Pirates needs better loading

[Sassagoula Billy]

Ok, I'm convinced. After years and years of backup (pun intended), I've come to the conclusion that PotC loads far too many boats at a time. Why? Because now, it seems, the unloading traffic backs all the way up to a spot long before the hairy leg.

On my last trip alone, I rode 4 different times spaced out over a week, and had the same mishap each time.

That is all.

 

[fla4fun]

I don't like it when the boats back up at the end either. I'm sure it's a capacity issue - the only way to increase capacity is to add more boats to the circuit. Loading and unloading the boats takes a set amount of time per boat, so the more boats they use, the longer the load/unload cycle takes overall. I've noticed similar issues at all the boat type attractions, but I don't know of a solution to the problem. If they don't add the boats, then the wait time in line will be longer because they won't be sending as many people through as they are now.

It is particularly irritating to me at POTC to get stuck beside the "whistling" pirate - he gets on my nerves pretty quick!

 

[hoosll]

Most rides get backed up when they have to assist a handicapped guest disembark.

 

[NorthernBuckeye]

Do you want to spend 5 minutes standing in line or sitting in a boat looking at an attraction?

 

[ToyStory3]

And can I just add that I was there in November and was really irritated at POTC. There was about a 5 minute wait for the attraction. It was basically a walk-on. However, the CM shoved us into the very front row with 2 other people. The 4 of us were crammed in together. The front row isn't as long as the other rows or I wouldn't have minded as much.

The other couple was Pooh-sized and were clearly embarrassed that they had to squeeze together for us to join them. What was the point in that? There was no line. We tried at first to stay in line for the next boat but the CM told us to go ahead and get in with them. We're not very confrontational and my mom is always very obliging so she just got in before I could really protest. But, it was very awkward.

 

[ghtx]

From my experience the boat backup problem is even worse on IASW (although maybe I feel that way since we ride that one so frequently).

 

[seashoreCM]

And can I just add that I was there in November and was really irritated at POTC. There was about a 5 minute wait for the attraction. It was basically a walk-on. However, the CM shoved us into the very front row with 2 other people. The 4 of us were crammed in together. The front row isn't as long as the other rows or I wouldn't have minded as much.

The other couple was Pooh-sized and were clearly embarrassed that they had to squeeze together for us to join them. What was the point in that? There was no line. We tried at first to stay in line for the next boat but the CM told us to go ahead and get in with them. We're not very confrontational and my mom is always very obliging so she just got in before I could really protest. But, it was very awkward.

Somebody should have complained to Guest Relations, although nobody can fault anybody because everybody would rather spend the time enjoying things. Now if the first (the Pooh sized) couple had seated themselves closer to the loading side and dilly dallied about moving over, then all 4 of you might have convinced the CM to let you stay behind for the next boat.

Some years ago I read a similar complaint about a couple ending up squeezing next to a single in a usual 2 person position in a Splash Mountain boat. If the single had sat on the side of the boarding platform, it would have been more difficult for the couple to get in.

 

[Cais]

I don't like it when the boats back up at the end either. I'm sure it's a capacity issue - the only way to increase capacity is to add more boats to the circuit. Loading and unloading the boats takes a set amount of time per boat, so the more boats they use, the longer the load/unload cycle takes overall. I've noticed similar issues at all the boat type attractions, but I don't know of a solution to the problem. If they don't add the boats, then the wait time in line will be longer because they won't be sending as many people through as they are now. It is particularly irritating to me at POTC to get stuck beside the "whistling" pirate - he gets on my nerves pretty quick!

The load cycle is affected by many things. The least of which is caused by the system itself.

Very rarely do you have a "perfect" load cycle. Generally, it's guests taking the time to get into the boat, spending thirty seconds to sit down.

Delays at either unload or load will affect this. Really, the leg is about where you should be for the ride to be running about as efficient as you can be. That way load isn't constantly waiting for boats and unload isn't either. Now if you're backed up to the musicians or even old bill, then that's legitimately a bit of a backup but something that happens. The park is accessible to all guests and not everyone has the blessing of health .

As for four per row well, that's how the boats were designed. Your loader was just doing exactly what they were expected to.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[jade1]

Do you want to spend 5 minutes standing in line or sitting in a boat looking at an attraction?

 

[I Love Pluto]

I am one of those handicapped people who hold up your line. I'm very sorry - I would love to move faster - but my body won't listen to me!

Thankfully, every time I have gotten into a Pirate boat - there are wonderful people on it, offering me help & understanding. Thank You to those fantastic people. Thank you very, very much!

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

Most rides get backed up when they have to assist a handicapped guest disembark.

This is not a handicap loading issue. When pirates added the new boats, they added more of them. This is what is causing the back-up to go so far back into the attraction.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

I am one of those handicapped people who hold up your line. I'm very sorry - I would love to move faster - but my body won't listen to me!

Thankfully, every time I have gotten into a Pirate boat - there are wonderful people on it, offering me help & understanding. Thank You to those fantastic people. Thank you very, very much!

There is no reason for you to apologize.

 

[I Love Pluto]

There is no reason for you to apologize.

Thank you!

 

[Mousemom234]

I am one of those handicapped people who hold up your line. I'm very sorry - I would love to move faster - but my body won't listen to me!

Thankfully, every time I have gotten into a Pirate boat - there are wonderful people on it, offering me help & understanding. Thank You to those fantastic people. Thank you very, very much!

Don't be sorry - you've got nothing to apologize for
You move just as fast as your body wants to, and we'll wait for you. More time to look around, and see things we might have missed before

 

[HallGirl]

This is not a handicap loading issue. When pirates added the new boats, they added more of them. This is what is causing the back-up to go so far back into the attraction.

While they may have added more in the fleet, they're actually running the same number of boats as before.

Most of the time the backup is due to guests, though like someone else said a lot of factors can come into play. Most of the time it's not the ride system or the number of boats.

 

[kiford]

Just rode it last week. I wouldn't say that there was enough of a backup at unloading that I even noticed it. It was walk-on, practically no waiting so they probably didn't have as many boats on as they were not required.

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

Oh goodness, I didn't mean at all to make this a handicapped issue.

 

[PeterPanic]

Oh goodness, I didn't mean at all to make this a handicapped issue.

It isn't and you didn't. The handicapped issue was brought up only as a method of explanation of why the boats do get backed up at times, not as a condemnation of handicapped people. I can see where a person with that problem might take that statement as a slam, but there was nothing in the tone of it that should make one think that.

The addition of boats to the ride have been a major source of the problem. They were added because of Disney's plans to make PoTC a FP+ attraction. To minimize the stand by wait time they added more boats. Logic will tell you that it would cause a slowdown at one end or the other. They chose the other because at least then you would be seated and in the attraction and not standing looking at the walls in the queue.

 

[Tormania]

Somebody should have complained to Guest Relations, although nobody can fault anybody because everybody would rather spend the time enjoying things. Now if the first (the Pooh sized) couple had seated themselves closer to the loading side and dilly dallied about moving over, then all 4 of you might have convinced the CM to let you stay behind for the next boat.

Some years ago I read a similar complaint about a couple ending up squeezing next to a single in a usual 2 person position in a Splash Mountain boat. If the single had sat on the side of the boarding platform, it would have been more difficult for the couple to get in.

We had a similar experience occur at the Safari ride, but it wasn't the CM's fault, it was the next group's fault. We were a party of 3 but one of those 3 was my 3 yr old son. So when we got on the final row of the truck there "appeared" to be about half a row left, so the next group of 4 people behind us tried to pile in and suddenly I've got a stranger in my lap, they are sitting on each other's laps, I'm like WTH is going on here??? So we quickly waived down a CM since the gate was already closed and told the group that they were for the NEXT truck, so they piled back out. I can't imagine if I hadn't said anything trying to last the ENTIRE bumpy Safari ride like that with 7 people crammed into a single row like that. Sheesh!!