Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Sirwalterraleigh]

My kids are up at 6am. I don't get to the parks at 7 because I feel like I must, I get to the parks at 7 because I might as well.

To stand around? You’ll show them

Two words: Mickey waffles

 

[Purduevian]

I think the simple answer is Disney simply does not have the capacity to handle current rides. I know thats an over simplification of it but sometimes thats the best and most accurate answer….

Failure is tough but ill use this example using your scenario. Can you imagine selling an express pass saying you can save half the posted wait and still
Have to wait 1.5 hours for Rise or an hour for any other headliner attraction during busy times. Cant see people happy with that. They have Plaid service already which granted is aton more expensive which i feel they dont want to give another “cheaper” option just my thoughts and i think thats why they been adding to that work force bc people are paying those silly prices…

I can imagine... that's how it works at other theme parks.

Last time I was at Cedar point the standby for steel vengence was 2.5 hours. The Fastelane was at 1 hour

I had express pass for USO on a holiday weekend. Still waited ~40 mins for spiderman and ~30 for Hulk. Standby were both over an hour and a half.

USO also smartly doesn't let you use it on the new high demand rides (hargrids and velocicoaster). So even with paying a ton for express pass the wait for those 2 rides is not shortened at all. Disney could easily do that same (or keep ILL) for Guardians and Rise

 

[ChrisM]

They have Plaid service already which granted is aton more expensive which i feel they dont want to give another “cheaper” option just my thoughts and i think thats why they been adding to that work force bc people are paying those silly prices…

The "plaid service" VIP tour offering is a conundrum to me.

@disneyglimpses has mentioned several times that Disney is reluctant to eat into this profitable market by offering a "cheaper" option. But I don't see how they couldn't easily make even more by adding a separate, "cheaper" fast access offering.

Anecdotally, I've heard many, many times that VIP tours have sold out and can be difficult to schedule. That means money is being left on the table. And speaking for myself, the price of a VIP tour isn't what has stopped me from booking one - it's simply that I have no interest in having a "minder" during my visit. I want to experience the parks with my family and not a guide. All I want is a less scheduled and annoying/frustrating means of doing so, and it seems to me there is a pretty large untapped market that wants the same.

 

[GhostHost1000]

We think Disney is smart by not changing ILLs back to the way they were originally but really it’s probably they just didn’t want to risk IT deploying a change in something that breaks something else

I guess that would be smart too tho so well done Disney regardless lol

 

[DisneyDebRob]

My kids are up at 6am. I don't get to the parks at 7 because I feel like I must, I get to the parks at 7 because I might as well.

Boy do i do Disney wrong. Im still on cloud 9 at 6am. No chance ever to make it to the parks by 7. Another thing i hate that was changed is the extra evening hours. I was much more suited to that.

 

[dreday3]

Boy do i do Disney wrong. Im still on cloud 9 at 6am. No chance ever to make it to the parks by 7. Another thing i hate that was changed is the extra evening hours. I was much more suited to that.

I'm technically up at 7am, but that means drinking coffee on the bed or balcony, in my pjs, trying to shake off the morning fog and figure out where I am.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Here is TrillData for DHS yesterday

SDD is hardest to get, then actually ToT (though obviously impacted by one elevator running) and then Falcon and then actually RnRC and then MMRR for next hardest

So MMRR isn't really too bad and honestly any of them you could get with your 2nd after getting SDD first if you wanted

Bigger challenge is at Epcot



View attachment 657586

…ahhh…a “wise sage” from the “other” place cometh…

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Boy do i do Disney wrong. Im still on cloud 9 at 6am. No chance ever to make it to the parks by 7. Another thing i hate that was changed is the extra evening hours. I was much more suited to that.

You mean you have the audacity to treat it like leisure?

 

[LittleBuford]

You mean you have the audacity to treat it like leisure?

You’re equating relaxation with enjoyment. When I go to Disney, I burn the candle at both ends because it’s what I enjoy doing there. In real life, I hate mornings and struggle to wake up, but at Disney, it’s go, go, go from early till late for me. I don’t criticise those who take a different approach. What business is it of mine if others choose to rope drop or not?

 

[Andrew M]

My kids are up at 6am. I don't get to the parks at 7 because I feel like I must, I get to the parks at 7 because I might as well.

Ugh, I'm jealous. We're all night owls, however since I have to be up at 7 to make reservations it would be nice if they were up too so we could rope drop. Instead it usually ends up with me walking around for the next hour or two waiting for everyone else to wake up. However we definitely take full advantage of the Deluxe Resort EMH, so I guess that's a plus.

 

[crazy4disney]

The "plaid service" VIP tour offering is a conundrum to me.

@disneyglimpses has mentioned several times that Disney is reluctant to eat into this profitable market by offering a "cheaper" option. But I don't see how they couldn't easily make even more by adding a separate, "cheaper" fast access offering.

Anecdotally, I've heard many, many times that VIP tours have sold out and can be difficult to schedule. That means money is being left on the table. And speaking for myself, the price of a VIP tour isn't what has stopped me from booking one - it's simply that I have no interest in having a "minder" during my visit. I want to experience the parks with my family and not a guide. All I want is a less scheduled and annoying/frustrating means of doing so, and it seems to me there is a pretty large untapped market that wants the same.

If money is not an issue 1st God bless lol but seriously from people i know who have used it.... they basically just told the guides what they wanted to ride and went from there so yes you have a "minder" but from people i know that i work with who have used the service they didnt feel like that at all... being on FP/Genie/DAS lines behind or in front of them & yes they definitely seem to love to chat you up etc but ive also seen then basically take a back seat as well...

 

[DisneyDebRob]

You’re equating relaxation with enjoyment. When I go to Disney, I burn the candle at both ends because it’s what I enjoy doing there. In real life, I hate mornings and struggle to wake up, but at Disney, it’s go, go, go from early till late for me. I don’t criticise those who take a different approach. What business is it of mine if others choose to rope drop or not?

I dont think he was criticizing anyone for how they do Disney. I think it was a funny haha post directed at me. Of course some do Disney from morning to night as others roll out of their room at 9 or 10 and enjoy Disney other ways.

 

[LittleBuford]

I dont think he was criticizing anyone for how they do Disney. I think it was a funny haha post directed at me. Of course some do Disney from morning to night as others roll out of their room at 9 or 10 and enjoy Disney other ways.

I’ve been reading his responses to @CaptainAmerica, and they seemed pretty critical, but perhaps I misunderstood his tone, in which case I apologise.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You’re equating relaxation with enjoyment. When I go to Disney, I burn the candle at both ends because it’s what I enjoy doing there. In real life, I hate mornings and struggle to wake up, but at Disney, it’s go, go, go from early till late for me. I don’t criticise those who take a different approach. What business is it of mine if others choose to rope drop or not?

Yes…I’m equating relaxation with leisure…and fun. And I might even have the gall to say being not on an app all day might lead you to the good stuff too.

I’m crazy

But for the 1000% time: there is no “personal choice” in wdw. What you or I do is part of an elaborate matrix that leads to the next thing. Not only what we tolerate, but what we pay. The biggest myth in the history of forums. You can’t think you’re alone in your thoughts when it’s built for masses and direction. And they are/were.

Don’t be mad, bro

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I dont think he was criticizing anyone for how they do Disney. I think it was a funny haha post directed at me. Of course some do Disney from morning to night as others roll out of their room at 9 or 10 and enjoy Disney other ways.

You’re correct

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’ve been reading his responses to @CaptainAmerica, and they seemed pretty critical, but perhaps I misunderstood his tone, in which case I apologise.

Specific to him…cause I love him so.

I understand the rope drop and park pound urge…it ain’t cheap there.

But I also understand what it does on management “philosophy”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Ugh, I'm jealous. We're all night owls, however since I have to be up at 7 to make reservations it would be nice if they were up too so we could rope drop. Instead it usually ends up with me walking around for the next hour or two waiting for everyone else to wake up. However we definitely take full advantage of the Deluxe Resort EMH, so I guess that's a plus.

I found the nights to be useful. The mornings less so.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The "plaid service" VIP tour offering is a conundrum to me.

@disneyglimpses has mentioned several times that Disney is reluctant to eat into this profitable market by offering a "cheaper" option. But I don't see how they couldn't easily make even more by adding a separate, "cheaper" fast access offering.

Anecdotally, I've heard many, many times that VIP tours have sold out and can be difficult to schedule. That means money is being left on the table. And speaking for myself, the price of a VIP tour isn't what has stopped me from booking one - it's simply that I have no interest in having a "minder" during my visit. I want to experience the parks with my family and not a guide. All I want is a less scheduled and annoying/frustrating means of doing so, and it seems to me there is a pretty large untapped market that wants the same.

It’s most likely the logistics don’t work…

Every idea/suggestion runs into the same thing: they simply don’t have the hourly/daily capacity to fit the total people in the park. Iger didn’t build for growth…which is awful predecessor did…and you can’t put more “tiers” in to combat math.

It’s like a game of musical chairs. There aren’t enough chairs to maintain the illusions anymore.

You can’t tap a market that screws the rest and causes loss.

 

[LittleBuford]

Yes…I’m equating relaxation with leisure…and fun. And I might even have the gall to say being not on an app all day might lead you to the good stuff too.

I’m crazy

But for the 1000% time: there is no “personal choice” in wdw. What you or I do is part of an elaborate matrix that leads to the next thing. Not only what we tolerate, but what we pay. The biggest myth in the history of forums. You can’t think you’re alone in your thoughts when it’s built for masses and direction. And they are/were.

Don’t be mad, bro

You’re correct

“You’re correct” to @DisneyDebRob implies that you were indeed joking, whereas your reply to me amounts to a diatribe berating me for daring to do Disney my way. Little did I know that my decision to rope drop had such dire consequences for everyone else! How utterly selfish of me not to slow down more for the common good of my fellow guests!

This forum never ceases to amaze me.

 

[ChrisM]

It’s most likely the logistics don’t work…

Every idea/suggestion runs into the same thing: they simply don’t have the hourly/daily capacity to fit the total people in the park. Iger didn’t build for growth…which is awful predecessor did…and you can’t put more “tiers” in to combat math.

It’s like a game of musical chairs. There aren’t enough chairs to maintain the illusions anymore.

You can’t tap a market that screws the rest and causes loss.

Hence my advocacy for everything being demand priced ILL.

Capacity constraints appear to be an unresolvable problem for the foreseeable future. You have a relatively known quantity for FP/LL-style access throughput. Price said access based on demand and you've solved that problem.