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Inside the Magic is running a story about how to “hack” the Genie+ Lightning Lane system at Walt Disney World. In reality, they’re actually talking about a strategy of getting into regular queues close to closing time because the lines are often much shorter than advertised. This means that guests are often using Lightning Lanes late in the evenings, when the wait time is far less than they might expect.
This lines up exactly with what we’ve been reporting here at That Park Place. Namely, WDW Pro has been reporting that just prior to the release of the Lightning Lane system, Disney was doubling (and even tripling) the queue time estimates versus the reality.
Disney World Is Doubling, Even Tripling, Estimated Queue Times
One of the concerns about the Lightning Lane system, as it has been instituted, is that Disney has incentive to overestimate wait times, or hold onto longer wait times after the queue has diminished. In doing so, the company is directly able to generate more money as guests will be more likely to pay if a line is perceived to be very long. We’re not accusing Disney of purposefully doing this, only that the system incentivizes overestimations inherently.
This is the one that worries me. Disney has a clear incentive to set fewer of ROR’s daily “slots” aside for free VQ knowing that many who miss the VQ drop will turn around and instantly buy “Individual ride reservations” for its Lightning Lane. Less “free” supply. 😮💨 https://t.co/6x9WDEaSqe
— Park Lore✨ (@ThemeParkLore) August 19, 2021
All of that said, from a guest practicality standpoint, the strategy of waiting for big rides until the end of the day is a sound idea… especially if resort guests are getting in and creating long lines before off-site guests can even get through the turnstiles. However, this plan is not without risk. There’s no guarantee that the strategy works every time, and a group might find themselves at the end of a two-hour wait with sore feet and weepy children. But as a general rule, this has always been something that park connoisseurs know can work. As an example, a couple of weeks ago, I hopped on Splash Mountain just before Magic Kingdom closed. The posted wait time: sixty minutes. The actual wait time? It was more like twenty minutes.
Here’s an even better tip for you to take with you:
If a wait time says more than forty minutes, but the line is within the bounds of the normal queue at the attraction… chances are it’s going to be less. Of course, each attraction has different queue capacity within its boundaries, but usually, those very long waits tend to spill out and create the need for a cast member with a sign showing where the line begins. If that’s not there, long posted wait times may not be fully accurate.
Have you gotten into a queue that was far shorter than advertised? Let us know in the comments below, and share with us your new strategies now that Genie+ is out!
