Rapunzel question

[goofy ny]

Now that Flynn is no longer there, how does the Rapunzel meet work? Do they still have timed parties, such as a 9:15, 10:15, etc.? Or is it now just a line like any other character meet you encounter in the park?

 

[carolfrompa]

It is a line all day, but there are only specific times that she appears (can't recall exact times). We were there last week and had an 8:10 am ADR at CP. At 8:55 am, my daughter and I left breakfast and booked it over to the Fairy Tale Garden. By the time we got there, we were the third group in line for the 9:15 am show. They bring you in along the wall and the first 12 (approx) groups line up. Then the overflow fill in around a big table where the girls are offered coloring pages and crayons to pass the time. Our greet went pretty quickly and we were in and out in under 10 minutes. By the time we left, there was a decent size line for the next show (10:15). If there's anyway you can get an early ADR before park opening, that might be your best strategy. It worked great for us.

 

[shillee]

What...Flynn isn't there any longer? My DD will be crushed! She loves both of them!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

What...Flynn isn't there any longer? My DD will be crushed! She loves both of them!

Big news and complaints a few weeks ago on here when that was announced. Many have suggested emailing wdw guest servies with your displeasure in that decision.

 

[Finally08]

Yep, email them and complain!

I think it's quite funny that they went from 2-3 hour waits for them as a pair, to folks easily getting in and out in 10 minutes with just her alone.
Way to go Disney, you certainly did cut the line down.

 

[WDSearcher]

Yep, email them and complain!

I think it's quite funny that they went from 2-3 hour waits for them as a pair, to folks easily getting in and out in 10 minutes with just her alone.
Way to go Disney, you certainly did cut the line down.

Wasn't that the point? You get thousands of guests complaining about lines ... you figure out a way to cut the line down.

 

[Finally08]

Wasn't that the point? You get thousands of guests complaining about lines ... you figure out a way to cut the line down.

Makes no sense since they removed half the attraction to "solve" the problem. The lines at TSM are long, I bet if they closed the ride down, it would get a lot shorter too.

 

[WDSearcher]

Makes no sense since they removed half the attraction to "solve" the problem. The lines at TSM are long, I bet if they closed the ride down, it would get a lot shorter too.

Think about it.

When they first opened the "play & greet" it was a new concept. They didn't have any others like it. They figured that kids would love being able to do more than just get a photo and autograph, so they developed this "storyline" thing with the "draw like Rapunzel / dance like Rapunzel" experience. It was supposed to be like Storytime with Belle. More of an experience than a M&G.

Then it got really really popular, and lots of people (including many on the DIS) complained. There were all sorts of comments here about "why do we have to do the coloring thing" or "what's the point of the dance" -- people just wanted to meet Rapunzel. So, Disney took the hint and shortened the "non meet and greet" part. (Personally, I think they should have kept it all and put a second Rapunzel in another location like Epcot or DHS to allow the people who wanted a M&G to get that, and those who wanted to color and dance get that, but they didn't ask me. )

At that point, they also said that it was okay for parents to stand in line for Rapunzel while their kids went off and did other things and then joined when it was their turn. Which helped, but still made guests unhappy because of the wait and the rush to get in the first line of the day.

So ... the next thing is to simply go to full-out Rapunzel M&G with (shhhhhh!) more than one Rapunzel. But because Disney sets its labor budgets for characters at a certain level at the start of the year, it's not like they can just decide to add money for a bunch more (they're a business, after all). To get something ... they have to cut something. Easiest thing to cut? Flynn. Because if you're going to go to more than one "Rapunzel & Flynn", then you also need to have more than one Flynn. Which requires even MORE money and casting and costumes and goatees for him. So they cut Flynn, give the money to Rapunzel, turn the show into a M&G again, and shorten the lines.



PS. Your TSM analogy doesn't really work here. Yes, the lines would be non-existent if TSM closed. But Rapunzel didn't close. It changed. A better TSM analogy would be "TSM lines are long. If they cut the experience in half so that double the number of people could go through in an hour, it would get a lot shorter too."

 

[Finally08]

Think about it.

When they first opened the "play & greet" it was a new concept. They didn't have any others like it. They figured that kids would love being able to do more than just get a photo and autograph, so they developed this "storyline" thing with the "draw like Rapunzel / dance like Rapunzel" experience. It was supposed to be like Storytime with Belle. More of an experience than a M&G.

Then it got really really popular, and lots of people (including many on the DIS) complained. There were all sorts of comments here about "why do we have to do the coloring thing" or "what's the point of the dance" -- people just wanted to meet Rapunzel. So, Disney took the hint and shortened the "non meet and greet" part. (Personally, I think they should have kept it all and put a second Rapunzel in another location like Epcot or DHS to allow the people who wanted a M&G to get that, and those who wanted to color and dance get that, but they didn't ask me. )

At that point, they also said that it was okay for parents to stand in line for Rapunzel while their kids went off and did other things and then joined when it was their turn. Which helped, but still made guests unhappy because of the wait and the rush to get in the first line of the day.

So ... the next thing is to simply go to full-out Rapunzel M&G with (shhhhhh!) more than one Rapunzel. But because Disney sets its labor budgets for characters at a certain level at the start of the FY, it's not like they can just decide to add money for a bunch more (they're a business, after all). To get something ... they have to cut something. Easiest thing to cut? Flynn. Because if you're going to go to more than one Rapunzel, then you also need to have more than one Flynn. Which requires even MORE money and casting and costumes and goatees for him. So they cut Flynn, give the money to Rapunzel, turn the show into a M&G again, and shorten the lines.



PS. Your TSM analogy doesn't really work here. Yes, the lines would be non-existent if TSM closed. But Rapunzel didn't close. It changed. A better TSM analogy would be "TSM lines are long. If they cut the experience in half so that double the number of people could go through in an hour, it would get a lot shorter too."

As far as we care, it closed. It was advertised (and still IS on the website) as an interactive experience with the characterS (plural) of Tangled. Flynn is still listed as appearing. Now it is just another ho hum run of the mill princess meet. Smile for the photo, get an autograph, and move along.

For all the people who complained of the coloring and dancing hogging time, it didn't make sense. The kids color before the characters come out. They are just killing time while the CMs get a break between sets. The dance last a minute...and even after that was changed to be the attendants dancing before R & F appear, still I don't see how that affected the lines. Ultimately all characters that meet non stop during the day need those little breaks between sets so what they had the kids doing just occupied them for all of 5 minutes before they came back out. We never had an issue with any of that, and sadly the characters dancing with the kids was already taken away before we made our May trip (and dd was SO sad too).

If they wanted to speed things along they just needed extended meeting times. Why do Tiana & Naveen greet guests from morning till 9pm at night, yet Tangled cut at 5? Let them go all day too (and who cares if the cms swap out mid day or whatever....we could meet them on different days and you can bet my kid could tell they were not the same people). They could also add them to Epcot. Everyone (except Tiana) meets there as well.
No, they took the easy-CHEAP way out. They watered down yet another offering like they seem to be doing with half a dozen other things just this summer alone.

 

[ireland_nicole]

Personally, although it's not a popular opinion, I'm glad they changed it. I thought the whole coloring/dance around the table really narrowed their demographic to young girls. I was very concerned that this might become their new model, and the amount of time in line/ intense planning required for activities that wouldn't particularly interest my kids was a whole lot more than I would like to put into character meeds. Now I think it's a lot easier for older girls/adults/boys to feel comfortable. FWIW, I would prefer to see them at Epcot, where the lines are a lot shorter, but at least this way we have an outside chance of meeting Rapunzel without literally racing for the venue at RD or spending half of a MK day waiting in line. Sure, DD would have enjoyed meeting Flynn, but it's really Rapunzel she's excited about.

 

[kennythepirate]

Yep, email them and complain!

I think it's quite funny that they went from 2-3 hour waits for them as a pair, to folks easily getting in and out in 10 minutes with just her alone.
Way to go Disney, you certainly did cut the line down.

Where did you find that people were only waiting 10 minutes? I've heard that it still has a long line throughout the day.

 

[carolfrompa]

That might have been in reference to my comment....we were 3rd in line in the first showing of the day (9:15). We still had to wait in line outside the "garden". Then, once we were brought inside for the M&G, there were only two families ahead of us, so our time once we were lined up inside the garden was about 10 minutes. Had we not gotten in line at 9:00, we certainly would've waited a lot longer. We just got lucky being one of the first groups of the day. Sorry for the confusion!!!

 

[kennythepirate]

That's the same as before, show up early and don't wait long. However, for them to assume 10 minute wait throughout the day would be fallacy. Also, if you showed up at 9:00 and it began at 9:15 and you waited 10 minutes, that would equal 25 wouldn't it?

 

[Finally08]

That's the same as before, show up early and don't wait long. However, for them to assume 10 minute wait throughout the day would be fallacy. Also, if you showed up at 9:00 and it began at 9:15 and you waited 10 minutes, that would equal 25 wouldn't it?

Other guests have reported short waits times too...both here and other folks I know (friends via facebook, etc).

example, posted by KrysiaG (who I also know elsewhere other than just here at Dis )
It wasn't long at all for us. 10-15 minutes tops over July 4th week. Flynn was not there. It was behind the castle (built onto the back side of the castle).
I had no intention on waiting 2 hours for Rapunzel, but we walked by and saw only maybe 15 people in line to see her, so we jumped in line. It was a quick wait, and not very many people were there at all!
While waiting, another CM came out with a big stuffed Pascal and took pictures with him too.
I would say we were there approx 9:30 am or so - but did not head there at rope drop. We sort of stumbled upon it.



and this comment makes me laugh:
Personally, although it's not a popular opinion, I'm glad they changed it. I thought the whole coloring/dance around the table really narrowed their demographic to young girls.

You think the coloring narrowed the demographic, but don't see it as a problem when they removed the male character? So now the boys don't have the cool guy to meet, and all the preteen/teen girls who would otherwise never enter a princess line don't have a reason to go either. But coloring....coloring that no one is forced to do, *that* lowered the demographic?

 

[ireland_nicole]

Other guests have reported short waits times too...both here and other folks I know (friends via facebook, etc).

and this comment makes me laugh:
Personally, although it's not a popular opinion, I'm glad they changed it. I thought the whole coloring/dance around the table really narrowed their demographic to young girls.

You think the coloring narrowed the demographic, but don't see it as a problem when they removed the male character? So now the boys don't have the cool guy to meet, and all the preteen/teen girls who would otherwise never enter a princess line don't have a reason to go either. But coloring....coloring that no one is forced to do, *that* lowered the demographic?

well, apparently you took the time to bold part of my previous post but not to read it... I did not say just the coloring per se was a problem, it was the whole "play and greet" concept, dancing around the table, etc. And trust me, my son wouldn't have danced around a table and colored for money. Many people reported that the experience was geared specifically toward youmg girls, and older people who collect autographs stated they felt they couldn't get an autograph from Rapunzel because the only way to obtain it would be to "take away" a place from a child who could participate in the "show".

You are entitled to your opinion, and I was respectful of it. I would ask that you would try to understand that not everyone shares it, that quite frankly I couldn't care less about meeting Flynn but my DD is looking forward to meeting Rapunzel and if there is anything to shorten the wait time to see her I am all in favor of it. There are many people who share my opinion as well as yours.

btw, from every thread I read on the topic preteen/teen girls weren't entering the line anyway.

 

[maiapapaya]

Personally, I think they could have done away with the colouring if it contributed to the wait times - my kids don't go to WDW to colour. But anyways ... I don't understand why they didn't go to a FP type system or the one now being used for the Jedi Training Academy to alleviate the waiting. I don't think people have a huge problem to come to an attraction and get an assigned time to return later. They do have a problem when they (or at least one person from their party) are forced to wait in line for hours. Why was it ever done that way?! Stupid. They could have at least tried that before cutting Flynn. Seems like a bit of a knee jerk reaction to the problem (of course what they did probably saved them a couple of bucks ... )

 

[christie_megansmom]

my DD is looking forward to meeting Rapunzel and if there is anything to shorten the wait time to see her I am all in favor of it. There are many people who share my opinion as well as yours.

I happen to agree. It was totally stressing me out thinking about waiting for an hour.

 

[mom2rtk]

Personally, I think they could have done away with the colouring if it contributed to the wait times - my kids don't go to WDW to colour. But anyways ... I don't understand why they didn't go to a FP type system or the one now being used for the Jedi Training Academy to alleviate the waiting. I don't think people have a huge problem to come to an attraction and get an assigned time to return later. They do have a problem when they (or at least one person from their party) are forced to wait in line for hours. Why was it ever done that way?! Stupid. They could have at least tried that before cutting Flynn. Seems like a bit of a knee jerk reaction to the problem (of course what they did probably saved them a couple of bucks ... )

You answered your own question. It just so happens that their "fix" also was the one that saved some $$$. I don't think it's a coincidence that it happened around the same time they announced discontinuing the characters appearing at EMH and a cutback in monorail service. Someone probably got a nice bonus this quarter!

FWIW...... the coloring did not add to the wait. But it did seem sort of odd to me to go to the effort to remove the seating from the venue used by Belle's Storytime to put in that huge stone table.......... for coloring. Oh, and to dance around.

 

[WDSearcher]

and this comment makes me laugh:
Personally, although it's not a popular opinion, I'm glad they changed it. I thought the whole coloring/dance around the table really narrowed their demographic to young girls.

You think the coloring narrowed the demographic, but don't see it as a problem when they removed the male character? So now the boys don't have the cool guy to meet, and all the preteen/teen girls who would otherwise never enter a princess line don't have a reason to go either. But coloring....coloring that no one is forced to do, *that* lowered the demographic?

Then again, I don't recall too many posts here that lamented the thought that someone's son could no longer meet Flynn. It seemed to be little girls and their moms (probably more specifically their moms ... ) who were upset that they didn't have "the cool guy to meet". Mention Lightning McQueen or Phineas & Ferb and people are all, "Oh my gosh! My DS is obsessed with them!" Flynn didn't seem to have that reaction among boys, which may be another reason that it wasn't that hard for Disney to let him go in order to double up on a very popular Rapunzel.

YMMV

 

[always]

So now the boys don't have the cool guy to meet, and all the preteen/teen girls who would otherwise never enter a princess line don't have a reason to go either.

You're missing the cougar catagory here....

btw, from every thread I read on the topic preteen/teen girls weren't entering the line anyway.

Yep.

Then again, I don't recall too many posts here that lamented the thought that someone's son could no longer meet Flynn. It seemed to be little girls and their moms (probably more specifically their moms ... )

Agree totally. Maybe the cougar to kid ratio was the reason Flynn got pulled. Wasn't that a problem with Captain Jack in DL?