Were the lines really shorter back in the day or do we imagine this?

[geekza]

There were times when you had long lines. EPCOT Center in 1983 had massively-long lines, but it was new. It wasn't possible for us to see every attraction that we wanted to see. With that said, I agree with @marni1971 that the lines seemed like they moved fairly consistently.

In the MK, the three times I went in the 1970's-1980's, there were also some decent lines at most of the larger attractions (including Small World), but they weren't intolerable.

Now, when I went back in January of 1997, there weren't really lines for much of anything, but it was one of the slowest weeks of the year, when such a thing actually existed. It was definitely a high-point of my trips, because we were able to ride everything we wanted, some multiple times.

The last time I went in 2006, they had instituted the original FastPass system, but lines still weren't really bad and the system worked pretty well. There were a couple of things like Test Track and Mission: Space that had really long lines, but they were still amongst the newer attractions at Epcot and everybody wanted to ride them. I didn't get to ride either, since we had our two-year-old son with us. Other attractions at Epcot and Disney/MGM didn't have crazy lines.

I have to be honest that I'm dreading the lines when we go next month. My wife (different one) has never been to WDW and doesn't really know much about it. It will be interesting to see how she reacts to the parks under the current management as a first-timer. I'm going to have a hard time keeping my mouth shut when I notice things that have degraded so that I can keep her experience as positive as possible.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I honestly think the lines used to be longer before Fast Pass. I waited hours for Space Mountain...now I never wait.

 

[marni1971]

I honestly think the lines used to be longer before Fast Pass. I waited hours for Space Mountain...now I never wait.

Try standby.

Although even FP can have you wait 10/15 mins. Even for omega. That sometimes is down to staffing levels which is another discussion.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

First come, first served still works the best.

I don't know that I agree. It is also addictive to dodge a long wait. Many people like the rush they get from that kind of experience as well.

It is a little like gambling: sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose.

Most people actually enjoy complaining. A story isn't a story unless it has a conflict. We want our vacations to be adventures. We enjoy talking about our problems.

Case in point: Is somebody forcing us to post here?

 

[Chef Mickey]

Try standby.

Although even FP can have you wait 10/15 mins. Even for omega. That sometimes is down to staffing levels which is another discussion.

Agreed, but you can't ignore that FP is an option that serves its purpose. I have been to Disney so many times, I've lost count, and my experience with FP has been hugely positive. Stand by increases, but you have the FP option.

Even Space Mountain is routinely <1 hr for standby. I remember watching Mario Lopez for an Hour after waiting at least 30 minutes just to get to the SpaceTV queueing area.

 

[marni1971]

Agreed, but you can't ignore that FP is an option that serves its purpose..

Its purpose was to get people out of attractions and into stores and restaurants. Sadly the parks infrastructure wasn’t built for this.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Its purpose was to get people out of attractions and into stores and restaurants. Sadly the parks infrastructure wasn’t built for this.

I can see that.

I still think net, I can ride more than before...particularly E-Tickets.

I do think the "common areas" are overcrowded because there aren't enough people waiting in lines.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

The lines back then ranged from non-existent to "holy moly!" - but life was easy.

I recall a February trip we took some years ago. It started the week before President's day, but overlapped into that holiday weekend.

The first few days of our trip, the parks were VERY empty, and the parks were creepy. This was around 2004 or so. It was well after the start of original fast pass, and also a ways past 9/11, but still during the post 9/11 impact period.

We wondered if WDW crowds would ever return. We worried about WDW's survival.

In one day, as you say, the lines went from non-existent to, "Holy Moly!" I can't tell you how happy we were to see crowds at WDW that year.

That year, crowds = hope.

 

[Professortango1]

We go in summer and never wait longer than 25 minutes for attractions. The only longer waits we saw were SDMT (5 hours due to FP backup), Test Track (50 minutes), RNRC (35 minutes) , Frozen (75 minutes), and Midway Mania (45 minutes). Everything else was walk on to 25 minutes which is nothing.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Agreed, but you can't ignore that FP is an option that serves its purpose.

Even Space Mountain is routinely <1 hr for standby. I remember watching Mario Lopez for an Hour after waiting at least 30 minutes just to get to the SpaceTV queueing area.

But what if it wasn't?
If Space Mtn routinely had a 10minute wait, would people WANT to ride it?

Fastpass = greater DEMAND. (as in, Supply and Demand)

Fastpass = bandwagon = a very effective form of advertising.

That is the purpose of Fastpass. Disney has used it very effectively in recent years. Seven Dwarfs isn't a great ride, but the demand is super. Fastpass helped Disney to create demand for it.

 

[dieboy]

We go in summer and never wait longer than 25 minutes for attractions. The only longer waits we saw were SDMT (5 hours due to FP backup), Test Track (50 minutes), RNRC (35 minutes) , Frozen (75 minutes), and Midway Mania (45 minutes). Everything else was walk on to 25 minutes which is nothing.

So by that thought, removing SDMT, adding the rest, and then tossing on six more rides at 25minutes a piece, you will have spent nearly 6hrs of your day waiting in line. Keep in mind total time added is for 10 rides. I don't think ten rides in a day is to much to ask when gate costs are over one hundred dollars. So .. 100 bucks, 10 rides, and six hours of waiting in line. When you start to break it down like that, it doesn't seem so enticing.

 

[geekza]

But what if it wasn't?
If Space Mtn routinely had a 10minute wait, would people WANT to ride it?

Fastpass = greater DEMAND. (as in, Supply and Demand)

Fastpass = bandwagon = a very effective form of advertising.

That is the purpose of Fastpass. Disney has used it very effectively in recent years. Seven Dwarfs isn't a great ride, but the demand is super. Fastpass helped Disney to create demand for it.

You make a good point. Open a new attraction, limit the number of FastPasses available for it, the lines get longer, people associate long lines with the quality of the attraction, suddenly you have a hit with a less-than-stellar attraction. 7DMT isn't a bad attraction, but it's a fairly mediocre one in comparison to other attractions. It has just enough to satisfy the average guest and the effort it takes to ride it gives is a kind of cache that artificially increases its popularity. It's kind of like the "exclusive" cupcakes, pins, etc. People want to gain some sort of social media validation, so they make more of an effort than they normally would so that they can Instagram a photo of it and try and rack up some "likes."

 

[JIMINYCR]

Theres no imagining it... it was much less buzier, the lines were shorter, there was much more dining reservations available. Disney always was much buzier during the holidays and school vacation times, but even then the crowds were not as oppressive. Looking back there were times of the year when it was considered low crowd seasons but thats no longer the case. With the added DVC buyers, marathons and other special events Disney has increased the interest of vacationers and locals to flood the parks.

 

[Phonedave]

Its purpose was to get people out of attractions and into stores and restaurants. Sadly the parks infrastructure wasn’t built for this.

This. FP and FP+ did not do anything to increase throughput on the attractions. It was designed to get you out of a queue and doing something else. Maybe that something else is waiting in a standby queue, but the real hope is that the something else is dropping coin on food and merchandise.

I am a project manager, engineer, type A person. Schedules are my job. I hate scheduling my days in WDW. It was so nice to be able to select a restaurant at around 3 PM and make a reservation. Or walk up at 6:00 PM and be told "the wait is about 20 min, is that too long?". Attractions had lines, but every line was a standby line, and they all moved forward. AS others have said, psychologically it was so much better. No FP+ holders were walking past you, and there were no long stoppages in the movement of the line. As somebody else comment on, re-rides were common. You waited 20 minutes, decided that was fun, and waited 20 minutes again.

We went on 7DMT with a FP+ when it first opened. My youngest child said "that was fun, let do it again" Sorry, it's a 120 minute wait to do it again.

Eh, now I am starting to rant. Next thing you know I'll be saying we didn't have apps and RFID wristbands, and ADRs, and fireworks viewing areas, and that's the way we liked it.

 

[Roakor]

One of my fondest memories is late June 1990. Journey into Imagination. A ride so designed to continuously load. The queue began outside, the switchbacks ran from the entrance to the bathrooms again and again. Then it went into the foyer and circled around the front of the spiral staircase before heading towards load.

And it kept moving forwards. We didn’t stop. Even mum mentioned it. The parks were renowned for handling huge amounts of people. It was an art.

apparently a lost art....

 

[jaques21]

id say it depended on what part of the year you went, in the summer in the 90s Disney was packed, I remember waiting hours for some rides(mountains).

 

[righttrack]

There have never been longer waits than now. There have never been more people there than now. There have never been more people at former "off season times" like fall and early winter than now. The events planned around these times have boosted attendance in ways you can't imagine. Making adult appealing events and conferences at the Orlando Convention Center have boosted off season attendance like never before.

 

[LittleBuford]

I wait far less when I go to the parks now than I did when I visited with my parents in the ’90s. Granted, they weren’t the best planners, but we really couldn’t have avoided some of the long and slow-moving queues we ended up in.

Many of the complaints here are framed as if we’re all still forced to use the standby lines (maybe some people are boycotting FP on principle!). Without wanting to sound too selfish, I don’t really care what the effect of the new system is on those who choose to wait in the regular queues; all I know is that I’ve saved many hours by using FP. The same benefits are open to anyone with access to a smartphone (and here I will add that I do feel sorry for those that either don’t have or aren’t adept at using such devices).

 

[Chef Mickey]

But what if it wasn't?
If Space Mtn routinely had a 10minute wait, would people WANT to ride it?

Fastpass = greater DEMAND. (as in, Supply and Demand)

Fastpass = bandwagon = a very effective form of advertising.

That is the purpose of Fastpass. Disney has used it very effectively in recent years. Seven Dwarfs isn't a great ride, but the demand is super. Fastpass helped Disney to create demand for it.

I'm not sure I agree with that. I would ride Space Mountain all the time if it were a 10 minute wait.

We know Space Mountain had long queues before FastPass, so I believe the ride itself stands on its own.

People are already inside the parks...I don't think Disney cares if you ride something or not. In fact, they'd probably rather you spend money elsewhere (which is the real reason Fastpass was invented, so you didn't waste your time in lines).

 

[correcaminos]

Definitely shorter. Used to be you could count on a few rides to always be walk on. Now? Not so much.