Proof WDW inflates wait times during off peak season

[Jimmy Mouse]

So we just got back from a really great trip 9/6 thru the 16th. I really have no complaints as we had really low crowds and average wait times due to the extra PF+ we purchased. But even with FP+ we did see longer wait times than we should have had. On Pirates we used FP+ and when we arrived to the point where we could see the boats, every other boat was being sent empty. On Space Mountain they had only one side open but there were staff standing on the other side waiting and ready with all the coasters lined up. On Rock and Roll coaster, they sent every other train empty. There were 3 trains on track. Teacups. Yes teacups lol. Not loading all the cups. see pic below. These rides could have been walk on for everyone if they had loaded the empty boats and coasters.

RnR Coaster. 9/6 @ 6:47pm


Teacups. 9/7 @ 11:19am .... there were about 20 people behind me when they stopped loading.


The non running side of Space 9/11 @ 10:50am .....

 

[DCLPrincess]

That is so bizarre. I was there 9/9 to 9/17 and never saw this happen. The only ride I saw empty was peoplemover but that's because no one was in line.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

That is so bizarre. I was there 9/9 to 9/17 and never saw this happen. The only ride I saw empty was peoplemover but that's because no one was in line.

I went back and added time and date to the pics. And yes it was bizarre! There was more rides, I'm looking through my 700+ pics.

 

[mn51]

We were there August 30th - September 8th and noted the same thing with many rides. I couldn't figure out why they were not filling up the rides.

 

[snappy]

Thanks for sharing this. The pictures don’t lie. Many of my trips are off season and I suspected this was going on. I thought shorter hours was making the lines longer, your photos prove there’s another factor too.

 

[pd1138]

I can almost see closing half a loading zone like space mountain or dinosaur since they could save on the cost of staffing it, but what are they saving if they leave every other pirate boat or RNR empty? Or better yet, the tea cups..... the ride itself is still running! I’m lost

 

[cckp72]

I can almost see closing half a loading zone like space mountain or dinosaur since they could save on the cost of staffing it, but what are they saving if they leave every other pirate boat or RNR empty? Or better yet, the tea cups..... the ride itself is still running! I’m lost

Same. I don't understand this one bit. To what advantage does this serve to Disney?

 

[damo]

Same. I don't understand this one bit. To what advantage does this serve to Disney?

They want to keep you on property as many days as possible? If you can get through a park in half a day, you won't need as many days and might frequent other Orlando attractions.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Wow. So, I could understand closing a side of Space Mountain to save money, but leaving boats, teacups and roller coaster cars empty? When we went to MNSSHP on Aug. 24, I noticed they closed two of the loading areas on Splash, thereby making the line longer, but, probably reducing staff needed to run the ride.

 

[SG131]

The rock and roller coaster thing is shocking to me since they really don’t save any staff and I’m assuming if the empty car is every other out of three the staff is going around closing all the lap bars for the empty car which seems like a major waste!

 

[Bridgett_Anna]

This is so weird. I had no clue they did this. I do however know that when they post the wait times, they make it longer than it actually is. They do not do this all of the time, but I have noticed it a lot when the park is about to close in a hour and they increase the wait times. I would imagine that they do this in order to draw people away so they can exit the park. I mean, I would do the same if I worked there XD

 

[snappy]

This is so weird. I had no clue they did this. I do however know that when they post the wait times, they make it longer than it actually is. They do not do this all of the time, but I have noticed it a lot when the park is about to close in a hour and they increase the wait times. I would imagine that they do this in order to draw people away so they can exit the park. I mean, I would do the same if I worked there XD

The time listed for the photos above are morning and early evening, not at park close. I think in this case of these photos it’s Disney reducing ride capacity to trim costs.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I was there right before you...I had a similar issue on Rock N' Rollercoaster...However, someone vomited while on the ride. So, for a period of time they had to clean it up. Usually due to safety reasons at that point, they then have to start letting every other rollercoaster load. I'm sure something happened that caused them to have to load every other car on RnRC. I would assume shortly after you rode, they went to loading all 3 cars again. That's a ride that doesn't make sense to do this.

I'm interested to know what time you rode Pirates...Depending on the time, it might not have been "peak" time for that day. So, they didn't need to run both sides of the Pirates queue. That could be why they were only loading one side.

Teacups...That is definitely strange, but maybe they were having some issues? It's hard to really know.

I've seen Space Mountain do that quite a bit, but usually in the morning or late evening like your time shows. I saw them running both sides when I was there around the same time as you.

I believe Touring Plans did an experiment about this very issue earlier this year, and we learned for it to be true. Len Testa did an audio only interview with Craig on the Dis Unplugged Podcast about it.

 

[SaintsManiac]

They were only running one train on BTMRR at rope drop on 9/4. It was still walk on for the first hour.

 

[chelseabun76]

That is frustrating to see as you are standing in line, especially when there IS a CM standing in the loading area that is closed? To me, if the boat/car/whatever is being sent anyways, throw people on them... happier people getting on more rides means they will want to come back. Seeing stuff like this kinda leaves a sour taste for some people I'm sure.

 

[I_Heart_Disney_4_Lyf]

I went in February and had stupidly long wait times. People were claiming that Disney intentionally understaffed so that the wait times would be more similar to busy times of the year. I still can't understand what advantage there is to making people wait longer. Whether it is not working 10 additional people or running empty rides.
"I know, we can't make everyone happy, so let's make no one happy!" Doesn't sound right to me.

 

[brockash]

So we just got back from a really great trip 9/6 thru the 16th. I really have no complaints as we had really low crowds and average wait times due to the extra PF+ we purchased. But even with FP+ we did see longer wait times than we should have had. On Pirates we used FP+ and when we arrived to the point where we could see the boats, every other boat was being sent empty. On Space Mountain they had only one side open but there were staff standing on the other side waiting and ready with all the coasters lined up. On Rock and Roll coaster, they sent every other train empty. There were 3 trains on track. Teacups. Yes teacups lol. Not loading all the cups. see pic below. These rides could have been walk on for everyone if they had loaded the empty boats and coasters.

RnR Coaster. 9/6 @ 6:47pm
View attachment 353554

Teacups. 9/7 @ 11:19am .... there were about 20 people behind me when they stopped loading.
View attachment 353555

The non running side of Space 9/11 @ 10:50am .....
View attachment 353556

This drives me nuts...we didn't notice it as much this past trip, but last year (end of Aug./beginning of Sept.) we did. We had to wait 45 mins for pirates because they were sending every other boat empty; same experience with Space and Big Thunder...so aggravating.

 

[brockash]

I went in February and had stupidly long wait times. People were claiming that Disney intentionally understaffed so that the wait times would be more similar to busy times of the year. I still can't understand what advantage there is to making people wait longer. Whether it is not working 10 additional people or running empty rides.
"I know, we can't make everyone happy, so let's make no one happy!" Doesn't sound right to me.

The advantage is Disney saving money...it's always about how they can get the most money, by providing less and less. It's a business and I get that, but it seems like they've been increasingly getting more and more greedy while providing less and less to their "guests."

 

[TiggerBouncy]

The advantage is Disney saving money...it's always about how they can get the most money, by providing less and less. It's a business and I get that, but it seems like they've been increasingly getting more and more greedy while providing less and less to their "guests."

But I don't see HOW they are saving money.

I get it on rides like Pirates or Space Mountain where you only have to staff one side.

But you have the same number of CM's for teacups if you fill half the cups or all of them. You have the same number of CM's on RnRC or 7DMT whether you fill every train of leave some empty. If anything these take MORE CM's to run empty. Explain to me how this is cost cutting on Disney's part?

 

[brockash]

I was there right before you...I had a similar issue on Rock N' Rollercoaster...However, someone vomited while on the ride. So, for a period of time they had to clean it up. Usually due to safety reasons at that point, they then have to start letting every other rollercoaster load. I'm sure something happened that caused them to have to load every other car on RnRC. I would assume shortly after you rode, they went to loading all 3 cars again. That's a ride that doesn't make sense to do this.

I'm interested to know what time you rode Pirates...Depending on the time, it might not have been "peak" time for that day. So, they didn't need to run both sides of the Pirates queue. That could be why they were only loading one side.

Teacups...That is definitely strange, but maybe they were having some issues? It's hard to really know.

I've seen Space Mountain do that quite a bit, but usually in the morning or late evening like your time shows. I saw them running both sides when I was there around the same time as you.

I believe Touring Plans did an experiment about this very issue earlier this year, and we learned for it to be true. Les Testa did an audio only interview with Craig on the Dis Unplugged Podcast about it.

Needing to is a matter of perspective. They never "need to," but while you may be happy and not be bothered to wait 45 mins for pirates because they're sending every other boat empty, many others, myself included find that pretty aggravating.

I'm not sure why you're trying so hard to come up with so many excuses as to why Disney may have just been forced to do this and fight so hard against the pretty standard consensus and logic, that this in fact just something that Disney CHOOSES to do to save money...it happens frequently. Sure there are times when it's out of their control (like someone throwing up,) but it's also fact that they do choose to understaff to save money during "off-peak" times. That's their right as a business, but there's no reason to act like that's not what's really going in as 9 times out of 10 it is.