Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[CaptainAmerica]

SSE being past 8 pm at 11:30 am seems really terrible. This is. A low crowd day. Availability didn’t go this fast under fastpass day of, I don’t get it.

Regarding the 3 - you're assuming perfect usage for everyone. It easier to get more LLs per person now which is why you're seeing them get booked. There may be a higher adoption rate because it's the first day. Who knows.

Every blogger, YouTuber, lifestyler, and power user on the planet was there today.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I’m not the first to say this - get rid of all express lines. Imagine that - one line into the attraction which continually moves. Yeah, they will be a significant loss of revenue but guests may be happier and happier guests may spend more. Eh… but what do I know.

Standby lines would move faster but there would be more people in them. You wouldn't increase the number of attractions the average guest gets to experience in a given day because you've done nothing to change capacity.

If anything, you've made the existing capacity less efficient because skip-the-line programs with limited availability encourage people to visit lesser-demanded attractions that might otherwise run partially empty.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Every blogger, YouTuber, lifestyler, and power user on the planet was there today.

Maybe that could make an impact at a party at one park, but across all 4 parks at WDW on what is otherwise a low crowd day at a time when WDW is seeing extremely low summer crowds?

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Removing the character meet and greets is a real head scratcher. That’s a lot of capacity they just took out of the system, especially in MK.

I agree with this. When my kids were little, we would regularly prebook both sides of Fairytale Hall in the FP+ days. That was literally their #1 priority

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

Maybe that could make an impact at a party at one park, but across all 4 parks at WDW on what is otherwise a low crowd day at a time when WDW is seeing extremely low summer crowds?

I too am skeptical the Disney influencers are to blame for the same day availability today. Surely their presence plus the crowds during a fairly slow time of year shouldn’t be worse than the crowds in general at a busier time.

I wasn’t watching AK, but anything worthwhile (and some things not so worthwhile) seemed to sell out very quickly across the other 3 parks. To me that seems more of a system inventory issue, not a concentration of influencers. We shall see.

 

[Jrb1979]

What’s the DAS factor in that timeline? Aren’t the recent changes to that program expected to change capacity?

This video shows exactly why this doesn't work.

They haven't added any new capacity since FP+ existed once you take out the top tier paid LLs

I don't see how availability gets much better from here.

How's that saying go. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is what?

 

[wdwmagic]

I too am skeptical the Disney influencers are to blame for the same day availability today. Surely their presence plus the crowds during a fairly slow time of year shouldn’t be worse than the crowds in general at a busier time.

I wasn’t watching AK, but anything worthwhile (and some things not so worthwhile) seemed to sell out very quickly across the other 3 parks. To me that seems more of a system inventory issue, not a concentration of influencers. We shall see.

I think people massively overestimate how many social media people are at the parks, there are nowhere near enough of them to impact LL availability.

 

[Jrb1979]

I too am skeptical the Disney influencers are to blame for the same day availability today. Surely their presence plus the crowds during a fairly slow time of year shouldn’t be worse than the crowds in general at a busier time.

I wasn’t watching AK, but anything worthwhile (and some things not so worthwhile) seemed to sell out very quickly across the other 3 parks. To me that seems more of a system inventory issue, not a concentration of influencers. We shall see.

If that's the case, how can they change that. Adding more availability isn't going to solve anything. What will happen is many will get upset that they paid for short waits and ended up with longer waits like in the FP+ days.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

I think people massively overestimate how many social media people are at the parks, there are nowhere near enough of them to impact LL availability.

This is what I was thinking as well.

If that's the case, how can they change that. Adding more availability isn't going to solve anything. What will happen is many will get upset that they paid for short waits and ended up with longer waits like in the FP+ days.

I don’t think they can change much. I’m just trying to hold onto a slight bit of optimism here lol. People are convinced this is just first day jitters, but I’m not sure how we could have significant first day jitters when their capacity is what it’s been forever, and they know exactly how many LL they’ve been giving out per hour before today.

I’d love for them to pull something magical out of somewhere and create an undeniably better system, but that really would take some magic.

 

[bwr827]

If that's the case, how can they change that. Adding more availability isn't going to solve anything. What will happen is many will get upset that they paid for short waits and ended up with longer waits like in the FP+ days.

They could remove the overlap so people can’t hold three LL for the same time slot.

They can add more stuff — characters, new parade, other entertainment.

And longer term, hopefully a bunch more attractions!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Maybe that could make an impact at a party at one park, but across all 4 parks at WDW on what is otherwise a low crowd day at a time when WDW is seeing extremely low summer crowds?

Today, for one day only, this was not a low crowd day.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I think people massively overestimate how many social media people are at the parks, there are nowhere near enough of them to impact LL availability.

I'm using a broad definition of "lifestyler."

Not just YouTubers but like... Florida-based DVC members, cast-as-guest, etc.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I knew day of availability might be tough for booking good ones for you 4th, 5th, etc, but I am a bit surprised by how much things are being taken in the future already

Just looked for two days from now and 7DMT and FoP already gone along with Tiana's, Haunted Mansion, Slinky Dog, and Toy Story Mania

 

[easyrowrdw]

Exactly this. The ride capacity today is exactly the same as it was yesterday with Genie+. If that system had plenty of capacity then so will this. The only way there’s an issue is if more people buy it, but if everyone thinks it sucks and is unhappy with it then we shouldn’t see that happen.

It’s the same per ride but it is less overall, as they removed a number of attractions.

 

[GoofGoof]

It’s the same per ride but it is less overall, as they removed a number of attractions.

The meet and greets? Were rides removed?

 

[doctornick]

Correct - which is better than people buying, then not seeing it, and complaining to guests services

If this really hampers sales (total $) then they will either have to add capacity or increase the price

But the thing is, if there is limited availability- especially relatively early on the day - it is because plenty of people already have bought LLMP and booked rides. So Disney is probably totally cool with that even if some people balk at buying it day of.

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

This system is worse for locals, worse for off-site guests, and worse for many on site guests go into parks later in the day (stacking).

The only people who could benefit are on site guests that go to parks in the morning. And even then today wasn't great for booking 4th and subsequent FPs.

All that so people wouldn't have to wake up at 7 to book something and maybe could save a few steps walking. We'll still be on phones a lot refreshing and looking for better times for 4th and subsequent booking, so the whole "be on one's phone less" is mostly nonsense.

This is exactly how I feel and I think gsat numbers are going to plummet

 

[larryz]

Soooo... we're back to FP+ that you now have to pay for, plus you have the option now to also pay for a spot in line. And this is seen as acceptable by many.

Yep. Disney just boiled up a big pot of Slow Frog Stew. Get a bowl at Tiana's for $34.99.

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

…..Based on availability. Nothing different now. If available you can end up with every tier 1 ride.

Not true. I got any ride I wanted with genie always. No chance with this

 

[JIMMYEDDIE]

This seems really premature and hyperbolic. I cannot understand how we're making these determinations based on one day.

I expect availability to evolve. Today there were many influencers trying a new product and EVERYONE was booking at 7:00, even hotel guests already there. I expect Disney to adjust # of LLs per attraction and maybe change if any are held back for later times. There will be many tweaks.

Also, don't discount that booking 3 LLs in advance may be a big improvement for the majority of people, even without 4th and 5th picks. I was so frustrated with G+ on my trips because of a lack of good options. This was during a busier time, but 3 pre books would've been a big improvement.

Genie was 100x more efficient and you could get 3 tier 1 rides before you even entered the park. You can't do that with this.