How Much Longer Are Standby Wait Times?

[Scalemaster34]

Not sure it's fair to blame the increase in standby wait times on FastPass+.... In part it could also be there are just more people in the parks than ever before. Just standing around for the Parade or Fireworks shows that the crowds are larger.

Playing with resort rates for different days, and now offering weekday annual passes are a few ways to help with crowd control. And building out Disney Studios and Animal Kingdom will help relive some of the crowds at Magic Kingdom.

But what is going to be needed very soon is a full 5th Park. That or MK is going to have to go to some kinda two shift system....

 

[jade1]

That or MK is going to have to go to some kinda two shift system....

Interesting that FP+ is starting to do just that IMO-maybe more like 3 shifts of visitors with "3 in a row" set for either AM, PM or EVE.

 

[Laketravis]

Not sure it's fair to blame the increase in standby wait times on FastPass+.... In part it could also be there are just more people in the parks than ever before. Just standing around for the Parade or Fireworks shows that the crowds are larger.

Playing with resort rates for different days, and now offering weekday annual passes are a few ways to help with crowd control. And building out Disney Studios and Animal Kingdom will help relive some of the crowds at Magic Kingdom.

But what is going to be needed very soon is a full 5th Park. That or MK is going to have to go to some kinda two shift system....

I just spent over two weeks in the parks during the same time of year for the fifth year in a row, and I honestly felt there were less people in the parks than at the same time in recent years. Not shorter waits, but less people.

Jade1 alluded to the cause in another post a few days ago - before, everyone would show up in the parks and then get FP's. Now, they are scheduled, and the effect could be that people enter/exit the parks somewhat in shifts - leading to less people on buses, less people in the walkways, less people in general at any one time but more allowable turnover throughout the day that permits an equal or greater number of guests.

(The only factor I can't apply that supposition to is how quickly we were seated at all of our ADR's - within 5 minutes of checking in. That's never happened before. We even met a mother with her son who did not have a single ADR for the duration of their stay, was on the deluxe dining plan, and was able to get in to any sit-down they tried. I thought she might have been exaggerating but that night we saw her at Chef Mickey's. We had an ADR, she didn't - but they had a table.)

 

[jade1]

I just spent over two weeks in the parks during the same time of year for the fifth year in a row, and I honestly felt there were less people in the parks than at the same time in recent years. Not shorter waits, but less people.

Jade1 alluded to the cause in another post a few days ago - before, everyone would show up in the parks and then get FP's. Now, they are scheduled, and the effect could be that people enter/exit the parks somewhat in shifts - leading to less people on buses, less people in the walkways, less people in general at any one time but more allowable turnover throughout the day that permits an equal or greater number of guests.

(The only factor I can't apply that supposition to is how quickly we were seated at all of our ADR's - within 5 minutes of checking in. That's never happened before. We even met a mother with her son who did not have a single ADR for the duration of their stay, was on the deluxe dining plan, and was able to get in to any sit-down they tried. I thought she might have been exaggerating but that night we saw her at Chef Mickey's. We had an ADR, she didn't - but they had a table.)

Yep, and I just wonder how bad or good that really is?

Obviously many folks were there all day, and multi riding commandos had to be negatively impacted, but I wonder if a group with 3 afternoon FP+, are suddenly just not in a hurry to get there compared to in the past.

Likewise we had 3 at night, those felt so much like gold that we really didn't care if B rides had longer waits, and getting there was just not a hurry at all.

As for ADR's-that's a mystery, unless folks had previously packed dining spots waiting for the TT pass, that they had to be in the park at 11AM to get for 8PM that night.

 

[FlipHipster]

Not sure it's fair to blame the increase in standby wait times on FastPass+.... In part it could also be there are just more people in the parks than ever before. Just standing around for the Parade or Fireworks shows that the crowds are larger.

Playing with resort rates for different days, and now offering weekday annual passes are a few ways to help with crowd control. And building out Disney Studios and Animal Kingdom will help relive some of the crowds at Magic Kingdom.

But what is going to be needed very soon is a full 5th Park. That or MK is going to have to go to some kinda two shift system....

I disagree. There are at least 2 too many gates now, fix the ones you already have. Magic Kingdom is crowded because it is full of stuff to do and it's MK. Just opening parks with nothing in them isn't going to accomplish much. Why aren't parks like DAK and DHS hitting capacity when they are much smaller than MK?

 

[jade1]

I disagree. There are at least 2 too many gates now, fix the ones you already have. Magic Kingdom is crowded because it is full of stuff to do and it's MK. Just opening parks with nothing in them isn't going to accomplish much. Why aren't parks like DAK and DHS hitting capacity when they are much smaller than MK?

Yea I think a 5th might be too much currently-although if they had gotten H Potter that could have been its own park IMO instead of crammed where it is.

But you may wish that DHS and DAK where always at capacity-I prefer all parks where less busy than even now actually. Its kind of walking a fine line on what everyone prefers.

 

[FlipHipster]

Yea I think a 5th might be too much currently-although if they had gotten H Potter that could have been its own park IMO instead of crammed where it is.

But you may wish that DHS and DAK where always at capacity-I prefer all parks where less busy than even now actually. Its kind of walking a fine line on what everyone prefers.

I don't wish any park to be at capacity that is quite a stretch. I am questioning the solution of opening a 5th gate. I don't think a 5th gate is necessary and would take resources away from the parks that actually need them. They should focus on fixing DHS before adding more parks.

Edit: I am really glad they didn't get Potter. Universal did an amazing job with it, truly amazing. My kids can't stop talking about it. I just hope Disney doesn't pull a NFL with Star Wars. Hopefully we won't be waiting 10 years for some cheap overlays, a $200 breakfast with Darth Vader and another Nemo clone ride.

 

[jade1]

Edit: I am really glad they didn't get Potter. Universal did an amazing job with it, truly amazing.

I'm OK with them getting it, and what they did do is awesome-I just think an entire park (by either company) would have been better-it's way too crammed in IMO.

I'm just agreeing a 5th park is not currently necessary-but if they had HP rights, that would work IMO.

 

[FlipHipster]

I'm OK with them getting it, and what they did do is awesome-I just think an entire park (by either company) would have been better-it's way too crammed in IMO.

I'm just agreeing a 5th park is not currently necessary-but if they had HP rights, that would work IMO.

It is pretty tight, especially DA. I love detail and have always enjoyed Disney's attention to detail but dang I just hope they continue the trend with whatever they do next, Kong, more HP, whatever .

I think part of my frustration with Disney is that they seem to have no interest in getting into a tit for tat with Universal or anyone else. That is sad to me because I feel like there was a time when they would have stepped up. Maybe they feel they don't need to, but I'm not so sure anymore. After seeing the new stuff, parts of Disney are starting to feel like a theme park museum. It's not all about the rides either, the whole experience was very relaxing and I felt like the shackels had been lifted.

I definitely understand the problem they face, we came home with unused Disney tickets for the first time ever but added on days at other parks. I have no problem with infrastructure upgrades. To be honest they will be doing them until the end of time. I have no problem with MM+ in general, I'm just not sure I agree that it is the solution. The current FP situation exacerbates the real problem at DHS and Epcot IMO. But For all I know, last week was another unannounced "test". Instead of closing SB, we will just make it very undesirable.

 

[Robo]

Why aren't parks like DAK and DHS hitting capacity when they are much smaller than MK?

DHS is the second park in line (after MK) to reach "capacity" in busy seasons.

DAK doesn't as much because it has no evening spectacular (like Illuminations, Fantasmic!, or fireworks) and it loses its "animal attractions" at dusk.
With the foretold coming DAK evening spectacular and new "land" its possible that DAK will gain an evening crowd.

---------------------------
BTW, MK is the smallest theme park at WDW.
I'll just list in approx. round numbers.

MK = 100+ Acres.
DHS = 135+ Acres.
Epcot = 300+ Acres.
DAK = 500+ Acres.

The acreage is not necessarily directly related to guest-areas, of course.
But in the case of MK vs. Studios, I think that they may be roughly comparable, percentage-wise,
to the guest-area vs. backstage areas.