Touring Plans--realistic wait times

[slpeters]

So our trip is 26 days away and it's my first time (dh once spent an afternoon at Epcot during a work conference). I guess today is my day to freak out about our plans. Our FP selections seem good. I didn't even know we were going 180 days out so dining reservations aren't exactly what I would have probably picked had I known that far out, but short of Ohana we appear to have basically got everything we wanted. I'm excited for the trip and it's apparent that dh is actually getting more and more excited as well as it gets closer.

I used the TouringPlans software to lay everything out and it seems to work really well. We're opening and closing a park each day with a mid-day break. It all seems to really lay out well. And that's what I'm starting to freak out about. We have seven days in the park and not a single wait time is projected over 20 minutes. Actually the only ones that come in over ten are our two FOP FPs and our Space, Thunder, Seven Dwarfs FPs for our last evening (the Monday of Thanksgiving weekend which of course is supposed to be crazy busy).

...And that doesn't seem at all realistic. Everyone tells me about their experience at Disney World when I tell them I'm going and all anyone remembers seems to be waiting in interminable line after interminable line. And I look at my touring plans and think: this can't be how it's going to go down. I know it's partly down to planning. We're not even in the parks for the really busy afternoons. We're getting up early and staying up late and we're going to take freakin' naps! I know there's a method behind it, but still..

Don't get me wrong I know we're going to end up deviating from the plans. I know we'll decide to do things I don't even know about. I know rides will break down and there will be random thunder showers and, from what I understand, at some point one of us will be run down by a scooter. I know all that and have accepted it. We have alternate plans and things to take out of the plans if we end up behind schedule. Pretty much everything that is important is scheduled at least twice so we can skip one if need be. Dh has even started to talk about going again when they open Star Wars Land, so worst case scenario, we get a do over.

But still I can't escape the notion that I'm deluding myself about how all this is going to go down.

So I guess I need a couple things. First, of course, was just to rant. Then I need either some reassurance that the TP software actually works... or a major reality check in time for me to throw it all out and start over.

Oh, and maybe a Xanax...

 

[SarahC97]

I have found with Touring Plans that the wait times when there are pretty realistic, but leading up to it, it's simply a guess. Do you have the TP lines app? I've found that to be pretty spot on while actually in the parks, but quite often I have found with TP that leading up to the visit, their projections are on the low side.

 

[pitpat]

When was the last time you saw FOP or 7DMT wait times of 20 minutes?

 

[SarahC97]

When was the last time you saw FOP or 7DMT wait times of 20 minutes?

At about 11pm on a party night at a party that wasn't sold out.

 

[debdebdebby13]

We have used TP on our three previous trips and I don't think we've ever waited more than 20-30 minutes for anything. Try not to stress. Even if the estimates aren't fully accurate right now, you'll still be waiting less time and you'll have a great time even if you do have a few longer waits.

 

[hllb]

I've used TP for both of our previous trips. Each trip was 5 days in a park, so 10 days total. Of those, only 1 day felt like it was busier than TP said it would be. That's pretty good accuracy in my book. The caveat is that we go during low times. So even if their 10 minute wait prediction was off, 15 or 20 minutes still feels pretty short.

 

[KittyKitty]

I am a planner, this next trip will be our 27th?(drop in the bucket compared to many).I'm also am using TP because it's fun for me to plan. I think their times are bit optimistic.,so I put in some free time between attractions, reservations, traveling, and such.

WDW is huge.

Think of your plans as flexible. You will not see everything, you will not do everything. You may get tired. You may be in the mood to go swimming, or see Disney Springs, or go shopping at an Outlet, not get out the door in the morning when you wanted to, or..........

EX: We were having a breakfast roll after riding RnR, when I heard this dark music coming out of the PA. I ran(ok... 67 yr old run) to find it was the March of the 1st Order,had no idea it existed,it just gave me shivers.

All the more reason to come back.

Have a great time!

 

[Carla1183]

We are going the same week and I've had the same feeling, that things are a bit Optimistic! I'm somewhat building things pretty loose with notes like (If we have this free time - try this! or "this is a good time for kids to go play at the Bone Yard if we can!") Bc I just can't believe them that we can do like 6 rides in an hour or something (I might be exaggerating but you know what i mean!)
It does show me lines over 20 minutes, but primarily on big ticket things, and afternoons by far the highest.

 

[Ouida]

Just look at current waits with the same crowd as your TP perdictS for your days. I find them optimistic too. I've posted the very same question. My feeling is re-evaluate right before you leave, and have some wiggle room in your plans. I have "can skip, if behind" by things that I know is no one's favorites. Of course, I haven't tried my plans yet in the park.

 

[cigar95]

When was the last time you saw FOP or 7DMT wait times of 20 minutes?

Since they have FP for these attractions, those are about right.

 

[Pluto777]

I have found with Touring Plans that the wait times when there are pretty realistic, but leading up to it, it's simply a guess. Do you have the TP lines app? I've found that to be pretty spot on while actually in the parks, but quite often I have found with TP that leading up to the visit, their projections are on the low side.

Whoa, TP lines app?? What's that?

 

[Candice1]

dining reservations aren't exactly what I would have probably picked had I known that far out, but short of Ohana we appear to have basically got everything we wanted.

Keep checking as it gets closer, people tend to cancel some ADRs they've been holding before the 24 hr cancellation window hits.

TP software actually works...

I've used it in the past and the wait times are fairly accurate. I always use the slowest walking setting, and add breaks/make sure there's some free time allocated in our plans. A plan is better than no plan -- have fun!

 

[Sarcazm]

Whoa, TP lines app?? What's that?

https://touringplans.com/disney-world-app

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

When was the last time you saw FOP or 7DMT wait times of 20 minutes?

The longest that we've ever waited for 7DMT was 20 minutes and that was during opening week in 2014. They key is waiting until later in the evening when the line is the shortest.

There have been several recent reports of FOP lines 30 minutes or less close to closing time as well.

 

[Lovetherodent]

i used TP last time and it was pretty accurate. In fact, we got way more done than we thought we would.

 

[Ouida]

i used TP last time and it was pretty accurate. In fact, we got way more done than we thought we would.

Do you mean accurate while in the park, or the plans you make leading up to your trip?

 

[hllb]

I have found with Touring Plans that the wait times when there are pretty realistic, but leading up to it, it's simply a guess. Do you have the TP lines app? I've found that to be pretty spot on while actually in the parks, but quite often I have found with TP that leading up to the visit, their projections are on the low side.

I subscribe and didn't even know this existed LOL. I just downloaded it and it's cool. Not graphically appealing like MDE, but they have the posted wait time vs. the expected wait time. They also show if you should wait to ride because they expect the lines to get shorter later in the day. Shows if FP+ is available too. Very cool data.

For example, right now, Dinosaur has a 50 minute posted wait time, with the app saying you'd get through in 39 minutes if you got in line (I have found park posted times to be fairly inaccurate). It then says "Wait. Lines dropping until 6:30 PM". For FoP, it says "Ride Now. Lines not going down." with a posted wait time of 140 minutes and expected wait time of 115 minutes.

 

[hllb]

Do you mean accurate while in the park, or the plans you make leading up to your trip?

For us, it's been accurate 9/10 for planning.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Maybe you've already done this, but when you make a personalized TP there's an option for walking speed. I'm not sure of what your walking speed is, but if you usually plan on moving pretty quickly then you could select 'slow walker' (or whatever the option is) and pad the TP a little bit with walking time.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

For example, right now, Dinosaur has a 50 minute posted wait time, with the app saying you'd get through in 39 minutes if you got in line (I have found park posted times to be fairly inaccurate).

This is probably my favorite feature. I think only once has it led us astray and that was due to a delay with a character or something that they couldn't foresee.