I got a chance to study SM's new queue configuration. Although it is complicated to look at, it is quite brilliant and gives CM's a lot of options, depending on crowd size.
As before, Standby enters the final queue room on the left, Fastpass on the right. But instead of splitting at the entrance, the two lines now head straight past the Control Tower to the back of the room. Here, the Splitter CM has a lot of options, including sending riders in FRONT of the back walls, or BEHIND the back walls (a new queue option added during this refurb). I'll explain how those are used in a moment.
As always, there are series of switchbacks to the left and right of the Control Tower. But unlike before, the switchbacks are now divided into two separate "corrals".
The "main corral" extends about 2/3rd of the way between the Tower and the far left or or far right wall.
The final 1/3rd of that space (closest to the far right or far left walls) is what I'll call the "far corral".
The "far corral" is subdivided into to two short lines. One feeds the front train boarding area. On busy days, it also feeds the rear train boarding area (remember, SM can load two trains simultaneously on each track).
The rear train boarding area looks like it accommodates wheelchairs (so even on a slow day, the rear train boarding area might be used to give a wheelchair user extra time to board as the front train is being loaded).
Are you with me so far? Hold on. It's about to get complicated, because the Alpha and Omega sides have slightly different setups.
For simplicity, lets begin by pretending you're a Standby rider. You enter the room and walk past the Control Tower to the back of the room. The Splitter CM will route you BEHIND the back wall of Alpha (the left side), which leads you directly to the "far corral". Here, you'll be routed into the front train loading area (or, on a busy day, you'll also have the option to board the rear train.)
Notice how we bypassed the "main corral" switchbacks on the Alpha side? On a busy day, the Splitter CM at the back of the room can route the Standby line in FRONT of of the back wall into the "main corral". Those switchbacks end at the front train loading area (but not directly at the rear train loading area). With this setup, the Alpha side can also accommodate FastPass riders, who would be routed BEHIND Alpha's wall directly into the "far corral" and the rear boarding area.
It also appears possible that Standby riders can enter Alpha's "main corral" closer to the entrance of the room (so instead of walking past the Control Tower to the back of the room, Standby riders would be immediately routed to their left into Alpha's switchbacks first). When the Standby gets closer to the back of the room, the Splitter CM could send half the group into the final leg of the "main corral" in FRONT of the back wall, which leads to the front train loading area. The other half could go BEHIND the back wall, and head to the "far corral" and use the rear train boarding area.
Still with me? Hold on! Because although the Omega side has the same general setup, the "main corral" is a bit smaller, and it does not directly link up to the front train boarding area (as it does on Alpha)
It appears Fastpass riders will typically stay to the right of the Control Tower and head straight to the back wall. On a slow day, the Splitter CM will likely route you to the FRONT of Omega's wall, which leads directly to the "far corral", and into the front train boarding area. (On a busier day, you could also access the rear train boarding area this way).
Another option on a busy day is for the Splitter CM to send half of the Fastpass riders BEHIND Omega's wall, which also leads to the "far corral". But it appears more likely that only wheelchairs will ever be sent BEHIND Omega's wall (or, if Alpha were to ever break down and go 101, the Standby line could take that path, too, just as Omega going 101 would require Fastpass users to walk behind Alpha's wall. Get it?)
That leaves the biggest mystery of this queue design. Omega has a "main corral" (with fewer switchbacks than Alpha). Unlike Alpha, it does not directly link up to the train boarding area. It appears to be simply extra capacity on the Omega side that does not lead anywhere (Technically, there is a gate on the Omega "main corral" switchbacks that opens towards the train boarding area. But riders would have to cross a huge area of unused floor space to get there. It does not look as if it were meant for boarding.)
It's possible that on an extremely busy day, the Fastpass Return line could be routed through those extra switchbacks in the Omega "main corral". However, the line could just as easily be allowed to back up into the Star Tunnel (And if the Fastpass line were ever so long that it backed up to the main entrance, that's a very bad day at Disney!) Also, it does not seem possible that the Omega switchbacks could be used by Standby riders, since they would criss-cross with Fastpass. And if Alpha were to ever break down, Standby riders could still use the Alpha queue before merging with Fastpass riders at the back of Omega. Any ideas on the purpose of Omega's "main corral" ???
As before, Standby enters the final queue room on the left, Fastpass on the right. But instead of splitting at the entrance, the two lines now head straight past the Control Tower to the back of the room. Here, the Splitter CM has a lot of options, including sending riders in FRONT of the back walls, or BEHIND the back walls (a new queue option added during this refurb). I'll explain how those are used in a moment.
As always, there are series of switchbacks to the left and right of the Control Tower. But unlike before, the switchbacks are now divided into two separate "corrals".
The "main corral" extends about 2/3rd of the way between the Tower and the far left or or far right wall.
The final 1/3rd of that space (closest to the far right or far left walls) is what I'll call the "far corral".
The "far corral" is subdivided into to two short lines. One feeds the front train boarding area. On busy days, it also feeds the rear train boarding area (remember, SM can load two trains simultaneously on each track).
The rear train boarding area looks like it accommodates wheelchairs (so even on a slow day, the rear train boarding area might be used to give a wheelchair user extra time to board as the front train is being loaded).
Are you with me so far? Hold on. It's about to get complicated, because the Alpha and Omega sides have slightly different setups.
For simplicity, lets begin by pretending you're a Standby rider. You enter the room and walk past the Control Tower to the back of the room. The Splitter CM will route you BEHIND the back wall of Alpha (the left side), which leads you directly to the "far corral". Here, you'll be routed into the front train loading area (or, on a busy day, you'll also have the option to board the rear train.)
Notice how we bypassed the "main corral" switchbacks on the Alpha side? On a busy day, the Splitter CM at the back of the room can route the Standby line in FRONT of of the back wall into the "main corral". Those switchbacks end at the front train loading area (but not directly at the rear train loading area). With this setup, the Alpha side can also accommodate FastPass riders, who would be routed BEHIND Alpha's wall directly into the "far corral" and the rear boarding area.
It also appears possible that Standby riders can enter Alpha's "main corral" closer to the entrance of the room (so instead of walking past the Control Tower to the back of the room, Standby riders would be immediately routed to their left into Alpha's switchbacks first). When the Standby gets closer to the back of the room, the Splitter CM could send half the group into the final leg of the "main corral" in FRONT of the back wall, which leads to the front train loading area. The other half could go BEHIND the back wall, and head to the "far corral" and use the rear train boarding area.
Still with me? Hold on! Because although the Omega side has the same general setup, the "main corral" is a bit smaller, and it does not directly link up to the front train boarding area (as it does on Alpha)
It appears Fastpass riders will typically stay to the right of the Control Tower and head straight to the back wall. On a slow day, the Splitter CM will likely route you to the FRONT of Omega's wall, which leads directly to the "far corral", and into the front train boarding area. (On a busier day, you could also access the rear train boarding area this way).
Another option on a busy day is for the Splitter CM to send half of the Fastpass riders BEHIND Omega's wall, which also leads to the "far corral". But it appears more likely that only wheelchairs will ever be sent BEHIND Omega's wall (or, if Alpha were to ever break down and go 101, the Standby line could take that path, too, just as Omega going 101 would require Fastpass users to walk behind Alpha's wall. Get it?)
That leaves the biggest mystery of this queue design. Omega has a "main corral" (with fewer switchbacks than Alpha). Unlike Alpha, it does not directly link up to the train boarding area. It appears to be simply extra capacity on the Omega side that does not lead anywhere (Technically, there is a gate on the Omega "main corral" switchbacks that opens towards the train boarding area. But riders would have to cross a huge area of unused floor space to get there. It does not look as if it were meant for boarding.)
It's possible that on an extremely busy day, the Fastpass Return line could be routed through those extra switchbacks in the Omega "main corral". However, the line could just as easily be allowed to back up into the Star Tunnel (And if the Fastpass line were ever so long that it backed up to the main entrance, that's a very bad day at Disney!) Also, it does not seem possible that the Omega switchbacks could be used by Standby riders, since they would criss-cross with Fastpass. And if Alpha were to ever break down, Standby riders could still use the Alpha queue before merging with Fastpass riders at the back of Omega. Any ideas on the purpose of Omega's "main corral" ???
