Disney is testing virtual queues

[Madonna3]

Because a lot of people don't carry their phones in the water (or in the park as a whole tbh), so there would be no effective way to notify guests without something in/on the MagicBand. Only other way I can think of that they could do it is by having kiosks around the park where guests can tap their MagicBand and see their return time.

That's a neat idea. There's also lots of places around where you can see the time.

 

[WDWFantasmicFan]

That's a neat idea. There's also lots of places around where you can see the time.

Yeah, that is true, but people do tend to forget things (like their return times!) when their having so much fun! haha. If their are small kiosks around (they could even pop them into the cabanas/covers at the parks), then people can double check if they need to.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

All of this is why Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels is the best water park in the world. It's similar to the Magic Kingdom in that there are so many "attractions" that the crowd stays spread out. Sure there are a few longer lines, but there are enough things to do that if you don't feel like waiting in the longest lines, you don't feel like you missed out at all by just sticking to the medium and short waits. I can't recommend S/NB more highly.

 

[rteetz]

All of this is why Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels is the best water park in the world. It's similar to the Magic Kingdom in that there are so many "attractions" that the crowd stays spread out. Sure there are a few longer lines, but there are enough things to do that if you don't feel like waiting in the longest lines, you don't feel like you missed out at all by just sticking to the medium and short waits. I can't recommend S/NB more highly.

I would argue that Schlitterbahn has more attractions to spread guests out because that's all they have is one water park. Disney has four theme parks, two water parks, over 30 hotels, and Disney springs. I think Disney doesn't feel the need to create their water parks as the destination since people are already coming and adding on the water park as part of their trip.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

All of this is why Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels is the best water park in the world. It's similar to the Magic Kingdom in that there are so many "attractions" that the crowd stays spread out. Sure there are a few longer lines, but there are enough things to do that if you don't feel like waiting in the longest lines, you don't feel like you missed out at all by just sticking to the medium and short waits. I can't recommend S/NB more highly.

I'm so hesitant to go to Schlitterbahn after the boy died last year. Is that crazy of me?

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

I would argue that Schlitterbahn has more attractions to spread guests out because that's all they have is one water park. Disney has four theme parks, two water parks, over 30 hotels, and Disney springs. I think Disney doesn't feel the need to create their water parks as the destination since people are already coming and adding on the water park as part of their trip.

Schlitterbahn, New Braunfels is two water parks and surrounding hotel rooms. Don't get me wrong, as a resort, Schlitterbahn is no comparison to WDW - but as a water park, Schlitterbahn has no peer. Certainly not anything at WDW.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

The boy died at the Schlitterbahn in Kansas City. That awful accident happened on a "water roller coaster" that Schlitterbahn only had at their KC location. It was a truly extreme ride, and I would have been hesitant to get on it before the accident. I've never been to S/KC. Only New Braunfels. They have several locations, but New Braunfels, TX is the original and the most developed.

 

[Madonna3]

I'm so hesitant to go to Schlitterbahn after the boy died last year. Is that crazy of me?

As tragic as that was, that was one person out of how many.... tens of thousands that rode safely? Did they ever say how he ended up so badly injured?

 

[TwoMisfits]

As tragic as that was, that was one person out of how many.... tens of thousands that rode safely? Did they ever say how he ended up so badly injured?

Something with him being too light (73 lbs) and being in front of 2 women (who weighed 450 lbs combined) and the height and angles of the ride (When it was being built, fake sandbag people would fly off the ride when the drop was only half as big...they thought they fixed everything then, but likely not - when you start with a bad premise of assuming water rides work like roller coasters, it's just bad)...so bad engineering coupled with bad ride decisions by the ride operators...it's now being torn down for good...http://people.com/celebrity/early-t...re-boy-died-showed-riders-could-fly-off-ramp/

 

[Jason Siegfried]

If I remember correctly, he shouldn't have been on it to begin with. Due to the nature of how extreme that slide was, there was strict weight/height requirements and you had to be strapped in a certain way to ride. I believe he came loose from the straps and was decapitated somewhere along the slide. It's been closed since and the slide was/will be demolished.

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

Something with him being too light (73 lbs) and being in front of 2 women (who weighed 450 lbs combined) and the height and angles of the ride (When it was being built, fake sandbag people would fly off the ride when the drop was only half as big...they thought they fixed everything then, but likely not - when you start with a bad premise of assuming water rides work like roller coasters, it's just bad)...so bad engineering coupled with bad ride decisions by the ride operators...it's now being torn down for good...http://people.com/celebrity/early-t...re-boy-died-showed-riders-could-fly-off-ramp/

This. It's hard for me to trust a company that operated a ride that was structurally unsafe.

 

[Jason Siegfried]

This. It's hard for me to trust a company that operated a ride that was structurally unsafe.

I watched the special on discovery channel and they didn't operate it as structurally unsafe. While it was a tragedy that happened. I wouldn't say it was gross negligence on the part of Schlitterbahn. Yes, sand bag dummies did fly off the slide in initial testing and when they couldn't get it to work, they demolished the whole slide and started from scratch until they got it right. It operated near flawlessly for 2 years until the incident. The quote below best states what happened on that fateful day.

"Authorities later said the boy, who weighed 74 pounds, should have been in the center of the raft. Instead he was in front of two women – one weighing 275 pounds and another weighing 197 – which caused an uneven weight distribution and contributed to the raft going airborne. The cumulative weight of 546 pounds was under the maximum weight of 550 pounds recommended for the ride"

 

[dlavender]

I watched the special on discovery channel and they didn't operate it as structurally unsafe. While it was a tragedy that happened. I wouldn't say it was gross negligence on the part of Schlitterbahn. Yes, sand bag dummies did fly off the slide in initial testing and when they couldn't get it to work, they demolished the whole slide and started from scratch until they got it right. It operated near flawlessly for 2 years until the incident. The quote below best states what happened on that fateful day.

"Authorities later said the boy, who weighed 74 pounds, should have been in the center of the raft. Instead he was in front of two women – one weighing 275 pounds and another weighing 197 – which caused an uneven weight distribution and contributed to the raft going airborne. The cumulative weight of 546 pounds was under the maximum weight of 550 pounds recommended for the ride"

Not to totally hijack the thread, but if being 4 lbs off and the seating arrangement not being exactly right leads to decapitation, than there is a fundamental flaw in the design.

 

[WDWFantasmicFan]

Guys, can we please keep this thread on topic - Disney testing virtual queues NOT ride accidents etc. If you wish to discuss that, this thread is not the place for it.

Thanks

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

Guys, can we please keep this thread on topic - Disney testing virtual queues NOT ride accidents etc. If you wish to discuss that, this thread is not the place for it.

Thanks

Sorry!!

 

[PuppyJonathan]

I'm just going to add my two cents because I feel the urge to: the ride was dangerous, during testing the rafts flew off the track, hence the netting, but the company isn't dangerous whenever it was too extreme a concept to begin with. I don't think schlitterbahn knew what there were getting into with it. Kind of like the smiler accident two years ago. Even though the casualties (they're alive, They did have to amputate them two of them though) were a result of poor running of the ride, and the vehicle being that way, it didn't mean everything Gerstatuler made is dangerous or everything in Alton towers is either. Everyone slips up, some just slip up worse than others

Now on topic anyone test this out? Or did someone post a review?

 

[Madonna3]

Went to TL yesterday. No test was in progress for this.

 

[WDWFantasmicFan]

Went to TL yesterday. No test was in progress for this.

Hmmmm, thats interesting! I wonder if they are still testing it over at Blizzard Beach... Anyone know?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm so hesitant to go to Schlitterbahn after the boy died last year. Is that crazy of me?

If it makes you feel any better it has caused the Kansas Government to push for an overhaul on how safety regulations are done in the state of KS (I'm in the KC area).

Currently there is a bill in the House (that hasn't passed yet) would require that licensed engineers, or people with a background in amusement ride inspection, review amusement rides. The insurance company that insures the park and ride would pay for the inspections. The rides also would need a valid permit from the Kansas Department of Labor.

*All I will post on that subject*

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This virtual thing might actually be quite cool. I'm curious to see how it all goes over at Volcano Bay and at Disney's parks..would one go over better than the other? I do agree with others standing on hot concrete barefoot not to mention those stairs oh lord I'm just not in enough shape for that lol let's just say maybe this would alleviate annoyance with those a bit.