New Be Our Guest lunch line procedure (Test?)

[Thessair]

My take on this is slightly different. To me, WDW obviously does not want people standing in line for 60, 90 and 120 minutes etc., for one main reason: guest spending.

This, and Soarin', and wherever else they may be trying this, is all related to guests and their money. Why would Iger want guests standing in line for 1 to 2 hours for popular attractions when they could be out spending money in shops or a snack stand. And the more times that this occurs, the more it doesn't surprise me that these are popping up after MDE and FP+ has been implemented. Five hours in line for Anna and Elsa M&G? Silly! Why have them do that? You could hit several shops and have a high-priced meal in that time. Hell, you could even rent wave-racers in the lake and take a carriage ride at Fort Wilderness in that time. We now have these handy-dandy magic bands that help us spend in a more mindless fashion.

I can't argue that that is probably their thinking, but I imagine this will backfire spectacularly. The last thing I'd expect people will want to do is give Disney more money when they're refused the opportunity to line up for meals/attractions/whatever. It also doesn't help that virtually every store stocks the same merchandise. Having an extra hour or so to look in the stores doesn't matter when people have seen the same stuff time and again. I understand why they're doing this, but I don't think they've really thought it out all that well or that the folks pushing this are, in any way, aware of what it's like to be a regular person in the parks.

 

[mm52200]

I can't argue that that is probably their thinking, but I imagine this will backfire spectacularly. The last thing I'd expect people will want to do is give Disney more money when they're refused the opportunity to line up for meals/attractions/whatever. It also doesn't help that virtually every store stocks the same merchandise. Having an extra hour or so to look in the stores doesn't matter when people have seen the same stuff time and again. I understand why they're doing this, but I don't think they've really thought it out all that well or that the folks pushing this are, in any way, aware of what it's like to be a regular person in the parks.

Exactly, the manager I spoke to seemed clueless on why we would be upset about this. He was very happy about how you could just make a FP for it and that eventually it would all be reservations...

 

[WDF]

The line was open until 2 or 2:30 I believe. The restaurant was meeting demand and the whole process to wait and receive only took about 30 minutes at most from my experience which was well worth the higher quality of food. It was nice having the option to wait in a line for a higher quality quick service meal rather than make a reservation 6 months out.

And they haven't switched to all reservations. So what is the problem exactly? Go that day and pick up a card. Now people that may not have been physically able to stand in the sun can also enjoy the "higher quality" quick service.

All of these recent discussions about lines seem to imply that being able to stand in a line for hours is some virtue that is more worthy of being rewarded than other touring methods. "I know you other people got here in time to get a card (to see A&E...or eat at BOG...or whatever), BUT I AM WILLING TO STAND AROUND AND WAIT."

(And this is not directed at you personally.)

 

[Thessair]

And they haven't switched to all reservations. So what is the problem exactly? Go that day and pick up a card. Now people that may not have been physically able to stand in the sun can also enjoy the "higher quality" quick service.

All of these recent discussions about lines seem to imply that being able to stand in a line for hours is some virtue that is more worthy of being rewarded than other touring methods. "I know you other people got here in time to get a card (to see A&E...or eat at BOG...or whatever), BUT I AM WILLING TO STAND AROUND AND WAIT."

(And this is not directed at you personally.)

No offense, but this seems to assume that guests are adequately informed in advance that they need to go get these cards. Additionally, wasn't part of the purpose of the FP+ to eliminate having to rush across a park to get a piece of paper with a return time?

 

[disneydudette]

I don't understand...

If you're HUNGRY at 11:10... why would you "hold off" for an HOUR & FORTY minutes?!

If I walk up... and the waits 30mins... usually it's a quick "what do you want to do" discussion. Some will wait... some will move on... but we're all hungry and would like to eat!

I don't mind waiting for 30mins... but 100mins? What does this accomplish?

What if that return time is smack in the middle of your SDMT or A&E return window?

It's 11:30 right now... wait times in Fantasyland aren't 'horrible' (70+ for PP and SMDT though)... so you're expected to ride an attraction and browse a store?

So ridiculous Disney... the only place where you'll pay $75+ day to be told you can't stand in a line...

 

[WDF]

No offense, but this seems to assume that guests are adequately informed in advance that they need to go get these cards. Additionally, wasn't part of the purpose of the FP+ to eliminate having to rush across a park to get a piece of paper with a return time?

I am assuming that this information will be disseminated as required. How did people know they could stand in line?

 

[LapsedWDWFan]

I think this has more to do with traffic control than anything else. For Be our Guest or Frozen, when the line extends past the end of the physical queue, they are trying to avoid clogging the walkways.

So they give you a time to return when there is room for you in the physical queue. The trick is to distribute return times in such a way that it accommodates the same number of people as if they physically lined up. If return times run out, then that should mean that there are enough people "virtually standing in line" in front of you that the wait would be longer than operating hours and any physical line would be closed anyway. The only way to figure all of that out is to run real world tests.

 

[Tigger1988]

If people know currently that you need to line up at 11am (or earlier) to get in they'll quickly find out about the cards.

Not having to stand in line is something I'll never complain about.

 

[Thessair]

I am assuming that this information will be disseminated as required. How did people know they could stand in line?

People have generally been conditioned from childhood to stand in lines, not rush across parks to get return time cards for park experiences.

 

[mm52200]

And they haven't switched to all reservations. So what is the problem exactly? Go that day and pick up a card. Now people that may not have been physically able to stand in the sun can also enjoy the "higher quality" quick service.

All of these recent discussions about lines seem to imply that being able to stand in a line for hours is some virtue that is more worthy of being rewarded than other touring methods. "I know you other people got here in time to get a card (to see A&E...or eat at BOG...or whatever), BUT I AM WILLING TO STAND AROUND AND WAIT."

(And this is not directed at you personally.)

The plan the manager said was to switch to all reservations. We'll normally walk up around 11 or or 11:20 and wait in line and then eat lunch. However the other day we walked up at 11:20 and they gave us a return time for 12:50. Normally we would wait 20 or 30 minutes, no big deal, now we were basically having to wait an hour and a half to come in order to wait. I guess how I feel and some people feel is if I'm willing to wait in line right then, why shouldn't I be able to? I don't think people think they're better because they want to stand in line, they just want the option to be able to do that rather than be told they can't.

 

[mm52200]

I don't understand...

If you're HUNGRY at 11:10... why would you "hold off" for an HOUR & FORTY minutes?!

If I walk up... and the waits 30mins... usually it's a quick "what do you want to do" discussion. Some will wait... some will move on... but we're all hungry and would like to eat!

I don't mind waiting for 30mins... but 100mins? What does this accomplish?

What if that return time is smack in the middle of your SDMT or A&E return window?

It's 11:30 right now... wait times in Fantasyland aren't 'horrible' (70+ for PP and SMDT though)... so you're expected to ride an attraction and browse a store?

So ridiculous Disney... the only place where you'll pay $75+ day to be told you can't stand in a line...

THIS is is my point exactly. Hit the nail on the head. Thank you!

 

[WDF]

The plan the manager said was to switch to all reservations. We'll normally walk up around 11 or or 11:20 and wait in line and then eat lunch. However the other day we walked up at 11:20 and they gave us a return time for 12:50. Normally we would wait 20 or 30 minutes, no big deal, now we were basically having to wait an hour and a half to come in order to wait. I guess how I feel and some people feel is if I'm willing to wait in line right then, why shouldn't I be able to? I don't think people think they're better because they want to stand in line, they just want the option to be able to do that rather than be told they can't.

I guess there were just more people now willing to "virtually" be in line in front of you at 11:20.

It is what it is.

 

[danv3]

My take on this is slightly different. To me, WDW obviously does not want people standing in line for 60, 90 and 120 minutes etc., for one main reason: guest spending.

This, and Soarin', and wherever else they may be trying this, is all related to guests and their money. Why would Iger want guests standing in line for 1 to 2 hours for popular attractions when they could be out spending money in shops or a snack stand. And the more times that this occurs, the more it doesn't surprise me that these are popping up after MDE and FP+ has been implemented. Five hours in line for Anna and Elsa M&G? Silly! Why have them do that? You could hit several shops and have a high-priced meal in that time. Hell, you could even rent wave-racers in the lake and take a carriage ride at Fort Wilderness in that time. We now have these handy-dandy magic bands that help us spend in a more mindless fashion.

@WDW1974 speaks about up-charge events popping up everywhere to help offset the cost of MDE/FP+. This to me is another subtle way that TWDC is trying to get you to spend more money while on property. So far, I would say that guests hate it, and made it very clear during the Soarin' test. I will be curious to see how far they push this idea.

I think what we're seeing here is that MM+ is not generating increased guest spend like it was supposed to, so they're frantically rolling out additional incentives to get people to spend money which they can arguably tie back to MM+. The market is only going to accept "wait until next quarter" so long.

 

[ChevisMickey]

I will be there at the end of the month and received my email yesterday. My Fastpass+ reservations include my sister who lives in Orlando, and she is not included in our Be Our Guest lunch line passes. So, you can get a time as a guest at a resort, but anyone not staying with you will not be able to join unless they get the card. Our return time is 12:45 to 1:15, so now I'm wondering if she will even be able to get a similar return time with the card.

 

[Ausdaddy]

I don't think there's much doubt that this is a step toward all reservations. The fact that this is still not integrated into the main FP+ system is telling. It's temporary.

 

[disneydudette]

I don't think there's much doubt that this is a step toward all reservations...

I agree...

Its already been 'officially' hinted that Disney wants to incorporate more quick service 'experiences' into FP+/MDE... I could absolutely see BOG lunch going FP+ exclusive.

 

[rioriz]

So basically this is similar to giving you one of those clunky beepers to let you know when your table is ready; except now you are free to roam as far away from the restaurant as you want until it is time to be seated...

I agree it needs to go all reservation eventually

 

[John]

Here is my take on the whole thing. IMO the problem is there isn't enough CS restaurants and attractions to serve capacity. We have been over this a million times. The MM+ is an instrument not to make your experience so much better ( that's what they want you to believe) but to spread out capacity. The obvious answer is to build more attractions and CS restaurants in MK. What is amusing is that these "test" is just the old FP system. Could it possibly be that it was a better system? FP+? So now we have to use one of our three FP+ choices for a ADR? REDICULUS!

 

[Tigger1988]

Here is my take on the whole thing. IMO the problem is there isn't enough CS restaurants and attractions to serve capacity. We have been over this a million times. The MM+ is an instrument not to make your experience so much better ( that's what they want you to believe) but to spread out capacity. The obvious answer is to build more attractions and CS restaurants in MK. What is amusing is that these "test" is just the old FP system. Could it possibly be that it was a better system? FP+? So now we have to use one of our three FP+ choices for a ADR? REDICULUS!

The BOG Fastpass isn't 1 of your 3.

 

[John]

Its been also said....Ohhhhhh you don't like FP+, you don't have to use it...just wait in queue. But NO wait! We cant wait in a queue ( not that I would wait for anything over 45 minutes) either. SO if you don't get a advance FP+...its....so sorry....maybe next time. Is this customer service? You still think we are not being treated like sheeple? Here pay us thousands of dollars and wait your turn....go here....at this time....go there at this appointment. No appointment?....ahhhhh so sorry. Go wait in a kiosk line for your turn to make your next appointment. App is down on your phone....so sorry.....maybe next time. BS!