Rider Switch changing (Started June 16th)

[DizneyMommy]

Yeah..but they are completely different crowds....

Same for WDW and DLR.

Harry Potter Hogsmeade opened up in June 2010 in Orlando with Diagon Alley opening up in July 2014. Hollywood's version opened up in April 2016. Of course the crowds are high since it's newer there. We went to Orlando back in 2011 and it was long waits for Forbidden Journey because the ride was still relatively new. I can't speak much for 2017 as we went during Irma so my crowd level isn't realistic.

No it's not regardless. It's confusing. The same program may have different results in the two different parks. The PP was talking about Orlando, you were talking about Hollywood. You told the PP about the wait times for Hollywood without disclosing that's what you're talking about. I would not expect routine 2-4 (ETA: hour) waits anymore for FJ 8 years after it's been open. Longer than wanted at times? Sure but it would be rare for it to be that long all the time nowadays but I can def. see it for Hollywood. I think in general most people were speaking towards Orlando's parks (*could be wrong). Plus I will say with Express Pass being added for Harry Potter as of June 2017 trips before then in Orlando may be different wait time wise if someone purchased Express Pass or stayed at a resort that got it included or is an annual pass holder using it after 4pm.

***I do understand you don't like Universal's and I don't take issue with that. Both companies seem to have pros and cons to their program.

I wasn't speaking to the length of lines at USH vs O. I was just saying that their process sucks WHEN lines are long. There is no express pass at WDW, you will at some point in your trip possibly want to wait in a very long line to ride a Tier 1 that you could not get. Carrying/dragging a baby or worse heavy toddler through that long wait sucks. That was my point. Not that USH has longer lines.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I really think the whole things come down to a FP line capacity issue. The FP program was designed to give guests a few headliner rides a day where they would have a short wait. They did that by allocating so many slots per day we rode and dividing them up across the park’s operating hours. Now with the DAS and the RS system using the same lines as FP, the FP line is losing its value. They can’t close the DAS system for a few reasons, but they can control the RS program.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I really think the whole things come down to a FP line capacity issue. The FP program was designed to give guests a few headliner rides a day where they would have a short wait. They did that by allocating so many slots per day we rode and dividing them up across the park’s operating hours. Now with the DAS and the RS system using the same lines as FP, the FP line is losing its value. They can’t close the DAS system for a few reasons, but they can control the RS program.

I honestly believe that if we removed all the DAS and RS people from the FP lines most people would see little to no change in their wait times.

It’s the sheer number of actual FP holders in the lines making them long.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I wasn't speaking to the length of lines at USH vs O. I was just saying that their process sucks WHEN lines are long. There is no express pass at WDW, you will at some point in your trip possibly want to wait in a very long line to ride a Tier 1 that you could not get. Carrying/dragging a baby or worse heavy toddler through that long wait sucks. That was my point. Not that USH has longer lines.

Ok. It was just you were talking about how long you were waiting in line and the other person was giving their experience which will differ as HP has been opened for a lot longer than Hollywood's version. TBH 'long' is subjective too.

And on the express pass aspect I'm actually glad they don't have that at WDW because trying to envision how unlimited FP access to rides would do to wait times is not a thought I even want to consider

 

[DizneyMommy]

Ok. It was just you were talking about how long you were waiting in line and the other person was giving their experience which will differ as HP has been opened for a lot longer than Hollywood's version. TBH 'long' is subjective too.

And on the express pass aspect I'm actually glad they don't have that at WDW because trying to envision how unlimited FP access to rides would do to wait times is not a thought I even want to consider

When it hits 240 minutes, I don't think it is subjective anymore. True story.
I did mention California a couple of times. Sorry if that was confusing to anyone. Again, I was just saying that when you have to do it Uni's way, in a long line, it sucks. Big time. And I would NOT want to do that all day at Disney. That is all.

 

[QueenHeather]

I think we can argue opinions over Universal’s vs Disney’s rider swap model all day, but it’s not relevant to the current thread topic.

In the end, this is about Disney’s rider swap system. The rumored changes would eliminate the selling of passes and the “abuse” of doubling up on fastpasses. However, I think overall the changes would result in a net negative effect on my family’s trip, and this is why I am unhappy. In my opinion, I don’t see any need for a time period (other than expiring at the end of the day) or only holding one swap at a time. These two rules only serve to make things more difficult for families using the rider swap system.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

When it hits 240 minutes, I don't think it is subjective anymore. True story.
I did mention California a couple of times. Sorry if that was confusing to anyone. Again, I was just saying that when you have to do it Uni's way, in a long line, it sucks. Big time. And I would NOT want to do that all day at Disney. That is all.

Oh I do agree that is long. I was more speaking towards more normal average waits. For me I can wait 45-60mins but others 20mins is too long, YKWIM?

 

[DizneyMommy]

SO apparently I did not even realize it, but DL's digital RS already has these 2 stipulations, the FP rule and the 1 hour limit. I never noticed in dozens and dozens of RS pulls since they started digital because A)we always all have FP, and B)we have always gone back to back or just didn't bother. So its actually not the end of the world, its doable. ;-)

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I think we can argue opinions over Universal’s vs Disney’s rider swap model all day, but it’s not relevant to the current thread topic.

In the end, this is about Disney’s rider swap system. The rumored changes would eliminate the selling of passes and the “abuse” of doubling up on fastpasses. However, I think overall the changes would result in a net negative effect on my family’s trip, and this is why I am unhappy. In my opinion, I don’t see any need for a time period (other than expiring at the end of the day) or only holding one swap at a time. These two rules only serve to make things more difficult for families using the rider swap system.

A little bit of a tangent from your post, I honestly don’t know that I would refer to anything besides using these passes if they weren’t earned by your party as abuse.

The current system allowed you to get RS passes without the entire party needing to hold a FP. I don’t know that I would consider doing that abuse. And I still don’t think you come out ahead doing so, even with tiers. Anyone who doesn’t believe me is free to borrow one of my 2 year olds for a day at Epcot .

 

[DizneyMommy]

A little bit of a tangent from your post, I honestly don’t know that I would refer to anything besides using these passes if they weren’t earned by your party as abuse.

The current system allowed you to get RS passes without the entire party needing to hold a FP. I don’t know that I would consider doing that abuse. And I still don’t think you come out ahead doing so, even with tiers. Anyone who doesn’t believe me is free to borrow one of my 2 year olds for a day at Epcot .

It actually TECHNICALLY is required that all have FP if the first party does, if you email Disney and ask that is the policy (yes, I have seen the email response!). It has just not been enforced.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

It actually TECHNICALLY is required that all have FP if the first party does, if you email Disney and ask that is the policy (yes, I have seen the email response!). It has just not been enforced.

Disney also spells out on their website that the adult who sat off the first time may bring one guest back on with them for a total of 2 guests. In actuality their passes allow 3 guests to ride, and even say so right on them.

So I don’t consider following current allowed practice abuse, no matter what they may be officially saying, as it’s been clear Disney does not provide accurate info.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Disney also spells out on their website that the adult who sat off the first time may bring one guest back on with them for a total of 2 guests. In actuality their passes allow 3 guests to ride, and even say so right on them.

So I don’t consider following current allowed practice abuse, no matter what they may be officially saying, as it’s been clear Disney does not provide accurate info.

Maybe not abuse, but it is definitely not intent of the program.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Maybe not abuse, but it is definitely not intent of the program.

Why is it not the intent though? Seems it would have been easy enough to check everyone for a FP all these years if it was the intent of the program to have everyone hold a FP.

I think the nature of the RS program slows down people enough that you can’t really take advantage of the system (unless you’re buying those passes, obviously). You’re slowed by actually having to send a group through the line to get the pass for the second group, and then the time it takes to send that 2nd group through.

I just don’t think it’s advantageous except for those who need it for its intended purpose.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Carrying a 30lb toddler in a carrier is SUPER easy, and much preferable to carrying a squirmy, overtired, bored kid who needs a nap without one!

Unless you have kids like mine who NEVER tolerated any kind of carrier whatsoever, AND you have three kids who are too small to ride (hard for two parents, one w a bad neck/back, to carry 3 kids in carriers).

 

[jade1]

While the population of people using that loophole was obviously large enough to catch Disney's attention, I think it was probably relatively small compared to the number of people using FPs.

Yea pretty sure I never read on here, how easy it became to get certain "harder to get" FP+'s after that crack down. Like at 60 or 30 days anyway.

But I wasn't really looking either.

Sounds like there wasn't much abuse after all.

 

[QueenHeather]

A little bit of a tangent from your post, I honestly don’t know that I would refer to anything besides using these passes if they weren’t earned by your party as abuse.

The current system allowed you to get RS passes without the entire party needing to hold a FP. I don’t know that I would consider doing that abuse. And I still don’t think you come out ahead doing so, even with tiers. Anyone who doesn’t believe me is free to borrow one of my 2 year olds for a day at Epcot .

Oh I agree with you completely, which is why I put “abuse” in quotation marks. I just didn’t really want to get into that argument again, as I was hoping to keep on topic (changes to fastpass system). Obviously Disney knows the numbers more than I do, but I just can’t imagine the number of people “abusing” the system in this way is really making a huge impact on wait times.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think when they make these types of changes, it's usually in anticipation of something new or some other change.

For this one, my money is on Star Wars Land capacity. You can imagine the demand is going to be through the roof, so every FP will count. Could be for Toy Story Land too, where they have built two more height-restricted rides (WHY)

 

[Woody412]

For us this change amounts to “nothing to see here.” The purpose of the RS system is to allow one parent to watch the smaller children while the other rides with the bigger ones, then switch places without getting back in the standby line. That’s the way we’ve done it and will continue to do it. It wasn’t designed to allow people to go to lunch and hit the pool before they get back in line. To be clear I have absolutely no problem with the people who do this. Loopholes were made to be exploited.

 

[Boski]

Yea pretty sure I never read on here, how easy it became to get certain "harder to get" FP+'s after that crack down. Like at 60 or 30 days anyway.

But I wasn't really looking either.

Sounds like there wasn't much abuse after all.

It was enough for Disney to notice and actually start enforcing their own rules.

 

[jlwhitney]

Those of you in love with US’s RS... you have clearly not had to wait 3 hours for Harry Potter with a 2 year old and NOT allowed to take the stroller in the line! Their policy resulted in me basically riding nothing the entire last trip. The lines were all 90+ minutes, most more like 2 hours, and strollers not allowed in line.

We had express pass since we stayed at a hotel that had it included, we wouldn't do universal with out it personally. So the longest line we had eith express was 30 mins.