2
Credit: DisneyWhen planning a trip to “The Most Magical Place on Earth“, you have to prepare for a lot of things. From budgeting to reservations, there’s a lot to plan for when getting ready for a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort. One of the most common things you will have to prepare for however is the lines and crowds.
Crowds neer seem to go down and many Guests are worried there is no “off-season” anymore at the Parks. Waiting in line is just something you will have to do when at the Disney Parks and Resorts. Recently, Disney introduced a new system that in theory should help out with this issue.
Related: Disney World Expecting Major Crowd Increase, Extending Hours This Month
Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane were released last year to much criticism and frustration, leaving many Guests feeling confused by the service. In theory, this paid service should enhance Guests’ experience at the Parks, but in practice, it seemed to just be an expensive itinerary planner. These paid services allow Guests to skip lines for a price, meaning Disney now has a financial incentive to have long lines. At Disney World, for $15.00 per day per Guest, you can skip the long standby queue by making a Lightning Lane reservation (new FastPass) and returning at that time.
Related: After Unexpected Delay, Disney ‘Wish’ Is Once Again Accepting New Bookings
At each Park, however, there are two attractions that Guests would need to purchase a separate Lightning Lane ticket for if they wanted to skip those lines. Those attractions are:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Space Mountain
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Frozen Ever After
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Avatar Flight of Passage
- Expedition Everest
Since the introduction of Disney Genie and the single-use Lightning Lane systems, some Guests have wondered how accurate the wait times actually are in the Parks. Some even worry that Disney may be artificially inflating them, though if this is done to help crowd levels or to increase profits is yet to be seen.
A video posted to TikTok further highlighted this issue and discussion after the Guest boarded Disney World’s most popular ride in mere minutes when the posted wait time was well over an hour. See the video below from @disneyparksdiy:
@disneyparksdiy this was an unbelievable moment on the live stream #disneyworld #disney #disneyparks
In the comments, many proposed the theory that Disney was purposefully inflating wait times. User @christycabrera519 asked “Do you think they are inflating the wait times?” to which @disneyparksdiy responded with “At the moment, yes”. Several others made the same claim. User @taterthot08 said,
“Disney always be lying about the wait time”.
User @kevinmcnamara797 said,
“100% they are inflating wait times to push people to pay for lightning lanes.
User @ellerocks14 commented:
“Had this happen the day after it went off virtual queue. Said 75 minutes and we were at the front in 15/20 minutes”
User @ronniejg said:
“just waited 12 minutes when it was posted 65 minutes the other day!”
While we do not have any proof that Disney is doing this on purpose, the continued inaccuracy of wait times do make you wonder whether or not they are always accurate. More on Rising of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
An Attraction on a Scale That Is Impressive, Most Impressive
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is a massive attraction with multiple ride systems that is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced at Walt Disney World Resort… or anywhere else in the galaxy!
Accept a Mission from the Resistance
The Resistance needs your help! Hidden in the forest outside Black Spire Outpost, the Resistance is gathering recruits for a secret mission.
With the First Order desperate to extinguish the spark of the Resistance, the mission is bound to have unexpected twists and turns. When your transport is captured by an imposing First Order Star Destroyer filled with legions of stormtroopers—and even Kylo Ren!—you’re going to need all the help you can get. Fortunately, a covert team of Resistance fighters—including Rey and BB-8—is at the ready to give you a fighting chance to escape… and a chance for the Resistance to rise.
Prepare for a thrilling, first-of-its-kind adventure!
What do you think about the wait times at Walt Disney World right now? Let us know in the comments below.
Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disney World’s water parks, four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!
While you are at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can enjoy Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith on Sunset Boulevard. By the Chinese Theater, Guests prepare to ride Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. In Toy Story Land, Slinky Dog Dash always boasts a long line with others shooting their shot on Midway Mania or spinning their brains out on Alien Swirling Saucers. Of course, you have to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge for some blue milk, or green milk, and ride Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler’s Run!