So, FP+ basically not affecting anyone's wait time. Now what?

[roomthreeseventeen]

I'm sure this has been linked elsewhere, but I found this blog post to be very interesting. In short,

The results indicate FastPass+ is not causing significant changes to standby wait times:
Wait times are increasing less than 1 minute, on average, across all attractions at all parks
Super-headliner attractions have seen a small drop (under 1 minute) in standby waits

So, all of the posts here saying that they are waiting longer are either just misconceptions or mistaken, I guess? I'd love to get a hard look at the data they are using.

 

[PrincessJo]

We were there last month during NYE and the whole first week of January. We didn't see any of those long FP+ lines I'd been reading about. It was the opposite... we zoomed right on with no problems at all. We didn't see any lines like that anywhere all week.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm sure some there are some misconceptions/mistakes, as there are (I'm sure) on both sides....as there always have been, and probably always will be.

That said, I have *never* seen a 100 minute wait for Star Tours until I saw it on MDE on Monday. I would think it was a mistake, until I saw pictures of the FP+ line in the park, and people were reporting that it was over an hour multiple times throughout the day. Even during spring break last year, ST never had more than a 15 min wait.

I would be interested to know if their calculations included the holiday weekend or not. I understand that wouldn't affect the overall average, but I do think it's more likely to see unusually long lines on second tier attractions during busy times than it will during slow times (especially if the 30min+ FP+ lines continue, and even the TP blog says they haven't analyzed those yet).

 

[AmyB2006]

This might be, but how do you explain longer waits in the FP+ lines?

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

This might be, but how do you explain longer waits in the FP+ lines?

I think this blog is saying they don't exist as advertised.

 

[morethananyonex]

Well then what you are also saying is that all the people who have been praising FP+ for its ability to shorten wait times are also incorrect, right? I wouldn't consider an average decrease of 1 minute to be anything to write home about.

FP+ has hurt our overall wait times with longer FP return times and the inability to FP as much as we used to. Obviously that is not the case for a family that didn't utilize FP before, but that's what it's done to us. Personally similar SB waits as before makes little difference to my family, as the previously mentioned increases hurt us the most.

What we did notice in the park were inefficient lines that are solely because of FP+, pirates being the worst. I have never seen stand by take up so much room of the courtyard there. The line itself took about 25-30 minutes but it was looooooong and snaked through the courtyard area at the entrance, as the entire right side is now FP+ only.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I think this blog is saying they don't exist as advertised.

Actually, no it's not. The blog specifically says they haven't measured the FP+ line waits.

Also, we’ve not yet studied how long the waits are to redeem FastPass+ reservations. Some folks are reporting very long lines here, sometimes exceeding the averages we saw with FASTPASS returns. We’re still working on measuring this.

 

[AmyB2006]

I think this blog is saying they don't exist as advertised.

They're saying the longer FP+ lines don't exist?

ETA.. I just reread the article and it doesn't really say anything about FP+ wait times. The article concentrates on SB wait times. Unless I'm missing something.

 

[JanaDee]

I think this blog is saying they don't exist as advertised.

Not quite true.

Again, this is a first look. Also, we’ve not yet studied how long the waits are to redeem FastPass+ reservations. Some folks are reporting very long lines here, sometimes exceeding the averages we saw with FASTPASS returns. We’re still working on measuring this.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Well then what you are also saying is that all the people who have been praising FP+ for its ability to shorten wait times are also incorrect, right? I wouldn't consider an average decrease of 1 minute to be anything to write home about.

Right, it seems to have made no difference at all in wait times.

 

[DSLRuser]

the way i see it, and my first visit under the new system is in 3 weeks.

Is only 3 fast passes now, where one could easily get 6-8 under the old system in a day.

which causes more people to wait standby.

 

[morethananyonex]

Right, it seems to have made no difference at all in wait times.

Stand by wait times at individual rides. Saying it has made no difference in wait times is deceiving.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Stand by wait times at individual rides. Saying it has made no difference in wait times is deceiving.

I guess that's correct.

 

[CanadianPaco]

Stand by wait times at individual rides. Saying it has made no difference in wait times is deceiving.

Thta's how I read it.

 

[Golf4283]

Well then what you are also saying is that all the people who have been praising FP+ for its ability to shorten wait times are also incorrect, right? I wouldn't consider an average decrease of 1 minute to be anything to write home about.

FP+ has hurt our overall wait times with longer FP return times and the inability to FP as much as we used to. Obviously that is not the case for a family that didn't utilize FP before, but that's what it's done to us. Personally similar SB waits as before makes little difference to my family, as the previously mentioned increases hurt us the most.

What we did notice in the park were inefficient lines that are solely because of FP+, pirates being the worst. I have never seen stand by take up so much room of the courtyard there. The line itself took about 25-30 minutes but it was looooooong and snaked through the courtyard area at the entrance, as the entire right side is now FP+ only.

so even though the wait was only 25 minutes you're still complaining because it looked long? hah. That makes me laugh.

You just can't please everyone I guess.

 

[mom2rtk]

Wait times have never been tracked at FP return lines so there's no data to even study.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I guess that's correct.

The blog makes it very clear that they are only talking about stand by lines, not addressing the fp+ line lengths.

 

[mom2rtk]

the way i see it, and my first visit under the new system is in 3 weeks.

Is only 3 fast passes now, where one could easily get 6-8 under the old system in a day.

which causes more people to wait standby.

Unless people are so frustrated with all of it they cut their day short and head back to the resort. That turnover might account for the additional 3K people Disney claims this new system allowed them to get into the parks daily over Christmas.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

The blog makes it very clear that they are only talking about stand by lines, not addressing the fp+ line lengths.

In theory, however, FP+ lines should never be backed up.

 

[morethananyonex]

so even though the wait was only 25 minutes you're still complaining because it looked long? hah. That makes me laugh. You just can't please everyone I guess.

I'm complaining? I'm stating changes. What it has done is made it inefficient there. Instead of waiting in an air conditioned themed line we spend a good chunk of the wait in the heat in one of those "fill in all the available space.. FILL IN ALL THE AVAILABLE SPACE!!" lines. FP makes the line for pirates inefficient.

ETA: Not to mention it's the longest wait I've ever experienced on Pirates, longer than in July, but that's besides the point.