Wait times seem high today - anyone in the parks today that can verify this?

[Erin M]

We were here today and started at DL. We got through Downtown Disney about 7:05, waited to grab a boarding group for Rise while still in the quiet of our room, and then through the gates by 7:30, the help at Main Street for rope drop.

We went straight for HM as DD has never seen it not decorated for Halloween. A large crowd veered off for Indy as expected and we ended up being the only people on HM. Like the only people in the stretching room and through the whole rest of the ride. It was extra spooky and awesome. Then Pirates was a walk on! We had planned to do BTMR but as mentioned it was down so we went to Fantasyland and hit Toad and Storybook, both had almost no lines. Then BTMR opened so we ping pinged back over there. 20 min posted, 12 min actual.

At this point it was time to pick up our breakfast at Jolly Holiday and our plan was to brave the 60 min wait for Space, only the line suddenly jumped to 35 and it actually only took 28 minutes. Jungle Cruise was maybe a 10 min wait, then Pirates again posted at 30 took maybe 20.

So posted times in the morning are definitely over stated a bit. The day got busier though and hot so we took a 2.5 hour break after lunch and returned to hit Rise, have dinner and then did a few other things. All in all we got 13 attractions done with our break and a sit down dinner at Cafe Orleans, ending our day at 8:30. The 7 year old is exhausted. Tomorrow we start at DCA and will attempt RSR first like the rest of the mob, but it’s a fun mob. Definitely missing my MaxPass for things like RSR but have honestly been pretty happy with how things are going. Just wish it was a little less humid!

 

[disneylover102]

I’ll be there the 23, 26, 27, 29, and 30 and I’ll probably do what I did on my WDW trip in January, which is making a spreadsheet with all the rides we went on with the time of day, the posted wait time, and the actual wait time. I can share it here if that would help!

 

[Winnowill]

Last week, our experience was that wait times were consistently overstated for almost everything. Every line, our daughter whined about the projected wait time, and then we didn't wait longer than 30 minutes. I think the longest we waited for anything actually WAS 30 minutes for a 45-minute posted Peter Pan, and 30 minutes again for GotG that was posted 55 minutes. GotG was consistently posted WAY longer than the actual wait. It would be posted 60 minutes or longer, even though often the line didn't extend outside of the main queue. Frequently, we got through the pre-show and onto the ride within 20 minutes.

 

[Babybears]

Last week, our experience was that wait times were consistently overstated for almost everything. Every line, our daughter whined about the projected wait time, and then we didn't wait longer than 30 minutes. I think the longest we waited for anything actually WAS 30 minutes for a 45-minute posted Peter Pan, and 30 minutes again for GotG that was posted 55 minutes. GotG was consistently posted WAY longer than the actual wait. It would be posted 60 minutes or longer, even though often the line didn't extend outside of the main queue. Frequently, we got through the pre-show and onto the ride within 20 minutes.

This is very encouraging!!!

 

[disneylover102]

Last week, our experience was that wait times were consistently overstated for almost everything. Every line, our daughter whined about the projected wait time, and then we didn't wait longer than 30 minutes. I think the longest we waited for anything actually WAS 30 minutes for a 45-minute posted Peter Pan, and 30 minutes again for GotG that was posted 55 minutes. GotG was consistently posted WAY longer than the actual wait. It would be posted 60 minutes or longer, even though often the line didn't extend outside of the main queue. Frequently, we got through the pre-show and onto the ride within 20 minutes.

That’s fantastic news about GOTG.

 

[DLgal]

I wonder if the incorrect wait times are due to the wait time system taking Fastpass guests into account.
A 50 minute posted wait time line, turned into 20-30 minutes, sounds like what would happen if FP was not involved.

No. The wait times are manually entered in by cast members at the attractions.

 

[DLgal]

So is Guardians having technical issues or having super inflated posted wait times? All I’ve seen on the app recently (at all times of the day) is around 90 minutes, sometimes 120, and yesterday it was 175. That seems very high for Guardians, especially without Fastpass people slowing it down.

Sometimes there are only one or 2 elevator shafts running. The longer wait times reflect that.

 

[DLRExpert]

No. The wait times are manually entered in by cast members at the attractions.

To the App or the wait time sign? I have seen where the app would 50 minutes but the sign say 30 minutes.

 

[Winnowill]

Sometimes there are only one or 2 elevator shafts running. The longer wait times reflect that.

Last week, our experience was that all six lifts were operating consistently, even early in the day. It did seem to us that they would, deliberately and with malice afore-thought, jack up the posted wait time to discourage people from getting in the line near park closing. The wait always showed around an hour at 8:30 and then stayed there consistently until the park officially closed, but the reality was that all riders had cycled through and the main doors were closed by 9:15 or so. We got in line for it at 8:40 (55 minute posted wait) on the 4th and were off and out of the park altogether by 9:20.

That said - is the wait time intended to reflect how long it takes to get to the pre-show, or how long it takes to get onto the actual ride?

 

[DLgal]

To the App or the wait time sign? I have seen where the app would 50 minutes but the sign say 30 minutes.

They use the same system but I'm guessing the app only refreshes wait times a few times am hour. So, the sign will be the most accurate at any given time, but the app will catch up eventually.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Last week, our experience was that all six lifts were operating consistently, even early in the day. It did seem to us that they would, deliberately and with malice afore-thought, jack up the posted wait time to discourage people from getting in the line near park closing. The wait always showed around an hour at 8:30 and then stayed there consistently until the park officially closed, but the reality was that all riders had cycled through and the main doors were closed by 9:15 or so. We got in line for it at 8:40 (55 minute posted wait) on the 4th and were off and out of the park altogether by 9:20.

That said - is the wait time intended to reflect how long it takes to get to the pre-show, or how long it takes to get onto the actual ride?

I don't think that they did this with any malice. I was at the park last week, and went on Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout three times in the early part of the day. The wait said anywhere from 45-50 minutes and we only waited 20 or so. This happened again at Pirates and Haunted Mansion with inflated wait times. I'm always happy when our wait times are less than the posted ones and people in my group have always thought that they did this so times were less than perceived, so we have always had a positive reaction.

 

[Gaub]

I was at Guardians at 8:05AM on Thursday and they announced that they were only running 2 gantry lifts out of 6. I got off the ride at 9AM and they had closed the gates and weren't allowing anybody to join the queue. Wait time was posted as 120 minutes then. I don't know if they were understaffed or if they were suffering mechanical problems (my guess is short-staffed), but don't count on riding it more than once or twice a day. I was hoping for at least 2-3x that day, but the wait times and down times were too much.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I got in line for GotG this morning at 8:30 and the wait time was posted as over an hour. We were on the ride in 17 minutes! We went around and rode it again. From the time we got in line the first time to when we got off the 2nd time was 52 minutes.

 

[Winnowill]

I don't think that they did this with any malice.

I confess that the "malice afore-thought" comment was tongue-in-cheek.

 

[Erin M]

It’s a Saturday and it feels like a Saturday today. The crush of people in Adventure Land and Fantasyland is a lot. Wait times have also increased. There were some sweet spots this morning. We did Buzz two times in a row and Star Tours, all in about a half hours time. Space was a 45 min wait but we went in knowing it was going to be long and took frozen lemonade and a giant pickle with us so it wasn’t that bad. We’re back at the hotel now and I just keep watching GOTG and Monsters because we really want to do them but the times are pretty rough. Hoping it clears out a little this evening. I can see the value in the constant moving lines without FP but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want it back. We have less time for eating and shopping because we’ve got to be in line to hit the attractions we want. I feel pressed and we haven’t done some of our normal things like Animation Academy and Turtle Talk because the standing in line takes that time away. I suppose it’s all priorities but I do feel torn.

 

[DLRExpert]

It’s a Saturday and it feels like a Saturday today. The crush of people in Adventure Land and Fantasyland is a lot. Wait times have also increased. There were some sweet spots this morning. We did Buzz two times in a row and Star Tours, all in about a half hours time. Space was a 45 min wait but we went in knowing it was going to be long and took frozen lemonade and a giant pickle with us so it wasn’t that bad. We’re back at the hotel now and I just keep watching GOTG and Monsters because we really want to do them but the times are pretty rough. Hoping it clears out a little this evening. I can see the value in the constant moving lines without FP but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want it back. We have less time for eating and shopping because we’ve got to be in line to hit the attractions we want. I feel pressed and we haven’t done some of our normal things like Animation Academy and Turtle Talk because the standing in line takes that time away. I suppose it’s all priorities but I do feel torn.

Guardians should have a slight drop in wait time between 5pm and 7pm (30-40 minutes), then pick up a bit around 8pm (around 45-55 Min) as people may want to ride it before the park closes as people start to looking for and eating dinner.
So try and eat an early or late dinner.
Monsters Inc, should drop off quite a bit after 730pm.

Fastpass , especially MaxPass, made park hopping and hitting the popular attractions at California Adventure really easy.
Now I am not so sure park hopping is worth it.

ME

 

[WonkaKid]

To anyone who’s been in the park the past few days: have they done rope drop from the head of Main Street or have they moved it to the hub (where it used to (and always should) be ;-))?

 

[Erin M]

To anyone who’s been in the park the past few days: have they done rope drop from the head of Main Street or have they moved it to the hub (where it used to (and always should) be ;-))?

It’s been at Main Street the past three days.

 

[WonkaKid]

It’s been at Main Street the past three days.

Thank you! I’ll be in less than twelve hours and will post a report - perhaps throughout the day but definitely after I’ve returned.

 

[wassily]

I wonder if the incorrect wait times are due to the wait time system taking Fastpass guests into account.
A 50 minute posted wait time line, turned into 20-30 minutes, sounds like what would happen if FP was not involved.

Theoretically, the wait times are entered in by cast members based on manual timed cards given to random people walking into the line.
I've seen times when the CM has started the clock on the timed card, but waited a few minutes before handing it to someone entering the queue.
So that could add time to the wait time postings.

The time postings are supposedly based on how fast those card holders are getting through the line.

In the middle of the day, if you see a low wait time on a popular ride... if you join the queue 10 min later, the app time will probably go up. Many people have the same idea and will drive the lines longer. The app will be delayed in posting the updated wait time as the time it will take for a timecard holder will be longer (and also depends on when the CM passes the card out).
Opposite is true if you see a high wait time on a popular ride.