Boarding Groups are confusing

[ok529]

I just don’t get BGs? They already have FP in place. It could also be adapted for this situation, without requiring new software and procedures. A new app requires several months of effort. An adaptation of FP only requires a few weeks of effort. A win for Disney (lower cost of implementation) and a win for guests (no need to learn new features).

FYI, I know what I’m talking about

At the other attractions where you have FP+ you also have a stand by line. The demand for this ride is so big that the stand by line would be incredibly long (5 hours plus at least) and I am sure a FP would be very difficult to acquire as well. This creates a great deal of frustrated customers for Disney. With the BG's it makes it very simple. If you want to ride be in the park at opening and hit the app. If you follow these boards you can determine about how long it will be before you are called based on your boarding group number. Also being in that park at opening you can hit some of the key other attractions without much of a wait or need of a FP. In following the boards some folks go to other parks or back to their hotel until called. The system works really well, and the ride is worth the extra steps. ROTR is probably the best attraction in the world currently!

 

[nickys]

No system is infallible. And the fact that it was already developed for GE, is irrelevant. Basically, the development effort for GE was a waste of time. FP was entirely capable.

Except DL doesn’t have FP+, so it wouldn’t have been of any use there.

 

[Rosanne]

And Disney adapted the system because they could, because they didn’t think it out and because they are becoming arrogant and are sacrificing Walt’s vision by implementing procedures that improve the company’s experience at the expense of their guests!

For example, whose brilliant idea was to even the playing field between onsite and offsite guests! I pay for onsite accommodations just for these perks. With an even playing field, I’ll stay offsite and Disney loses accommodations fees, dining income and income for other amenities. Their pools will become underutilized and become an expense rather than in income source. Pool bars will shut down, losing alcohol income.

I don’t know about you, but I think this is a brain dead idea, that will hurt Disney and their guests in the long run.

"and are sacrificing Walt’s vision" ....aint that the truth. Sigh. I remember when amusement parks were just for people to have fun.

 

[Victor Kelly]

I think I will just go back to 3 gun shooting instead.

 

[bubbles1812]

And Disney adapted the system because they could, because they didn’t think it out and because they are becoming arrogant and are sacrificing Walt’s vision by implementing procedures that improve the company’s experience at the expense of their guests!

For example, whose brilliant idea was to even the playing field between onsite and offsite guests! I pay for onsite accommodations just for these perks. With an even playing field, I’ll stay offsite and Disney loses accommodations fees, dining income and income for other amenities. Their pools will become underutilized and become an expense rather than in income source. Pool bars will shut down, losing alcohol income.

I don’t know about you, but I think this is a brain dead idea, that will hurt Disney and their guests in the long run.

This thread is becoming a weird echo chamber between you and @Rosanne that reads like an old person ranting “when I was a boy...”

No where have I ever read a quote that had Walt Disney saying “I’ll let only resort guests have a shot at the good rides. Screw those suckers who stay off property.”

This is a brand new (amazing) ride. There was always going to be major demand for it. For me, the BGs actually improved my experience.

Getting one meant I didn’t have to wait 6 hours in line in a long queue to get on the thing. Instead I got to ride Slinky Dog, Tower of Terror, ect ect while waiting for my BG to be called. Sure beats feeling like I wasted my day only on one thing. It was also a much safer process than running for the ride. This is a calm entry, a quick log on the phone, and then off to enjoy the day.

As a rule, I like the perks for onsite guests but for a brand new ride, I don’t mind at all that they are giving everyone a fair shot. Your hospitality website must have been a joy to read with your attitude.


Disney is by no means perfect but the BGs are a fairly simple process. The only thing you need is the app you seem so wary of and a willingness to get up early. It’s not that hard. And you’re making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

[TrojanUSC]

I just don’t get BGs? They already have FP in place. It could also be adapted for this situation, without requiring new software and procedures. A new app requires several months of effort. An adaptation of FP only requires a few weeks of effort. A win for Disney (lower cost of implementation) and a win for guests (no need to learn new features).

FYI, I know what I’m talking about. I ran a hospitality web site for close to 30 years. In fact, my company was almost contracted for by Disney to provide web services. That contract was for services that became “My Disney Experience”. As Disney often does, after soliciting proposals for software, and learning what they can from a contractor, they don’t sign the contract. They say that they have decided to develop the software in house... with the knowledge stolen from their bidder.

Beware!

Disney opted not to have FP+ available when this opened due to very high demand and reliability issues (check out any FP+ line after even one slightly extended downtime and you'll see what a nightmare it can be for the rest of the day).

Given this they had two choices:

1) Have a 4-8 hour standby line snaking through the park and all the hassles associated with that, from guests needing food and bathrooms, to the safety issues of people being in the sunlight for that long.

2) Hold your place in line while you enjoy the park and you get a message when its your turn. It's literally no different than going to a Cheesecake Factory, putting your name in, walking around the mall and then having them text you when it's your turn.

It's an easy no-brainer.

 

[Herdman]

Anyone know if the system reads your FP+ times on the day you plan to join a boarding group? In other words if I have FP+ schedule at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 does the sytem give me a boarding group time sometime after noon when my last FP+ expires? Or does it just not care when my FP+ times are booked?

 

[nickys]

Anyone know if the system reads your FP+ times on the day you plan to join a boarding group? In other words if I have FP+ schedule at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 does the sytem give me a boarding group time sometime after noon when my last FP+ expires? Or does it just not care when my FP+ times are booked?

No, your boarding group will be the first available.

You have a 2 hour window to return. So if you get called at 10am, you could be at your 11am FP line at 10:55, ride and head over to RotR. Or you could ride after your 10am FP and just go to your 11am FP at 11:45. Plenty of time either way to fit it in, even with back to back FPs.

You might want to reconsider if you have a signature ADR booked that day.

 

[tractor tipper]

We used it week before Christmas. Worked well for us. No issues with our set plans.

 

[Nemo14]

Anyone know if the system reads your FP+ times on the day you plan to join a boarding group? In other words if I have FP+ schedule at 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00 does the sytem give me a boarding group time sometime after noon when my last FP+ expires? Or does it just not care when my FP+ times are booked?

Since the boarding group times will vary from day to day, it would be impossible to know if your bg time conflicts with FP times.

 

[larryz]

In fact, my company was almost contracted for by Disney to provide web services. That contract was for services that became “My Disney Experience”. As Disney often does, after soliciting proposals for software, and learning what they can from a contractor, they don’t sign the contract. They say that they have decided to develop the software in house... with the knowledge stolen from their bidder.

I'm guessing your bottom line figure wasn't $1 - 2 billion dollars...

 

[larryz]

The only thing you need is the app you seem so wary of and a willingness to get up early. It’s not that hard. And you’re making a mountain out of a molehill.

And you don't really even need the app. There are Customer Experience teams and other CMs with PADS who can get BGs for you.

 

[dreamfinder]

They aren't that confusing. You show up at park open, and use the app or one of the CMs to request a BG. Then when you BG gets called, you have 2 hours to get in the queue. This lets them keep the number of people waiting in the physical queue to a minimum. If the ride goes down, would you rather be waiting for hours in the queue, or would you rather be out and about doing other things, and then just not getting on the ride until hours later? The BG system lets them call people only as needed, meaning you have a minimal wait in the queue itself. Since they are still working up to the actual expected throughput, it's the best option to keep people the happiest.

 

[Mickey5150]

I love the idea of BGs because you get the ease of FP while also getting to enjoy the main queue of the ride.

 

[mlee10]

Getting one meant I didn’t have to wait 6 hours in line in a long queue to get on the thing. Instead I got to ride Slinky Dog, Tower of Terror, ect ect while waiting for my BG to be called. Sure beats feeling like I wasted my day only on one thing. It was also a much safer process than running for the ride. This is a calm entry, a quick log on the phone, and then off to enjoy the day.

^^^^^This is the whole point. Look at the lines that are still forming for FOP and how people act trying to get to the line. It's INSANE to wait in a line for over 3 hours for anything. This means you spent hundreds of dollars to ride maybe 4 rides for the day.

Even if they say, limited the new rides to "on property" guests, the lines would still be insane. I think the way they are managing it is fair. Who knows, I may change my mind when I'm there in March and have to get up early to go get a BG.

Our issue will also be that MMRR will open while we are there as well.....expecting HS to be a nightmare, but, we are prepared for it! Crossing our fingers they do BG's for MMRR as well and we can get BG's for both!

 

[Rosanne]

This thread is becoming a weird echo chamber between you and @Rosanne that reads like an old person ranting “when I was a boy...”

No where have I ever read a quote that had Walt Disney saying “I’ll let only resort guests have a shot at the good rides. Screw those suckers who stay off property.”

This is a brand new (amazing) ride. There was always going to be major demand for it. For me, the BGs actually improved my experience.

Getting one meant I didn’t have to wait 6 hours in line in a long queue to get on the thing. Instead I got to ride Slinky Dog, Tower of Terror, ect ect while waiting for my BG to be called. Sure beats feeling like I wasted my day only on one thing. It was also a much safer process than running for the ride. This is a calm entry, a quick log on the phone, and then off to enjoy the day.

As a rule, I like the perks for onsite guests but for a brand new ride, I don’t mind at all that they are giving everyone a fair shot. Your hospitality website must have been a joy to read with your attitude.


Disney is by no means perfect but the BGs are a fairly simple process. The only thing you need is the app you seem so wary of and a willingness to get up early. It’s not that hard. And you’re making a mountain out of a molehill.

Yep. You are so right. "The Good Old Days"...Before we had to wait in line for anything and people smiled and talked to you instead of being focused on their cell phones. No matter how new the ride, no line was more than an hour wait. I'm not an early bird person. But, enjoy.

 

[bubbles1812]

Yep. You are so right. "The Good Old Days"...Before we had to wait in line for anything and people smiled and talked to you instead of being focused on their cell phones. No matter how new the ride, no line was more than an hour wait. I'm not an early bird person. But, enjoy.

People have always had to wait in lines at Disney. I was at Disney Dec 7-15th. And guess what, I waited in line twice total for greater than 30 minutes. Once for Pirates (first time in my life the 45 minute wait time was accurate and not shorter) and once for a second ride around at FOP in the am (we knew it would be that way and were fine with it). The good ol’ days are here if you know how to work it, still easily doable .

The old saying still holds some truth, especially at Disney... you snooze, you lose. Your wait times are on you. If you don’t want to get up, that’s fine, but your wait times will be longer. You don’t look up the hours for the MK, well, you might just find that it closes at 6. (Yes, I read your complaints on the other thread). A short internet search solves some problems quickly, just sayin’

And sorry, but I don’t always want to talk to Grandma Jo about her 8 grandchildren while in line. I do talk to others, just not all the time. Sometimes I just like talking to my mom (my Disney partner in crime) but sometimes we’ve had enough togetherness that taking a break and piddling on our phone for a little bit is fine.

 

[HongKongFooy]

No matter how new the ride, no line was more than an hour wait.

Not even Space Mountain in the summer of '75?

 

[disneygeek90]

Who knows, I may change my mind when I'm there in March and have to get up early to go get a BG.

Don’t count on it. I’ve been up 4 mornings for it and it’s still worth it the wake up, planning on making it 5 this weekend.

 

[aperitif]

Yep. You are so right. "The Good Old Days"...Before we had to wait in line for anything and people smiled and talked to you instead of being focused on their cell phones. No matter how new the ride, no line was more than an hour wait. I'm not an early bird person. But, enjoy.

That's baloney. My Mother and Aunt have told me many times about waiting in line for 2 1/2 hours in sweltering July heat to ride Space Mountain in the mid 1970's.