Disney Parks Blog says Millennium Falcon: Target Run averages 1,388 riders per hour

[TP2000]

The Disney Parks Blog cubicle farm ran a cute story today that was quite revealing.

This past Monday, Millennium Falcon: Target Run hosted it's One Millionth rider since opening on May 31st! It was a nice young family visiting from Mississippi, which seems very suspicious since we all know as fact that Disneyland is just a little locals-only theme park with locals-only demographics similar to Enchanted Forest outside Portland or Lagoon outside Salt Lake City, and the only people who go to Disneyland live between Ventura and San Diego.

But anyway, the Parks Blog somehow concocted Jonathan and Becky Ridgeway of Ocean Springs, Mississippi and their two young sons, and designated them the One Millionth rider. Congrats to the Ridgeway family! https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...at-star-wars-galaxys-edge-in-disneyland-park/

Now let's do some math. From May 31st to July 15th gets you 45 days of operation. One million divided by 45 is 22,222, which means the Falcon ride has been averaging 22,222 riders per day. Disneyland has been open from 8am to Midnight seven days per week since Star Wars Land opened on May 31st, for 16 operating hours per day consistently. 22,222 divided by 16 is 1,388, which means the Falcon ride has been averaging 1,388 riders per hour. That's not very impressive, but it also aligns with what insiders have told us that the maximum hourly capacity for the Falcon is 1,700 riders per hour under perfect conditions.

Add in some occasional break downs for some of the four revolving carousel theaters or screenz, plus an empty seat in some cockpits if the Single Rider line is empty, and an average of 1,388 riders per hour seems very reasonable and accurate for a ride system that can only host 1,700 riders per hour at most under perfect conditions.

Those numbers are rather revealing, as the hourly capacity for the Falcon ride is not impressive compared to the historically reported numbers for Disneyland's other big E Tickets.

Pirates of the Caribbean - 2,800 riders per hour
it's a small world - 2,500 riders per hour
Thunder Mountain Railroad - 2,200 riders per hour
Haunted Mansion - 2,100 riders per hour
Incredicoaster - 2,100 riders per hour
Indiana Jones Adventure - 1,850 riders per hour

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Ridgeway for allowing us to do some math during summer vacation!

 

[The_Mesh_Hatter]

Yikes. I always excused the low wait times compared to other the other E’s because I assumed capacity was on the higher end. That’s not very good at all.

 

[Curious Constance]

Now we just have to sit back and wait for other people to do the same math @TP2000 just did, then for the media to pick up on the low capacity story and how that means low wait times are even more meaningful and that poor cubicle farm hand will be out of a job.

 

[Disney Irish]

I have a question. Not that I question the math, as its solid, but could it be that Disney is holding back capacity as a way to increase wait times. We all know that Disney likes to mess with wait times a bit to make some attractions look more busy or less busy than they really are. So could this be that? Meaning capacity could actually be a bit higher like 1500-1700/hr.

I'm just wondering, again not questioning the math.

Also for what its worth, isn't ST also in the same 1300-1400/hr range? Which means its on par with the other simulator at the park which is what I expected all along.

 

[TP2000]

I have a question. Not that I question the math, as its solid, but could it be that Disney is holding back capacity as a way to increase wait times. We all know that Disney likes to mess with wait times a bit to make some attractions look more busy or less busy than they really are. So could this be that? Meaning capacity could actually be a bit higher like 1500-1700/hr.

I'm just wondering, again not questioning the math.

Also for what its worth, isn't ST also in the same 1300-1400/hr range? Which means its on par with the other simulator at the park which is what I expected all along.

I get what you're saying, but...

That would require buying into the thought that it's all just a grand conspiracy, being orchestrated out of some secret conference room where Bob Chapek is actually a brilliant showman and operations mastermind who has the love for the theme park industry coursing through his veins and his finger on the pulse of how to make Star Wars Land the very best it can be.

I've never been able to buy into those types of conspiracies.

I think the reality is this: Disneyland has a new Star Wars ride, it was designed to get about 1,700 riders per hour max, and for the first six weeks of operation Disneyland has been running it as best they can to handle what paying customers they have for the thing. It averages about a 45 minute wait this summer, and they even stash the overflow queue into an ugly CM parking lot while they deal with some break downs and teething pains and struggle to get 1,388 riders per hour.

The view from the overflow queue for Millennium Falcon. Because they're purposely lowering capacity so you can see this?

Bob Chapek has immersed me in this queue! I'm immersed!

 

[PiratesMansion]

We all know that Disney likes to mess with wait times a bit to make some attractions look more busy or less busy than they really are. So could this be that? Meaning capacity could actually be a bit higher like 1500-1700/hr.

I'm just wondering, again not questioning the math.

While that's definitely true, they like to do that with old attractions they think are "less important" or less likely to be noticed (Florida likes to do this with Pirates for some reason), not shiny new headliners. Modern WDI is also just really bad at capacity; those 4-hour lines for Flight of Passage aren't because they're purposely running it at reduced throughput.

 

[Disney Irish]

I get what you're saying, but...

That would require buying into the thought that it's all just a grand conspiracy, being orchestrated out of some secret conference room where Bob Chapek is actually a brilliant showman and operations mastermind who has the love for the theme park industry coursing through his veins and his finger on the pulse of how to make Star Wars Land the very best it can be.

I've never been able to buy into those types of conspiracies.

I think the reality is this: Disneyland has a new Star Wars ride, it was designed to get about 1,700 riders per hour max, and for the first six weeks of operation Disneyland has been running it as best they can to handle what paying customers they have for the thing. It averages about a 45 minute wait this summer, and they even stash the overflow queue into an ugly CM parking lot while they deal with some break downs and teething pains and struggle to get 1,388 riders per hour.

The view from the overflow queue for Millennium Falcon: Target Run. Because they're purposely lowering capacity so you can see this?

I get what you're saying as well. Anyways just something to think about as the crowds grow over the next several months as APs come back to the Parks.

 

[TP2000]

Does the one million passenger count factor in those of us who have ridden multiple times, including the guy in the blog comments who claimed to have ridden 50 times? If a million different people have ridden it, then you would need to redo the math.

On a separate note, I've been to the Enchanted Forest several times.

I think they are just counting how many times the turnstile clicked over, riders butts in seats. I don't think they care that some of those butts have been on it two or three times before. Not that you're a butt, I'm sure you're a very nice person.

Enchanted Forest in Oregon is fabulous, in a bizarre and kitschy sort of way. I believe it's also the only theme park in America that has a knockoff Matterhorn Bobsleds.

 

[Disney Irish]

While that's definitely true, they like to do that with old attractions they think are "less important" or less likely to be noticed (Florida likes to do this with Pirates for some reason), not shiny new headliners. Modern WDI is also just really bad at capacity; those 4-hour lines for Flight of Passage aren't because they're purposely running it at reduced throughput.

I don't doubt that WDI currently doesn't take capacity into account a lot of times. I'm just wondering if its TDA actually holding back capacity as a way to keep the wait times up. I mean could they actually be taking a couple of the PODs offline throughout the day. This way its not actually 10 min waits from opening to close.

Anyways, again something to think about....

 

[Curious Constance]

On a separate note, I've been to the Enchanted Forest several times.

Me too! It’s the poor man’s Disneyland. Aren’t the figures in the Storybook Land area fabulously terrifying?

 

[Curious Constance]

Enchanted Forest AA in the English Village section. Yes, that’s a woman.

 

[truecoat]

The Disney Parks Blog cubicle farm ran a cute story today that was quite revealing.

This past Monday, Millennium Falcon: Target Run hosted it's One Millionth rider since opening on May 31st! It was a nice young family visiting from Mississippi, which seems very suspicious since we all know as fact that Disneyland is just a little locals-only theme park with locals-only demographics similar to Enchanted Forest outside Portland or Lagoon outside Salt Lake City, and the only people who go to Disneyland live between Ventura and San Diego.

But anyway, the Parks Blog somehow concocted Jonathan and Becky Ridgeway of Ocean Springs, Mississippi and their two young sons, and designated them the One Millionth rider. Congrats to the Ridgeway family! https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...at-star-wars-galaxys-edge-in-disneyland-park/

Now let's do some math. From May 31st to July 15th gets you 45 days of operation. One million divided by 45 is 22,222, which means the Falcon ride has been averaging 22,222 riders per day. Disneyland has been open from 8am to Midnight seven days per week since Star Wars Land opened on May 31st, for 16 operating hours per day consistently. 22,222 divided by 16 is 1,388, which means the Falcon ride has been averaging 1,388 riders per hour. That's not very impressive, but it also aligns with what insiders have told us that the maximum hourly capacity for the Falcon is 1,700 riders per hour under perfect conditions.

Add in some occasional break downs for some of the four revolving carousel theaters or screenz, plus an empty seat in some cockpits if the Single Rider line is empty, and an average of 1,388 riders per hour seems very reasonable and accurate for a ride system that can only host 1,700 riders per hour at most under perfect conditions.

Those numbers are rather revealing, as the hourly capacity for the Falcon ride is not impressive compared to the historically reported numbers for Disneyland's other big E Tickets.

Pirates of the Caribbean - 2,800 riders per hour
it's a small world - 2,500 riders per hour
Thunder Mountain Railroad - 2,200 riders per hour
Haunted Mansion - 2,100 riders per hour
Incredicoaster - 2,100 riders per hour
Indiana Jones Adventure - 1,850 riders per hour

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Ridgeway for allowing us to do some math during summer vacation!

During the reservation period, I saw many reports of the ride being a walk on at times. I would think the actual number is a bit higher since the land ended restricted access.

 

[BrianLo]

I am almost certain there has been downtime amongst the various carousels of the ride. It just is not evident as a portion of capacity can be down unbeknownst to guests. Unless this is Disney's first ever perfect no-downtime ride launch.

You can get a far more accurate number just by timing the boarding departures.

 

[TP2000]

During the reservation period, I saw many reports of the ride being a walk on at times. I would think the actual number is a bit higher since the land ended restricted access.

I am almost certain there has been downtime amongst the various carousels of the ride. It just is not evident as a portion of capacity can be down unbeknownst to guests. Unless this is Disney's first ever perfect no-downtime ride launch.

You can get a far more accurate number just by timing the boarding departures.

Oh, sure, there have been some hours where they likely ran out of demand and there were some empty cockpits revolving around the carousels. And we know of at least two times in the last six weeks when the ride closed entirely for an hour or two; once for a paramedic response to the queue in late June and then for several hours due to the earthquake on July 5th.

But spread over a 45 day period, when the ride was consistently running for 16 hours per day seven days per week, the 1 Millionth rider arriving on Monday pretty much gets you an accurate average of their hourly capacity, give or take a dozen or two on either side of 1,388 per hour.

 

[BrianLo]

Oh, sure, there have been some hours where they likely ran out of demand and there were some empty cockpits revolving around the carousels. And we know of at least two times in the last six weeks when the ride closed entirely for an hour or two; once for a paramedic response to the queue in late June and then for several hours due to the earthquake on July 5th.

But spread over a 45 day period, when the ride was consistently running for 16 hours per day seven days per week, the 1 Millionth rider arriving on Monday pretty much gets you an accurate average of their hourly capacity, give or take a dozen or two on either side of 1,388 per hour.

Sorry I think you didn't understand what I meant.

With the four separate carousels, portions of the ride capacity can be offline but still keep the ride open.

It's a very common phenomenon for Flight of Passage. Extremely common at its opening. FoP still has trouble operating all four theatres for its full operating day.

What I am saying is it likely isn't operating at full capacity way more than you realize. If it is? Then it is actually pretty much Disney's only smooth launch of a new ride.

 

[TP2000]

What I am saying is it likely isn't operating at full capacity way more than you realize. If it is? Then it is actually pretty much Disney's only smooth launch of a new ride.

Ah, got it. Yes, I would agree that the Falcon has to be one of the smoothest launches of a new E Ticket we've ever seen. Thanks to the four independent carousels, which would always leave at least two or three carousels running if one or two break down for a bit, it only seems to close for a paramedic response or an earthquake.

Compare that to the first summer of Radiator Springs Racers when the ride would close repeatedly every day for hours at a time. Millennium Falcon, which is actually four separate identical rides within the same building, hardly ever closes and thus has been a very smooth opening.

That said, I think we can agree that the 1,388 average hourly capacity in its first 45 days, is exactly what it seems to be; an average of 1,388 riders per hour during the first 45 days of public operation.

 

[BrianLo]

Totally! In other words this is a great example of real world capacity (which is not a surrogate for capacity under perfect conditions).

Pirates can theoretically reach that lofty 3k if the CM's do their job perfectly and guests also react and load perfectly. The ride is usually open but rarely actually runs to its true full capacity. Haunted Mansion is a different example where one can basically never ride the thing without it stopping.

It's very easy to figure out perfect conditions though, one just needs to time the fastest rate of dispatch and always assume full vehicles.

1400 guests is actually not unreasonable for a real world numbers as far as Disney attractions go. It's actually fantastic for a new attraction.

 

[BrianLo]

P.P.S. I totally expect terrible initial results for RoTR. Easily Sub 1000 on average. That ride will have growing pains.

 

[The_Mesh_Hatter]

P.P.S. I totally expect terrible initial results for RoTR. Easily Sub 1000 on average. That ride will have growing pains.

And that’s why I find it so hilarious that people on social media are praising the decision to delay ROTR until it’s “fully operational.” They’re not delaying the opening because it's running at partial capacity. It’s delayed because the current operations are unacceptable. When it finally does open, it’s going to be just as rough as Hagrid’s, Gringotts, or Test Track.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Anyone else feel like HM has been stopping and backing up more than ever lately? It seems like there's always a massive crowd after the elevators and they even have two CMs directing people into the cars these days.