Shorter lines at Disney parks in the future?

Disney knows park guests detest long lines. A day full of standing in lines can quickly take a toll on people’s spirits, turning a day of fun into a day of frustration and boredom. A recent article in the New York Times describes the steps Disney is taking to ensure better guest experience.

© Orlando Sentinel

At Magic Kingdom, a new command center built under Cinderella Castle monitors wait times at the park’s attractions and adjust capacity at rides when their ridership increases or decreases. Mini-parades guide guests into less-crowded areas of the park. Games installed at rides with frequent long lines such as Space Mountain and Soarin help guests pass the time while waiting in line.

These tactics are working. According to the article, an average guest at Magic Kingdom used to could only ride around 9 attractions in one day due to long lines and busy restaurants. Now, however, that number has increased to 10. Although it’s a small increase, it’s progress.

Imagineers have some interesting ideas up their sleeves as to how to further decrease crowding and wait times. We’ll have to wait and see how these ideas develop, though. As both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure reached capacity on the day of this posting, it’s obvious that Disney needs to continue improving crowd control. But it’s great to see Disney continually make strides in improving guest experience. Now if only some other parks could take notes!

Share