FP+ Standby Lines

[MinnieMe129]

I apologize if this has been discussed. Please help me understand why the standby lines are longer with FP+. I understand why they are longer for headliners, because they let the FP users go first...but why are they longer for IASW? I assume very few, if any, people use FP+ for this ride, so why is the line longer these days?

I have been twice since FP+ started. The first time was last September, and we didn't really need it and when we did, had zero issues. This past Feb, we used it when the park was crowded (Presidents day weekend) and had some frustrations and some success. We are leaving next week, and seem to have a solid plan...I'm just reading all the posts about long standby lines and trying to understand (i.e prepare ).

Thank you!

 

[Msmithmd]

Standby lines are longer at many of the rides that didn't previously have fastpass because the new system is pushing guests toward those rides.

For guests that just let the system pick their passes for them, apparently the system often picks the lower demand rides.

It seems the system doesn't effect lines much at the headliners, but for many "c ticket" rides, the lines have been significantly more.

 

[SuperRob]

I apologize if this has been discussed. Please help me understand why the standby lines are longer with FP+.

The smaller rides tend to have less capacity. Since FP+ gets priority, those in standby have to wait longer. That wait builds over the day, so even a small wait can snowball.

And to be clear, the same thing happened when Disney added legacy FastPass. No one remembers that, but Standby waits increased.

The upshot of this is that if riding the most rides is your main concern, witha little planning, you can avoid waiting in those standby lines. Standby is mostly for suckers.

 

[mom2rtk]

Standby used to get 100% of ride capacity at rides like IASW, POTC and HM. Now FP gets priority and is rumored to account for 70% or more of each ride's daily capacity. So while a standby line might look the same or shorter than before, it's moving far slower than ever before while the FP is fed in ahead of it.

 

[JanaDee]

Standby used to get 100% of ride capacity at rides like IASW, POTC and HM. Now FP gets priority and is rumored to account for 70% or more of each ride's daily capacity. So while a standby line might look the same or shorter than before, it's moving far slower than ever before while the FP is fed in ahead of it.

This.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

All new rides should have SB lines that take into account the new slower pace of the line. For example, longer movie-clips etc

 

[morethananyonex]

An increase in FP usage (whether that is FP- or FP+) bumps up wait times because although there may possibly be less people in the stand by lines, they are getting cut off more frequently by guests arriving with FP. The attractions that have been hit the hardest are the ones that didn't have FP before, or had very low FP usage.

Let's say an attraction can handle 60 guests an hour. Without FP, everyone boards in the order they arrive. I get in line and there are 30 people in front of me, giving me a 30 minute wait and making me the 31st person to board. If we assume 50% of capacity is now for FP, that means 30 people now have the potential to get in line after me, but board ahead of me. Even if there are only 15 people ahead of me in stand by, at worst my wait could be 45 minutes or the 46th person to board because FP arrivals take priority.

So basically, FP+ has made some waits longer because they are now getting cut off by the FP line more frequently. Your assumption about attractions like IASW is wrong, there are far more people using FP+ than FP-, which means the attractions like IASW have to carry their weight in terms of FP+ usage. People actually are using them in places where it might have seemed silly before (looking at you, Spaceship Earth).

 

[SuperRob]

Standby used to get 100% of ride capacity at rides like IASW, POTC and HM. Now FP gets priority and is rumored to account for 70% or more of each ride's daily capacity. So while a standby line might look the same or shorter than before, it's moving far slower than ever before while the FP is fed in ahead of it.

Not sure about that percentage. But remember, Disney doesn't want you to wait in line. Go get a Fastpass, and enjoy a beverage or so some shopping while you wait.

Really, it's in both your and Disney's best interest for you to just get used to the idea that FastPass IS the line ... and Standby is only for people who don't know any better. It's simply that way for all lines now.

I have to admit, I don't understand the consternation about the standby lines getting longer at all. Are there really people out there that exclusively waited standby? I never waited more than 20 minutes for a ride before (if it was longer than that, I'd grab a FP). It just reinforces doing that now. Some would call me a sucker for being willing to wait THAT long.

 

[morethananyonex]

Not sure about that percentage. But remember, Disney doesn't want you to wait in line. Go get a Fastpass, and enjoy a beverage or so some shopping while you wait.

Really, it's in both your and Disney's best interest for you to just get used to the idea that FastPass IS the line ... and Standby is only for people who don't know any better. It's simply that way for all lines now.

I have to admit, I don't understand the consternation about the standby lines getting longer at all. Are there really people out there that exclusively waited standby? I never waited more than 20 minutes for a ride before (if it was longer than that, I'd grab a FP). It just reinforces doing that now. Some would call me a sucker for being willing to wait THAT long.

My concern is the attractions that never had FP before, or never needed them.

Those were the attractions you could go to without planning in advance (even if that just consists of going to a kiosk and trying to find a good time) and the attractions you could go to in between FP times. Everybody exclusively waited stand by for many of the attractions in question because that was the only option. The attractions where FP has always been helpful have not seen the increases that the secondary attractions have.

Having a smaller number of attractions that you can just walk up to and ride does take something away for me. It has nothing to do with exclusively using stand by lines.