Inaccurate Wait Times

[raidermatt]

I know, right? It is truly baffling and just goes to show you that no matter what, Disney can't please everyone. People will find something to complain about
I guess in this case they could do better by inflating them less?
No matter what, you've got a segment that is going to think the worse, period.
This time it was automatically assumed they did it to sell more Genie+ when in fact it's been that way for decades. Fact is it's normal SOP for whatever multitude of reason. And I suspect it's just that, a multitude of reasons.

In fairness, this is not what the OP complained about. They literally titled their post with their complaint, which is inaccurate wait times. While I understand why Disney inflates wait times at various points in the day, the OP is correct that it would help guests plan and make better decisions if the wait times were more accurate. It's only when the OP made the assumption about the reason that things went awry. That said, they are not exactly wrong. It is true that times were often inflated pre G+. But Disney also had reason to inflate times in the FP+ days, it just wasn't directly tied to revenue. Many forget, but Disney had some of the same issues with FP+ as with G+, that in some parks there simply are not enough attractions that really need FP+ or G+. This generated guest complaints. So FP+ was rolled out to even more attractions. This of course did absolutely nothing to solve the actual problem, but by posting 20+ minute waits on walk-on attractions, the inobservant guests were convinced they were getting some kind of value.

Same thing now with G+, except Disney has even more reason to inflate posted times as guests are directly paying for G+. So yes, the inflated times are at the very least indirectly tied to selling more G+ in that part of the purpose is to artificially increase guest satisfaction with G+ (or more accurately, decrease guest dissatisfaction).

 

[Mrs.AMC]

In fairness, this is not what the OP complained about. They literally titled their post with their complaint, which is inaccurate wait times. While I understand why Disney inflates wait times at various points in the day, the OP is correct that it would help guests plan and make better decisions if the wait times were more accurate. It's only when the OP made the assumption about the reason that things went awry. That said, they are not exactly wrong. It is true that times were often inflated pre G+. But Disney also had reason to inflate times in the FP+ days, it just wasn't directly tied to revenue. Many forget, but Disney had some of the same issues with FP+ as with G+, that in some parks there simply are not enough attractions that really need FP+ or G+. This generated guest complaints. So FP+ was rolled out to even more attractions. This of course did absolutely nothing to solve the actual problem, but by posting 20+ minute waits on walk-on attractions, the inobservant guests were convinced they were getting some kind of value.

Same thing now with G+, except Disney has even more reason to inflate posted times as guests are directly paying for G+. So yes, the inflated times are at the very least indirectly tied to selling more G+ in that part of the purpose is to artificially increase guest satisfaction with G+ (or more accurately, decrease guest dissatisfaction).

They didn't complain it was to sell more Genie+? Ok

I'm really disappointed in the inaccurate wait times. Why have a system and not update it?! At 8pm in EPCOT the wait times showed 60 min for Soarin. I walked right up to the cast member. Are they just showing long wait times to sell Genie +? This was almost every ride in EPCOT.

 

[raidermatt]

They didn't complain it was to sell more Genie+? Ok

Well, no, they didn't.

Post title was "Inaccurate Wait Times".

You quoted the following:

"I'm really disappointed in the inaccurate wait times."

That is a complaint.

"Are they just showing long wait times to sell Genie +?"

That is a question. And a perfectly reasonable question at that. Doesn't mean the answer is yes, but its a reasonable question.

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

Kind of a weird question here, but since we all acknowledge the posted wait times are often innacurate (regardless of our pet theories as to why that is)....

Has anyone ever seen an online resource that could list ways to visually assess the line? For example, "If Haunted Mansion line extends past the green tent, you will wait XX minutes"

Perhaps that's not feasible, or crazy....

...but I'd still read it

Growing up we would always go to Six Flags, we couldn't afford Disneyland. They had the "From here your wait is XX minutes" signs at Six Flags but they were never accurate as several operational choices (How many trains were running, how fast the employees were working, etc.) prevented the times from actually being accurate. Sadly it would be the same case in present day.

Taking a train off of a ride is a good example. Suddenly the capacity drops 1/2, 1/4, 1/3, etc without the train and the wait time jumps.

A good example is Pandora. From the time they started, and I would bet even to today, the standby line wait time was posted based on running 1 less theatre than they actually ran so if one theatre had issues, the wait time wouldn't jump. (Edit: I had friends who were opening coordinators for the ride)

If you waited 3 hours and the sign said 3 hours, you were fine. That was the posted time. Too much over that though and people lose it. Over posting the wait time is much friendlier to everyone.

 

[Upatnoon]

The line debate seems to me a case of guests having too much information about lines.

No one likes to wait in line. Everyone is looking for some tip, hack or secret to somehow beat the lines. No matter what system you have, so long as you can't put every guest on the attraction at once, there will be scarcity and someone will have to wait.

Does Disney want to move guests to the exits without making a big deal out of closing time at the parks? Yes. The inflated times are way to nudge people in that direction.

Does Disney want to inflate some times during the day to push guests into less-popular attractions to balance out the lines? Perhaps. They have been running the parks for years and you would think they have some strategies to do this.

It's fun to pick apart and analyze how Disney works to keep its parks running smoothly. They are trying to create a good experience for guests and run a business. It's all interesting. And, of course, we are all looking for an advantage over all those other guests who may not be "in the know" about what is happening.

Is there a grand conspiracy to boost lines to sell Genie+? I haven't noticed that. If you buy it and use it all day to the max, it will save you time in line. How much time will vary, of course.

In the end, the best way to test a line length is to just hop in. If it is 1 minute before park close you can still do that.

Maybe the Pixie Dust will fly and a 60-minute wait will turn into 10 minutes.

 

[scrappinginontario]

You're complaining because you got on a ride quicker then the posted wait time?!

It can be disappointing if you’re not aware of the inflated wait times so choose not to wait ‘80 mins’ at park close only to find out when you get home it wasn’t anywhere close to accurate.

I’ve been known to tap on the shoulder of more than one disappointed parent and child who turned away after seeing the time to let them know it’s not accurate. They’re normally happy but how many others miss out?

I completely understand why Disney dues it, I still feel bad though for those who miss out.

 

[gharter]

Inaccurate wait times is one of the reasons I LOVE touring plans wait times. If many people are posting wait times, i find it much more accurate than what Disney posts. I really find it irritating to PAY for Genie + and know that the wait times it shows are not correct. It really makes the free version useless as its "recommendations" are based on wait times (that clearly are wrong) as well as evening out the park rather than finding the best ride with the shortest wait.

 

[SkipperDave]

Thanks, that makes sense and I should have thought about the modifiable switchbacks in the first place lol

There are still good visual indicators of how long the line is. The problem is, you can't necessarily always see which parts of the line are in use. It's always possible parts of the queue have been cut off to make things shorter than you can't see from the entrance.

But not all queues have that degree of modularity. And it's not going to be more accurate than the posted wait times, since it's exactly those visual cues that the CMs are usually operating off of when they set the time.

 

[SkipperDave]

It can be disappointing if you’re not aware of the inflated wait times so choose not to wait ‘80 mins’ at park close only to find out when you get home it wasn’t anywhere close to accurate.

I’ve been known to tap on the shoulder of more than one disappointed parent and child who turned away after seeing the time to let them know it’s not accurate. They’re normally happy but how many others miss out?

I completely understand why Disney dues it, I still feel bad though for those who miss out.

How on earth do you "find out when you get home?"

 

[scrappinginontario]

How on earth do you "find out when you get home?"

People learn a lot after their trips too, not just before. Not all is learned before a trip. The inflated wait times is something that happens daily but many learn about it after their trip is completed.

On our way home from our DCL trip today I learned new things that were introduced during our trip that I missed.

Always learning.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Rode Kali River Rapids last week. Standby time was posted at 75 minutes. I decided to time it.

We were walking across the dock into our raft at 74:48.

Man, I was pissed.

Waiting more than 15 minutes for Kali River Rapids is a significant life leak.

 

[raidermatt]

Rode Kali River Rapids last week. Standby time was posted at 75 minutes. I decided to time it.

We were walking across the dock into our raft at 74:48.

Man, I was pissed.

You waited 74:48 to ride Kali River Rapids? That would piss anyone off, especially after they ride.

 

[raidermatt]

We probably should take step back and look at the big picture. Based on everything reported by Disney as well as from unofficial sources, the parks are more crowded than ever. Attendance has risen steadily long term.

Yet hours have been cut. The parks do not stay open as late as they once did, and EMH are fewer and are available to fewer.

This is going to create longer lines, and situations where early birds are not able to start their day as early, and late birds are not able to close things out they way they would like. More people are funneled into a smaller pie.

I agree Disney has some "creative" tools they are using to try to manage this. But we need to at least acknowledge that at least part of the problem is self-imposed.

 

[FuzzyPeach]

They’ve definitely been doing the inflated waits for a long time. Gives them wiggle room with LL returns, and before then FP returns, and can be used as a tool to redirect crowds away from an attraction or part of the park. I don’t personally care about accurate wait times to make decisions or to gauge if I saved money using Genie+, I prefer inflated wait times and worst case scenario wait times over them trying harder to be accurate and undershooting the wait. Ignoring the wait times for your last ride of the night is good advice.

I don’t know if it’s terrible luck or what, but we encountered a couple of longer than posted waits on our last trip, and we didn’t even use standby that often.

 

[Average Joes]

60 minute posted on 7D on entry. Currently at 1hr 50 and probably 20 to go. Wasted the early entry waiting for 7D as it was down. Par for the course now?

 

[Dznefreek]

When is the last time anyone was handed a red card, if they are still a thing.

 

[arich35]

So is the lines app from touring plans worth the investment?

 

[Upatnoon]

So is the lines app from touring plans worth the investment?

Some people love it, I found it not much different than the times posted by Disney except near the end of the night.

There are so many factors with ride times, and your mileage may vary. Over time, Touring Plans ride times may be more accurate, but when you visit one day out of 365 you may not see a benefit.

I think having a good strategy for your park visit works he best. Touring Plans has lots of info about that that is certainly useful.

It's not a costly thing to purchase, but I would say to keep your expectations about it tempered. Don't feel ripped off if a Touring Plans line turns out longer than what is predicted.

 

[scrappinginontario]

When is the last time anyone was handed a red card, if they are still a thing.

I understand not the same but I saw them in use at DL this week.

So is the lines app from touring plans worth the investment?

100% for us. We use it many times daily while in the parks and often during trip prep.

For us we use TP more than MDE while in the parks.

 

[arich35]

Some people love it, I found it not much different than the times posted by Disney except near the end of the night.

There are so many factors with ride times, and your mileage may vary. Over time, Touring Plans ride times may be more accurate, but when you visit one day out of 365 you may not see a benefit.

I think having a good strategy for your park visit works he best. Touring Plans has lots of info about that that is certainly useful.

It's not a costly thing to purchase, but I would say to keep your expectations about it tempered. Don't feel ripped off if a Touring Plans line turns out longer than what is predicted.

We will have about 9 park days for our trip in December. I have a feeling we will end up biting the bullet on Genie+