Just back ~ disappointing trip

[LucyBC80]

I must be the dumbest person on earth because I don't notice line cutting as a big problem at WDW. Rarely see it, but then again I don't go looking for it.

Don't get me going on double wide strollers or people stopping in the middle of walkways though. Those two things drive me crazy.

Leaving a family member to hold a spot on line while you take Jr to see Cinderella or play at the train water feature and then trying to squeeze your way into the line meet up with the spot holder is cutting. You may mall it whatever you want, but you're still cutting in front of others.

Posted from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[WillAustin]

Yep, just like I said in my PP, the CMs apparently are not following their own ratio instructions (80/20)...or they can't count.

I'd imagine the ratio gets put on hold if the FP line starts to back up. They need to make sure the Fast in FastPass stays that way.

 

[Cyrano]

Moving to trip reports board

 

[andyman8]

Before we enter the standby line, we always ask the CM positioned at the entrance what the actual wait is like. They usually know a much more accurate number than the one posted. Once a wait for Barnstormer was posted at 60 and the CM said it was actually only 10 minutes. Turned out to be 7 minutes, so she was basically right! Just recently, we asked about the wait for UTSJOTLM (which was posted at 20 minutes), but the CM said it'd be 30. She was right. Exactly, 30 minutes, so before you enter the standby, always ask. Sometimes those wait time posters (or whatever they are called) malfunction or just haven't been updated in a while. It never hurts to ask.

 

[Cais]

The ratio definitely is adjusted based on operational. And I got asked wait times all the time as a greeter. I'd usually look at the posted wait, eyeball the line, and make a pretty good judgement call based on that. It's spooky how good you get at it.

Once you throw fastpass into the mix though all bets are off. It can make it harder to judge.

 

[maxiesmom]

Potty breaks are acceptable, IMO. But the notion that you are going to cut in line to "save me" from your (generally speaking) child's behavior is ridiculous. Your child's behavior is not my problem and I shouldn't have to put up with your child running around my legs, etc. Either they can wait or not, and if they can't you should come back when they are calm.

Agreed. You don't reward bad behavior, and pulling a child from line because they can't wait without annoying others, and then letting them cut back in to ride, is rewarding bad behavior.

 

[floydfamily4]

Yeah, when I was there in November, I encountered about one ride every day that was closed.

If they can't get maintenance done with the size crew they have during the overnight shift, they need to put more workers on the job. Of course, that would mean spending money on something you can't advertise.

 

[maxiesmom]

Just curious, but does anyone know how much training one needs to work on the rides at WDW? Is it something that a person needs months of training to do, or is it more of a hey, here is your wrench, now go to work job?

 

[mad madam mim78]

Yes. Standby entrance is for guests not using FASTPASS.

Are you getting SB confused with single-rider line?

However, if the SB reads 40 mins - I'm not expecting to stand for 90+.

I think what the poster was trying to say is that they almost never do stand by. They either get a fastpass or don't ride unless the wait is short. Basically saying why would anyone stand in line when there is fastpass available. I'm not going to lie I often wonder the same thing. I just figure there are still people who dont know what it is. The only lines I wait in are the ones that don't have fastpass.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think what the poster was trying to say is that they almost never do stand by. They either get a fastpass or don't ride unless the wait is short. Basically saying why would anyone stand in line when there is fastpass available. I'm not going to lie I often wonder the same thing. I just figure there are still people who dont know what it is. The only lines I wait in are the ones that don't have fastpass.

Some people choose to stand in a standby line when waiting for the next possible time they can pull another fastpass.

 

[Cais]

Just curious, but does anyone know how much training one needs to work on the rides at WDW? Is it something that a person needs months of training to do, or is it more of a hey, here is your wrench, now go to work job?

You mean like maintenance? It's a four year apprenticeship.

 

[1stvisit0909]

I think what the poster was trying to say is that they almost never do stand by. They either get a fastpass or don't ride unless the wait is short. Basically saying why would anyone stand in line when there is fastpass available. I'm not going to lie I often wonder the same thing. I just figure there are still people who dont know what it is. The only lines I wait in are the ones that don't have fastpass.

I know the week we were there I explained it to FOUR families in different character lines. They all thought you had to pay for them. I felt bad for them.

We didnt get a FP for Dinosaur, b/c the fp was for 90 mins later and the SB was 50. We waited exactly 50 mins. We were trying to get that ride done and then leave the park.

At EPCOT we got a FP for Soarin and went through the queue at TT b/c we wanted to try it. It was early so the wait was short. The second time we rode it was with FP.

So sometimes, there are reasons to not get a FP.

I noticed a LOT of the time tracking cards being given out this trip. I bet we had it 4-5x ourselves. Seemed if anything the SB wait time was longer than the actual - except at dinosaur.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I'd like to respond to OP comment about people "cutting" in line. (Hopefully I won't get flamed for my opinion I have traveled several times with my MIL, FIL, SIL, DH, DS, and DD (both preschoolers at the time) to DW. We would often leave 2/3 adults in the line to wait and have the other 2/3 take the kiddos to the bathroom or to play at a playground, sit on a bench etc... basically do anything that would keep them from fussing and annoying everyone around us in line. This also helped my FIL who can sometimes have difficulty standing (especially in heat/sun) for longer periods of time. I always felt like we were giving the people around us a break (from our children). I think it was pretty obvious to those right behind us as we would all get in line together and then figure out who was taking who where. We would return before the line started to get too far into a queue so we didn't have to say excuse me to a million people.

I've personally never found this irritating at a park, but obviously some people do. I'm not sure it would stop me from doing it with small kiddos (or in a potty emergency with my primary age kiddos now). We always try to be polite and kind to anyone around us and I don't mind if other do it as well and are polite about it. Just wanted to add my perspective. Those "cutters" may have saved you from listening to a 2 year old scream cry or a 3 year old run around your legs for 40 minutes! LOL

No flames here. We are not irritated by people who are waiting in line and have others join their party. We sometimes get in line while someone else does another activity or most often uses the restroom and then joins us.
I'm sure lots of people have told you how to teach your children to behave, etc. Our kids have always done well in lines, being military, we have waited in lots of lines. But I don't judge you because you work out what works for your famiily.

 

[aubriee]

You're either in line or your not. So it's okay to take them to the playground while someone else stands in line, but where do you draw the line?

Can my wife take our daughter to eat while I stand in TSM line? Can I take my daughter to take pictures with Buzz while my wife stands in line for Peter Pan?

If people cannot handle extended wait times, there are measures that can be taken to reduce them. If they are health related, see guest relations for a GAC. If it is because kids get out of hand, they either need to behave better, arrive to the parks earlier or use FPs better. Not waiting in line but having other people hold your spot is not a valid option in my opinion.

I agree! I took my 3 y/o GS to WDW last Feb. I'm sure he would have loved to go play on a playground or go see a character, while someone saved his place in line, so he didn't have to wait. No way. He was told before we left that there would be lines, with something good at the other end. He knew he had to wait in lines and did so with no problems. If he'd had a problem, we'd have left and he would not have gotten to ride that ride. Kids are capable of alot more than we give them credit for, that's why there are so many little snowflakes around that think the world revolves around them. Cutting is cutting and is just wrong! Taking a kid to the potty is different, but to take a kid out of line just to go do something fun, so he doesn't have to wait, (like the 'other kids') is just wrong. Why should certain kids not have to wait in lines, while the majority do? I've just never understood that type of thinking. What makes that kid such a special snowflake?

Off topic: my D-I-L's parents own a daycare. We were all together Christmas and her mom was telling me about a kid that they almost signed up that week. The mom wanted to enroll him, but said the child would not share and would always have to be first, because he was an only child and not used to having to share or wait for whatever he wanted. This mom actually got mad that they wouldn't guarantee that their little snowflake would immediately get his way with everything, "because they didn't want him to ever get upset". Apparently their world revolved around him and he'd never been told no in his life and they didn't want anyone at the daycare to do so. He was to be given his way in everthing. When my son's M-I-L informed her that he would be treated just like the other kids, the mom's response was that he was not just like every kid and she would not allow him to be treated so. When asked if he was special needs the mom got very insulted and said 'of course not, he's our only child and has just always been pampered. We always give him his way and he's used to that. He just doesn't know any different". After repeatedly being told the kid would not be given preferential treatment over the other kids, the mom finally said, well she guessed this was just not the day care for him, but she really wanted him to get some socialization with other kids, before he started kindergarten next year. I think that kid will be in for a rude awakening come Sept.

 

[maxiesmom]

You mean like maintenance? It's a four year apprenticeship.

I'm just wondering if a fix would really be as easy as just putting more workers on the job. If Disney has that many maintenance people on payroll, not working that many hours.

It is easy enough to say just put more people on the job, but do they have the qualified workers at the ready?

 

[sandym718]

I agree! I took my 3 y/o GS to WDW last Feb. I'm sure he would have loved to go play on a playground or go see a character, while someone saved his place in line, so he didn't have to wait. No way. He was told before we left that there would be lines, with something good at the other end. He knew he had to wait in lines and did so with no problems. If he'd had a problem, we'd have left and he would not have gotten to ride that ride. Kids are capable of alot more than we give them credit for, that's why there are so many little snowflakes around that think the world revolves around them. Cutting is cutting and is just wrong! Taking a kid to the potty is different, but to take a kid out of line just to go do something fun, so he doesn't have to wait, (like the 'other kids') is just wrong. Why should certain kids not have to wait in lines, while the majority do? I've just never understood that type of thinking. What makes that kid such a special snowflake?

totally agree!!

Off topic: my D-I-L's parents own a daycare. We were all together Christmas and her mom was telling me about a kid that they almost signed up that week. The mom wanted to enroll him, but said the child would not share and would always have to be first, because he was an only child and not used to having to share or wait for whatever he wanted. This mom actually got mad that they wouldn't guarantee that their little snowflake would immediately get his way with everything, "because they didn't want him to ever get upset". Apparently their world revolved around him and he'd never been told no in his life and they didn't want anyone at the daycare to do so. He was to be given his way in everthing. When my son's M-I-L informed her that he would be treated just like the other kids, the mom's response was that he was not just like every kid and she would not allow him to be treated so. When asked if he was special needs the mom got very insulted and said 'of course not, he's our only child and has just always been pampered. We always give him his way and he's used to that. He just doesn't know any different". After repeatedly being told the kid would not be given preferential treatment over the other kids, the mom finally said, well she guessed this was just not the day care for him, but she really wanted him to get some socialization with other kids, before he started kindergarten next year. I think that kid will be in for a rude awakening come Sept.

Wow, I think that's the most blatant special snowflake story I've ever heard. Most won't come right out and say it, but that one sure did!

 

[Escape Artist]

LOL, is that where you got your screen name?

Just had to tell you what a great laugh I got from your comment. Thanks, I needed that!

(Actually, I chose my screen name back when I was living in a little apartment with 5 people in transitional housing, and was dreaming of escaping to ANYWHERE! Reading the DIS and dreaming of WDW made those days a lot happier. Glad that's over!)

Thanks again,

Sue

 

[angela3676]

I don't really want to piddle in your post toasties, but what did you expect? This is the busiest time of the year, and so every little hitch is magnified, so if a ride goes down, its affect is exponential.

Don't cancel your May trip because it was busy at Christmas, night and day.

I so totally agree.

 

[~Tinkerella]

Well, this sure opened up a firestorm.

Although I was venting, every point I made was a true fact. And to add to another poster's information, we did Peter Pan as well, and the ratio there was just that poster described ~ they would let 60, 70 + people through from FP and the one group (no more than 5) through from the s/b line.

Thank you to those posters who were kind enough to share their similar stories and frustrations. And for those who like to flame, there's no place for that on the disboards. Venting frustrations about a trip is one thing but trashing another poster's thoughts and frustrations is really not acceptable.

For those who encouraged me to keep the plans for May; we've discussed it as a family and we will keep our plans and hope that the magic is still there on that trip.

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year.