Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Rickcat96]

Have not seen a Peep from Disney since making this announcement

 

[Missing20K]

Much obliged to @DCLcruiser @CaptainAmerica @MisterPenguin and a few others I’m sure, for answering so cordially. I do hate to be a bother.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don't recall SE having the same frequency of stops.

It stops all the time

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Have not seen a Peep from Disney since making this announcement

I’m puzzled a bit that we don’t have more news/clarity

 

[dreday3]

It stops all the time

Yes. It's definitely a "use the washroom before entering the line" kind of ride, we've gotten stuck on it so often....

 

[Archie123]

The ride stops multiple times and we are asked to wait in our seats. The annoucement blames it on spirits. So you are saying the entire ride stops to load people on/off?

This is exactly what happens.

 

[DCLcruiser]

It stops all the time

Maybe it's the annoucements. I just feel like HM stops multiple times, everytime I ride it. Buzz just flows, SSE flows.

 

[Rickcat96]

I do believe they will roll this back some based on the negative response. What that will be-is yet to be seen. They wont 86 it, but probably lower the price to suck folks in, then raise the price 20 time a year.

 

[fngoofy]

The Doom Buggys break down regularly. Multiple times during the ride. Maybe it's a maintenance issue.

They don't "break down", 90% of stops are due to disabled boarding at the exit. Also disabled exiting as well.

 

[jpinkc]

We haven't seen any indication that Disney is planning such a thing. None whatsoever.

True but unfortunately we havent seen it being Denied either.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Maybe it's the annoucements. I just feel like HM stops multiple times, everytime I ride it. Buzz just flows, SSE flows.

Haunted mansion is more crowded…I don’t think you get the same kinda ridership on buzz

little mermaid stops all the time as well

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

They already had pay for viewing spots, parties, etc. I don't recall arguments/fights between guests over that.

This reminds me of AMC Stubs Premiere. I pay $10/year for their member program. I get a special line for popcorn and bypass the normal line that is packed. I always feel a bit odd, but then I get my food and go to see my movie in a few seconds. Well worth it.

Premium viewing spots are a bit different than a guest who has been waiting 2 hours in the Florida heat for an attraction, only to be told by me to stand here even longer while I let these other guests cut in front of you.

Trust me, guests get really ugly sometimes at FP merge points.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Premium viewing spots are a bit different than a guest who has been waiting 2 hours in the Florida heat for an attraction, only to be told by me to stand here even longer while I let these other guests cut in front of you.

Trust me, guests get really ugly sometimes at FP merge points.

I hear you. Nothing is easy for CMs. For the person getting bent out of shape...didn't they use FP to cut another line? They should understand.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

True but unfortunately we havent seen it being Denied either.

It's right there in plain English.

Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park and will be announced closer to launch.

 

[DCLcruiser]

It's right there in plain English.

Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park and will be announced closer to launch.

EPCOT: TT & Rat
DAK: FoP & KS
DHS: RotR & SDD
MK: 7DMT & SM

I'd guess RotR and Rat, being new, would by default have the highest premium.

Then during peak day, Thanksgiving/Christmas, etc they will raise prices and lower when it is less crowded.

MK would probably be higher priced than EPCOT's TT.

I can definitely see them using demand pricing intra-day in the future to try and manage capacity.

 

[el_super]

False. Demand patterns were FAR more varied in the past and the parks weren't saturated all the time. Problem is now, they filled in those periods with more attendance, lifted the peaks, and reduced capacity while doing it.

So... what was the magical formula that allowed them to increase attendance and decrease attraction capacity?

I sort of understand what you're trying to say here, but you're doing the opposite of what you're accusing me of doing: you're holding onto these generalities about how the whole system worked before. It was absolutely possible to go in the offseason and ride Haunted Mansion with a 15 minute wait. But people in the summer and holiday still have really long waits and still complained about them.

I totally get it, it's bonkers to think that Fastpass came about due to guest complaints about overcrowding in the late 1990s when the MK attendance was about 3/4 of what it is now.

Besides, the number itself is irrelevant, it is the concept that counts to show that just 'adding attractions' alone isn't what needs to be measured. And your response only furthers the point... if by your logic the parks were never with sufficient capacity to make waits manageable... and we know capacity is significantly down now vs even 15yrs ago... obviously they are WAY behind now. Congrats, you proved yourself more capacity is needed.

OK sure... let's all sit around and hold our breath until they add new attractions. And then of course when they don't, but keep breaking attendance records, claim they don't know how to operate a theme park.

But again - that doesn't change the other facts and is more spitballing by you vs facing the whole picture.

How much did capacity decrease? I asked for the numbers for New Fantasyland but no one has really provided them.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

I hear you. Nothing is easy for CMs. For the person getting bent out of shape...didn't they use FP to cut another line? They should understand.

You would be amazed at how many guests had never heard of Fastpass at all! They were usually the ones who would get the most angry about it, since they always seemed to perceive themselves as having been slighted somehow by this "secret" program that nobody told them about.

 

[el_super]

That's due to a large increase in attendance and a lack of corresponding increase in capacity.

I mean for what it's worth though, that just proves what I was originally saying that the parks are underpriced. Attendance is far easier to control through pricing than it would be through additional undefined capacity.

 

[DCLcruiser]

You would be amazed at how many guests had never heard of Fastpass at all! They were usually the ones who would get the most angry about it, since they always seemed to perceive themselves as having been slighted somehow by this "secret" program that nobody told them about.

I can see that. Disney planning/strategy is an art, granted not a secret (...that's DVC).

 

[fngoofy]

To be fair, they have added capacity to existing rides. Soarin, Dumbo and TSMM all had additions. The problem is it still isn't enough because at the same time they were shuttering other attractions while putting less, lower capacity, and at other times absolutely nothing in it's place. Not to mention the shows and entertainment that has still not returned.

There's a vacant Stitch building. A train that hasn't operated in years. A huge wasted space in Star Wars Launch Bay. There's a lot they could add to raise capacity that wouldn't be a headliner and they just... don't.

1) Stich is vacant at the moment
2) The train has only stopped running for the Tron construction.
3) They are adding Tron, Guardians (replaces a ride, but the new ride has far greater queue space and will be more popular than Ellen), Ratatouille, they are or repopulating wonders of life, they opened Avatar in 2017 and Star Wars 2019.
I'm sure I missed some, but my point is they continually expand or swap out.

Since my family has been going regularly, the new stuff we've gotten:
-Animal Kingdom (whole park, 8-9 attractions, multiple shops, restaurants, etc.)
-Pandora (new land, 2 rides, multiple shops, restaurants, etc.)
-Batu (new land, 2 rides, multiple shops, restaurants, etc.)
-Toy Story Land (3 rides, multiple shops, restaurants, etc.)

Soon
Tron
Guardians
Ratatouille
Moana

I think they are doing alright.