Why the consistently posted high fake wait times?

[Disneyguy1]

I have been an avid Touring Plans follower and user for years now. While Disney has always posted higher wait times, Disney was usually only 5, maybe 10 minutes higher than the real wait time. However, when we went in August of 2020, we noticed that Touring Plans real wait times were showing sometimes 30 and even 40 minutes less than Disney's posted wait times. We thought this might be a mistake, but tested it and Touring Plans was almost always 100% accurate (they are usually only off between 3-5 minutes).

For example, Slinky Dog would be posted at 60 minutes and it was only 25 minute wait in reality. Surely Disney knows? Maybe they don't? As careful and meticulous as Disney is on other things, you would think they would know what their actual wait times are (or at least be in the ball park). I could even understand if it was only on a couple of attractions, or every now and then - but it was pretty much consistently higher (and much higher) across the board when we were there. And, according to my Touring Plans app, they are still doing this.

So, I have two questions:

1. Does Disney know this (if not, why not)?

2. Why does Disney do this (is there a hidden purpose or some sort of reason I am missing)?

Don't get me wrong. When people see a 55 minute wait posted from Disney on Pirates and I look on my Touring Plans app and see it is only 20 minutes, I really feel like I am cheating the system - but I also feel sorry for other people who take Disney's wait times at their word. I just don't understand Disney's rationale for doing this.

 

[mom2rtk]

Wait times are for:

1) behavior manipulation and

2) guest informational purposes.

In that order.

 

[FCDub]

Under-promise, over-deliver

 

[Disneyguy1]

Wait times are for:

1) behavior manipulation and

2) guest informational purposes.

In that order.

Makes me glad I have Touring Plans, but also sad for others who don't who will pass up on certain attractions because they think they are too long of a wait or do not have enough time.

 

[Disneyguy1]

Under-promise, over-deliver

That is what me and my wife were thinking. I just feel sorry for people who do not know better because sometimes the wait times under promise so much that people will skip it thinking they do not have enough time because they have a dinning reservation, etc. I understand 10 minutes, but sometimes posting more than double the actual wait time? I don't understand that.

 

[beesly]

They’re also accounting for the possibility that any guest in line might have to wait on a cleaning cycle. Some do, and their waits are longer than those who don’t.

 

[Disneyguy1]

They’re also accounting for the possibility that any guest in line might have to wait on a cleaning cycle. Some do, and their waits are longer than those who don’t.

Good point. I haven't thought of that.

 

[mom2rtk]

They’re also accounting for the possibility that any guest in line might have to wait on a cleaning cycle. Some do, and their waits are longer than those who don’t.

But this was also a thing before Covid.

 

[Cheburashka]

when we went in August of 2020, we noticed that Touring Plans real wait times were showing sometimes 30 and even 40 minutes less than Disney's posted wait times.

For example, Slinky Dog would be posted at 60 minutes and it was only 25 minute wait in reality.

I don't know about August, but I will mention that I've been at the parks all week, and the posted wait times of 50 - 70 minutes for top tier rides are genuine. I know because I've stood in those hour+ lines and seen even worse lines that I'm not willing to wait in. Lines for top tier rides are bad right now- it's no illusion currently. (I'll add that I was here in July 2020 & December 2020, so I know how the lines look & move post-Covid.) Wait times are genuinely long this week, except right at rope drop or at the very very end of the day.

 

[beesly]

But this was also a thing before Covid.

Yes, and I agree with your point about behavior manipulation.

 

[gharter]

The accuracy of Touring Plans wait times seems really dependent on the number of people submitting wait times. I've found them to be very accurate and be far off.
Still, most of the time better than posted times.

 

[Gehrig1B]

Many recent reports suggest that Spring Break posted wait times are pretty accurate compared to when we were there in September and January. We do trust TP to be most accurate...

 

[wilkydelts]

I don't know about August, but I will mention that I've been at the parks all week, and the posted wait times of 50 - 70 minutes for top tier rides are genuine. I know because I've stood in those hour+ lines and seen even worse lines that I'm not willing to wait in. Lines for top tier rides are bad right now- it's no illusion currently. (I'll add that I was here in July 2020 & December 2020, so I know how the lines look & move post-Covid.) Wait times are genuinely long this week, except right at rope drop or at the very very end of the day.

Many, many people on the Here & Back thread would disagree with this point and have listed there exact timing experiences as proof.

 

[KristaZ]

I've been almost monthly since July - Back in July and August wait times were definitely way off (by 30+ minutes). As they've been open longer, wait times have been way more accurate. Our last trip in February nothing was off by more than about 10 minutes.

 

[wilkydelts]

Current comparison at 2:44 on 3/20

BTMRR- MDE:45 TP:23
Splash- MDE:45 TP:25
Space- MDE:50 TP:33
7DMT- MDE:65 TP:46

those are some fairly large differences in the course of a day if you are trying to ride all them

 

[_19disnA]

With our pre-covid trip to Disney, we found the posted wait times at the entrance to most rides to be off. Some showed long wait times and we were able to walk right on while others showed the reverse. I don't know how Disney calculates what is shown or whether an employee has to manually reset it. We decided for ourselves which rides were worth doing after looking at the length of the line and how fast it seemed to be moving. If they intentionally post times that are too high, seems that could back-fire on them when people just decide to avoid those rides.

 

[hes122]

Disney (to my knowledge) isn't currently using their guests the help determine accurate wait times right now either with the cards attached to lanyards to give back to the CM at the other end of the line.

 

[goofyernmost]

But this was also a thing before Covid.

It was a thing long before Covid. If you have to wait in a line that displays a wait of 45 minutes and you get on in 30 you will leave feeling positive. If it said 45 and it took 60 it would stay in the mind all day long. You can bet that any place that creates illusions for a living, will apply psychology wherever they can.

 

[Jess.stw]

Inflate wait times on rides they want to detour traffic from, deflate wait times on those they want to attract traffic to.... easy crowd control techniques. But also, no one is going to complain about too short a wait, so the under promise over deliver is relevant too

 

[TestingH2O]

It was a thing long before Covid. If you have to wait in a line that displays a wait of 45 minutes and you get on in 30 you will leave feeling positive. If it said 45 and it took 60 it would stay in the mind all day long. You can bet that any place that creates illusions for a living, will apply psychology wherever they can.

My 8 year old hypothesized that this must be the reason. I was pretty impressed with her logic.