because DD is desperate to be chosen by a wand...

 

[Karbase8]

The problem is getting more CMs ready. Word was that initially the same two girls were doing all the M&Gs in Norway and they couldn't extend the hours until they had two more ready, after tryouts and training. It seems to be like Daniel Day Lewis prepping for a role.

Ahahahahahahahahahha Daniel Day Lewis, this made my whole day thank you!

 

[3Gsandme]

Those lines are outrageous. Maybe we got really lucky on our day. Dh and the girls were in line at about 8:45/8:50 and we were within the first few families let in. I had prepared the girls for a two hour wait (when the Princesses weren't meeting guests until 11:00) and I told them they wouldn't get to do very much if that were the case. Thankfully, we didn't have to, but we were prepared to wait 2-3 hours. It was what the girls wanted to do the most.

 

[Funfire240]

We have an 8:00 ADR at akershus so my hubby is just going to skip the breakfast to wait in the line. I just have a question. I booked the ADR for everyone including my hubby. I know they have a fee of $10 per person for no shows. Would I be charged for my hubby since he won't be at the breakfast?

You won't be charged as long as someone shows up for the reservation. We had an ADR last year for 6 at one place and only 4 of us made it and there was no charge.

 

[EMode]

F&W seems like it would make the wait more palatable if you have a small group. One person sits in Anna/Elsa's line- the other stands in kiosk lines and returns with food and wine!

I think that is the only way I'd be able to stay in line that long. Instead of hours, I would just measure by how many glasses of wine

 

[jimandami]

I think that is the only way I'd be able to stay in line that long. Instead of hours, I would just measure by how many glasses of wine

Maybe they should open a Mimosa stand for those long morning waits!!

 

[arrical8]

We are going in September, but I am not confident the line situation will improve too much.

Same here! But still hoping

 

[sunkissed4]

Maybe end the "running of the dads" and not let people get in line without their entire party? Same idea as not letting families sit down at a quick service table until they have their food.

Luckily I have boys so this is a non-issue, but even if I did have a daughter, she wouldn't know there was a meet and greet for them right now!

 

[Goldilocks07]

Ok, the thing I can't seem to get past is how the line went from 3.5-4 hours at 9:06 to 5 hours just 30 minutes later. Who in the world hears it is a 4 hour wait and GETS IN LINE??? I love my kids and all but there is no freakin way we would wait that long. Period.

Haha! I said the SAME thing! I actually got in line and said this, stupefied. Then we left, bought a $70 coronation dress, and did a bunch of rides.
Lol

 

[Mac4life30]

I'm curious has Disney addressed this issue at all? Has anyone here or anyone you know of complained at GR and if so what were they told. I'm sure Disney is only giving the same sugar coated response " We are sorry and we are working on a solution we thank you for your patience"

 

[3Gsandme]

Maybe end the "running of the dads" and not let people get in line without their entire party? Same idea as not letting families sit down at a quick service table until they have their food.

Luckily I have boys so this is a non-issue, but even if I did have a daughter, she wouldn't know there was a meet and greet for them right now!

That would give more people a better chance of getting into line more quickly, but I don't think it would reduce the line. The same 100 people want to be in line, it would just change the order.

The only thing that will reduce the line is Elsa and Anna showing up other places, IMO.

 

[drstrangelove]

We got to the park at opening, I ran at almost full speed to Norway, got there at maybe 9:06, and it was announced there was a 3.5-4 hour wait for the princesses.
***.
And what a bummer.
My daughter is so upset.
Has Epcot not figured it out yet?????

there is not really much that can be done short of adding more Ann/Elsa actresses or limiting the time with them to 30 seconds.

Its a high demand event AND people want a long time with them. People want 2 minutes at least of meet nd greet and picture taking. That gets you about 30 groups per hour at best. So 100 groups will be a 3.5 to 4 hour wait. 100 people is not all that much for a line. Its like 3-4 car loads on most coasters. I think the only solution is when the desire dies down, which it will slowly.

 

[TDC Nala]

The other thing they might do is make Akershus a prepaid reservation like CRT is...making it cost a lot more for even one person to skip the breakfast to get in line for A&E. Won't stop everybody though.

Yes, the only thing that can be done is to hire more performers to play these characters. Their time meeting guests is limited by the breaks required by their union. And since there are two of them meeting together, they will take longer per guest than the single princess hug and run. I understand they are having particular difficulty casting Elsa.

The lines will get better when the Frozen popularity dies down, OR when the girls are moved to a location that is better able to handle an exceedingly popular meet and greet (and perhaps either duplicated, or limited in the time they take visiting with each individual group of guests).

 

[Goldilocks07]

We have never been to Epcot and I'm looking at the map now. Where do they meet exactly? I know it's Norway but I can't visualize it with the map. Can you see them from the restaurant if you're having breakfast? Wondering if you could possibly start seeing the line form before running out and jumping in line if we have an 8:00am ADR and at least one of us is ready to get in line while everyone else finishes breakfast.

Thanks, everyone, and good luck seeing them!

The entrance is next to the shop entrance- when you are in the store shopping, you can actually view the princess meet n greet. That's how we saw them.

You can sort of see the line while eating, but the windows are frosted and they usually keep the front doors closed.

Just eat fast and consider what you pay for breakfast as a fast pass to see the princesses. Lol

 

[JimmyV]

Maybe end the "running of the dads" and not let people get in line without their entire party? Same idea as not letting families sit down at a quick service table until they have their food.

It's just not practical. They would be cutting off your nose to spite their face. Norway cannot handle 100 families of 4 all lined up. It can barely handle the 100 dads. That is why the CMs are instructing people to only have one person wait in line. They either have to move the girls, or go to an "appointment only" FP+ system with no standby line and only a FP+ return line. Perhaps they could take the Norway movie theater and transform that into some sort of holding tank/waiting area. Or make watching the movie a prerequisite to meeting the girls. That would shrink the line a bit.

 

[JimmyV]

The other thing they might do is make Akershus a prepaid reservation like CRT is...making it cost a lot more for even one person to skip the breakfast to get in line for A&E.

All that will do is make people realize that they can do then what they can do now, but don't seem to want to, which is..."eater swap". But once money is at stake, people will come to that realization.

 

[MaleficentRN]

I cannot even comprehend the concept of getting in a line at 9:00 for something that will not happen until 1:00, and when it happens, it will be a 90 second interaction. And to think that this adventure takes up half of one's day that might be costing upwards of $1,000 (or more) when food, lodging and entertainment are all added together.

Yes! I can't wrap my brain around it!

 

[Mac4life30]

They could also take appointments like they did for the Disney Run shoes (though that didn't work to well). You sign up and you get a time to return at. Yes its like fast pass but you don't need the fancy technology. It will be sort of like an ADR.

 

[mcd2745]

In the short-term, it will probably only get worse with the Bluray/DVD release in 12 days which may cause another little spike in their popularity/demand.

They really need to do something, anything about this situation. The status quo isn't working for anyone. Plus, from Disney's perspective, how much money are you spending while on line for 4 hours? Maybe you grab a drink? However, if I'm going to join the "Father's Marathon" and go straight from RD to Norway to wait in line for 4 hours...I'm bringing a few bottles of water with me.

There's so many negatives to the way things are currently, some type of change needs to happen. I don't see the demand for Anna & Elsa dying down until next year. A move to the Odyssey makes the most sense. Get (a lot) more CMs "show-ready" and have it where can you have multiple sets of sisters meeting at the same time. Or add a meet & greet at one of the other parks to take some pressure off the Epcot meet and greet.