Heads UP!!! Entering the parks

[DISUNC]

If using Disney transportation, and with the crowds, and with security and the new biometric readings ..LEAVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO GET TO THE PARKS from your WDW resort or from anywhere else for that matter.

Just returned from staying at the POP. Normally I park my car and forget about it. I just use WDW Buses. However this time was different.

The worst day was we left our room at the POP @ 6:00pm to go to MK. We waited for the bus for about 10 minutes. This wasn't bad. However by the time they unboarded & boarded the bus this took some time. Then once we arrived at MK the lines went from the security check points back to the gates. This also took some considerable time.
Then they installed these biometrics readers in which once you put your ticket in the machine, you must stick your right hand pointer & middle finger in, and the machine scans your bone denisty (all this to ride dumbo???). From my own experiences with this and from the CM's at the gate these machines work about 10% of the time. It is all one MAJOR wait & mass confusion.

After all this was done, we FINALLY walked under the train station at MK @ 7:55!!!!!!!!!!!

ALMOST 2 HOURS from the POP to we FINALLY get through all the barriers to get to the park.

This was the most dramatic example, however with buses, security, biometric readings...etc....You really need to plan more than a hour to get inside any of the parks from any of the resorts. I cut this down somewhat by using my car.

 

[stevelamb121]

Thanks for the info....This will come in useful

 

[goofy4tink]

After our trip in June, I found that the biggest problem with the scans were people that had no idea how to do it!!! They continually put different fingers in each time they entered a park...and then would tell the CM.."Well, what difference does it make which fingers I use??" Duh!! We really didn't have to many waits at the turnstyles much longer than 5-8 minutes. I wonder if you were entering MK on an EMH evening. We did notice a lot of people going in at about the time on the EMH night, as we were leaving. And it was a complete zoo!!!

 

[tinkamom]

We had no problems in May and did not have the long lines that you had. Maybe it was just a very crowded day? Why did the bus take so long to load and unload? We will be at POP for the 1st time in Oct and I'm a little concerned about the busses!

 

[Disneymaddness]

Wow! That's awful! We returned 2 weeks ago, stayed at POR and used the busses the whole time. It never took us that long, maybe 45 min. total. The longest waits we had were at Epcot and even that wasn't too bad.

 

[mac3013]

You had a bad experience.

We were there for the 4th of July, the busiest day of the summer season, and waited maybe 10 minutes to get into the park. The biometrics scanners are not new, they have been in use for quite a while just not for everyone.

 

[lovethattink]

If using Disney transportation, and with the crowds, and with security and the new biometric readings ..LEAVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO GET TO THE PARKS from your WDW resort or from anywhere else for that matter.

However this time was different.

Then once we arrived at MK the lines went from the security check points back to the gates. This also took some considerable time.
Then they installed these biometrics readers in which once you put your ticket in the machine, you must stick your right hand pointer & middle finger in, and the machine scans your bone denisty (all this to ride dumbo???). From my own experiences with this and from the CM's at the gate these machines work about 10% of the time. It is all one MAJOR wait & mass confusion.

ALMOST 2 HOURS from the POP to we FINALLY get through all the barriers to get to the park.

This was the most dramatic example, however with buses, security, biometric readings...etc....You really need to plan more than a hour to get inside any of the parks from any of the resorts. I cut this down somewhat by using my car.

Same goes if your drive yourself to MK. We experienced the same thing as above. Once we got to MK. The TTC was just as crowded. It took us 20 minutes to get from our car to the TTC ticket area. It took 5 monorail trains 'til we got on. This was Tuesday at 10am. Once we arrived at MK, we had the same crowds and delay as posted above.

 

[crazymomof4]

Hopefully things will move more quickly for us in Sept. than during the summer "high" season.

 

[WedwayRocks]

Patience people! Everyone is in such a hurry. My favorite part is always the tram ride to the TTC and waiting for the monorail and going through the turnstyles. Enjoy the anticipation and the excitement. Don't get so busy that you miss it. Also, Pop Century is a value resort which is further away from a lot of the parks. If you didn't want to wait so long for busses and loading, maybe you shouldn't have stayed at a value resort. You get what you pay for, that's my opinion.

 

[BrianD]

I agree with the OP. We experienced the same thing. By the way, getting into the MK at around 6:00 on an EMH night is AWEFUL! I also agree with the comment about the biometric scanners. On several occasions we noticed that only about 10% of folks were getting through the gate without problems. Somehow, the whole concept of biometric scanners is more than some people can handle. I think the machines are working fine. There are just so many people that can't get it. We never had one problem with the scanners during the entire 10 days we were there. I do agree that it has slowed down entry into the park in a big way, on crowded days.

I have a feeling all of this will settle down as the summer crush, and I mean CRUSH, tapers off. This summer was the most crowded I have ever seen WDW.

 

[Camping Griswalds]

You had a bad experience.

We were there for the 4th of July, the busiest day of the summer season, and waited maybe 10 minutes to get into the park. The biometrics scanners are not new, they have been in use for quite a while just not for everyone.

Just saw your trip tic about O.C. MD That's where I live. The view from my house sees the Carousel hotel on 118th street. By water it takes me about 5 min to get to O.C.

Just wanted to let you know "ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL. ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL. ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL. ITS A SMALL SMALL WORLD......."

 

[patsal]

The worse for us was EPcot. Afternoon they seem to only have two lines open! It was crazy. They need to hire more people and open more turnstiles. The biometric scanner, which we have been using for years as AP holders does not hold people up. It is people who do not know how to use the biometric scanner that hold things up--We have only once in the years that we have been using them had aproblem and that was the magnetic strip which needed the ticket to be replaced. While waiting if people looked at the diagram and directions on the machiene they would be fine. Now as far as bus service well, the crowds were far heavier than they had been in the last few years and I don't think they were fully prepared. More buses are necessary.

 

[DISUNC]

Patience people! Everyone is in such a hurry. My favorite part is always the tram ride to the TTC and waiting for the monorail and going through the turnstyles. Enjoy the anticipation and the excitement. Don't get so busy that you miss it. Also, Pop Century is a value resort which is further away from a lot of the parks. If you didn't want to wait so long for busses and loading, maybe you shouldn't have stayed at a value resort. You get what you pay for, that's my opinion.

Being @ the POP may have added 3 mins too the trip. This has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with 'getting what you pay for". You missed the point entirely!
If you stay at the GF YOU will still wait considerable time to get into the parks. YOU JUST DONT WALK RIGHT IN.
We didnt wait for the buses, in fact they came fast & regularly.
It just took time to unload & load all the people. The were people with strollers, little kids, wheelchairs.

 

[grinningghost]

Patience people! Everyone is in such a hurry. My favorite part is always the tram ride to the TTC and waiting for the monorail and going through the turnstyles. Enjoy the anticipation and the excitement. Don't get so busy that you miss it. Also, Pop Century is a value resort which is further away from a lot of the parks. If you didn't want to wait so long for busses and loading, maybe you shouldn't have stayed at a value resort. You get what you pay for, that's my opinion.

I agree with the anticipation factor. It's always fun making it to the next "level" in the arrival process. Keep a positive attitude guys.

 

[grimley1968]

I think the problem is a function of being there in the height of their busy season, not because of extra problems with the biometric scanners or bus loading. As an above poster mentioned, those scanners have been in use for a while, just not for everyone. I would like to see Disney ramp up their number of CM's better in the busy season to handle the traffic, but I've never had too many problems entering the parks in value season when we normally go.

Personally, I'm glad they've put this feature in, as well as the baggage checking at the gates.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I can see where the OP is coming from for the long lines at the MK ticket scanners.
We arrived there early evening July 23, and experienced the long lines as described to enter MK.
Now whether it was just bad timing...
But the lines to enter at the gates were the longest we had ever seen while a park was already open.
What we have noticed up until that time, for quite awhile, the tickets were being scanned. But it was obvious the finger scanning was turned off. Although guests were instructed to use the finger scanners.
Our APs were being shot through the readers before we had a chance to get our fingers really in place.
On the 23rd it was obvious the finger scanners were working.
We used ours rather quickly as we went through. The CM even commented that we were experienced.
Everyone having to be scanned appears to be taking a lot longer.
Just good to bear in mind to expect about an additional 5+ minutes just to get through the gate.

 

[tjmw2727]

Just saw your trip tic about O.C. MD That's where I live. The view from my house sees the Carousel hotel on 118th street. By water it takes me about 5 min to get to O.C.

Just wanted to let you know "ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL. ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL. ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL. ITS A SMALL SMALL WORLD......."

Hi, sorry to go ot but can I send you a pm as we are moving to delaware in two weeks?? Yikes!

Back OT, the biometrics are slowing things down but as an AP holder who has been using them for years, IMHO it will get better as more people get used to it. FWIW I think the new turnstyles are very user friendly and find that by heading extreme left I can find a shorter, faster moving line - don't know why.

Except for monorail resorts we do take our rental car to all the parks except MK - I find the TTC more of a hassle than the bus but YMMV.

We have also found the bag check/biometrics hassle the worst at Epcot for some reason. Hopefully they will work out the issues and get the entrance running smoother prior to our feb trip.

OP - hope the rest of the trip went great!
TJ

 

[crazymomof4]

We used ours rather quickly as we went through. The CM even commented that we were experienced.

This will be our first trip since they've started using the finger scanners. Any tips on the right way or wrong way to insert your finger(s)?

 

[Luv2Roam]

Read the signs. They really are good and should help.
It really is very easy. I have observed trying to figure out why people make it so difficult.

One thing I have noticed is families were obviously use to one parent running all the passes through as the remainder of the family stood off to the side, nearby. No can do now.
So the families all have to gather and sort out their passes while holding up the 25 people behind them.
And those behind them did not learn from that family, so chances are each family is doing the same.

Then I have seen many get overzealous and REALLY shove their fingers in and grip like they are hanging on for dear life. (Like the harder they press the faster it will work.)

And there are the others who seem not want to use it at all and barely inset past their finger tips. That doesn't work either.

Then you have the guests who grill the CM because they want the reason for this and the entire system explained.

I have even seen families hold up reader lines just so they can peer into it first for a Good Long Look.

The fingers you insert will be the fingers as if you were making a finger scissor cutting motion. (Middle finger and the finger next to your thumb.)
Just insert until the bar comfortablly touches the webbing between your fingers. Squeeze gently and in a normal manner. And it "should" work fine. That does not mean it will. But it should.

 

[mac3013]

Just saw your trip tic about O.C. MD That's where I live. The view from my house sees the Carousel hotel on 118th street. By water it takes me about 5 min to get to O.C.

Just wanted to let you know "ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL. ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL. ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL. ITS A SMALL SMALL WORLD......."

We will be staying down on 18th street. My sister has horses that will be racing at Ocean Downs so we usually try to stay down at the south end. It's also a lot easier to get to the boardwalk with all the kids, DS, nieces, nephew.