Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Patcheslee]

So Disney loses 10% of people who didn't want to spend much money anyway? (I'm thinking based on their calculations) meanwhile with higher paying, lower crowds they can more easily do a lot of special events, less CM's needed etc.

Or people cut their spending in other areas of the park to balance a budget.

 

[dreday3]

What has EPCOT gained or lost in the last 20 years?

I'm sure the loss of Smash Mouth being able to play Food/Wine the past couple years is huge and felt by many!

(sorry, inside joke in our household - we have so many memories of walking around World Showcase and hearing "hey now, you're an All Star...")

 

[UNCgolf]

I'm sure the loss of Smash Mouth being able to play Food/Wine the past couple years is huge!

(sorry, inside joke in our household - we have so many memories of walking around World Showcase and hearing "hey now, you're an All Star...")

Seems like they should have been playing at Universal.

 

[James Alucobond]

I think every replacement they've built at EPCOT has been lower capacity than what existed before. Guardians is far lower than Energy, if only because it's going to last a few minutes instead of 45. It will likely be a functional increase because few people rode the outdated Energy in recent years, but they could have at least built something that was 10-15 minutes long instead of 2 or 3.

Plus, when they switched from World of Motion to Test Track (as one example) they also eliminated a lot of the other pavilion activities that sucked up guests/time. That's harder to measure but has a significant effect overall.

I don't think I mind new Future World east / World Discovery generally being the shorter thrill section, but they need way more elsewhere to counterbalance what they've done. I'm also kind of curious about the former Energy pavilion and whether or not you'll be able to wander the area even when not in the Cosmic Rewind queue. The concept art makes it look like it's actually a kind of cool area reminiscent of some of the old explorable pavilion antechambers.

 

[Waters Back Side]

You know another obstacle in this new system is that not only do people who like to sleep in on vacation have to wake up at 7 am, but they actually might get a Genie + LL access for too early! If I wake up at 7 am and choose Soarin super quickly and I get the next available time for 10am, what If I dont want to get to the park until noon? Then if i wait too long to try and get a mid day slot there might be none available. I do not see how that is flexible and more fun. It would be nice if they give you the first one with a couple of time slots. Otherwise in order to go on the ride which you now pay for, you have to be in the park early enough.

 

[zann285]

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

In SSE, handicapped load from the exit and it seems like there is more room as the vehicle goes around you in a circle going clockwise, so you can get out of your wheelchair and find a spot to load as it circles around you. In HM, you also load in the exit but it's straight line going right to left, so it has to stop for someone to board.

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

There are differences to how each of these handle handicapped or ECV using guests. HM gives you a return time to come back and enter through the exit. If the wait is 45 mins, you come back to the exit in 45 minutes and almost immediately get boarded, and most likely get at least a slow down of the ride. So since they are slowing the ride down for individuals as they arrive, there can be multiple slowdowns per cycle.

SSE takes handicapped and ECV riders through the exit and collects them in a waiting area near unload. There is a specific car which has a wider back seat than the standard cars do that they like to load guests that need accommodations into, especially those with mobility issues. At the same time, they load all of the other people in the waiting area, doing one large slow down. If there is a large group waiting mid cycle while they wait for the larger car they may do another load session. So optimally running, SSE should only have one major slowdown per ride cycle.

Buzz makes guests transfer from ECV to a borrowed wheelchair and go through the regular queue, which can be a big deterrent to riding, especially if is an older couple on two ECVs with no one else to assist them through the line. I would also guess that Buzz attracts fewer older guests overall than either HM or SSE, needing fewer breaks for them.

 

[James Alucobond]

You know another obstacle in this new system is that not only do people who like to sleep in on vacation have to wake up at 7 am, but they actually might get a Genie + LL access for too early! If I wake up at 7 am and choose Soarin super quickly and I get the next available time for 10am, what If I dont want to get to the park until noon? Then if too long to tru and get a mid day slot there might be nine available. I do not see how that is flexible and more fun. It would be nice if they give you the first one with a couple of time slots. Otherwise in order to go on the ride which you now pay for, you have to be in the park early enough.

I meeeaaan, while this is certainly a possible scenario, at a certain point you have to take personal responsibility for not showing up at the time you booked. This already happens for restaurant reservations.

 

[Waters Back Side]

I meeeaaan, while this is certainly a possible scenario, at a certain point you have to take personal responsibility for not showing up at the time you booked. This already happens for restaurant reservations.

I would take responsibility. I wouldnt book it if they said next available is 10 am. But I'd try again at 8 or 9 am and try for a noon or after . For some rides they might sell out.

Point is thats not flexible like the Genie+ suggests.

 

[brb1006]

The hits keep on coming…

Somebody from MiceChat's Feedback made a similar image.

 

[cslafferty]

I would take responsibility. I wouldnt book it if they said next available is 10 am. But I'd try again at 8 or 9 am and try for a noon or after . For some rides they might sell out.

Point is thats not flexible like the Genie+ suggests.

The question is will you get to choose time slots like FP+ or will Genie+ assign you to the next available slot and that’s it?

 

[Waters Back Side]

The question is will you get to choose time slots like FP+ or will Genie+ assign you to the next available slot and that’s it?

You don't. You can only choose a time slot for the LL individual rides. The Genie + rides are always next available.

 

[UNCgolf]

The question is will you get to choose time slots like FP+ or will Genie+ assign you to the next available slot and that’s it?

The video suggested that Genie+ will assign you the next available slot, whereas with IAS you can pick the time. Who knows how it will actually work in practice, though.

 

[bdearl41]

What has EPCOT gained or lost in the last 20 years?

A lot more alcohol.

 

[hopemax]

The video suggested that Genie+ will assign you the next available slot, whereas with IAS you can pick the time. Who knows how it will actually work in practice, though.

A cool feature, that couldn't happen with paper, is if the system is smart enough to figure out that the "next available" time conflicts with your ADR. So it would automatically give you a window that started an hour later. Especially, if they plan on enforcing windows (15 minute grace period).

 

[James Alucobond]

I would take responsibility. I wouldnt book it if they said next available is 10 am. But I'd try again at 8 or 9 am and try for a noon or after . For some rides they might sell out.

Point is thats not flexible like the Genie+ suggests.

Ah, I see what you mean. Sorry, misread the end of your original post.

 

[JusticeDisney]

You don't. You can only choose a time slot for the LL individual rides. The Genie + rides are always next available.

Wow, I didn’t realize that. I thought it was like the old system where you could pick a time slot. That really sucks.

 

[Waters Back Side]

Wow, I didn’t realize that. I thought it was like the old system where you could pick a time slot. That really sucks.

The problem could be resolved if they let you choose the time for your FIRST ride only.

What about guests who do like to be up early and are limited on ride choice bevause they made a breakfast dining reservation? But hey if Disney wants to lose out on a 200 dollar breakfast for a family of 4 so that they get $60 for the day from them to go on rides one at a time that's pretty dumb. They want to try and sell flexible and more fun? Let them spin that one.

I'm sure most families would try to make a reservation at a different time etc but the point ot they are limiting your options.

 

[GimpYancIent]

It is simple to me. I am not fascinated actively / constantly interacting with my phone. Genie service is something that does not interest me, I do not need it, I did not ask for it, I do not want it and it is offensive that some executives think I am something to be manipulated for their financial gain. My response is simple I will not down load it hence not use it. Done.

 

[JusticeDisney]

The problem could be resolved if they let you choose the time for your FIRST ride only.

What about guests who do like to be up early and are limited on ride choice bevause they made a breakfast dining reservation? But hey if Disney wants to lose out on a 200 dollar breakfast for a family of 4 so that they get $60 for the day from them to go on rides one at a time that's pretty dumb. They want to try and sell flexible and more fun? Let them spin that one.

I'm sure most families would try to make a reservation at a different time etc but the point ot they are limiting your options.

Great points.

 

[Jrb1979]

The problem could be resolved if they let you choose the time for your FIRST ride only.

What about guests who do like to be up early and are limited on ride choice bevause they made a breakfast dining reservation? But hey if Disney wants to lose out on a 200 dollar breakfast for a family of 4 so that they get $60 for the day from them to go on rides one at a time that's pretty dumb. They want to try and sell flexible and more fun? Let them spin that one.

I'm sure most families would try to make a reservation at a different time etc but the point ot they are limiting your options.

Maybe book breakfast before the parks open.

I'm sure the Uber planners hate this. I personally love this and it actually makes me want to return to the parks. Less planning the better as well as making it easier for people like me who rope drop and stay in the parks all day.