USA TODAY - Long Lines May Be The Thing Of The Past

[stlbobby]

I can't wait for this system. WDW without waiting in lines, or just shorter lines, sounds like perfection. I'll trade lines for spontaneity any day.

Planning and hard work should be rewarded. Isn't that the American way?

 

[Disneybear]

Funny thing is the shedload of money they are investing in getting this idea to work and then implement would probably pay for 3 or 4 D ticket rides spread throughout the parks rhat would help to reduce wait times throughout the resort and give the majority of guests something tangible that they would actually want.

 

[wdwmomof3]

:hurl::brick:

Sounds like a horrible idea to me! And what's the big thrill about bypassing the check in desk? Are we in that much of a hurry? My wife and I just stayed overnight in a hotel this weekend and we were talking about this stupid online checkin stuff and how we feel like going up to the desk to check in is all part of the fun of staying in a hotel. Now I hate standing in a long line just as much as the next guy, but I don't want it to get to the point where I have to plan out what rides I want to ride and what times. That's just ridiculous. I plan my park days and my restaraunts, but other than that, I don't like to have my whole day planned out, as far as what order to do the rides, when to go into the gift shops, etc. Sounds like this idea takes away ALL spontanaiety. :brick:

I feel the exact same way and I am really worried that DH is going to hate having everything so planned out. I guess we will have to wait and see how it goes, but this has me nervous.

 

[thelookingglass]

I can't wait for this system. WDW without waiting in lines, or just shorter lines, sounds like perfection. I'll trade lines for spontaneity any day.

Planning and hard work should be rewarded. Isn't that the American way?

A Walt Disney World vacation already requires a tremendous amount of planning and research for first time visitors. A lot of first timers try to plan every single thing, which is a huge mistake since a day in the parks at WDW will NEVER play out exactly like you planned.

This sort of thing is just going to create more chaos and frustration all around. Also, I'm curious as to how this will work with the existing Fastpass system, because if no modifications are made to it, it'll just throw the whole thing off (cough*even more than FP already does*cough).

 

[Computer Magic]

It creates a class system that I really don't like. My parents don't and will never have smartphones. They are in their mid 50s. They SPEND at WDW as well. Why should they be put in a lower class of guest experience than a bunch of kids that got dumped off by their parents for the day for babysitting?

I'll start with this point. You are already at a disadvantage if you don't have a smartphone in Disney. Have you seen the new Verizon Disney app. It gives major advantage over those w/o the app. You can get Meet and Greet times on where and when a certain character is located. You can make ADR in the park. I really wanted one of those for my last trip in Dec 2010. I understand the feeling as I don't own a smartphone so felt left out knowing the Verizon Disney App exists. This feature tempted me in purchasing one of those phones. I think there is or will be a way to rent one for a month.

I think Disney needs to keep up with the new generation. Everything is so NOW with FB, Internet, interactive games, Smartphones, etc. I think the newer generation will get bored waiting in the traditional queues of Disney. They need to be doing something. Might was get them through the queue quicker instead of the kids texting to their friends 1000 miles away how bored they are standing in this Disney line.

 

[Glasgow]

Lol .. seen this sort of thing many, many times over the past 9 years since I've been on here. Bring out the torches! I'm never going back!! That's the last straw!!!

haha .. it's never as bad or as good as you think. I imagine the final product will be a variation of what has been reported on, just like fastpass in the parks. Who would want to plan out every minute of every day? Not many I'm sure - Disney must know that.

 

[828tnt]

Disney rarely does research without preparing the questions to get the answers it wants.

Ding ding ding!!!! I believe we have a winner here! "Bold new visions" and such...

 

[danstadnik]

Time moves forward. Things change.
But EVERYONE complains about lines. The 2 to 4 HOUR waits for Toy Story and Soarin are RIDICULOUS. They're trying to come up with solutions. Standby lines will ALWAYS be there... But new options are REALLY cool too.
There's no discrimination going on here, just options. Its absurd to think that ANYTHING that goes on at WDW has to please EVERY guest 100% of the time.
I'm not saying that this will be perfect, but its worth a shot. If you want your trip to be spontaneous, that'll still be there too! But for someone like myself who tries to manage a family of 5 and make them all happy, and still sneak in a couple rides for myself that scare the kiddos... this sounds great.

 

[GenerationX]

As a planner, I like this idea. Anything that makes my resort check-in or touring more efficient - with a little extra planning on my part - is welcome. I'm on vacation so few days throughout the year that I like to get the most out of them while I'm there.

 

[quirkle]

Maybe I missed someone post but you can already check into your hotel before you leave from home. I did this last trip - checked in days before my family left and when we got off the Magic Express went to the online check in counter and our room was already ready. What a benefit - everything was set with keys, maps - everything.

Having young kids I would love a reservation with characters instead of paying big bucks for the character dining.

 

[JimboJones123]

Funny thing is the shedload of money they are investing in getting this idea to work and then implement would probably pay for 3 or 4 D ticket rides spread throughout the parks rhat would help to reduce wait times throughout the resort and give the majority of guests something tangible that they would actually want.

THIS is an important post.

 

[Lisalyn]

Whatever happened to spontaneity? :shrug:

 

[CJR]

If this allows for the removal of all the fast pass machines then I am all for it.

I think Fast Pass will still be around. This sounds like an "in addition to" deal. The amount of Fast Passes available each day will probably be much lower though.

 

[MMFanCipher]

Funny thing is the shedload of money they are investing in getting this idea to work and then implement would probably pay for 3 or 4 D ticket rides spread throughout the parks rhat would help to reduce wait times throughout the resort and give the majority of guests something tangible that they would actually want.

Agree with this 100%. This tech sounds interesting, but adding tech to overcome an underlining problem just puts off fixing the real problem. I've had real world proof of this. (work in IT)

 

[thelookingglass]

Time moves forward. Things change.
But EVERYONE complains about lines. The 2 to 4 HOUR waits for Toy Story and Soarin are RIDICULOUS. They're trying to come up with solutions. Standby lines will ALWAYS be there... But new options are REALLY cool too.
There's no discrimination going on here, just options. Its absurd to think that ANYTHING that goes on at WDW has to please EVERY guest 100% of the time.
I'm not saying that this will be perfect, but its worth a shot. If you want your trip to be spontaneous, that'll still be there too! But for someone like myself who tries to manage a family of 5 and make them all happy, and still sneak in a couple rides for myself that scare the kiddos... this sounds great.

And you're thinking exactly the way Disney wants you to think. Whether or not this ride reservation thing actually ever happens, fluff articles like this are a way to get people to think "wow, Disney cares about my experience and works hard to improve upon their product!" when all they are really doing is sitting on their hands, not addressing the real problems.

Hint: TSMM and Soarin' don't have 2 hour waits because they're amazing rides. They do because there are not enough high capacity D and E tickets for the parks to sustain the level of crowds they get!

 

[wedenterprises]

Hint: TSMM and Soarin' don't have 2 hour waits because they're amazing rides. They do because there are not enough high capacity D and E tickets for the parks to sustain the level of crowds they get!

No. They have 2 hour standby lines because of fastpass. Just like Peter Pan.

 

[CJR]

No. They have 2 hour standby lines because of fastpass. Just like Peter Pan.

I think it's a combination of everything mentioned. They have long lines because they are amazing rides, the parks lack rides of the same standard thus these rides pick up the slack, and all three (Soarin, TSM, and Peter Pan) require the standby line to stop completely so the Fast Pass people can go in.

 

[828tnt]

I am a little skeptical of how/whether this will work, but I am taking a wait and see approach in general.

However, this specific type of sentiment confounds me a bit. I don't think society can be resistant to the fruits of technology because not all people have or will ever have the tech. Yes, it's unfortunate for those who don't use the technology, but to benefit from a lot of things in this day and age, you have to possess technology. I can't do a Google search without the internet, I can't watch the news without a TV (or computer, some sort of 'viewing box'), this is just the way things are. Resisting these, and other tech, because it's not available to all would be foolish of me. Society cannot and should not appeal to the lowest common denominator. That's how we end up with things like the new Spaceship Earth script.

I once heard about a study accusing tax laws that benefit online retailers of being discriminatory. Putting aside other potential issues with these laws, that's probably true. However, I doubt that stops many people from shopping at Amazon.com. I'm not going to forfeit a benefit that can inure to me because it doesn't benefit all others equally.

i agree with taking the wait and see approach. i haven't really been on board with many of their announcements over the past few years, but some have been very pleasantly surprising.

perhaps furthering your point a bit- wouldn't walt be the type of person to use any possible advance in technology for anything he worked on?

personally, i think there are many, many headaches in this process- the onlne dining reservation system kinda proves that. but, if people are using it for hitting those few really big items on their list, it may be a fantastic improvement. especially for meet and greets.

 

[wolf359]

i agree with taking the wait and see approach. i haven't really been on board with many of their announcements over the past few years, but some have been very pleasantly surprising.

perhaps furthering your point a bit- wouldn't walt be the type of person to use any possible advance in technology for anything he worked on?

personally, i think there are many, many headaches in this process- the onlne dining reservation system kinda proves that. but, if people are using it for hitting those few really big items on their list, it may be a fantastic improvement. especially for meet and greets.

Yeah, I agree too. It's way too early to know how Disney plans to implement these ideas, and the press releases give no real details, certainly not enough to back up all of the wild speculation that this is going to ruin everything.

Which is pretty much business as usual, I guess. Disney announces something new and immediately a very vocal minority finds any possible angle to exploit as "proof" of the worst possible outcome.

Oddly enough, for as many times as I've read around here that the sky is falling I've yet to actually see it happen. I suspect this will be no different.

So until this technology is actually in use at Walt Disney World I suppose I'll just wait and see how it all turns out. Well, that and laugh at the tinfoil hat-wearing pitchfork carriers.

 

[flavious27]

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinat...of-the-past----in-the-future-that-is/143723/1

Long lines at Disney parks may be a thing of the past -- in the future, that is

Comments By Jayne Clark, USA TODAY
Mickey and Minnie Mouse wave as fireworks fly during a taping of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade special in December. New Disney parks are destined for China and Israel.


CAPTION

By Mark Ashman, AP​

What would Disney theme parks be without long lines? And dare we even imagine such a world?Yes. Just not yet. The ability to reserve ride times online before leaving home is one of a number of "technological initiatives" announced Thursday at an investors meeting of the global theme park division, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Similar improvements would enable guests to bypass the hotel check-in desk.
"In the coming years, we'll introduce a broad set of systems and tools that will help us create a more seamless and personalized experience and help guests get more out of their visit with us," Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Tom Staggs told attendees.
Disney coffers might get more out of the visit, too. The Sentinel quotes Scott Smith, an instructor at the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management, as saying the quicker Disney gets visitors from their hotel into the park, the sooner they start spending money.
Currently, Disney has a Fast Pass program that allows visitors to reserve blocks of times for some rides. But the new system, which the Sentinel says has been in the works for a year and is said to cost $1 billion, would be much more extensive.

So what fan site did they get the inflated billion dollar quote from?