Short Standby but Long Lightning Lane

[I'm No Fool]

I'm going to WDW soon and I've already downloaded the app. I've looking at it to get an idea of standby wait times vs. lightning lanes. Right now it's only 5 minutes in the standby lane for Pirates, but it's an hour wait for the LL. If the standby wait is so short why is the LL being offered and why would somebody use it?

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

I don't think you're using the correct perspective. That time doesn't mean there is an hour wait in the LL. it means it will be an hour before you can get in line for the LL. There's not an hour of people already in line there (probably no more than a ten minute line). That hour "wait" just means that enough people over the next hour have already booked the Pirates LL.

People might still book a LL even with a short standby line because they are already in line for another ride and want to do Pirates next hour. Who knows how long the standby line will be then

 

[tx911]

I'm going to WDW soon and I've already downloaded the app. I've looking at it to get an idea of standby wait times vs. lightning lanes. Right now it's only 5 minutes in the standby lane for Pirates, but it's an hour wait for the LL. If the standby wait is so short why is the LL being offered and why would somebody use it?

There are no wait times posted for lightening lanes. You may be referring to the one hour window given to redeem a lightening lane You have one hour from your LL booked time in which to redeem it. The wait for a LL will generally be either non-existent up to maybe 15 minutes or so, in my experience.

 

[I'm No Fool]

There are no wait times posted for lightening lanes. You may be referring to the one hour window given to redeem a lightening lane You have one hour from your LL booked time in which to redeem it. The wait for a LL will generally be either non-existent up to maybe 15 minutes or so, in my experience.

I don't think you're using the correct perspective. That time doesn't mean there is an hour wait in the LL. it means it will be an hour before you can get in line for the LL. There's not an hour of people already in line there (probably no more than a ten minute line). That hour "wait" just means that enough people over the next hour have already booked the Pirates LL.

People might still book a LL even with a short standby line because they are already in line for another ride and want to do Pirates next hour. Who knows how long the standby line will be then

I know it's not an hour wait in the LL. I was thinking from the perspective of someone trying to decide which ride to go to next and somehow deciding that waiting in line for 5 minutes was too long. But I can see the advantage if you're stuck waiting in line on a different ride.

 

[Karin1984]

Other option is, people think "well, I have paid for Genie plus, better use it." Regardless if it makes sense.

And technically it might save you a minute or two. Because when it says 5 minutes in standby, you spend most of that time walking, you still have to cover some distance in the queue. While the queue space in the lightning lane is shorter. So maybe a minute saved by still using LL.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

I know it's not an hour wait in the LL. I was thinking from the perspective of someone trying to decide which ride to go to next and somehow deciding that waiting in line for 5 minutes was too long. But I can see the advantage if you're stuck waiting in line on a different ride.

Cool. But I think its safe to assume nobody is picking a one hour wait over a five minuter line for the same attraction. I admit, I'm not really sure what you're asking. The whole point of LL is to book something either immediately available where the LL is shorter than the standby line or booking a LL for later in the day when you have no idea how long the standby wait will be. I don't know what you're trying to compare

 

[Minnie1222]

PI was thinking from the perspective of someone trying to decide which ride to go to next and somehow deciding that waiting in line for 5 minutes was too long.

That's me! If the standby and G+ are both at 5 minutes, I would absolutely book the G+ just for the shorter walk to the loading zone.

 

[I'm No Fool]

But I think its safe to assume nobody is picking a one hour wait over a five minuter line for the same attraction.

I agree. Which is why I couldn't understand why it was an option. (Although it's probably because the algorithm for calculating the next available LL time does not take the standby wait into account)

The whole point of LL is to book something either immediately available where the LL is shorter than the standby line or booking a LL for later in the day when you have no idea how long the standby wait will be.

Agree, plus ensuring that you'll get on your must-do rides

I'm not really sure what you're asking.

Why, if you had an open LL slot, would you use it on a ride with such a short standby time rather than one with a longer line or a shorter LL wait time? But as you pointed out it is useful if you're stuck in a long line on another ride. For example, I saw that it was a 30 min. standby line for Jungle Cruise, and no LL. In that case it would make sense to LL Pirates and use the time to do JC.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I'm going to WDW soon and I've already downloaded the app. I've looking at it to get an idea of standby wait times vs. lightning lanes. Right now it's only 5 minutes in the standby lane for Pirates, but it's an hour wait for the LL. If the standby wait is so short why is the LL being offered and why would somebody use it?

Most likely guests would only choose to book a LL over utilizing the standby based on their park touring plans. It might only be a 5 min wait right now, but they may be over in fantasyland and not near pirates so they book a LL for later in the day when waits may be 30 min+. Or perhaps Pirates is a fave of theirs and they will ride standby and want to ride again using G+. But again, as others have mentioned, you're not really waiting an hour if you book LL, you're essentially booking your return time and during that time you can accomplish other rides. You could essentially say this about all the rides that are super low waits at any given time. Guests can't be in every short line all across the park.

Just from my perspective, on any MK day, I would likely not book a LL for pirates until my 4-5th selection, and that's even assuming I can make it to a 4th/5th depending on crowds/G+ utilization.

 

[ghtx]

I think that situation is pretty rare. If the SB wait is just 5 minutes, most likely the LL will be available immediately.

 

[gharter]

In reality, CM will let multiple people in the LL in for every 1 person in SB. This is no different than what happened with FP+ (FP+ was rumored to be 10-20 to every SB person). So, I don't believe the numbers stating LL is 60 minutes and SB is 5 minutes. I agree with PP, that the 60 minutes was when the next LL available.

 

[danceintherain]

There are plenty of attractions that don't really "need" LL that have it anyway. This is why you'll be better off having a good plan rather than just walking around the parks asking everyone what they want to do next.

But, not everyone arrives at the gates with a good plan, and Genie isn't set up to give people the BEST option for each circumstance anyway.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I will say I’ve noticed longer outdoors LL than standby queues at times but then the lines enter the attraction building and LL rides quickly whereas the standby has a lot of switchbacks inside.

We’ve been in the parks for the past 7 days and only used G+ the past 2 days but it’s been a remarkable difference in wait times when using it. I don’t love paying for it but it is a time saver. I won’t plan to purchase each day if future trips but will budget to occasionally.

I will say ILL$ has not been needed for us.