Haunted Mansion and Fastpass+

[pheneix]

You may not even have the CHOICE to get a FP for HM anyway. It's a top tier, iconic attraction. Like Le Cellier, it may well be that if you don't select it a month in advance, you're SOL.

That is exactly how it has been going down in the test phase. Guests doing the exact opposite of what was intended and totally destroying the way the system is supposed to work. A system, I might add, that was designed by very well paid IT professionals lacking any common sense about human behavior or an understanding of park operations. I don't think anyone, anywhere along the development and implementation of NextGen fully understands that they are dealing with thousands upon thousands of random variables who are going to do the exact opposite of what was intended from the system every chance they get. That is why NextGen is doomed to fail and why this is $2 billion+ that has been simply ed away in the wind.

But hey, they have all those kiosks scattered all over the park. We're all gonna be able to simply reschedule our whenever a ride breaks down or a dining reservation runs long. Right?

 

[SherlockWayne]

What? You are telling me people don't want to see/touch the bookcases that little Sally snot nose just wiped her hands all over?? And extend their wait time by 10-15 minutes?? This. Utterly. Shocks. Me.

There's no law stating they have to touch anything. Also, I don't think the extend wait time comment makes any sense. The "scene one" cemetery was always intended to be the end of the standby queue. If it didn't exist, the 10-15 minutes of extra waiting would simply be in more switchbacks or an ever expanding blob in front of the entrance. The bypass that has existed up till now was a temporary feature, available because the tests had so few participants that the Fastpass presence was negligible. I wouldn't be surprised if the bypass opened during the very slow seasons, but the truth is, the cemetery is not a novelty, it is part of the regular standby queue.

 

[bubbles1812]

There's no law stating they have to touch anything. Also, I don't think the extend wait time comment makes any sense. The "scene one" cemetery was always intended to be the end of the standby queue. If it didn't exist, the 10-15 minutes of extra waiting would simply be in more switchbacks or an ever expanding blob in front of the entrance. The bypass that has existed up till now was a temporary feature, available because the tests had so few participants that the Fastpass presence was negligible. I wouldn't be surprised if the bypass opened during the very slow seasons, but the truth is, the cemetery is not a novelty, it is part of the regular standby queue.

Dude, it was a joke. I'm very much aware that people can't be forced to touch things. A sense of humor seems to be lacking in you...

As was I aware that the bypass was temporary... My point was that it shouldn't be. I don't need or want to go through the crap in the cemetery. The fact that the had to add the extended queue speaks to how out of touch some aspects of next gen are. The ride doesn't need a FP period. But because of it, they now have to extend the line.

 

[SherlockWayne]

Dude, it was a joke. I'm very much aware that people can't be forced to touch things. A sense of humor seems to be lacking in you...

As was I aware that the bypass was temporary... My point was that it shouldn't be. I don't need or want to go through the crap in the cemetery. The fact that the had to add the extended queue speaks to how out of touch some aspects of next gen are. The ride doesn't need a FP period. But because of it, they now have to extend the line.

I got that you were joking, but I know many others who don't when it comes to this queue. I never understand why the ability to shake a bamboo poll or pull a rope makes a great interactive queue, but an interactive organ and a few touch activated sounds makes a bad one. I get there are thematic differences, and if I had been in charge, I may not have approved this addition. Miso have to admit that the resounding majority of the Guests I see interacting with the Cemetery seem to have a good time. I guess at the end of the day, I figure if they are going to make the line longer, it's nice they added anything at all. I don't see how they make money from the Cemetery, so to me, it just appears to be a way to give people something to do in line. I honestly think keeping the bypass open would be a bad idea. Keeping it open would just necessitate stationing a Cast Member at the split constantly yelling that both sides are open.

 

[draybook]

I pointed this out last March(2012), but people were convinced it was temporary. I even posted a picture showing how they had changed the sign showing which lines were which.

 

[bubbles1812]

I got that you were joking, but I know many others who don't when it comes to this queue. I never understand why the ability to shake a bamboo poll or pull a rope makes a great interactive queue, but an interactive organ and a few touch activated sounds makes a bad one. I get there are thematic differences, and if I had been in charge, I may not have approved this addition. Miso have to admit that the resounding majority of the Guests I see interacting with the Cemetery seem to have a good time. I guess at the end of the day, I figure if they are going to make the line longer, it's nice they added anything at all. I don't see how they make money from the Cemetery, so to me, it just appears to be a way to give people something to do in line. I honestly think keeping the bypass open would be a bad idea. Keeping it open would just necessitate stationing a Cast Member at the split constantly yelling that both sides are open.

I didnt see any yelling in February... And I think the majority of people grasped the concept that both lines were open. And what is wrong with stationing a CM there? Your "just necessitate stationing" confuses me. It's not like it is taking a CM away from being somewhere else.

 

[SherlockWayne]

I didnt see any yelling in February... And I think the majority of people grasped the concept that both lines were open. And what is wrong with stationing a CM there? Your "just necessitate stationing" confuses me. It's not like it is taking a CM away from being somewhere else.

You're right, it wouldn't be taking a CM away from somewhere, but it does create an unnecessary bottleneck. I've seen it plenty of times, even during the tests. I'm a firm believer in simplicity, give folks one way to go whenever possible. Just my opinion, one formed from experience as a Guest and a Cast Member.

 

[bubbles1812]

You're right, it wouldn't be taking a CM away from somewhere, but it does create an unnecessary bottleneck. I've seen it plenty of times, even during the tests. I'm a firm believer in simplicity, give folks one way to go whenever possible. Just my opinion, one formed from experience as a Guest and a Cast Member.

If we are using that logic, then FP should go all together... Which I think there is actually some argument for. I haven't observed any bottleneck, or any that was there was very quickly resolved. Not sure what issues you have seen, but folks don't take too long to decide which way they are going.

 

[nytimez]

I don't mind the cemetery. I think there are clever touches in there. And I don't mind having two ways to approach a ride, even if it confuses some people.

It does however lead to different people reacting differently to social etiquette situations they've never encountered before. Can you pass someone who stopped to play? If you've stopped to play, should you attempt to prevent people from passing you?

Answers, in order, should be YES and NO. But, there does not seem to be widespread agreement on this, based on what I've observed in the HM queue.

 

[MickeyPeace]

These queues were intended for this purpose before they were built. I knew from the beginning it had nothing to do with trying to keep people off of their mobile devices as many people thought. Business decision first, guest satisfaction second. Bad philosophy IMO.

 

[HMF]

I have a theory that these interactive Queues may have been by design made to be as objectionable as possible so that Disney Purists in particular would find FP+ to be a more attractive option. Whether that was truly by design or not that's certainly the way it turned out for the Mansion at least.

 

[Tim_4]

The inconsistencies are truly staggering. After all the complaints about Disney losing the "magic" and "Disney difference," they implement a program like interactive queues and everyone throws a fit that they'd rather have boring, "nothing to see here" queues.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

The only way I can see myself using a FP here is if the popular stuff is booked.

 

[mousehockey37]

It does however lead to different people reacting differently to social etiquette situations they've never encountered before. Can you pass someone who stopped to play? If you've stopped to play, should you attempt to prevent people from passing you?

Ding, ding, ding.

So what IS the answer?

I can see this question getting polar opposite answers and everything in between. I wouldn't be surprised if this led to a few fights and some people getting booted from the park.

Here is some of what I can see. You'll have individuals who will stop and play and they'll lose their spot in line and be told to deal with it. You'll have families/groups of people who will have one person that will hold in line, get to the front of the line and call a member and a ton of people will be pushing up through the queue saying, my family is waiting at the front or the rest of my group is at the front, and they'll be allowed to go up.

OR

You'll have people like myself who stand up to people who we believe are "cutting", and this will create unnecessary headaches.

So what's the solution? CMs can't be everywhere watching everyone and policing the queues.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I don't have kids so I don't go through the interactive queue. I went through it once when there was no one in line for HM and it was okay to do it just the once, but I wouldn't do it and extend my wait time. It's going to suck when the FP+ is installed and you are forced to go through it, Disney thinks everyone is too stupid to see what they are really doing with all the interactive queues, its a shame.

Sadly, many in the online fan community are idiots... Disney's favorite customers, clueless brainless pixie dust addicts who accept any crap Disney dishes out... you know, people like Lou Mongello...

 

[EsmeraldaLeGitanNotreDame]

Sadly, many in the online fan community are idiots... Disney's favorite customers, clueless brainless pixie dust addicts who accept any crap Disney dishes out... you know, people like Lou Mongello...

Wait, explain to me why every WDWMagic member is an idiot? >_>

 

[EsmeraldaLeGitanNotreDame]

FP+, ruining guest experiences since 2013.

I had my first trip to DisneyWorld just this month, a couple weeks ago. And I hadn't researched too much on the fast passes. Everything I'd read about them seemed pretty positive though.

I think that they are helpful if you can time them out for yourself just right, but I didn't see what the big deal was about them. I feel like lots of articles I read act like they are some great life/time saver, and they do save time, but you have to THINK about it. There were a couple times I felt like our group/family would grab a fast pass just for the sake of having one, disillusioned thinking it was somehow saving them time, instead of timing out what all they wanted to get done that day, and wether or not grabbing a fast pass was actually faster than just waiting in the normal line.

I'm used to going to amusement parks and waiting in line doesn't bother me. It's a hustle either way. I mean, our group would grab a fast pass and then waste hours sometimes doing nothing, wondering, HMM, what should we ride???Because our fast pass is for such n such time. hmm?
I was like, wow, no they didn't? Yes, yes they did. o.o

I didn't do the Haunted Mansion. I wanted to, but the line was insanely long. And the rest of the fam wasn't up to it. Now I'm glad I didn't...wooh. Because someone in my group would have definitely grabbed a FP. -_-

 

[mousehockey37]

I had my first trip to DisneyWorld just this month, a couple weeks ago. And I hadn't researched too much on the fast passes. Everything I'd read about them seemed pretty positive though.

I think that they are helpful if you can time them out for yourself just right, but I didn't see what the big deal was about them. I feel like lots of articles I read act like they are some great life/time saver, and they do save time, but you have to THINK about it. There were a couple times I felt like our group/family would grab a fast pass just for the sake of having one, disillusioned thinking it was somehow saving them time, instead of timing out what all they wanted to get done that day, and wether or not grabbing a fast pass was actually faster than just waiting in the normal line.

I'm used to going to amusement parks and waiting in line doesn't bother me. It's a hustle either way. I mean, our group would grab a fast pass and then waste hours sometimes doing nothing, wondering, HMM, what should we ride???Because our fast pass is for such n such time. hmm?
I was like, wow, no they didn't? Yes, yes they did. o.o

I didn't do the Haunted Mansion. I wanted to, but the line was insanely long. And the rest of the fam wasn't up to it. Now I'm glad I didn't...wooh.

Fastpasses and Fastpass+ are 2 totally different things. Fastpasses are the things you go get out of the machine on the day of your visit. Fastpass+ is the new thing where you'll go online months ahead of time and schedule your rides and where you'll sit for parades. The FP+ stuff is still early in the rollout of it, which is why we're here in this thread. We're starting to see the changes and how it will effect things.

 

[EsmeraldaLeGitanNotreDame]

For one, those who cannot read or comprehend fall into that category... Did you read what I wrote? Where in my post did I say every WDWMagic member is an idiot? Can't read or comprehend, can you? Well, there ya go.. Now I know why you need an explanation... Case closed... Point Proved.. Thank you.

It just doesn't make sense to say many online disney fans are idiots so generically like that. So we aren't Disney's favorite customers. You don't have to say we are idiots. It's mean.

 

[EsmeraldaLeGitanNotreDame]

Fastpasses and Fastpass+ are 2 totally different things. Fastpasses are the things you go get out of the machine on the day of your visit. Fastpass+ is the new thing where you'll go online months ahead of time and schedule your rides and where you'll sit for parades. The FP+ stuff is still early in the rollout of it, which is why we're here in this thread. We're starting to see the changes and how it will effect things.

That doesn't sound necessary at all. But I'll get to see it when I'm there in October.