At the park now, FP+ lines are snaking through the park

[Shaden]

I'm not counting many smiles in those pictures........ must be the FP+ Hater's Line.......

Can't be, there's only ten of us.

A dozen was the last count I read. But maybe we just stood in line a bunch of times so it LOOKs like a long line ???

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

So let me get this straight. Many Disney workers told us that the limit of 3 Fast Passes with FP+ was because studies showed that the average guest only used 1.3 FPs a day. So, they give us 3 a day, essentially doubling the number the average guest used. Then, they did what they could to get the word out so that more people would use the system. Then, they allowed more FPs than they have in the past for any given ride. BUT they put nothing in place to help with crowd or line management? What could possibly go wrong?

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

What was wrong with the old system?
Seriously. I don't get it.

Well, according to some on this site, it "wasn't fair" because some guests got to the park at rope drop for short lines, took full advantage of fast pass collecting 7, 8, 9, or more fast passes a day, and never really ended up standing in lines more than 20-25 minutes while others who chose to leisurely sleep in and got to the parks later were unable to collect fast passes and had to stand in long lines for the popular rides.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Either Star Tours broke down or they seriously overdistributed fastpasses.

MDE had Star Tours standby wait at 100 mins around 4 this afternoon.

 

[Shaden]

My favorite FP+ apolgetics.

"The FP line is too long."
"Only outside, once you get in the queue it's a walk-on!"
"But I spent 30 minutes standing outside the queue."
"But it was a walk-on inside the queue!"
"...touche'?"

Remember folks, the parks are VERY VERY crowded right now, especially Magic Kingdom. It's President's Week and a LOT of families have school off.

FP+ lines are normally not this long. And even when I was at Pirate's yesterday and it was snaking out, it moved VERY quickly.

It's not as bad as the pictures make it.

Folks... at MOST rides the FP+ lines moves pretty quickly. You are not waiting "20 minutes" to get on the ride. It's just the entry point where you do your first FP+ scan is slower than handing a paper ticket to a CM (like you did with FP-), which is why the lines snakes out. But it moves quickly.

The fact that these posts are separated by less than a page, is disturbing and hilarious and ridiculous at once. Seriously.

"Its ok that you have to stand in the FP+ return line for 30 mins, because inside you only have to wait 5 or 10 mins ... "

"Fast"pass indeed. I clearly see the superiority of this system compared to our experience in 2012 on the same weekend, when after collecting FPs we simply walked on to rides.

 

[Angel Ariel]

So here's what you all can do: Google Search "Presidents Day weekend 2013." What you will have are articles and blogs about Presidents Day weekends in 2012 and 2013. They will talk about how some rides had 3, 4 or longer wait times at WDW. That's with the old Fastpass system. They call it "One of the busiest times of the year." They call it "One of the worst times to go in terms of wait times" for WDW. And these articles are from 2011, 2012 and 2013.

One article said that "MLK day is much more manageable than Presidents Day." So the FP+ system didn't add to the crowds. It's always unusually crowded during that time. So these pictures could have been taken in 2013.

Everything like that that I have seen is referencing the *standby* wait times - not the FP line wait times.

Even the quote a PP in this thread made with a reference to a long FP line this time last year only referenced a FP line backup at one ride - TSMM. Not multiple headliners (and non-headliners, as I wouldn't put Star Tours in the same category as Soarin'/EE/TSMM generally) in multiple parks.

ETA: After seeing those pictures, I understand a bit more how standby for Star Tours reached 100 mins today. I have *never* seen it so long. We rode back to back on both of our trips last year (sometimes 3-4 times in a row - most SB!), even during spring break. But with the FP+ line as long as the twitter pic showed, the ratio of FP+ guests to SB guests being put on the ride would have been way out of whack, causing the ridiculously long SB line.

 

[disney1990]

This is all very, very disappointing. This was for President's Day - not Christmas week, not Spring Break and not the Summer, when the lines really are long. If they can't keep up on a relatively minor holiday - what is going to happen in the future.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Never on any of our trips with legacy FP did we ever wait 10-15 mins in the FP line.

FWIW - I have. The rides where I waited about 20-25 min. were: Space Mountain (this one was the worst), BTMRR and The Safari. We almost had a similar scenario on Soarin only they were looking for a party of 3, which we were. We skipped ahead of a ton of people. All of these were during busy times (ie President's week or the summer) and at busy times of day when the stand-by line was VERY long.

The lines never looked as bad as these FP+ lines though. I don't know if that's because the line was indoors in what was set up to be a line and these are just makeshift lines out in the open or because these FP+ lines are really as horrifying as they look.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

How did the imagineers miss the memo to HIDE the FP lines from view?

I wonder how many more FP's are actually being used now compared to the old system? Before it was nice to have in hand but if you were getting tired you might leave the park figuring you could do it again the next day. Now, after planning weeks in advance you're darn well going to keep those tired kids at the park and use your FP's!

There definitely seems to be some signs of over allocation of FP's. I hope the next tweak isn't going to be decreasing FP's to 2 per person because everyone keeps using them.

 

[KBoopaloo]

FWIW - I have. The rides where I waited about 20-25 min. were: Space Mountain (this one was the worst), BTMRR and The Safari. We almost had a similar scenario on Soarin only they were looking for a party of 3, which we were. We skipped ahead of a ton of people. All of these were during busy times (ie President's week or the summer) and at busy times of day when the stand-by line was VERY long.

The lines never looked as bad as these FP+ lines though. I don't know if that's because the line was indoors in what was set up to be a line and these are just makeshift lines out in the open or because these FP+ lines are really as horrifying as they look.

Same here. I am actually perplexed by all the people who say they've never had to wait any length of time ever with legacy FP as I can say that I have never, ever in many trips at all times of year been able to get through the Soarin FP line in less than 15 to 20 minutes, usually closer to 25. I've waited similar times in Test Track FP lines and Rockin Rollercoaster though not as consistently. And I've definitely also had to wait at Space, the Safari and Splash.

Do I think giant, snaking lines to get IN to the FP line are acceptable? No and clearly adjustments need to be made. But I also know that my personal use of legacy FP has never actually meant that I zoomed right to the ride vehicle with virtually no wait every single time. Did that happen sometimes? Yes. But definitely not every time.

 

[KBoopaloo]

Not sure if I can link to another site here, but this is a blog with comments from 2011 about the longest FP lines people waited in. To be fair, most mentioned Soarin and some mentioned ride malfunctions as a cause but Splash, Space and Toy Story Mania also got mentions of long FP lines without those kinds of issues.

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=945508447

 

[bcrook]

Not sure if I can link to another site here, but this is a blog with comments from 2011 about the longest FP lines people waited in. To be fair, most mentioned Soarin and some mentioned ride malfunctions as a cause but Splash, Space and Toy Story Mania also got mentions of long FP lines without those kinds of issues.

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/news/response.cfm?ID=945508447

I think there are a few different things going on here. For example, there are always waits after the merge points. Soarin and test track both have considerable waits at that point. So does RnRC, TSMM, and ToT.

One of the Space Examples mentioned that splash and BTMRR were down and space mountain was accepting all their fastpasses too.

The twitter pictures are showing long waits to get into the fastpass chute, before reaching the merge points to wait some more.

 

[Kimi313]

This is all very, very disappointing. This was for President's Day - not Christmas week, not Spring Break and not the Summer, when the lines really are long. If they can't keep up on a relatively minor holiday - what is going to happen in the future.

This is why until they improve FP+ you will find me on my next trip, at Epcot, World Showcase, FPing thru some drinks If anyone wants to join me come on over.

 

[postage stamp]

This is why until they improve FP+ you will find me on my next trip, at Epcot, World Showcase, FPing thru some drinks If anyone wants to join me come on over.

Honestly, the day my sister-in-law turned 21 and we could eat and drink our way around the WS together was my favorite WDW day ever, lol

 

[stormer]

The twitter pictures are showing long waits to get into the fastpass chute, before reaching the merge points to wait some more.

Yes and the long FP lines we experienced today were not just because it took longer to scan the band. If it was wait to scan your band and then walk thru that wouldn't be bad. The entire FP que was completely full and the line continued out into the walkway areas. Almost seemed like they gave out too many FPs or didn't stagger the times or something.

 

[Shaden]

This is why until they improve FP+ you will find me on my next trip, at Epcot, World Showcase, FPing thru some drinks If anyone wants to join me come on over.

I will be doing the same, but I think I am going to JUST miss you

May 2 - 16 ...

 

[tj4disney]

What are they going to do with these exterior lines in the summer as people faint from the direct sun or the gridlock caused by the Peter Pan fast pass lane overlapping the small world FP lane? It could get dangerous if they don't figure out a way soon to get the flow moving past the scanning mickeys.

Hmm, the whole slow down at scan point is a problem aspect that I hadn't considered. Post above brings up a valid point in that FL heat. Yikes! And not sure there's any really good solution here either...it's simply a slower process. More scanners??

We just got back from a Disney cruise and our kids used magic bands to scan out of the kid's clubs...it probably took 3 or 4 seconds for the mickey head to read the bands. Maybe the readers at the park attractions can be made to scan faster, but if not, my family of four will now take 12-16 seconds to clear the scanners, whereas with FP- it was probably 3-4 seconds total. Not good. Guess they better start on interactive activities for the FP+ scanning line!!

 

[bcrook]

Yes and the long FP lines we experienced today were not just because it took longer to scan the band. If it was wait to scan your band and then walk thru that wouldn't be bad. The entire FP que was completely full and the line continued out into the walkway areas. Almost seemed like they gave out too many FPs or didn't stagger the times or something.

That is even more disturbing. What other explanation could there be?

I can understand how frustrating this would have been. Thank you for reporting.

 

[Shaden]

Yes and the long FP lines we experienced today were not just because it took longer to scan the band. If it was wait to scan your band and then walk thru that wouldn't be bad. The entire FP que was completely full and the line continued out into the walkway areas. Almost seemed like they gave out too many FPs or didn't stagger the times or something.

Now this is valuable, and terrible, information ....

 

[SmallWorld71]

Yes and the long FP lines we experienced today were not just because it took longer to scan the band. If it was wait to scan your band and then walk thru that wouldn't be bad. The entire FP que was completely full and the line continued out into the walkway areas. Almost seemed like they gave out too many FPs or didn't stagger the times or something.