Posted wait times are wrong this week (May 15th)

[Mome Rath]

Sorry, that is lousy policy on WDW's part.

Disney used to offer dining RESERVATIONS, and other theme parks currently offer dining reservations.

Yes, we went all the time when plain reservations were offered. Disney has the data to back up why they are doing things this way, and tweak their system as the data dictates. They don't statistically care if one person has a long wait, as long as the majority don't. It's the way large corporations work fortunately and unfortunately.

If we are booking meals SIX MONTHS in ADVANCE

and many folks are PAYING for their food 45 days BEFORE eating

WDW should - generally - seat us on time.

….That many of us have accepted WDW's absurd policies is another matter.

We don't tour this way at all, so it doesn't really impact us. The question is always subjective and personal; is what you get from taking a Disney vacation worth what you give? If the answer is "yes" then great, if the answer is "no" then pick a different destination and wait to see if things change, or don't. I took a good chunk of time off of doing Disney when the cleanliness of the parks went downhill, they fixed that, I started going again. At this point I don't find their policies absurd at all, hence, I'm going back in just a few weeks. There are going to be those that love or hate Disney, and those that love or hate the changes Disney makes, each person and family has to make their own decisions, which is why this board and various opinions are useful.

Oh, I thought these were like dinner reservations. So, how long should I plan on possibly waiting? I don't think anyone in my party realizes that "reservation" means something different from what it means at any other restaurant.

Similar to dinner reservations, but not exactly the same. The wait is usually 0 to 15 minutes I'd reckon, and most times if we go early (as you're supposed to), we get seated either early or on time. These ADR's basically reserve you a spot in line for a table, they are so busy, they don't keep tables set aside for reservations; too many guests, and too many no shows. As monky' says above, it depends on where and when as to the likelihood of having to wait.

 

[Bobb_o]

There's a couple things to remember with posted wait times. They're not updated in real time which means if something says 15 minutes within 5-10 minutes a whole bunch of people could join the line thinking it's short. Second, standby wait time is completely dependent on FP+ returners so if there's not a lot of returners stand by will move through quicker.

Wait times are estimates, nothing more.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

You keep mentioning this hour past thing with a meal. That doesn't happen, and isn't normal.

Nice accusation.

It has happened more times than I can count.

If I add in places that seated us 40-55 minutes late, that's most of WDW except the newest ones.

The list of places where it hasn't happened to us is shorter:
It has never happened to us at the Wave, Narcoosee's, or the Edison.

Um..let's see...

We were seated at least 45 min past our ADR - many more than once:
ChefM's, CaliGrill, Gf Café, 1900 PF- EPIC!, BOG, CP, GF Café, LTT (90min!), plaza (lost our name?), 50PT Café, M Melrose (so bad, we won't go back), La Hacienda SA,

Le Cellier- goodness, there were YEARS when it was nearly impossible to eat there without waiting at least 25minutes past your ADR- and they verified that your WHOLE party was present and waiting. It was once a regular thread topic on the DISboards.


R&C - (was special, we met some very nice folks while waiting)

30 min wait for both Teppan Edo + Tokyo Dining (always a crowd of folks waiting here at dinnertime),

Via Napoli, Tutto is reliably less than 20min past ADR,

30min - for Tusker, Bongos, HoB

Boma, Sanaa, BC (name recently changed), Kona, and Boatwrights


In all seriousness, on pretty much any given night, there are folks waiting in front of 'Ohana, and many other places. If you don't have an ADR, they turn you away - right away. So everyone sitting around the front of 'Ohana every night is waiting on an ADR.

Have you never walked through the Kona/"Ohana area at dinner time?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

The subject of this thread is theme park attraction wait times. It is posted on the Theme Park Attractions & Strategies board.

There are plenty of other places on DISBoards to discuss restaurant wait times.

The trend of this thread towards personal comments/arguments rather than respectful discussion is also not welcome here.

Thank you.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Could we maybe talk about remedies to this situation?

What kinds of remedies has WDW offered when their posted wait times are way off?

Multiple times, I have been impressed with Universal. We once got in line for special event with a posted 45min wait. It ended up being about 120minutes!

At first the line moved somewhat, but the longer we waited, the s-l-o-w-e-r it got. The last half hour we barely moved at all. I would have bailed, but we'd already invested so much time.

Alas, we took a chance and politely reported the matter to Guest Services. We almost didn't go, but decided to try and pay it forward for others. To my surprise, the staff was super! First- and most important- they gave us a meaningful apology!

To me, that right there was fantastic.

Second, they thanked us for reporting the situation. Again, excellent!

Then they went above an beyond! I won't post details, but it quickly turned an aggravation into a much better situation.

Another time, a ride went down , and within minutes - they cleared the queue AND gave everyone a kind of paper fastpass. Super!

 

[mafibisha]

Just back and we found the wait times fairly accurate in our 3 days in the parks

 

[Davey Jones II]

Posted wait times used to be exaggerated, so that you would be pleasantly surprised when it took less long. On our last trip last October, most wait times were pretty accurate. Seems they changed their policies, maybe because people got wise that the actual wait times were seldom as long as posted?

 

[Davey Jones II]

This is so discouraging to me. I honestly can't believe how complicated trip planning has been, trying to figure out all the little strategies to optimize FPs and EMH and ADRs and which day at which park and multiple permutations of touring itineraries — and then they announce SWGE is opening and "there's no way to plan for the crowds we're gonna see," but also "careful planning is key to surviving WDW post-SWGE." Then they changed all the park hours during my trip, and now I guess we're going to have to be up at 5 a.m. to even make rope drops. And the posted wait times aren't even accurate?

Now I'm reading Jodifla's post from last month and ... yikes. I'd feel pretty betrayed. When people say stuff like, "I'd never imagine things would be this bad 15 years ago," it makes me nervous about how much money my family is spending. I went to DLR last year and was completely enamored, but we didn't really have to do much planning or get up at 5 a.m. or anything like that. Lines were mostly short, and it was way less expensive thanks to the ease of offsite lodging. Maybe WDW is a lot more stressful.

I`m planning for a family trip -- seven people -- and it`s a rubik`s cube. So far, no matter how I try to balance all competing considerations and take into account everyone`s priorities, something is always missing from the plan. So now I`m going to wait to find out the situation after the opening of GE, to put together our final trip plan. The main question: lots of EMH or not? When to go to GE, at EMH or late evening/near closing time? We may just try both.

 

[ErinAlb]

I`m planning for a family trip -- seven people -- and it`s a rubik`s cube. So far, no matter how I try to balance all competing considerations and take into account everyone`s priorities, something is always missing from the plan. So now I`m going to wait to find out the situation after the opening of GE, to put together our final trip plan. The main question: lots of EMH or not? When to go to GE, at EMH or late evening/near closing time? We may just try both.

Ya, we probably aren't even going to Galaxy's Edge, and still there are a lot of decisions we can't make until it's opened and we have a better idea what we're getting into.

 

[mshanson3121]

This past week was supposed to be a "slow" time. Parks are absolutely packed. I wonder why?

We have different definitions of packed. We were there May 14-21, and they were far from packed.

 

[cisco911]

I feel that alot of the people on this site that plan their vacation and end up being disappointed tend to overplan their trip. I understand that if this is a once in a lifetime trip and you plan to never come back due to cost, etc, you want to get in every last bit of magic. However, this is a recipe for guaranteed disappointment and heartache. There are so many variables that you can't control that can throw off your plans that having your plans fall EXACTLY in line is almost impossible. Things as "basic" as ADRs can throw you off. So you plan a 1pm Chef Mickey ADR and then plan on being done in 1.5 hours and be back for the Parade before 3pm. So you get there and you don't get seated for 15 or 20 minutes (which by the way, if you live in any major city and you go out on a friday or saturday night, even with a reso you might have to wait for your table in a busy restaurant). So now your lunch will either be cut short and you have to stuff your face in less time, which is not enjoyable or you will not be there in time for the parade. And now your day at the magic kingdom is ruined!!!!! And this is the most basic if things. This is not even getting into FP+, wait times, ride closures, and weather.

You have to plan a WDW trip and take some time, but trying to plan to the minute is asking for disappointment.

 

[Remy is Up]

Ill echo the sentiment above. I actually understand the frustration of people who spend a lot of money and planning for a once every few years or even once in a lifetime trip to WDW. I, and many others, have the luxury of APs and being close enough to go several times a year, and in the case of people in Florida, being able to go on a whim. For example my daughter is in Florida and she and 4 friends decided last minute to go to AK the other day. They went in without FPs but by the end of the day had done every attraction using FPs, including FoP at 115 which they pulled through refresh at 1215. But, they go a ton and are similar to other AP holders or frequent guests who understand FP and Refresh, rope drop tendencies, etc and never rely on wait times. That group does what they want, when they wantr and doesnt worry about "missing" anything because they can catch it the next time. My suggestion for those on the once in a lifetime or every few years trips...dont overplan. understand how FP, EMH, Refresh, AH events, rope drop, and ADRs can effect any given day and allow some flexibility because invariably your plans will get out of whack. Refresh is your best friend if you learn to use it and can make a lot of the other issues go away.

 

[Nana2Callie]

Is this the paid version of TP?

 

[mshanson3121]

OK, but I guess, for instance, why would a newbie even know that you shouldn't schedule too FPs close to ADRs? The ADRs are dinner reservations for a set time, so ... aren't we in control of how long we spend eating? (I'm not being sarcastic, I'm seriously asking -- it sounds like maybe there's something I don't understand about ADRs and how predictable mealtime is?) How close are people scheduling FPs and ADRs? I just assumed we wouldn't want to book them for the same hour. But a 12 p.m. ADR followed by a 1 p.m. FP would be OK? Or a 11 a.m. FP followed by a 12 p.m. ADR would be OK?

Oh, I thought these were like dinner reservations. So, how long should I plan on possibly waiting? I don't think anyone in my party realizes that "reservation" means something different from what it means at any other restaurant.

I didn't realize, either. I looked at the fine print later, and it does say it's not a guarantee of being seated at that time, and you may be seated I believe 15-30 minutes later.

So, plan on that, I would say. Though we did have one where we waited an hour. The other thing people tend to fail to accurately plan for is travel time if you're dining out of park.

So, say you have a 10:00 am Crystal Palace, you could safely plan a FP+ for 11:00, as your return time window is actually 11:00-12:00, and even if you're not seated till 10:30, 90 minutes should be sufficient to eat and get to your next ride. Though obviously planning it for 11:15 or 11:30 would be safer.

However, say that meal is a 10:00 at 1900 Park Fare, then you wouldn't want to schedule anything earlier than 12:00, as on top of your dining time, it will take you about 20-30 minutes to get back to MK via monorail and through the gates to your ride etc...

Both meals we did (breakfasts) typically took an hour to see all the characters. Cinderella's Castle, which we did last time, was about 90 minutes (supper).

You keep mentioning this hour past thing with a meal. That doesn't happen, and isn't normal. It may have happened, sure, but that's the exception, not the rule.
.

We waited a full hour for O'Hana, and were told by two different servers that they are normally 30 minutes "behind" and that 45 is fairly common, too. It has to do with the interaction there (characters are slower to come around, they linger longer, the conga line they do etc...).

So, YES, it does happen, and while it may not be the rule at all places, it's far from an exception, either.

In my opinion, if they know this, then they should be changing how they book their reservations, or change the interaction, as being seated an hour past your booking time is unacceptable when you're paying almost $200 for the meal.

Likewise, they should be more upfront about the wait times, because it definitely could/does interfere with park touring plans. We had no idea about the wait, and had we known, we wouldn't have booked it.

 

[Remy is Up]

I agree with the Mod, this is not the place to be discussing wait times for ADRs, though it can have an effect on your daily plans. I will say this as someone who does eat a great deal on property and makes use of ADRs, I have not had an ADR delay/wait, take more than 15 minutes anywhere over the past three years of going 6-8 times a year and using an ADR each day we are there. Now, we do not eat at character meals due to the poor value, but, at Sigs ( Jiko, Cali, Narcoosees, HBD, Yachtsman, Tiffins, Flying Fish, Il Mulino) we never end up waiting with an ADR , and at Non Sigs,our wait has never been more than 15 minutes or so and rarely even close to that. Thats based on places like Chefs De France, Hacienda, Skipper, Frontera, Boathouse, Raglan, Boma, Homecomin, Wave, etc.

 

[mafibisha]

Agreed mshanson3121, didn't think the crowds were bad at all on May 18 - 19 - 20. Curious how touring plans .com and other 'crowd calendar' predictors would gauge them after the fact (as they say they do) but we're not subscribers so no way of telling. I just know that even with last minute booking / planning ect, we did everything we wanted - and more - 4 X on R n R Coaster, 2 X Soarin, 2 X Thunder Mountain, even Frozen & Dwarfs without FPs. Geesh I miss it SO much and can't wait to go back!!! <3

 

[mshanson3121]

Agreed mshanson3121, didn't think the crowds were bad at all on May 18 - 19 - 20. Curious how touring plans .com and other 'crowd calendar' predictors would gauge them after the fact (as they say they do) but we're not subscribers so no way of telling. I just know that even with last minute booking / planning ect, we did everything we wanted - and more - 4 X on R n R Coaster, 2 X Soarin, 2 X Thunder Mountain, even Frozen & Dwarfs without FPs. Geesh I miss it SO much and can't wait to go back!!! <3

We were at MK on the 19 and EP on the 20. They had predicted a 2 for Sunday and said it was a 4, but also said that 3% of rides were off line which was a factor. I know Sunday was definitely less crowded at MK than Thursday, which they also say was a 4.

EP was predicted to be a 6 and they said it was a 4. I would agree, we didn't find WS bad at all.

 

[compshu]

Posted wait times are an automated system. There isn't a CM at each attraction typing in a random time, they occasionally scan a red card on a lanyard at the entrance of the queue, and then hand it to a random guest. When that guest turns the card in at the end of the queue, that amount of time is registered by the system and used to determine average wait time. So many things can impact the posted time during that process.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Ya, we probably aren't even going to Galaxy's Edge, and still there are a lot of decisions we can't make until it's opened and we have a better idea what we're getting into.

Skipping GE altogether is probably the smart, disciplined way to go, since everything at the resort should be easier to access. However, I doubt I can convince my group to forgo the newest, shiniest goodie, especially over a 9-day trip (I probably can`t convince myself, either!). I think I will just warn them that our access to the new land might be a bit limited...

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I feel that alot of the people on this site that plan their vacation and end up being disappointed tend to overplan their trip... So you get there and you don't get seated for 15 or 20 minutes (which by the way, if you live in any major city and you go out on a friday or saturday night, even with a reso you might have to wait for your table in a busy restaurant).

Call me crazy, but there are many differences between dining locally and dining at WDW. I don't pay $30 per hour to be in my local city! I pay something for parking perhaps, but not an entry fee just to be in the city.

I expect WDW to value my time differently because I'm paying a hefty price to be there. I expect Disney to provide the kind of quality they claim to deliver.

If we are ever seated more than a few minutes late at our local restaurants (assuming we were on time), they apologize AND often give us a free dessert or appetizer.

Disney, not so much these days; and that makes me sad. Disney used to be great about such things; it was long one of the things I loved about WDW.

Disney planning also used to be FAR more flexible, and far less expensive. If a ride is down during my FP window, WDW SHOULD issue us an automatic anytime FP. That is the right thing to do.

Likewise, they should bake other kinds of compensation into their system every time THEIR mistakes cost us a valuable experience, like seeing the fireworks.

Florida should pass a kind of 'lemon law' for theme parks.