Magic Kindom news

[FLcastmember]

I am a frointierland CM wth some news (sorry nothing major these days at the kingdom)

-Since FP, it has been hard for disney to keep its stand-by wait times correct, due to the fact that you never know just how many FP people are going to come in at a given time. The old way, and still done at non FP rides, its for the greater CM to simply look at the line, see where it is backed up to, then post it on the moveable wait time sign at the entrance tho the ride. At FP rides, it can only be done from a computer, by managers or coordinaters. This leads to the same 45 MIN time on the sign for hours at a time. Or during parades, when the stand-by line moves at lot faster due to lack of returng FP guest, but then gets longer as 20-30 min worth of FP rush to the return line all at once, insted of beng spaced out in 5 min gaps. ANYWAY now that you have the background....here is the news....

Disney has started to implement a new system that will make the wait times nearly 100% right. Its name is Flick (dont ask i dont know why) The hardware has been/is being installed at various rides all over WDW. (from what I hear DL too)

The way it works is a CM at the entrance scans a white blank card (on a Lanyard) by a special box. This starts a timer. The guest is given it and instructed to to give it to the CM at the load area. He/she then scans it again. The computer takes the info and can either send a text page to the duty manager in that area with the wait time OR it can automatically update the clock. Every 10 Min, a guest will be asked to do this. All CM in FL have been trained on this and we have tested it out a couple of times at BTM. Still has some bugs to be worked out. (no Flick pun intended)

 

[FLcastmember]

other news

In other FL news, the very confusing and congested spash mountain entrance/ FP distribution area/ WDW RR entrance, will be getting a facelift. Similare to the well themed entrance to BTMRR, it will try to make that area less confusing for the first time guest.
The Stand-By line can be hard to find, even more so at night, and the WDW RR entrance is even harder. Disney hopes that a new sign package/ lighting and maybe even a slight redisign of that erea might help. Look for it mid-December 02. AS ALWAYS, VERY SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

 

[RandeB]

Just back from a 4 day visit. Did find the wait times much less accurate than ever. 10 minute waits that were more like 30. Usually you would have shorter waits than what was posted.

And, as the designated WDW expert, I too had trouble finding the standby line for Splash Mt at night (we usually do FP but tried standby right before closing). Had to actually ask for help at the MK (hadn't needed to do that since the 70s!)

 

[FLcastmember]

The smokestakes on BTMRR will being coming back MAYBE during its next rehab...originally scheduled for jan 03, but it has been moved back to fall 03. THIS DATE IS VERY UNCONFIRMED!!! its so unconfirmed i should not have even said it BUT it diffently will happen. They CBJ will be going done for its anuall holiday show rehab sometime before thanksgiving for 4 days. The exact days are unconfirmed yet, but I will pass it on as soon as I know.
BTW CBJ has beenreceving much higher then average attendence since the movie came out, in fact in saturdays, it will fill up for every show between 11-4 leaving 20-25 wait times. Wile this show doesnt open till 10...i has been remaining open till park close or 9pm (witchever comes first) and it has been fetured during MNSSHP, E-RIDE, and will be open for for MVMCP (like always)

 

[General Grizz]

Thanks for the information. Do you work at the CBJ?

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Do we really need wait times timed to the exact second ? I find that as long as the actual wait is less than the posted wait I'm happy. I can either choose to ride or I use FP.

 

[MKCustodial]

Originally posted by CAPTAIN HOOK
Do we really need wait times timed to the exact second ? I find that as long as the actual wait is less than the posted wait I'm happy. I can either choose to ride or I use FP.

I don't know if they need to be EXACTLY right, but it's always nice to see that little sign. And since I still haven't been to WDW as a Fastpass-using Guest, I don't know if I'll "join" the system. SO the signs are useful to Guests who want to decide where to go first, Big Thunder or Splash.

 

[RandeB]

Originally posted by CAPTAIN HOOK
Do we really need wait times timed to the exact second ? I find that as long as the actual wait is less than the posted wait I'm happy.

Several times last weekend the wait time was LONGER than the posted time without any problems on the ride. That's what a more accurate system would be good for. I don't think anyone has a problem with a shorter than expected wait. A 30 minute wait that was promised to be 10 feels much longer than a 30 minute wait that was estimated to be 45.

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by FLcastmember
The way it works is a CM at the entrance scans a white blank card (on a Lanyard) by a special box. This starts a timer. The guest is given it and instructed to to give it to the CM at the load area. He/she then scans it again. The computer takes the info and can either send a text page to the duty manager in that area with the wait time OR it can automatically update the clock. Every 10 Min, a guest will be asked to do this. All CM in FL have been trained on this and we have tested it out a couple of times at BTM. Still has some bugs to be worked out. (no Flick pun intended)

Prior to fastpass, it must have been relatively easy to determine the wait time of an attraction simply by knowing how long it takes a person to enter the attraction if the end of the line is at a certain point in the queue. The line always moved at a given steady pace. Fastpass has made the movement of the standby line inconsistent resulting in inaccurate wait times.

My experience this past summer was the opposite of some members. I found the wait times of the standby lines to be much shorter than what was reflected on the clock in many cases.

I'm glad they're doing this cuz I prefer to have accurate wait times so I can determine whether or not to get a fastpass for the attraction and move on to something else in the meantime.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

I can vouch for this...because I was there and the sign stated a 30 minute wait for BTMR and it took nearly an hour...when we got off of the ride, the sign stated 60 minutes. (Granted it was accurate THEN...but definitely NOT when I went IN the line...if I had seen a 60 minute wait...I would not have entered in the first place.

 

[Becky]

I use FP. But I use it as a defensive tool.
The only reason I use it is that it makes the standby lines long and posted wait times inaccurate.


Prior to FP I had never waited nearly as long as the posted wait times. Usually the actual wait was from 10-30 minutes less than the posted time. I think that was done on purpose so that a 30 minute wait seemed short and made you happy because the posted time was 45-60 minutes.



Since FP my waits in a standby line have never been less than the posted time and are usually quite a bit longer.

If you ride 2-3 things a day FP is great. If you ride just about everything your total wait at the end of the day was much less prior to FP.:animwink:

Wow, Flick! What a waist of money that could be used on rehabs. What was wrong with the old system of a CM writting the time on a slip of paper and handing it to you and then you gave it to the CM who was at the load point? Why do they always have to take something that works, throw money at it and end up making it worse?

 

[Becky]

OK, who changed the spelling of my waste to waist?

 

[MrNonacho]

I saw the Flick system being used at ToT and Maelstrom on Saturday. Unfortunately, the wait times were still quite a bit off. As FLcastmember said, standby wait times can grow or shrink drastically in a very short period of time, so even with this system it's going to be difficult (if not impossible) to accurately predict wait times. Hopefully this system will help, even if it's just a little bit.

As for the BTMR rehab, why do they have to wait for it to replace the smokestacks? Couldn't the repairs/replacements be done overnight? I would think that if they could take them off that quickly they could do the opposite just as fast. The trains look kind of silly as they are right now, and it bugs me that they may remain that way for about another year.

 

[figmentmom]

I'm glad they're aware of the Splash Mountain traffic jam at night ...last time I was there (in August), it was so dark that I had a great deal of trouble deciding which was the Fastpass entrance, and which was the Standby entrance...and me a Disney veteran! Was I embarassed!:lol:

And speaking of dark, I thought the whole Magic Kingdom was much darker than usual! I can see why the lights are dimmed during parade times, but I found myself having difficulty seeing after dark in general.

 

[hockeymom]

thanks for posting that info, it'll be nice to have some accurate waiting times posted.

 

[Moustronaut]

Oh so that's what that card was I got at Test Track.

On my trip on October 21, the cast member at the single rider entry gave me one as I went in. He told me that it would measure exactly how long it took me to get through the line. Thought it was strange that they'd be interested in the wait times for the single rider line...

 

[Scar Junior]

Re: Re: Magic Kindom news

Originally posted by Tramp
Prior to fastpass, it must have been relatively easy to determine the wait time of an attraction simply by knowing how long it takes a person to enter the attraction if the end of the line is at a certain point in the queue.

Unless of course there are tons of fat people in the line... cuz fat people take up more space. :lol: jk.

But seriously folks... I think this is awesome. Just another example of how Disney is more than just good rides. It's part of the entire experience.

Thanks for posting this info to us!

I may get to deal with this next spring cuz with my extensive acting background I was told I may end up in attractions.

 

[FLcastmember]

to all the people out there that think FLICK will be a waste of money...this system represents the inovative spirt of Walt that is being drained out of the parks, I say let universal have there hand writen wait time cards, we will do it the disney way. In an area of disney spending very little, this might be a small step in the right direction.

BTW...imaginering is working on a system even better then FLICK....dont have any details yet, but UCF is helping.

And no, i work at Splash and BTM only...but would like to train at eather Bears or TSI

 

[FLcastmember]

As for the BTMRR rehab, why do they have to wait for it to replace the smokestacks? Couldn't the repairs/replacements be done overnight? I would think that if they could take them off that quickly they could do the opposite just as fast. The trains look kind of silly as they are right now, and it bugs me that they may remain that way for about another year.


.......dont know but i can tell you this BTMRR has 6 trains...only 5 can run at a time. The "6th" train is the one down for rehab....when they removed the stakes, the train in rehab still had it on until the right before it was coming back, then it was removed....the next train to go down had it already off BUT it was put back on in the maintance area for about a weak, then removed.....dont know what this all means

 

[FLcastmember]

The CBJ will be down for seasonal rehab (holiday show) Sunday nov24th-wed27th...reopen turkeyday....this has NOT yet been confirmed by a realible sourse.....more info to come........