Are Wait Times For Rides Really That Bad?

[Remy is Up]

First- You can get more than 3 FPs. Thats just what you can prebook.
Second- Be willing to break into smaller groups of 4 or less and have specific people in your party who learn the MDE app, how to refresh and can overlap times for groups of more than 4.
Third- Learn the system. Even in big groups ( ive done family groups like this) not everyone wants to ride everything, so one person may be responsible for FPs for these 3 or 8 people, this one for this group, etc.
Lastly- All the bunk about you wont get headliners and you are doomed is just that ...Bunk... Not true at all. I suggest you google drop times for WDW FPs. Learn the schedule, then master refresh and youll be fine.

The reality is, and some may disagree but we go a ton, every other weekend or so, less than 10% of the people across the parks know how to use the system. Most are uninformed and just get in Stand by lines. We havent stood in a stand by line for anything other than stuff like TTA or Country Bears in years. We pull FPs for everything. Including Top line attractions. Those may take some patience, but, if you know drop times ( MK has none since the park isnt tiered), Know how to break tiers, know how to use burners, and know how to refresh well, you are 200% ahead of anyone else in the parks. We pulled FoP, Everest, and Dinosaur on the way to AK at 1245-1Pm on Sunday. The wait times for those rides were 240 Minutes, 120 Minutes, and 85 Minutes. So it is very possible if you just work the app. We havent gone to a park with 30 or 60 day FPs in over 2 years and we manage to do whatever we want.

 

[slyster]

I remember 6 years ago I could walk into a park around park opening or a little bit later and still be able to walk on popular rides or with minimum wait 5-10 minutes. Seems things are much different now.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

yes but that same year in 2019 had much lower crowds than may 2019.

They were actually pretty comparable as @JETSDAD mentioned.

One thing that also has an impact on May - people travel the week before and week after Memorial Day. When Memorial Day is May 25, you may start seeing heavier crowds earlier. When Memorial Day is May 31, you may not see the heavier crowds until a little later in the month. This year, I think Memorial Day is earlier.

Do you think they will be able to get FP for a group of 20 that way? I am thinking that group is going to have to split up.

This depends on if they’ll be moving as a herd all day long. Do they want to do every single ride together? Sure, it would be hard for 20 people to get the same exact FP time (although it is possible to get overlapping times.) We book our first 3 FP together. Many times after those, people from our group will split off and do their own thing. I can’t imagine a group of 20 would all stick together all day every day for every ride and meal. That wouldn’t work for us, but maybe for others!

One of the reasons we are successful touring as a bigger group with a wide age spread is because everyone is free to break off (someone wants to chill and watch FoF? Ok! Someone else may book a HM mansion FP instead.) We do a lot of things together but do not move as a herd all day. Just depends on the group.

 

[erc]

I remember 6 years ago I could walk into a park around park opening or a little bit later and still be able to walk on popular rides or with minimum wait 5-10 minutes. Seems things are much different now.

I've been going every 2-3 years since 2004 and never remember being able to do that. You got one ride with a 5 minute wait and by the time you got off, everything was 30-60 minutes. But I have only gone at 9 crowd level times.

 

[westie55]

I never wait in lines for longer than about 20 minutes because I have small children who can't handle any longer than that. You can accomplish this by getting to the park at opening and using fp to your advantage, as others have already said. It helps if you have multiple days in each of the parks so you can spread out fp and not have to wait in lines. During times when you don't have fp, go to shows where everyone gets in or attractions with little wait. Even in the busiest times of the year, you don't need to wait in 2 hour+ lines.

 

[DavidNYC]

Read the boards, do some basic planing, and make sure you understand how the app works and about refreshing. I've been there many times that I would consider similar crowds to when you're going and with proper planning and some flexibility I rarely wait on lines more than 15-20 minutes. Everyone's touring preference is different but my key things are:

1. Rope drop every day - you can get a lot done in the first hour with stand by rides. Either hitting one of the big headliners or often getting in 2-3 of the 2nd tier rides.
2. I'll usually make my FP at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 or thereabouts. Do standby for the first hour and then do my three FP between 10:15 -11:45 whereupon I'll start making additional reservations.
3 Look for add'l FP right after scanning into a ride. Great time during the 10 minutes you'll often be in line to look for the next one. Refreshing and being patient is key. But also be flexible. I don't like the new app revision where you have to choose to either modify a time OR look for a new ride but what I'll often do is get a FP for what I want and refresh to try to get it as early as possible (or now and then look to modify the ride and see what is available in the next hour.
4. Use shows and meals to fill time when you've got a longer gap until your next FP.

MK is by far the easiest to get add'l FP for. I can't comment on DHS right now with the recent tier changes and it being in the middle of a heavy time. I suspect that when you get there you'll be OK. Epcot I can usually fine most rides with moderate refreshing (even the Tier 1), AK has been a bit tougher for the popular rides but still doable.

You will find many many many people on this board who will tell you how they can easily do 10+ FP a day even in busy times. Just learn the ropes and you'll be fine.

[Edit - I missed the part where you said you're a group of 20. If you're staying together - yes - it's going to be a LOT harder to get add'l FP for the popular rides. Not sure if you'll have groups that will be branching off now and then but I'd recommend groups with similar interests do some smaller group touring which will make it a lot easier.] I've never travelled with more than 7 so cannot even comment how the app handles add'l FP for 20!]

 

[LSUmiss]

It is President's Week so WDW is very busy this entire week.
Memorial Day weekend will be busy, if that is when you will be there. Shouldn't be busier than what you are seeing for wait times this week though. MK is the easiest park to get additional FPs day-of because there are so many attractions.

I guess we'll see if crowds subside at all on Monday, until crowds typically pick back up again in March for spring break weeks.

Next week is Mardi Gras week so doubtful.

 

[slyster]

I've been going every 2-3 years since 2004 and never remember being able to do that. You got one ride with a 5 minute wait and by the time you got off, everything was 30-60 minutes. But I have only gone at 9 crowd level times.

We went at level 1. First week of September so crowd levels were low.

 

[slyster]

We went at level 1. First week of September so crowd levels were low. Oh and let me clarify....walk on rides within the first hour or so after opening. Not all day. It seemed maybe 5-10 min waits after an hour but within a couple of hours, lines were getting longer. This was pre-Avatar, pre Galaxy's edge.

 

[erc]

We went at level 1. First week of September so crowd levels were low.

Are you saying that this has changed and now even level 1 days are long waits on every ride?

 

[slyster]

Well, I wonder??? Just from what I am reading, It seems like there are 20-30 minute or longer waits at a rope drop. Imagine waiting like I did waiting until shortly after rope drop to walk into the park. I sort of envision a 30-45 min wait if I walk up to Tier 1 ride 15-20 minutes after the park opening. Maybe that's not the case for level 1-2 crowd days? I'm hoping someone tells me I'm wrong LOL. It was nice to hit Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted House within the first half hour of arriving. I also remember AK, walking right onto Everest and riding it two times in a row and walking right over to the water rapids ride. All of it done within 30 minutes? Again, shortly after an opening.

 

[MomOTwins]

Just going to offer a piece of advice. It is so easy to get caught up in "fear of missing out" with Disney planning and think you have to get on ALL the popular rides or your trip will be a failure. I remember when Slinky Dog opened up, we did the rope drop after not being able to get a fastpass any time during our 4-day trip and it was AWFUL and I immediately regretted it. Was it a fun ride? Yes. Was it worth feeling scared for my kids' safety as people shoved my toddler's stroller out of their way and knocked my 7 year old to the ground, and we went from literally being close enough to touch the rope at rope drop (having gotten there 90 minutes before opening) to thousands of people back and me in line shaking with fear and anger? NO.

That was the turning point for us, and at that point, we have totally changed our touring style from trying to "check all the boxes" and do all the new and popular stuff to riding what we can ride with fastpass, and the rest of our time enjoying Disney's no-wait under-appreciated gems. I now love enjoying Tiki Room with no/minimal waits and spending half an hour running with my kids round the maze in Epcot's England. There is never a crowd at the walking trails or dino-land carnival in Animal Kingdom. And at Hollywood Studios you can usually get a seat at any of the stage shows (albeit in the back and off to the side) 10 mins before showtime. There are things to do at every park with no real wait.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I've been going every 2-3 years since 2004 and never remember being able to do that. You got one ride with a 5 minute wait and by the time you got off, everything was 30-60 minutes. But I have only gone at 9 crowd level times.

I totally used to do that. As recently as 2014 or so. I would go in November with my ex- stay in BLT. She sleeps until 11 or so - I would head over to MK and hit the park at opening. By 10:30-11, I would have done MOST of the park. Usually would hit Jungle, with 5 minutes. Tiki was walk-in. Pirates about 5 minutes. Mine train 5-10 minutes. Skipped splash at that early as it was usually chilly. Would usually fit a snack in there. HM was usually 5 minutes. Skipped Peter Pan and Small World, but generally do PM. Then Ariel would be about 5-10 minutes. Then would wait maybe 20 minutes for SM. The whole thing would take around 2-2.5 hours. The park would be getting crowded about that time and I would get back to the hotel when she was just getting out of the shower.

It was like my daily MK routine when we would go every year. once or twice a trip in November and Feb.

To the OP: depends on the ride. Ariel hardly sees a wait over 20-25 minutes these days (not like when it opened). Pirates is usually not more than 30. But Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, SDMT will always be packed - even in the mornings.

 

[DisneynBison]

We were able to do everything we wanted on our last trip but the planning that takes is quite ridiculous. With refreshing the app we were able to skip many many lines that were long, it was a great time for my wife and kids. For me it kind of sucked though, I am starting to detest spending my vacation with my face in the MDE app to maximize our time. We have went every year for the last 8 years but we are going to bank this years DVC points and skip at least a year.

I am very much a people watcher and this last trip I saw more frustrated people than I have seen on any other trip. My kids are old enough they handled it well but at Hollywood studios the number of meltdowns and kids that looked like zombies was to the point of just about being comical. Rise of the Resistance is great but there has to be a better way than a forced lottery system at park opening.

 

[disneyseniors]

Next week is Mardi Gras week so doubtful.

We have been to WDW many times at Mardi Gras week, and didn't even know that it was a "thing". We never noticed any increase in crowds beyond the normal at that time. We are going end of Feb (next week Yea) to 3/4, so might see what the March days bring. I'll report on the crowds then.

 

[LSUmiss]

We have been to WDW many times at Mardi Gras week, and didn't even know that it was a "thing". We never noticed any increase in crowds beyond the normal at that time. We are going end of Feb (next week Yea) to 3/4, so might see what the March days bring. I'll report on the crowds then.

Not sure how long ago you went but Mardi Gras has been the 2nd crowded weeks I’ve gone. Only thing worse was nye. Never been presidents week of easter have gone all other notoriously crowded times. I’ll be there next week too, but I do expect it to be packed.

 

[MarkS2112]

We were there in mid January which is typically light. However not anymore as it was crowded with most of top rides at 45 or 60+ and the real big ones at 180+. Skye’s it’s busy and trip reports are showing it has not abated. Around holidays will be worse.

 

[finedice]

Just got back last month.
Biggest non-holiday-related crowds I've ever experienced at WDW.

Starting in the early-early mornings, continuing into the night spectaculars.

Funny - the first reply pretty much sums it up. I'd take Robo's interpretation as accurate. Strategy only gets you so far when crowds get that big. After New Year weekend, January isn't traditionally a huge time of year minus MLK, right?

 

[Timothy02359]

Yes, It`s really that bad...

 

[daisy2013]

I would recommend not moving as a herd. When we go with our whole family (group of 16-18) we all go to the same park. Maybe prebook some fast passes together and a meal. Then we just all kind of go with the flow. Some groups splinter off and do a few rides or grab a snack while other go do a character and others do a different ride. We have a group text going so we all keep tabs on what’s happening.

I guess I’m an outlier in that I prefer this fast pass system to the old where you had to be there first thing to run to certain rides and then did not have a choice in when you could ride them, it was just what was being given at that time or you waited until the time you wanted appeared. Yes you could hold more than three fp. You could come back after you designated time but if you weren’t there first thing you would miss out on Fp for some rides