News Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Standby Line and Boarding Groups at Disney's Hollywood Studios

[WDWTrojan]

So if the CMs were told at 7:15 when the decision was made to open the boarding groups, they should have been on the PA system making announcements and running around changing the signs? How would that seem like less of a lie to you?

They should make a plan and stick to it. There is no excuse for opening boarding groups early when they had been communicating to everyone, both remotely and in person, they would open at 8AM. You can't play fairly if you're going to move the goal posts during the game.

 

[raven]

So if the CMs were told at 7:15 when the decision was made to open the boarding groups, they should have been on the PA system making announcements and running around changing the signs? How would that seem like less of a lie to you?

Updating pertinent information as soon as it changes isn’t lying.

 

[networkpro]

What. They put out so

Yes, but they don't close the line at 8:30am and tell arriving guests the ride is done for the day. You can still get in a long line afterwards so the analogy doesn't apply. Now, if they opened the actual line for RotR at 8:30 and then let guests in at 9 it would be accurate.

Signs are posted inside and outside the park when boarding parties are filled for the day.

 

[DisneyJoe]

So you stick to published information and don't change it randomly literally right before it was scheduled to happen.

I'd imagine that some EMH guests that were IN the park didn't even get to check in, because they probably didn't even think to open the app until 8:00 - AKA the time Disney TOLD them. Oops! All the passes were gone by 7:40!

Have you ever had a job in Operations? Last minute changes aren't usually made just for the heck of it.

 

[el_super]

Once again we are lowering the bar for Disney to Otter in Animal House: “You f$&@d up, you trusted us.”

Operating hours vary by season and from park to park. Hours are subject to change and may do so at any time without notice.

It's posted on their website, at the main gates and on any printed ticket media. The only crime here really, is that they didn't include this with their answer on Twitter. Cast Members shouldn't really be faulted for trying to be helpful, even though the information they provide can change at a moment's notice.

 

[raven]

Have you ever had a job in Operations? Last minute changes aren't usually made just for the heck of it.

Unless the company is desperate to create hype for a new attraction to use as news.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Have you ever had a job in Operations? Last minute changes aren't usually made just for the heck of it.

Yes I have, as well as guest services, and generally last minute changes that aren't communicated that could potentially screw over tons of your paying guests should be avoided.

What reason could they have for opening up the check ins before the posted time?

 

[el_super]

What reason could they have for opening up the check ins before the posted time?

That the check-ins had already reached capacity prior to the posted time, and letting people wait around with a 0% chance of getting a boarding group was disingenuous and discourteous.

 

[RobWDW1971]

Operating hours vary by season and from park to park. Hours are subject to change and may do so at any time without notice.

Not quite sure anybody here is disputing whether they have a legal right to do so or don't have the proper fine print to avoid liability. We are talking about simply getting basic operational information the night before about the attraction the entire resort is focused on so people can plan their day. But hey, everything is subject to change without notice, so.....

 

[drizgirl]

It was the truth at the time it was published.

You don't know that.

 

[DisneyJoe]

You don't know that.

You don't know it's not

 

[raven]

That the check-ins had already reached capacity prior to the posted time, and letting people wait around with a 0% chance of getting a boarding group was disingenuous and discourteous.

That doesn’t answer the question. Why couldn’t they do this AFTER the park was open, at the posted opening time, to regular guests?

 

[mikejs78]

Most guests have no chance of riding it right now. Open it up to everyone and level the playing field.

It's funny, two days ago everyone was praising the virtual queue system. I don't think it's the system that's the problem per se, in fact from a guest point of view I would much rather be able to go ride a bunch of other rides while waiting 8 hours instead of waiting in an 8 hour line. I think the virtual queue system, if executed properly, is a real benefit to guests.

What I do think is a major problem is Disney changing the rules after telling people what time they can check in. Guests should be able to rely on the information they're given the night before. They tell their guests one thing, and then do something completely different the next day. I could see that happening once or even twice due to unforeseen circumstances, but now we're on day four and every day it's been different and different from what has been stated.

So keep the virtual queue system, but be upfront with how it will work, and stick to the plan.

 

[drizgirl]

You don't know it's not

Yep. Neither of us knows. That's sort of my point.

 

[Tom Morrow]

If I had to guess, it's that Disney for whatever reason didn't account for EMH and tons of already in-park people checking in at the same time. Perhaps they were worried this would crash the system and decided to discretely open it early instead. Morning EMH seems to throw such a wrench in this virtual queue system that it seems like they should probably cancel DHS morning EMH for the near future.

 

[drizgirl]

If I had to guess, it's that Disney for whatever reason didn't account for EMH and tons of already in-park people checking in at the same time. Perhaps they were worried this would crash the system and decided to discretely open it early instead. Morning EMH seems to throw such a wrench in this virtual queue system that it seems like they should probably cancel DHS morning EMH for the near future.

I think Disney knows the limits of their system and has known all along that it might be too much. So they're playing a shell game to keep too many people from checking at exactly the same time.

 

[Gabe1]

Doing the exact opposite of opening the virtual queue at official opening as advertised all day yesterday by Disney Social Media Official sites had guests livid that slots were completely full before opening. Bad PR moment. Why would they do this to themselves purposely?

Feel badly for Cast. No explanations to offer.

 

[MisterPenguin]

First-come-first-serve has issues:

1. Where do you put the thousands of people showing up earlier and earlier to beat out one another? What if that crowd is keeping the gondola from being unloaded? If you hold them in the park... what do you do with several thousand people in the park and not open any attractions for them? You open early... oops.. no, that would mean not opening at the time as advertised, and that would by lying. And guests would just show up even earlier the next day.​

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2. 8-10 hour lines are fun to boast about, but they're a nightmare for guests... and for ops as they now have to manage that huge herd. Bathroom breaks, line-cutting and the ensuing fights, the need to get food and water to them so as not to have them pass out (for some folk).​

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3. You're basically saying, "Hey kids, this ain't for you. It's for the adult nerds who can set up a base camp for eight hours." One may not like the part of the mantra "more family friendly"... but that is a significant part of Disney's bread and butter. So, this system excludes families with kids. "First to the gate" is fair... for people hardy enough to endure it.​

I still think a lottery is the way to go...

I would think a lottery system in which every day you can put your group in for a chance "to board" seven days later with a portion set aside for resort guests that can put in for the lottery two days advance. If you "win" you receive a time to show up. Winners blacked out from winning again for a month.

Resort guest have access to the seven day and two day lotteries. Locals have access to the seven day lottery year round.

Not totally perfect, but very fair.

No problem of gate rushers trying to beat everyone else so they can ride. No promises to be broken about opening time. No need to open early unexpectedly. No system of "to the hardy go the spoils."

 

[raven]

It's funny, two days ago everyone was praising the virtual queue system. I don't think it's the system that's the problem per se, in fact from a guest point of view I would much rather be able to go ride a bunch of other rides while waiting 8 hours instead of waiting in an 8 hour line. I think the virtual queue system, if executed properly, is a real benefit to guests.

What I do think is a major problem is Disney changing the rules after telling people what time they can check in. Guests should be able to rely on the information they're given the night before. They tell their guests one thing, and then do something completely different the next day. I could see that happening once or even twice due to unforeseen circumstances, but now we're on day four and every day it's been different and different from what has been stated.

So keep the virtual queue system, but be upfront with how it will work, and stick to the plan.

This exact situation happened to me at Best Buy on Black Friday about 10 years ago. We waiting in a line outside the building for 8 hours in 25° weather only for them to allow guests just walking up to be let in the doors along side of us. Their operation was posted for 2 days yet at the last moment they decided to just let anyone in, regardless of waiting in a line or not.

But guests should expect to wait in a long line for this attraction on opening weekend. They are coming to the park for that very reason. Virtual queues don’t work well with new attractions.

 

[WDWTrojan]

That the check-ins had already reached capacity prior to the posted time, and letting people wait around with a 0% chance of getting a boarding group was disingenuous and discourteous.

what? they communicated 8am start to check-ins to everyone but opened it early without warning. that’s just unfair.