Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[MickeyLuv'r]

And...youre not just standing there. You are drinking coffee, eating a breakfast snack and chatting with your partner,friends.

Um, people in attraction lines also chat and snack.

Truly, I have waited in both line queues and pre-park opening queues many times.

They are the same, except when the gate opens there is a running of the bulls thing that happens at WDW, and the folks vying to be first! are the absolute rudest people in all of WDW. These same folks are probably okay the rest of the day, but in those few moments they are so absolutely focused on being first! that they just don't care how rude they are.

For example, a number of times, we have been standing up against a wall/rail, like in the MK Hub, and had people try to ram into us repeatedly with their stroller. Not once by accident, I mean people who actually backed up and rammed us multiple times in a row, while everyone was lined up waiting for the rope to drop.

Mind, the same level of rudeness does not happen at Universal rope drop. The morning crowd there is MUCH more relaxed.

Disney has created this mess, where people feel desperate to storm the park entrance every morning, because if they don't, they get stuck waiting 70minutes for 7DMT, SDD, or FoP. Their fight/flight lizard brains have been triggered.

Alas, it probably also doesn't help that the RD crowd is juiced up on caffeine.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I think most people are still overlooking what's still closed on property. They've come a long way, but there is still a fair amount to come back. Those things help alleviate the queues. And when you consider that there is no popular show at DAK or DHS right now and DE isn't a must see, the queues at night aren't alleviated much.

 

[Thepuma]

Um, people in attraction lines also chat and snack.

Truly, I have waited in both line queues and pre-park opening queues many times.

They are the same, except when the gate opens there is a running of the bulls thing that happens at WDW, and the folks vying to be first! are the absolute rudest people in all of WDW. These same folks are probably okay the rest of the day, but in those few moments they are so absolutely focused on being first! that they just don't care how rude they are.

For example, a number of times, we have been standing up against a wall/rail, like in the MK Hub, and had people try to ram into us repeatedly with their stroller. Not once by accident, I mean people who actually backed up and rammed us multiple times in a row, while everyone was lined up waiting for the rope to drop.

Mind, the same level of rudeness does not happen at Universal rope drop. The morning crowd there is MUCH more relaxed.

Disney has created this mess, where people feel desperate to storm the park entrance every morning, because if they don't, they get stuck waiting 70minutes for 7DMT, SDD, or FoP. Their fight/flight lizard brains have been triggered.

Alas, it probably also doesn't help that the RD crowd is juiced up on caffeine.

Yeah i agree, in essence they are the same but in reality they couldn't be more different in terms of how your day goes.

Having already been on and off FOP by 10 minutes of park opening gives a massively different outcome of how your day pans out. In the 2 hours people are queuing after the park opens, you will have been on FOP, Navi R,Safari,Bug,Kali,EE and Dino.....so yeah, waiting at a gate is the same as waiting in line, but not rope dropping means a knock on of always waiting in long lines.

Oh and yeah, there are always a few mad people at rope drop...you just have to bite your tongue. In all fairness its the same a Island Of Adventure with people rope dropping Hagrids...its the same free for all as FOP. You even get people running which i find bizarre...as they will probably save themselves 2 minutes wait time but be all hot,sweaty and knackered.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Not really. If you are waiting for 45 in line during prior to park hours, that is 45minutes you can not utilize any other park service/ride/show/ect.

Wha?

What rides are you riding prior to RD?

I've done pre-RD a number of times, and it = a trade-off. To arrive early, we have to wake up earlier.

 

[Thepuma]

Wha?

What rides are you riding prior to RD?

I've done pre-RD a number of times, and it = a trade-off. To arrive early, we have to wake up earlier.

As I said above, it's a two fold benefit and a knock on effect....see my above post.

Yes you are waiting outside for 30 to 40 minutes, but you

1) Get on FOP in 10 minutes rather than 120.
2) Then walk on Navi River, rather than 30 minutes
3) Then Safari 10 mins rather than 60 mins
4) Then Everest 2 or 3 walk ons( or maybe 5/10 mins) rather than 30/40minute wait each time
5) Dinosaur walk on rather than 30 minutes

The time saved isn't just FOP....it has a knock on effect to the rest of your morning at AK.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I think most people are still overlooking what's still closed on property. They've come a long way, but there is still a fair amount to come back. Those things help alleviate the queues. And when you consider that there is no popular show at DAK or DHS right now and DE isn't a must see, the queues at night aren't alleviated much.

Which is why I think part of the solution is more extended hours.

The last few pages of the thread have been discussing the supposed benefit of arriving before RD, which has long been the case on forums. We discuss RD, but not PM peripheral hours. PM peripheral hours are often more useful, but the later they run the more useful they become.

And at least one PM show- the luau - is not coming back. If no luau, I think WDW would do well to develop some appealing hotel entertainment options. Imagine if Nemo had been a dinner show....

 

[Patcheslee]

Which is why I think part of the solution is more extended hours.

The last few pages of the thread have been discussing the supposed benefit of arriving before RD, which has long been the case on forums. We discuss RD, but not PM peripheral hours. PM peripheral hours are often more useful, but the later they run the more useful they become.

And at least one PM show- the luau - is not coming back. If no luau, I think WDW would do well to develop some appealing hotel entertainment options. Imagine if Nemo had been a dinner show....

We usually have 1900 Park Fare Dinner scheduled on one of our 2 MK days. If we were vacationing now, we would end up just staying in MK and riding more things so I know it changes our habits. Also 1 of 2 days at EP is spent at a resort for dinner. Those are the nights we get to bed earlier too.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

Stating the obvious but... Genie+ overall is laughably bad. It can work for some at specific times for specific uses, but overall it's a miss. Obviously Hollywood Studios is the biggest problem park. We lost count of how many guests were upset/complaining/annoyed by the entire Genie+ and Lightning Lane experience in just 5 days. Constant long lines at Guest Services and at Guest Experience teams. Maybe it was just a bad stretch, but my goodness.

 

[Jeff4272]

Stating the obvious but... Genie+ overall is laughably bad. It can work for some at specific times for specific uses, but overall it's a miss. Obviously Hollywood Studios is the biggest problem park. We lost count of how many guests were upset/complaining/annoyed by the entire Genie+ and Lightning Lane experience in just 5 days. Constant long lines at Guest Services and at Guest Experience teams. Maybe it was just a bad stretch, but my goodness.

Its REALLY, REALLY bad

 

[Jrb1979]

Its REALLY, REALLY bad

Yes it's bad. IMO the following 2 tweaks would help a lot. First one being when you book your return time the system doesn't change it on you. The second would be to either charge more for it or limit sales. They really need less people buying it.

 

[Jeff4272]

Yes it's bad. IMO the following 2 tweaks would help a lot. First one being when you book your return time the system doesn't change it on you. The second would be to either charge more for it or limit sales. They really need less people buying it.

They need to fix the 7am thing somehow......

 

[mikejs78]

They need to fix the 7am thing somehow......

And inability to modify.

 

[Jrb1979]

They need to fix the 7am thing somehow......

Then change it to once you enter the park like MaxPass.

And inability to modify.

I wouldn't be surprised that doesn't change. Part of the point of FP+ and now Genie+ is to control crowds. IMO Disney didn't expect so many people to want to modify their return as much as they do. It's Disney's fault really. They trained everyone to plan out their vacation down to the last minute. Of course people are going to want the optimal time for their schedule.

 

[Jeff4272]

Then change it to once you enter the park like MaxPass.

I wouldn't be surprised that doesn't change. Part of the point of FP+ and now Genie+ is to control crowds. IMO Disney didn't expect so many people to want to modify their return as much as they do. It's Disney's fault really. They trained everyone to plan out their vacation down to the last minute. Of course people are going to want the optimal time for their schedule.

Entering park doesnt work........Why punish all the people that go in later? Will create more rope droppers

 

[Jrb1979]

Entering park doesnt work........Why punish all the people that go in later? Will create more rope droppers

Let me guess the only thing that would work is letting people pre-book again.

If they either raise the price or limit sales going into the parks later shouldn't be affected. If you cut out half of the people who are buying it now it would open up a lot of availability.

 

[Jeff4272]

Let me guess the only thing that would work is letting people pre-book again.

If they either raise the price or limit sales going into the parks later shouldn't be affected. If you cut out half of the people who are buying it now it would open up a lot of availability.

Not necessarily.......I would like a ride any ride, any time option........

When I'm paying all that $ to stay in a deluxe hotel and then can't get on the headliners without a 2 hour wait, its worthless to me.........I want to know i can ride the headliners without a wait, even if they charge me a $^%* load for it

and i want to be able to go in the park when it suits me, not them

 

[mikejs78]

Let me guess the only thing that would work is letting people pre-book again.

I actually think that's the only option, but maybe not at 60 days out. Maybe a week and for everyone who has it as part of their ticket.

I could also see them limiting sales to only have it as an add on to an entire ticket and not day of/single day ticket holders.

 

[Jeff4272]

I actually think that's the only option, but maybe not at 60 days out. Maybe a week and for everyone who has it as part of their ticket.

I could also see them limiting sales to only have it as an add on to an entire ticket.

There are definitely ways to fix it........I think they need to have an "Express Pass" type of option, even if it's only for Deluxe guests

 

[mikejs78]

There are definitely ways to fix it........I think they need to have an "Express Pass" type of option, even if it's only for Deluxe guests

I still think they won't do that because it will cannibalize VIP sales.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

When you have more demand than expected, extended downtime daily on popular attractions removing inventory from the service, ILL selections removing inventory from the service and people locked to a park because of Park Pass, this is the storm that is created.