EPCOT Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind attraction confirmed for Epcot

[adam.adbe]

I was wondering this as well - we’ll be there in July for the first time in nearly 3 years and knowing that there’s no guarantee we can get on this ride is going to make the morning of an Epcot trip very stressful. The silly thing is, as we’re travelling from the UK, we would be quite happy to queue all day long if we had to, to try this ride at least once.

A standby queue naturally filters out the guests who feel their time is better spent elsewhere, but this system means there is no reason not to try to get a boarding pass, and the more chances you’ve had to do so, the better you are at the process. I would’ve thought this would be pretty bad for guest satisfaction overall… I know we’ll be upset if we can’t get a boarding pass during our trip.

They want you elsewhere spending money, not standing in line.

Also long lines cause logistics issues elsewhere in the park, and the front of Epcot is hardly a wide open expanse right now. VQ was a given. The only question for this one is if, because it's VQ, they'll greatly shift the balance of IAS/VQ to the IAS side of the bracket.

 

[No Name]

The problem with virtual queues is they offer no relief to wait times across the rest of the park.

 

[DCLcruiser]

They want you elsewhere spending money, not standing in line.

Also long lines cause logistics issues elsewhere in the park, and the front of Epcot is hardly a wide open expanse right now. VQ was a given. The only question for this one is if, because it's VQ, they'll greatly shift the balance of IAS/VQ to the IAS side of the bracket.

I'd much rather VQ than standby (unless I can rope drop). Now you can continue to ride the rest of EPCOT while you wait.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I'd much rather VQ than standby (unless I can rope drop). Now you can continue to ride the rest of EPCOT while you wait.

Unless you lose the lottery.

Then you are - more or less- stuck in Epcot until 2pm with no way to ride.

Or you can forgo using your park ticket, but that isn't a great option either.

 

[UNCgolf]

The problem with virtual queues is they offer no relief to wait times across the rest of the park.

Not only do they not offer relief, they actually make them worse.

 

[georgep148]

I'd much rather VQ than standby (unless I can rope drop). Now you can continue to ride the rest of EPCOT while you wait.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of the virtual queue, and being able to see more of the park in the meantime, but my point is that as an international guest, I would be more willing to wait hours to get on the guardians ride than a local guest who has been on several times already. They might not have even bothered with a short queue, but could end up with a boarding group instead of us simply because they know how to work the app better. There’s nothing to discourage them trying to get a boarding group, like a long standby queue would. If I was local, I’m sure I would probably prefer this system too.

 

[doctornick]

Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of the virtual queue, and being able to see more of the park in the meantime, but my point is that as an international guest, I would be more willing to wait hours to get on the guardians ride than a local guest who has been on several times already.

i mean yes and no. I think it's probably locals who can go to the parks more regularly who might have more tolerance for massive lines for a new ride. People who are at WDW for a limited time on vacation might be very hesitant to use up a huge chunk of their vacation time waiting in a line for just one ride. That is especially true for guests who have wait intolerant members of their party (elderly who cannot stand for that long, young children who are impatient, etc).

I get that there is plusses and minuses to any system, but boarding passes for a new attraction seem to me to be the most overall guest friendly solution. Of course like any option, there are some that will benefit and others that are adversely affected by any particular system.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Unless you lose the lottery.

Then you are - more or less- stuck in Epcot until 2pm with no way to ride.

Or you can forgo using your park ticket, but that isn't a great option either.

Yes, you need to be strategic. Or pay for the ILL.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of the virtual queue, and being able to see more of the park in the meantime, but my point is that as an international guest, I would be more willing to wait hours to get on the guardians ride than a local guest who has been on several times already. They might not have even bothered with a short queue, but could end up with a boarding group instead of us simply because they know how to work the app better. There’s nothing to discourage them trying to get a boarding group, like a long standby queue would. If I was local, I’m sure I would probably prefer this system too.

Just pay for the ILL. I get your issue, and I am not local (granted not Int'l), but I have one shot to ride as well. Eventually, GotG will get a standby, just like the other new rides.

 

[DCBaker]

Park reservations for the previews have started being added to MDE -

 

[Touchdown]

Mines offically in.

 

[georgep148]

i mean yes and no. I think it's probably locals who can go to the parks more regularly who might have more tolerance for massive lines for a new ride. People who are at WDW for a limited time on vacation might be very hesitant to use up a huge chunk of their vacation time waiting in a line for just one ride. That is especially true for guests who have wait intolerant members of their party (elderly who cannot stand for that long, young children who are impatient, etc).

I get that there is plusses and minuses to any system, but boarding passes for a new attraction seem to me to be the most overall guest friendly solution. Of course like any option, there are some that will benefit and others that are adversely affected by any particular system.

You’re absolutely right, and it’s worth noting I’m particularly looking forward to this guardians ride. I’m tech savvy enough to get my head around the app, but the fact that you’ve either secured or missed your chance to get on the ride before the park even opens doesn’t seem particularly guest friendly to me.

Yes, you need to be strategic. Or pay for the ILL.

Just pay for the ILL. I get your issue, and I am not local (granted not Int'l), but I have one shot to ride as well. Eventually, GotG will get a standby, just like the other new rides.

For sure, we will absolutely try to get the ILL as a priority, and being in an on site hotel I’m hoping we should be ok. When you’ve spent so much to get there, it’s a lot easier to justify the ILL, but I’d still ultimately rather just wait in a queue!

 

[UNCgolf]

Just pay for the ILL. I get your issue, and I am not local (granted not Int'l), but I have one shot to ride as well. Eventually, GotG will get a standby, just like the other new rides.

I'm guessing it will be difficult to get an ILL when the ride first opens -- they'll likely sell out almost immediately because people want to guarantee a ride.

 

[doctornick]

You’re absolutely right, and it’s worth noting I’m particularly looking forward to this guardians ride. I’m tech savvy enough to get my head around the app, but the fact that you’ve either secured or missed your chance to get on the ride before the park even opens doesn’t seem particularly guest friendly to me.

See to me, at lease knowing for (reasonably) certain at the start of the day whether I can ride it or not would be a lot better in terms of being able to have the proper mindset and plans for the day and is guest friendly. I would find it stressful not knowing what the line would be like and how much time I would potentially lose by having a massive standby and then having the risk of the ride breaking down and having any waiting be in vain.

To each there own, but we were at Uni the week after Hagrid's opened and didn't get to ride because of the (IMHO) horrendous queue situation. There was just no way my family was going to wait in a 3 to 4 or more hour long queue in the midday sun (the ride typically didn't even open until noon by which time a massive line had already formed) for a single ride. But I would have absolutely loved if there was a virtual queue like the boarding passes Disney uses. Or heck even a paid option to avoid the line.

Personally, I think Disney is doing the correct thing here with a virtual queue. It's a great way to manage new rides especially if they are unreliable.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I'm guessing it will be difficult to get an ILL when the ride first opens -- they'll likely sell out almost immediately because people want to guarantee a ride.

And if you’re not staying on property, you’re probably completely out of luck. And there is absolutely no reason at all to stay on property with the absurd prices they charge and the diminished service they offer.

 

[Anteater]

See to me, at lease knowing for (reasonably) certain at the start of the day whether I can ride it or not would be a lot better in terms of being able to have the proper mindset and plans for the day and is guest friendly. I would find it stressful not knowing what the line would be like and how much time I would potentially lose by having a massive standby and then having the risk of the ride breaking down and having any waiting be in vain.

To each there own, but we were at Uni the week after Hagrid's opened and didn't get to ride because of the (IMHO) horrendous queue situation. There was just no way my family was going to wait in a 3 to 4 or more hour long queue in the midday sun (the ride typically didn't even open until noon by which time a massive line had already formed) for a single ride. But I would have absolutely loved if there was a virtual queue like the boarding passes Disney uses. Or heck even a paid option to avoid the line.

Personally, I think Disney is doing the correct thing here with a virtual queue. It's a great way to manage new rides especially if they are unreliable.

Still seems to me that a vq lottery would work well here. That way, one isn't dependent on Fast Fingers in the morning or a good wifi signal. You'd get your ability to plan your day while not having to be up and clicking refresh at 7am every morning.

 

[celluloid]

It will maybe not be a guarantee but if the ride is operating at least most of its theoretical capacity, guests are only initially permitted one ride per day, the height requirements, rollercoaster thrill that many avoid and the fact that you can only get on a reservation if you started in EPCOT that day should help the odds that a high percentage of people who want to will ride.

 

[doctornick]

Still seems to me that a vq lottery would work well here. That way, one isn't dependent on Fast Fingers in the morning or a good wifi signal. You'd get your ability to plan your day while not having to be up and clicking refresh at 7am every morning.

Sure, that's fair. I have no problem with a lottery as opposed to a crapshoot in terms of fastest speed with an app. Probably more fair since it wouldn't benefit repeat uses who are skilled in the process.

I just think a virtual queue is better than standby for a new ride that will have massive demand.

 

[UNCgolf]

Still seems to me that a vq lottery would work well here. That way, one isn't dependent on Fast Fingers in the morning or a good wifi signal. You'd get your ability to plan your day while not having to be up and clicking refresh at 7am every morning.

All VQs starting with ROTR should have been handled this way; it's a more equitable solution.

I don't expect them to change the process now, though.

 

[solidyne]

The problem with virtual queues is they offer no relief to wait times across the rest of the park.

You're not supposed to be in other queues. You are supposed to be done with your allotment of 1.5-minute attractions and are supposed to be buying stuff.

 

[fgmnt]

All VQs starting with ROTR should have been handled this way; it's a more equitable solution.

I don't expect them to change the process now, though.

VQ opens at 7, closes at 8, boarding group # assigned at random when you scan into the park/by 10 am.

I think the number 1 appeal of the VQ system is easing the transition of these newer and potentially more complex rides from Development to Operations. You will get dissatisfied guests if they can't VQ into the ride they want so bad; you will get enraged guests if they standby for 4 hours, only for the ride to 101 right before they approach the loading area.

(The actual #1 is being able to siphon off the general VQ into a triple-dipping of guest money on ILLs, but I can pretend a bit here for the sake of ride op and guest relations CMs who don't need the undue harassment they're more likely to get targeted with otherwise)