Your FP says 9:40...it's 6:15..

[Goofyernmost]

Ah, but the issue with the down to one lane problem is as a whole, people drive like selfish idiots (how surprising). If one person drives at a constant speed allowing the space in front of them to vary, it can smooth out all of the traffic behind them. If you do this in a blockade, you can actually clear traffic jams.
(I am on my home turf now of probabilities, queuing, and efficiencies so I suggest you stay far away unless you want me to pull out Poisson and Markov. :twisted :)

I understand what you are saying, but I have seen groups of 30 FP people all get there at the same time and all be put on first. At least on the highway I can nose my vehicle up close and not let someone in if I want. At Disney, I am helpless.

Anyway, the whole thing is that I have seen the anger in the standby lines. Is it justified, probably not, but it is there. In the long haul it is causing many, many people to be unhappy and frustrated. Regardless if that frustration is cause by ignorance of the possibilities offered them or just bad timing...they are not people that are having a magical experience. It may not show right away but, believe me, it eventually will. Who wants to go and spend that kind of money to just feel frustrated. The first impression is a lasting one. That is my complaint...the future of the theme park experience when people decide not to return for any other visit and not tell there friends about how positive the experience was. And remember that number is approximately 70% or the ride capacity. That's a lot of unhappy people.

[joanna71985]

But people know what the wait time is when they get into line. There is no reason to be getting mad

[Lasolimu]

But people know what the wait time is when they get into line. There is no reason to be getting mad

I have occasionally been frustrated by FP lines, generally only when I find myself waiting much longer then the posted wait time because the CM consistently makes sure the FP line is empty before even thinking of letting stand-by through. If they are giving both lines about the same attention I generally don't have a problem.

[Shorty82]

I have occasionally been frustrated by FP lines, generally only when I find myself waiting much longer then the posted wait time because the CM consistently makes sure the FP line is empty before even thinking of letting stand-by through. If they are giving both lines about the same attention I generally don't have a problem.

If the Merge CM is following the correct ratio Standby moves decently well. I will empty the FP line if I can but only if it means going a few over the number of guests. A few extra guests won't increase the Standby wait by more than a few seconds and emptying the FP line like that allows me to leave the Standby open longer than I can when there are FP guests waiting which helps everyone in the end.

[turkeyham]

At D-land, the FP lines are sometimes just as long as the standby. We see that at BTRR. Space Mountain has shorter lines, but they do add you into the longer line about 15 minutes before you ride.

[Lasolimu]

If the Merge CM is following the correct ratio Standby moves decently well. I will empty the FP line if I can but only if it means going a few over the number of guests. A few extra guests won't increase the Standby wait by more than a few seconds and emptying the FP line like that allows me to leave the Standby open longer than I can when there are FP guests waiting which helps everyone in the end.

Yeah, I usually don't have any complaints, most are really good about continuing to keep standby moving while still getting FPs through, but generally once each trip to the mouse on either coast, I find one line that just isn't moving. I find there are typically two scenarios for this, there are no FPs in line and the CM is trying to keep the ratio and they need more FPs so they refuse to send people from standby unless they really need to, or, there are a bunch of FPs and the CM ignores(or just doesn't know about) the ratio and holds standby back until all FPs are through.

[Shorty82]

...there are no FPs in line and the CM is trying to keep the ratio and they need more FPs so they refuse to send people from standby unless they really need to...

When there are no FPs in line I open up Standby and leave it open until FPs come in and stop at the chain. I prefer it when FP is slow (very rare at my attraction), it allows me to leave Standby open and when I do have to close it to let FPs in I only have to do so for a very short time.

[Lasolimu]

When there are no FPs in line I open up Standby and leave it open until FPs come in and stop at the chain. I prefer it when FP is slow (very rare at my attraction), it allows me to leave Standby open and when I do have to close it to let FPs in I only have to do so for a very short time.

I think I'd like you at merge :p:

[turkeyham]

Which attraction are you at most?

[Goofyernmost]

But people know what the wait time is when they get into line. There is no reason to be getting mad

Let's just say that I went to standby for Soarin last year and the signs all said that the wait time was 20 minutes. One hour and 45 minutes later I got on the ride. That in itself is bad enough, but when you wait that long and then watch others skip on past you...it isn't a pleasant experience no matter how well educated you are about the system.

So the question...is it a great thing for those that have a FP? You bet it is. Does it suck for those that do not? Yes again. Are those without going to have pleasant memories of their trip to Disney...highly doubtful. Will a large number of those people never return to Disney? Quite possible! Will the 30% that are happy be able to support the parks well enough to keep it in operation? Time will tell!