That crazy cast and their clocks

[Not For Sale]

How does the system for determining the ride time work? Is it accurate?

I know this should really be in the "Hopw do they do that?" board but I have a very slow connection and it would take a very long time to get there.

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by Not For Sale
How does the system for determining the ride time work? Is it accurate?

I know this should really be in the "Hopw do they do that?" board but I have a very slow connection and it would take a very long time to get there.

Well, they used to have a system where they'd give someone at the end of the line a little card or something, and note the time. Then when they got to the loading platform, they'd give it to a CM there and they'd enter the new time.

The difference was the CURRENT WAIT TIME and they'd radio or call it into the WAIT BOARD. Seems pretty primitive, but I really can't figure out any other way without surveilance cameras recognizing a face at the beginning and end of the line....which would cost WAY too much for a dumb wait system.

 

[1stStarIC2nite]

Well...


1. What are you talking about?!?!?!?!?!!?!?! lol
2. I love your gallery, I can't wait for Storm Runner!

 

[mkt]

cards are issued to guests as they enter the queue, and when they get to the loading area, they return the cards and the time it takes the guest to get from point A to point B is the wait time

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by mkt
cards are issued to guests as they enter the queue, and when they get to the loading area, they return the cards and the time it takes the guest to get from point A to point B is the wait time

Yeah, I took the long way to get to that description, haha!

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Before the cards were introduced, the method (at least at the attraction I worked) was to"check the queue." A Cast Member (usually the greeter) would take periodic eyeballs of how far back the queue area was filled. The queue area was broken down into several zones which were diagrammed on a sheet. Each zone represented 5 minutes of wait time, assuming the ride was operating at full capacity. If half the ride was down, then each zone represented 10 minutes. So if, for example, the ride was at full capacity and the wait had been at 35 and the greeter walked up and saw that the queue was now filled two zones deeper, then he would phone the folks in Tower and tell them to update it to 45 minutes. Tower would then radio Tipboard, who would make the adjustment to the sign outside.

At least..that's how they did it way back when.

 

[TheOneVader]

They should figure out the average capacity of the ride, and put little turnstiles at the begining and end of the line, and have a computer system determine the wait time based on the amount of people in the attraction qeue (sp?).

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by TheOneVader
They should figure out the average capacity of the ride, and put little turnstiles at the begining and end of the line, and have a computer system determine the wait time based on the amount of people in the attraction qeue (sp?).

Now that's an intelligent solution!! And they wouldn't even need to figure out any averages - they could let the computer figure it ALL out by knowing, at any given time, at what capacity the ride is running at.

That would be a cheap and very effective way to track wait time!

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by TheOneVader
They should figure out the average capacity of the ride, and put little turnstiles at the begining and end of the line, and have a computer system determine the wait time based on the amount of people in the attraction qeue (sp?).

that would only work if the attraction didn't need to accomodate guests with special cicumstances that require longer load times and the attraction was 100% failsafe.... neither of which will never happen.

Although, what you just described is already done by Disney... they already have hourly averages and expectations based on the number of park visitors, and what is capable IF everything is running smoothly.

Unfortunately, there is no 100% accurate system for wait times

 

[TheOneVader]

You're right, they're never 100% accurate, but I don't expect that. I just expect a good estimate, and this would get the closest possible. IF someone comes on with a wheelchair, they should pass through a larger area with lasers, that will automatically figure that in too. At least, with this method, it would be close to accurate.

 

[mkt]

that's not what I was talking about with wheelchairs... I meant loading times onto the attraction itself, if the attraction is a ride and not a movie/show... almost everytime that you ride spaceship earth and it stops for a minute or so, it is usually a guest in a wheelchair loading. That's what I meant. If they were to go by a system of counts (which they do have, but to measure efficiency and not wait times), they should at LEAST factor in a 5-10 minute window to factor in ride delays and whatnot

 

[TheOneVader]

What I meant is, since they have to stop the ride, once someone gets into the qeue, they'll add the approximate time to all the people that are abotu to enter, so they don't get mad when they have to wait 5 minutes when the sign said 0. And again, this system would probably be a lot mroe accurate than the current system. I might be wrong though.

 

[mkt]

no, you're not wrong... the last post explained it to me, so while it IS a good idea... and probably the way Disney sholud be looking in the future, it still doesn't allow much room for human error and mechanical failures... It woud work... just add a 5 minute buffer on top of the calculated wait time to be safe..

If there were 2 locations in which counts are taken... one at the entry to the queue, and another at the load area, then it would allow for much more accurate number. However, the problem of busy days still exists... what happens when the queue has to be extended with stanchions and rope?

 

[Syrinxx]

if you ever see a CM outside the entrance of a line with a blank white card on a lanyard, thats the line "timer"
if your gonna ride anyway take a shot at asking for it , ive gotten it sevral times
while untimatly meaningless I always feel like a big shot when I have one hehe :king: :lol:

 

[TheOneVader]

Well, when they open new areas, they can like tell the computer that they are. Or better yet, sensors in the ground will let the computer knoew which areas are open based on whether or not people are walking over them. A little expensive, but oh well, Disney has plenty of green

 

[se8472]

The way I have read this idea the system would still be the same. All the cards are doing is seeing how long it takes for someone to get from point A to point B. That seems what this idea is too.

The problem that needs to be fixed is that the wait time is showing how long it took the person infront of you to get on. Not what you are going to see.

But the only thing I see diffrent with that system is that if someone gets out of line now the numbers are all off.

Also people in wheelchiars can hope right in faster then people not in one. Sometimes they don't. I have had to stop space mt for nearly 5 minuts on B side once because a walking lady could not get in.

The only way I could see around this would be to have the computer see that half the ride has stopped and ajust the numbers around front. but hte biggest problem is that the people in the line won't see this.

So the only way around that point I see is to have wait times inside the line. But then those will still not be right.

I can't figure it out :king:

 

[mkt]

a little expensive... and too complex for the average CM to run... and I doubt that Disney will spend the money to hire an IT wiz for each attraction...

I say just peg em all at 2 hours... lol

 

[TheOneVader]

Some kinks need to be worked out, but I'm sure it could be perfected... Say... How woudl opening a new area of the line mess up the time, anyways? It would still know how many people are in the qeue...

 

[Tom]

You know, after reading all these suggestions for sensors, and turnstiles, and counting cards, and how to compensate for wheelchairs and people who drop out of line ---

I think the current system of using the card and applying averages is quite sufficient. I mean, I KNOW I'm going to stand in line, and if the wait says 45 minutes, and it turns out to be 50 minutes - big deal! Wait time is not critical to my day, and if a wait is LONG, i'll skip it. I'm not going to schedule my day to the minute around wait times.

I think it's nice enough that they go to the effort to tell us approximately how long a line currently is. The last thing I want them to do is pay for expensive systems, then up my ticket price, just so that I know to the nearest second, how long I'll be in line

:hammer: