RnR Testing Queue-less Wait System Similar to New Dumbo

Little details, but here are some pictures...

http://img115.yfrog.com/i/wv7c.jpg/
http://img129.yfrog.com/i/i0tnk.jpg/
http://img238.yfrog.com/i/soci.jpg/
http://img158.yfrog.com/i/6x0y.jpg/
http://img159.yfrog.com/i/ew7l.jpg/
http://img154.yfrog.com/i/x9rc.jpg/

Getting info and details from @touringplans on twitter. More to come.

Disney World will be the first park to completely do away with the queue line.

Which, of course, will make it easier to give preferential treatment without anyone realizing it. :)

Will we see a time when many (most? all?) available ride seats are accounted for before the gates even open?

This is freaking genius, and it could just flat-out replace fastpass.

It sounds pretty cool. I can see it now: "Coaster Junkie, party of one. Your seat is now ready!"

Hmmmm....

I don't know enough about it to know if it is LK approved or not. It does seem pretty interesting.

I still wonder why Gonch gets so excited when when a new way to divide classes at an amusement park comes up. We should all be against something that does that, because their may come a day when the balance tips a little too far. The amusement park used to be one of the last entertainment options in which everyone paid the same and everyone got their fair share of entertainment. Trying to hide the fact that people are getting the shaft sucks.

Well, his name isn't "Common Man" Gonchar.... ;)

I hate when someone comes up with a better response than I could have. :)

LK, I get excited because:

1. It happens already. If someone is finding a better way to do it and minimize the impact then that's a positive step.

2. I tend to be the type of person that would do the things to get these perks - both directly and indirectly. More and easier perks for me is something I tend to get excited about.

3. In a much broader and barely related sense, it pushes the park to do things better. I imagine it's the interest in and success of VQ systems that has Disney looking to implement the superior process with a much larger number of people.

"Gonch is different" is a better response than you could come up with?

1. Finding a better way means hiding the negative impact from those who only get the lower tier of service? Is that so they will come back and get screwed over and over?

2. So another words, you get excited because you have the expendable income to purchase these perks, and you'll be glad to do it no matter what the outcome is for the common folk?

I have some expendable income as well, and I resent the fact that in order to keep people from cutting in front of me, I need to pay more. (Here's where you note that it's like all other entertainment venues, and then where I would disagree, noting that a line is more sacred than a seat at a ball field, concert, of airplane).

3. It pushes the parks to do things better? There are many negative outcomes that have come from "queue management schemes" from both Disney and Lo-Q. You know that I would even argue (from experience) that sometimes the parks that use Lo-Q run rides at low capacity on purpose, so that people will rent Q-Bots as a solution.

How does lower capacity make things better? How does confusing your guests on the subject of how to wait their turn make things better? How does making people wait in line much longer than they should because over half the people waiting for the ride got a fastpass to cut the line hours ago make it better? How does deviding classes via the pay-to-cut schemes or the "front-of-the-line access for preferred hotel guest" like at Universal make things better? The only benefit that I see is that parks make more money, while screwing some of their guests in the process.

So far, this new VQ that Disney is trying out looks okay to me. If they could only somehow prevent people from getting in two ride lines at once, and I could be convinced that everyone who was visiting the park were treated with the same opportunities to ride the same amount of rides and attractions while there for the day, I'd probably be 100% for this with all attractions.

So yeah, so far, it is a step in the right direction.

Sorry for the double post, but this is a totally different thought.

Am I understanding correctly that each group includes the amount that the ride could handle within a five minute period (three groups per 15 minutes)? That breaks it down pretty well.

Am I also understanding correctly (by the Hula Hoop photo) that they offer "distractions"while you are waiting your turn? That's what the "festival activities" are?

That's pretty cool! Going from the "tour ticket" photo...

Feel free to visit gift shop, use restroom, or participate in festival activities while waiting

...it seems that they aren't offering the idea that you go running to other rides, or double riding RnRC while waiting your turn. So far, so good.

Now if they would only find a way to let you skip the pre-show. So annoying to have no wait up to the pre-show room and be stuck waiting for the next pre-show, watching it and then getting to the boarding area. It turns a possible walk on into a 10+ minute wait. I know that isn't much but with a limited time, it makes marathoning impossible.

I also wonder why they are trying it on a ride that already has fastpass. Dumbo I can understand since that ride has horrible capacity and always has a crazy line (on my last trip it was over an hour!) and for such a short ride.

LostKause said:
"Gonch is different" is a better response than you could come up with?

Yeah, see, it was a play on 'Lord' and the title and...ahhh, nevermind.

It might have worked better for you if he said 'commoner' instead.

I'd do the quote-by-quote thing, but you're using the same flawed logic, incorrect assumptions and personal opinions that you always do...so much so that you're already answering for me in your post. No need to do the dance yet again.

I know you hate it, but it's going to keep coming and growing and changing the amusement park experience. Here it is right in front of your very eyes - Disney has a ride operating with no physical queue. It's 100% virtual queue. They have plans on adding future attractions designed with this in mind - rides built with no plans for a physical queue.

Do you think it's just a whim or a one-time thing or an experiment destined for failure? Hardly. In this industry Disney is the game changer. Time and time again they set the bar and the rest of the industry follows.

You can ignore the trends. You can disagree with the trends. But you're not going to change them. Complaining about VQ? You're already two steps behind. Might as well complain about those pesky parks ripping us off for going to POP from pay-per-ride. It'd be just a relevant.

LostKause said:
Sorry for the double post, but this is a totally different thought.

Me too. :)

...it seems that they aren't offering the idea that you go running to other rides, or double riding RnRC while waiting your turn. So far, so good.

Doesn't mean you can't. Because, face it. If the wait is 45 minutes or an hour - you're going to wander off and take your chances.

I am not sure this is the case, and I have not spent the time to research it myself. The park could in theory, keep you in the "festival" area until it is time to ride by not allowing you to re-enter or once you exit the area your number thing is null and void. I am not sure how they could enforce that, but they might.

They probably wouldn't do that since they allow people to use fastpasses past the return time for the most part. I have heard the only 2 rides that they enforce it at are Soarin and Toy Story Mania when the lines are long.

What does their policy with the use of flashpass at a later time have to do with not allowing re-entries with this new system? I fail to see the logic stream.

Good point, Andy. You might be on to something.

But if they force you to corral in the 'festival area' then what's the point? Distractions while you wait? I thought that was the idea behind Disney's already elaborate queue areas.

Edited to add:

1. This pic shows that there's monitors displaying your approximate wait.

2. This one shows how it works. (displayed on monitor, show up within five minutes, etc)

Those two photos pretty much spell it out. I'm not sure how they could force you to stay in the immediate area. If I have one of those 45 minute passes from the first photo, I'm wandering and coming back.

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Plus, it makes me all giddy imagining a future where those monitors are all over the park and listing the current reservation times for all the big attractions and you can just spend your day strolling the park and picking up 'reservations' and never wait in line with your only concern being keeping an occasional eye on the montiors for your 'reservations' to be ready.

My one concern is what the policy would be for people who miss their reservation by "x" minutes. Where do they draw the line and how consistently is it enforced?

Has there been any indication as to what happens if the ride goes down for an extended time, etc.?

1.) Fastpass is used as normal, they are added to the regular "line" when their time comes.

2.) Distractions include live DJ, Rock Band, etc.

3.) You have to come to your reserved time within 5 minutes, or until the next group is called.

4.) Again, this is a TEST. This stopped in the afternoon, and will be tested several more times this week. It's in preparation for Dumbo, not a resort wide roll out or for RnR. This is a test of the back end software, systems, and logistics. Take what you saw here, especially the frilly stuff, with a grain of salt.

If the ride goes down they handle it exactly like they do with the regular stand-by line. They might allow you to wait or they might not and if not then all existing stand-by groups are eliminated.

If you miss your reservation by one-minute you're entirely out of luck. If you're paying attention then you won't miss it. Missing your stand-by time is essentially the same thing as stepping out of line just as you're about to board a ride.

The point of this stand-by line isn't to create a second FastPass line where you can roam the park and do other attractions. If you leave the designated stand-by waiting area you must give back your group number.

The point of this style of queue is to allow you to be more comfortable. Those who prefer to sit down on a bench versus stand up can do so. Those who get easily bored can watch the show or browse the adjacent gift shop.

IMO, the single biggest problem with this is the fact that it will create a longer stand-by line because people will be more comfortable.