Line Stacking

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I just read about this in the Unofficial Guide from 2001. I knew it has been going on for years but never realized that there is a name for it.

""Often, would be riders are held in line outside the entrance until all those previously in line have ridden, thus emptying the attraction. The appearance from the outside is that the line is enormous when, in fact, the only people waiting are those visible. This crowd control technique, known as "stacking," discourages visitors from getting in line. Stacking is used at several Disney rides and attractions during the hour before closing to ensure that the ride will be able to close on schedule."

TSMM is probably the worst offender of this. We can often ride 4 times during the final hour of operation just because the line looks so darn long.

 

[Tomh]

Interesting. I'd never heard of this before!

 

[cjparker0110]

I've seen this done at other parks as well. A lot of roller coasters have done this in the past just to make it easier for the people who get in the actual loading station to pick the seat of their choice. They bring in enough people to fill 2-3 trains and then the line stops moving if you aren't in the loading station. Then, when the crowd in the station gets low, they let more people in. It's not a bad technique but I can see where frustrations would occur if they are doing it for the reason you mentioned.

 

[Colleen27]

It goes hand in hand with the fact that wait times on the signs and in the app are routinely overstated late in the day. Since everyone in line at closing time gets to ride, they want to reduce the desirability of getting in those lines when it is late enough that extra people means running the ride past official closing time.

The Anna & Elsa meet & greet is terrible for this too. The posted wait when we got in line, about a half hour before closing, was 60 min... But most of the switchbacks inside the building weren't in use and we were in and out with enough time left to fit in one last trip through Haunted Mansion before closing time. I'm glad my girls are night owls because that was so much better than wasting the first hour of the day waiting to see them!

 

[Boopuff]

I had this happen to me on BTMR the standby said 40 min. We go in line and it was backed up down the entrance ramp. All of a sudden we started walking, and moved rather quickly up to the ramp to the loading zone. Total wait 15.

 

[Dis703]

Interesting. I know I read reports recently from MNSSHP where just before the party started the wait times posted outside the rides were inflated. The assumption was that it was done to discourage those who didn't have party tickets from hopping in line. Sounds like they may have been right.

 

[DisneyGuy758]

It is interesting...but with my luck, I'd get in line with the wait being 70minutes in the last hour of the park being open, and then waste that hour waiting...and never get on. hahahah

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

It is interesting...but with my luck, I'd get in line with the wait being 70minutes in the last hour of the park being open, and then waste that hour waiting...and never get on. hahahah

You will always get to ride if you are in line before closing time.

 

[OKW Lover]

We've noticed this frequently. Space Mountain especially.

 

[jesse8931]

We've noticed this frequently. Space Mountain especially.

That's the big one I noticed. Wait times would say 90 mins and really be about 15 mins.

 

[wilkeliza]

About 60-90 minutes before closing almost every single "major" attraction is going to inflate their wait times. It is because they need to discourage people from getting in line. CMs are only schedule so far past closing (usually about 1 hour) so they need time to run the last cars at closing then do all their closing procedures and checks. If a CM gets force extend past their initial end time managers have to get involved so they don't a clocking error half point and so they get paid properly. Disney can't adjust the schedules to give them more time to close because they try not to schedule down time. The other problem would be either a CM is always working a long shift or they have to adjust everyone's schedule and possibly add a whole shift of CMs just for 1 hour. If they add too many CMs they are paying for a bunch of people to stand around or if they extend too much they run into 3rd shift pay and double back pay depending on the situation.

 

[summerw]

If you ask a fm at the entrance, will they tell you the correct time? Is there any way to know?

 

[wilkeliza]

If you ask a fm at the entrance, will they tell you the correct time? Is there any way to know?

It really depends on the CM. Some will tell you want is posted on the sign others will say what the more realistic time is. They have no sure way of knowing as they can't actually see the line so most will just say what is on the board or they will say it is probably shorter than the posted time but can't guarantee.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

What they do at TSMM is close off all of the inside line area including the area by the Potato Head. The short line then spills out into the courtyard and they put up a 70 minute wait time. Most guests see this, shake their heads and leave.

If you're brave enough to get in line (or know this secret) you'll find that the line goes straight to the area where you pick up the glasses then up the stairs. 15 minute wait on average.

The line attendants have always been honest with us regarding the actual wait time. They're still utilizing the wait time lanyards right up until closing time and they do know what the actual wait is. Most will tell you that the posted time would be correct if they were using all of the queue area but that not all of that space is currently being used.

 

[DisneyGuy758]

You will always get to ride if you are in line before closing time.

Yes I know. I was being facetious.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Yes I know. I was being facetious.

Cool. I was wondering what ride would still have a 70 minute wait an hour before closing time.

 

[Baklava]

Cool. I was wondering what ride would still have a 70 minute wait an hour before closing time.

I've seen Radiator Springs in DCA that bad at the end of the night. It's pretty heavily impacted.

 

[Colleen27]

If you ask a fm at the entrance, will they tell you the correct time? Is there any way to know?

I haven't used it in a while so I don't know how many users are active in the parks these days, but the user-reported wait times in the Lines app used to be quite helpful for more accurate times.

 

[Pally]

This is good to know.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I feel like I read somewhere long ago that the "stacking" on space mountain had as much to do with not overwhelming the air conditioning as it did for crowd control. That is probably not the case anymore, but could have something to do with how it started.