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No lines at Walt Disney World? Theme park tests new 'queue-less' wait system

by Leigh Caldwell (RSS feed) on Apr 9th 2010 at 1:00PM

Walt Disney World is testing a system that would ask guests to ditch the lines and wait in a holding area at some of its most popular attractions.

Tests inside Disney's Hollywood Studios on Tuesday and Wednesday assigned group numbers to those wanting to ride the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.

These tests appear similar to a concept for a revamped Dumbo ride in Walt Disney World's upcoming Fantasyland expansion project. Disney has said that rather than waiting in line, guests will be invited to play carnival games and enjoy entertainment in the air-conditioned circus tent in the renderings below, while awaiting their turn to ride the flying elephants.

Studios Central says that the test at the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster worked like this: Guests were assigned the group number, then led to a tented standby area where there was a DJ and video games (such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero.) There was also merchandise on sale in the standby area, which is not surprising. This is Disney, after all.

The waiting system that was tested this week isn't a scheduled appointment to ride where you could leave the ride and come back later. You are expected to stay in the designated waiting area. Signs warned that if you weren't there within 5 minutes of your group being called, you would lose your place in the queue.

The test also did not replace Disney's "Fastpass" system, where you do obtain a ticket with a certain time assigned that allows you to come back and ride popular rides with less wait. Fastpass was still running at the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. But there is no Fastpass for the Dumbo ride's current incarnation.

Keep in mind, this was a test. The 'queue-less' waiting system that is installed when the Fantasyland expansion is completed in 2012 or 2013 could be totally different.

I guess the advantage is the entertainment and freedom to sit down or move around a bit when you would otherwise be standing in a line. But I don't think this system actually reduces wait times. I do think it will be a boon to parents. It's hard to corral kids in a hour-long line. What do you think?

Do you think Disney World's proposed 'queue-less' waiting system is an improvement over traditional theme park lines?
Yes, I hate waiting in lines.	10820 (75.4%)
No, I don't think it will work better than the current system.	3525 (24.6%)

Gallery: Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Grand Opening

Gallery: Disney Cruise

Filed under: North America, United States

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Matt Hochberg Apr 9th 2010 4:09PM

I'm not 100% sold on the idea. Concept sounds great but it reminds me too much of waiting at an airport gate at this stage.

ajschrod Apr 11th 2010 12:27AM

I agree completely, Matt, but hope springs eternal that SOME (any) idea will improve the long-time methods used by parks--because they are hopelessly inefficient!

LBrown8331 Apr 11th 2010 12:29AM

This is what they do at the National Mall, i.e. Wash Monument. White House. There's no games while you wait, but you get your tickets with the time to come back and then go do whatever else you want and come back at the time on your ticket. It works great. No long hot lines and you don't miss all the other beautiful monuments or museums while you're waiting. It may take them a bit to get it all right, but it works beautifully on our Nation's Capital sites. It's better than waiting with a 6 year old, eating hot dogs and ice cream and losing it all on Space Mountain (;-))

Jack Apr 10th 2010 8:16PM

Whats to keep someone from lying and saying they are in the group that is just called

Adamthegetupkid Apr 12th 2010 7:16PM

What's to stop someone from lying? Simple. It will work the same as Fastpass. No ticket, no entry. No exceptions.

xjjlpro Apr 10th 2010 8:52PM

I would rather wait in line for a front seat even if the line was longer for any roller coaster type ride

JC Apr 10th 2010 8:52PM

I see this as an merchandising exploit, and wonder how much more money parents will have to shell out at the already price inflated theme park while they are waiting in the holding areas? I like the fastpass concept better because you get a time to come back and can explore other areas, ride other rides that maybe have less of a line and control and determine when to buy those over-priced souvenirs. Lines are definitely a pain, but this concept isn't going to make the line or should I say wait time go away, it's just going to give you an air conditioned area to wait in and have the kids wait on lines for the games that may be present and nag for souvenirs.

Ben Apr 15th 2010 11:15PM

No parent is going to be forced to shell out money, they just need to learn to say No to there kids once in a while.

brandy Apr 10th 2010 9:03PM

I love that idea. And I'm sure they give you a number. All the people in the same group will get a number or something. Why would u want to stay in long lines with the sun blasting on u? If you want to stay in the line like a dumbass, I'm sure they'll let u.

Cathy Apr 10th 2010 9:08PM

I'm not sure I'd like this...it all just seem so organized and controlled. Don't people go on vacation to get away from organization and control? I don't know....standing in lines in the amusement park is sort of part of the whole thing, isn't it?

Steve Apr 10th 2010 10:08PM

Concur...what about reducing the bleed-the-customer-dry approach and add additional attractions in-lieu of a/c tents...I bet the go, no-go decision will be based on how much additional revenue is generated.

Steve Apr 10th 2010 10:09PM

Hep, you're right...no standing in line like a dumbass. Instead, vacationers will be herded like dumbasses into large, elaborate a/c gift shops cause Disney wants MORE MONEY.....Isner's bonus isn't big enough!

hollywoodman323 Apr 10th 2010 11:32PM

Iam an annual pass holder at Disneyland and visit every week, on average my wait time is 10 mins or less on pretty much every ride.(with one exception peter pan for whatever reason the wait on that line is 60 to 80 mins cant figrure that one out lol) but Sure durring spring break some rides get a wee bit longer than 10 mins or les, but even durring spring break the longest wait in line i have had was at space mountain and that was maybe 35 mins.

spate Apr 11th 2010 12:11AM

First off Eisner hasn't been with Disney for five years. Bob Iger is the CEO. Second, Nobody's forcing you to buy anything. Disney is just attempting to make waiting for an attraction a little more comfortable

joe Apr 11th 2010 8:31AM

what this fails to point out is this isnt the first test of the system it was tested over the winter too
but oh wait i guess its aol news so its all old news anyways
if this works it will be great for some rides like dumbo mad hatters teaparty and the indy speed way where its parents with lots of small childern and there are no fast passes maybe this plan cen even work for the lines to meet mickey and minnie
but for the rides that offer fast pass i hope they leave it as is

Ubu Apr 10th 2010 10:23PM

I was just at Disney World last week, and trust me, even with Fast Pass you still wait in line for up to a half hour. I agree with an earlier post about this being a calulated move by Disney. Everything they do is carefully studied for maximum revenue generation and they won't be trying to speed up lines or make our wait more endurable if there is not something more in it for them.

Syd :D Apr 10th 2010 10:24PM

It sounds cool!

Mark Apr 10th 2010 10:27PM

Sounds like it could work for rides like rockin and tower but the thing is people need instructions 24/7 when there in WDW after working there and seeing what kind of questions people ask its pretty obvious that they will need like 2 million directions on how this works, but could make the wait more fun. i still am a big supporter of games in the queue like in the new line at space mountain and soarin'.

Jeff Apr 10th 2010 10:58PM

Disney's 'queue-less' waiting system is in fact AWESOME!. We just returned home from Walt Disney's Theme Parks last night and we just please at Disney's Hollywood Studios for thinking of such a Great Idea. My 7 year old son had an awesome wait time, Dancing, Playing Video Games. It should be at all Major Attractions. The bottom line here is when your child is Happy, we as parents are too.

We had an awesome week . Thanks Disney!!!!