Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[JD80]

Not at all. Has nothing to do with that. It's how my family tours parks. We don't do Character meals as it's over priced crap food. Rarely eat on property or stay in the "Bubble". Cheaper and better options off site.

It's attitudes like yours is another reason I have turned off Disney.

You spend quite a lot of time on a Disney message board for having turned off Disney.

My attitude is that I enjoy my time in the parks but I also realize there are systems in place to provide access. So I either chose to engage with them to maximize my experience or I don't engage with them and set my expectations that my access may be limited.

I've done both, and I had good experiences both ways. My opinion is that the ride systems are garbage. I prefer FP+ significantly more even if that system sucked unless you knew how to manipulate it.

 

[crazy4disney]

Less people in the lightning lane means less wait in standby. And guest satisfaction? If that truly mattered they would do one simple gesture for them by making park hours longer again.

Honestly i truly wish they went to a basic "full standby" with limited skip the line access to once and for all settle this debate about lines and what FP does to them... YES i did watch the Defunctland doc on it. When there is not enough capacity lines are not going to be greatly reduced imo and ill stand by that statement. Will lines be "less" possibly but when a line goes from say 80 minutes to 60 minutes yes its "25%' less but still an hour wait and doesnt solve the problem when you had a system in place that literally allowed you to ride many if not all attractions with no wait. Valid point on guest satisfaction lol

 

[JD80]

No line skip system will ever work in MK with the expected attendance levels until they build significantly more attractions across the park. I'm talking about additions in every land.

 

[Jrb1979]

You spend quite a lot of time on a Disney message board for having turned off Disney.

My attitude is that I enjoy my time in the parks but I also realize there are systems in place to provide access. So I either chose to engage with them to maximize my experience or I don't engage with them and set my expectations that my access may be limited.

I've done both, and I had good experiences both ways. My opinion is that the ride systems are garbage. I prefer FP+ significantly more even if that system sucked unless you knew how to manipulate it.

My point isn't about what's in place. My point is that IMO it's too much planning required to enjoy it. Visiting a theme park shouldn't this much planning.

No line skip system will ever work in MK with the expected attendance levels until they build significantly more attractions across the park. I'm talking about additions in every land.

That goes for every park in the world. No park has enough capacity for everyone to have a skip the line pass. It's how they work.

 

[JD80]

My point isn't about what's in place. My point is that IMO it's too much planning required to enjoy it. Visiting a theme park shouldn't this much planning.


That goes for every park in the world. No park has enough capacity for everyone to have a skip the line pass. It's how they work.

First point: I never understood the "too much planning" complaint with Disney pre-COVID. Picking tentative dining reservations at 180 days was never an issue. I always changed these leading up to my vacation or the day before. Picking FP+ 60 days out was about 30 minutes of work one morning over a cup of coffee.

Outside of scheduling flights, hotels, taking off of work - what else was there to do that was "too much"?

To your second point: With significant investment in additional capacity - everyone may not feel compelled to get line skip because there are decent choices and times to pick from in a perfect world.

 

[Jrb1979]

First point: I never understood the "too much planning" complaint with Disney pre-COVID. Picking tentative dining reservations at 180 days was never an issue. I always changed these leading up to my vacation or the day before. Picking FP+ 60 days out was about 30 minutes of work one morning over a cup of coffee.

Outside of scheduling flights, hotels, taking off of work - what else was there to do that was "too much"?

To your second point: With significant investment in additional capacity - everyone may not feel compelled to get line skip because there are decent choices and times to pick from in a perfect world.

Outside of flights, hotel and taking time off work nothing else should be required. I look at Universal and how laid back and simple it is to visit. I get Disney has higher attendance but it doesn't to go to this much extreme.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Not at all. Has nothing to do with that. It's how my family tours parks. We don't do Character meals as it's over priced crap food. Rarely eat on property or stay in the "Bubble". Cheaper and better options off site.

It's attitudes like yours is another reason I have turned off Disney.

Based on your comments, why in the world do you think you are going to like what Disney is doing, or planning to do? You are not their demographic or target.

Leaving aside the simple fact that from sporting events, to food ordering, to shopping, that everything is moving to App based, time registering, upsale purchases, Disney doesn't want you, or families that "tour parks" like you.

You don't like Character meals? Seems to me a big draw of Disney that separates itself from other parks IS its characters/IP. You can ride a roller coaster at any regional Amusement Park, but your only eating with Mickey and Mini in one location.

Your not eating on property and not staying in the bubble? Great, for you. But then don't expect Disney to have any of its systems, Genie + or otherwise be tailored to your style. Disney wants people in the parks. It wants people on property. It wants people to skip lines, and to be able to structure its their trip, Dining, then line skip, then shopping, then second line skip, then having a LL in 2 hours, so I can go get some shopping done in between.

The Answer here isn't going to be Disney changing its business model. The simple answer is seems like if you don't like what they are offering, don't go, and let the people who do like it enjoy it.

 

[JD80]

Outside of flights, hotel and taking time off work nothing else should be required. I look at Universal and how laid back and simple it is to visit. I get Disney has higher attendance but it doesn't to go to this much extreme.

You know you can just walk into the parks and do stuff right? Planning line skip or meals isn't required.

 

[pdude81]

Are you serious? Is that how it works?

Yes, but you could buy at 6:45a instead if you wanted to. You don't have to buy at 12a, that's just when it becomes available.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Outside of flights, hotel and taking time off work nothing else should be required. I look at Universal and how laid back and simple it is to visit. I get Disney has higher attendance but it doesn't to go to this much extreme.

I will be honest I never understood this line of thinking. It seems extremely self centered based on your individual preferences.

Besides the above (and maybe park reservations, which seems to me a no brainer, you buy a ticket to a park, you need to pick where your going) nothing else is required for trip to Disney. No one says you HAVE to use Genie ++, Lightening Lanes, make early dining reservations, or make appointments to build droids or any other activity. You want to have a spontaneous trip just doing whatever you feel like as it happens, go for it, no one is stopping you. I however like to micro manage my trip to wring out every minute of the day. We are going to be up at 6:45 with 4 phones out ready to snag LL and Genie plus selections. We were setting alarms 60 days out to get dining reservations (back in the FP days when selections opened day of at midnight, we were setting alarms then to make selections.) We don't mind snagging Genie + after Genie plus, logging in for the next available stacking as many as we can. Thats how we like to tour the parks. We like having the options to manage our trip that way, and don't think Disney should limit our planning/managing ability just because you and some families don't like it. You do Disney your way, we will do it ours. Disney right now is giving you more options, whether you use them or not is completely up to you.

 

[matt9112]

DVC is not about the room accommodations. People buy DVC to have a way to stay at Disney in cases where it benefits them to buy in and stay on "points" instead of paying cash. (This is a calculation based very much on specific circumstances, so I don't want to get into discussions of how DVC never makes sense.) The deluxe rooms aren't the draw - in fact, I personally prefer the moderate resorts to the deluxe ones. But there is no DVC for value or moderates - you have to stay deluxe. So adding resort perks would do absolutely nothing for me. I don't speak for everyone, though.

That’s 100% false for some. If you listen to any dvc specific discussion you will find a lot of people don’t even step foot in the parks…. Sure your example is one use case and probably a majority use case but it is not THE REASON people buy dvc.

 

[bhg469]

I however like to micro manage my trip to wring out every minute of the day.

You don't see how many many people just don't want this on a vacation?! This was not an option in the past yet the parks were much more enjoyable.

We had our honeymoon in St. Lucia.. We planned the flights, and the resort.. Everything else was spur of the moment and it was very enjoyable. I think the only time we had to schedule a meal were two of the more in demand restaurants.

 

[JD80]

You don't see how many many people just don't want this on a vacation?! This was not an option in the past yet the parks were much more enjoyable.

We had our honeymoon in St. Lucia.. We planned the flights, and the resort.. Everything else was spur of the moment and it was very enjoyable. I think the only time we had to schedule a meal were two of the more in demand restaurants.

Those are two completely different vacations, why would you even compare them?

 

[Jeff4272]

For my family and your average guest it's too much planning to visit a glorified Amusement park. I don't care that it's one of the best parks or highest attended park. At the end of the day it's still a Theme Park.

It has nothing to do with it being hard or being lazy. My family does enough scheduling in our day to day life. It's the last thing I want to do on vacation especially a Theme Park one. It's my number 1 complaint with Disney. Too much planning.

I agree 1,000,000%...........BUT thats not going anywhere..................So as long as you have to plan flights, hotels, park passes, dining reservations, ogas for a drink, bibbidi for your daughters so you know what park you're in, what time you're eating, where in the park you're eating..............Why wouldn't you want to pick your top 3 rides to make your touring plan work?

makes no sense to me

 

[Chi84]

That’s 100% false for some. If you listen to any dvc specific discussion you will find a lot of people don’t even step foot in the parks…. Sure your example is one use case and probably a majority use case but it is not THE REASON people buy dvc.

Wait, you think a significant number of people buy into DVC without planning to go to the parks? Going to Disney is not the reason people are buying into DVC properties in WDW?

 

[JD80]

I agree 1,000,000%...........BUT thats not going anywhere..................So as long as you have to plan flights, hotels, park passes, dining reservations, ogas for a drink, bibbidi for your daughters so you know what park you're in, what time you're eating, where in the park you're eating..............Why wouldn't you want to pick your top 3 rides to make your touring plan work?

makes no sense to me

This post makes no sense to me. You listed dining reservations 4 times.

 

[bhg469]

Those are two completely different vacations, why would you even compare them?

Because they are both vacations and back in the early 2000's thats EXACTLY how a trip to WDW was...

 

[matt9112]

I will be honest I never understood this line of thinking. It seems extremely self centered based on your individual preferences.

Besides the above (and maybe park reservations, which seems to me a no brainer, you buy a ticket to a park, you need to pick where your going) nothing else is required for trip to Disney. No one says you HAVE to use Genie ++, Lightening Lanes, make early dining reservations, or make appointments to build droids or any other activity. You want to have a spontaneous trip just doing whatever you feel like as it happens, go for it, no one is stopping you. I however like to micro manage my trip to wring out every minute of the day. We are going to be up at 6:45 with 4 phones out ready to snag LL and Genie plus selections. We were setting alarms 60 days out to get dining reservations (back in the FP days when selections opened day of at midnight, we were setting alarms then to make selections.) We don't mind snagging Genie + after Genie plus, logging in for the next available stacking as many as we can. Thats how we like to tour the parks. We like having the options to manage our trip that way, and don't think Disney should limit our planning/managing ability just because you and some families don't like it. You do Disney your way, we will do it ours. Disney right now is giving you more options, whether you use them or not is completely up to you.

Whether you can afford them or not. FIFY

 

[JD80]

Because they are both vacations and back in the early 2000's thats EXACTLY how a trip to WDW was...

Why stop at 20 years ago, why not compare vacations your parents had 50 years ago?

 

[pdude81]

Honestly i truly wish they went to a basic "full standby" with limited skip the line access to once and for all settle this debate about lines and what FP does to them... YES i did watch the Defunctland doc on it. When there is not enough capacity lines are not going to be greatly reduced imo and ill stand by that statement. Will lines be "less" possibly but when a line goes from say 80 minutes to 60 minutes yes its "25%' less but still an hour wait and doesnt solve the problem when you had a system in place that literally allowed you to ride many if not all attractions with no wait. Valid point on guest satisfaction lol

Until Genie+ was available this is more or less how it was. However, there were still a lot of people in the FP queue from DAS. I imagine with free fastpass there were a lot of people who just used that system to get by who would have qualified for DAS but just didn't use it. Others may have been dishonest after they got used to a line skip system and suddenly had to wait outside in the summer sun. But there were times when you'd see crowds streaming by the ramp on Soarin while the standby queue was locked up.

Now I believe they need to have a line skip system anyway, and obviously at this point it's going to be fee based.

1. Newer ride queues were designed for fastpass and there isn't enough space to put all the people who'd want to be on a standby line.
2. They have to have a skip system anyway for those who are unable to wait in line (DAS), so they would still need the LL queues to exist. This removes the potential solution to #1 of combining queues where possible.
3. If they need the physical and digital infrastructure to manage any line skip system, they may as well have a paid version at the same time to bring in revenue.