Inflated Wait Times at Park Closing **WDW Newbies Please Read**

[sheilafri]

Once the park closes, you also don't have to contend with LL anymore so the standby line moves faster.

In truth, you usually can't time getting in line in the last minute if you are riding rides in the last hour. We usually ended up getting in line for our last ride at 10-15 minutes before close.

Nope. You can get lucky, though. DH and I were literally the last people in line for Remy recently. We got off and back to the entrance right at the closing moment. A CM followed us through the line to let the workers inside know that this was the end.

 

[reddog21]

Have you ever worked a closing shift at any business? You very rarely just flick the lights off and leave at closing time.

Yes for over 10 years I worked in retail when I was younger and it annoyed the hell out of me when people would disregard the numerous announcements of the store closing. The longer they walked around the store the longer we had to work. Not one person I worked with wasn't annoyed that we had to go home later then scheduled because of inconsiderate people.

I can only comment on my retail experience, I've never worked at a theme park so maybe cast members don't really care and I'm way off.

 

[musicguy856]

One night I was the last person in line for ToT and got an entire elevator to myself. The ride was a walk on.

 

[Jennasis]

Yes for over 10 years I worked in retail when I was younger and it annoyed the hell out of me when people would disregard the numerous announcements of the store closing. The longer they walked around the store the longer we had to work. Not one person I worked with wasn't annoyed that we had to go home later then scheduled because of inconsiderate people.

I can only comment on my retail experience, I've never worked at a theme park so maybe cast members don't really care and I'm way off.

My understanding, and I could be wrong (because this always irked me as well...) is that the CMs don't stay late/later due to people in the parks shopping after official park closing or getting in a ride line 2 minutes before closing. They are all scheduled to stay well past official park closing to account for guests doing stuff. Even if the park managed to instantly clear out at closing, the CMs would not go home early, they'd stay until the end of their scheduled shift (an hour or so after park close etc).

 

[kikismom]

Thank you for this information. As someone who is visiting for the first time soon I would have absolutely not joined lines with those wait times.

 

[musicguy856]

Disney likely knows roughly how long it usually takes for the line to clear out since this happens every night and can schedule CMs to work through that period as part of their normal shift.

Also, the majority of ride capacity goes to Lightning Lane during the day. After that lane clears out at night, 100% of the capacity goes to standby causing the line to move much faster.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I did not start this thread to create a debate but to educate those who may not be aware of how things work at Disney. I’m thankful some have a new understanding of how things work.

Reality is Disney chooses to allow guests to enter lines until the moment the park closes so I feel no guilt doing so.

It is impossible for Disney’s transportation to handle the crowds if they were to immediately close everything at park closing.

Since I need to join some sort of line at park closing, my choice is to join an attraction line rather than a massive transportation line.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I did not start this thread to create a debate but to educate those who may not be aware of how things work at Disney. I’m thankful some have a new understanding of how things work.

Reality is Disney chooses to allow guests to enter lines until the moment the park closes so I feel no guilt doing so.

It is impossible for Disney’s transportation to handle the crowds if they were to immediately close everything at park closing.

Since I need to join some sort of line at park closing, my choice is to join an attraction line rather than a massive transportation line.

Back on topic: the longest we’ve ever waited for 7D was 20 minutes during opening week in 2014. The posted wait was 110. Since then, our longest wait has been 10 minutes, but I’ve never seen a posted wait below 80.

On our last visit, the actual wait at FoP was timed at 17 minutes, with a posted wait of 100.

I checked the Touring Plans stats one day last week, and Slinky had an actual reported wait time of 9 minutes about a half hour before closing. At had been almost 200 earlier in the day.

So as Scrappy points out, this goes on all the time at the headliners and has been like this for years.

 

[PepperjackDragon]

So, on our last three trips since October we have waited until almost park close to ride the main headliner as t each park. Usually works out great. All three times FOP said like 120-150 min but we walked straight up to the lab with something like a 15-30 min wait and had similar experiences at all the other rides at other parks. Yesterday we went to nomad lounge at 640 or so. Then headed over to FOP at 7:45 (15 before close). It said 155min but we skipped past all the groups arguing if they should get in line this late and then…stopped. The line was all the way back to the front FOP gate.

I was tempted to stay and see if it was a trick. Anyone know if they have started cutting off some of the meandering paths inside the buildings at park close to force the line out and make it look longer? I doubt it and it was probably just that long, but I couldn’t shake the thought that they certainly COULD make the line look longer with a few simple reroutes if they wanted to, and would not be surprised if they did….

 

[scrappinginontario]

So, on our last three trips since October we have waited until almost park close to ride the main headliner as t each park. Usually works out great. All three times FOP said like 120-150 min but we walked straight up to the lab with something like a 15-30 min wait and had similar experiences at all the other rides at other parks. Yesterday we went to nomad lounge at 640 or so. Then headed over to FOP at 7:45 (15 before close). It said 155min but we skipped past all the groups arguing if they should get in line this late and then…stopped. The line was all the way back to the front FOP gate.

I was tempted to stay and see if it was a trick. Anyone know if they have started cutting off some of the meandering paths inside the buildings at park close to force the line out and make it look longer? I doubt it and it was probably just that long, but I couldn’t shake the thought that they certainly COULD make the line look longer with a few simple reroutes if they wanted to, and would not be surprised if they did….

This used to happen more in the past before times were posted but could be something they’re possibly doing. Others above in the thread mentioned what you describe as happening in the past too.

At the end of a Disney day I’m happy for anything that means less steps!

 

[musicguy856]

This used to happen more in the past before times were posted but could be something they’re possibly doing. Others above in the thread mentioned what you describe as happening in the past too.

At the end of a Disney day I’m happy for anything that means less steps!

Tower of Terror has an extra area in the standby queue that can be opened or closed.

 

[PepperjackDragon]

This used to happen more in the past before times were posted but could be something they’re possibly doing. Others above in the thread mentioned what you describe as happening in the past too.

At the end of a Disney day I’m happy for anything that means less steps!

well they might have tricked us had one fussy kid that was going to thought out one more ride, but wasn’t going to try for a 2 hour wait. Oddly tp predicted wait times were 98min so we left, but my suspicion is that we were duped

 

[mouschievous]

We actually noticed inflated ride times at the beginning and end of the day. After we got home, I learned that they just throw a number up at the beginning of the day that is what they think it will be within the first hour. We got in line for 7D about 8:45 am and the wait said 75 minutes, but we waited 40. In fact, most of the time we found the wait was about 50% of the posted.

When we rope dropped Remy's, we were on the ride within 15 minutes of them letting people on. When we got off it already said 95 minutes, but looking at the line I knew that wasn't true. We didn't like it well enough to get back in line, but my guess is it was less than a 30 minute wait at that point.

The best one was Minnie and Mickey's Runaway Railway. Ride said 40 minutes, Tip Board right outside the ride said 30 minutes, and looking at it we knew it was 15 minutes or less. Into the line we went!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

well they might have tricked us had one fussy kid that was going to thought out one more ride, but wasn’t going to try for a 2 hour wait. Oddly tp predicted wait times were 98min so we left, but my suspicion is that we were duped

If you went to a gift shop instead then you fell for their cunning plan.

 

[excelsior12]

Had two good ones in December. Test Track was listed at 80 and we literally walked to the design room. RotR was 105 and we waited 30.

 

[Davey Jones II]

My record was getting in line (running, actually) for Slinky when the sign said 9:59 p.m. (10 p.m. closing that night). I think I was on the ride within 5 minutes.

 

[PepperjackDragon]

If you went to a gift shop instead then you fell for their cunning plan.

actually I am leaning towards it being legitimate. Of all my previous trips this is by far the busiest. In addition it is the first time every park is sold out for incredipass. New years always had animal kingdom open…told my daughter that we would try Monday before leaving but even it is sold out. Was thinking to do a half day hs then finish MK tomorrow but everything is sold out tomorrow as well so can’t change it…Also a lot more adults overall, more drunkards and much more cussing.At Epcot half tue boat was drunk and insulting the “captain” (a female and making jokes about that) and mocking her for low wages (which they asked and she answered is 16.25.

my theory is that the combination of masks lifting and the holidays caused an uptick in attendance and a bunch of those people were forced to get animal kingdom, so on the first half night here Friday they came in and rode FOP-pushing the closing line all the way to the gate. Though without LL running it probably still runs fairly quickly. If my child hadn’t been fussy I would have enjoyed trying and seeing what happened.

edit: I had looked at the park availability just a few days before arriving (just prior to the masks lifting) and every park was available for incredipass everyday at that time. So, to clarify, that is one reason I assume the mask mandate lifting is partly responsible.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Yes for over 10 years I worked in retail when I was younger and it annoyed the hell out of me when people would disregard the numerous announcements of the store closing. The longer they walked around the store the longer we had to work. Not one person I worked with wasn't annoyed that we had to go home later then scheduled because of inconsiderate people.

I can only comment on my retail experience, I've never worked at a theme park so maybe cast members don't really care and I'm way off.

one difference when working at a theme park esp for rides and retail you are scheduled to work past park closing. in retail in the park I work at there are some scheduled 45 minutes to an hour past closing in the front gift shop. now in food and bev most places close an hour or more ahead of park closing so we are out at park closing

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

actually I am leaning towards it being legitimate. Of all my previous trips this is by far the busiest. In addition it is the first time every park is sold out for incredipass. New years always had animal kingdom open…told my daughter that we would try Monday before leaving but even it is sold out. Was thinking to do a half day hs then finish MK tomorrow but everything is sold out tomorrow as well so can’t change it…Also a lot more adults overall, more drunkards and much more cussing.At Epcot half tue boat was drunk and insulting the “captain” (a female and making jokes about that) and mocking her for low wages (which they asked and she answered is 16.25.

my theory is that the combination of masks lifting and the holidays caused an uptick in attendance and a bunch of those people were forced to get animal kingdom, so on the first half night here Friday they came in and rode FOP-pushing the closing line all the way to the gate. Though without LL running it probably still runs fairly quickly. If my child hadn’t been fussy I would have enjoyed trying and seeing what happened.

edit: I had looked at the park availability just a few days before arriving (just prior to the masks lifting) and every park was available for incredipass everyday at that time. So, to clarify, that is one reason I assume the mask mandate lifting is partly responsible.

I couldn’t find any reported wait times for Friday night.

On Saturday evening, the posted wait about an hour before close was 135 with a reported actual wait of 72.

You probably made the right call by heading out.

 

[imbelle]

So, on our last three trips since October we have waited until almost park close to ride the main headliner as t each park. Usually works out great. All three times FOP said like 120-150 min but we walked straight up to the lab with something like a 15-30 min wait and had similar experiences at all the other rides at other parks. Yesterday we went to nomad lounge at 640 or so. Then headed over to FOP at 7:45 (15 before close). It said 155min but we skipped past all the groups arguing if they should get in line this late and then…stopped. The line was all the way back to the front FOP gate.

I was tempted to stay and see if it was a trick. Anyone know if they have started cutting off some of the meandering paths inside the buildings at park close to force the line out and make it look longer? I doubt it and it was probably just that long, but I couldn’t shake the thought that they certainly COULD make the line look longer with a few simple reroutes if they wanted to, and would not be surprised if they did….

I was at WDW just after they rolled out Genie+ and I noticed that for a lot of attractions there would be a big, snaking queue outside while a lot of the indoor queue wasn't being used. Call me cynical but I couldn't help thinking that (along with the inflated posted wait times) it was a ploy to get people to spring for Genie+/IAS.