Fast and Furious Supercharged

I was afraid the queue would be a similar experience to Fallon. We had UE on a trip last October, and even with UE, it took over 30 minutes to get on the ride. It seems like F&F is running the same way where UE gets you into the holding area immediately (you don't have to pre-arrange a time online or at the kiosks), but you're still stuck in the group you've entered the holding room with, so it takes 4 or 5 cycles before you're actually on the ride.

I understand that it's difficult to manage when you're loading an attraction in this manner, but each group should have a designated number of UE spots that are given to UE guests for immediate boarding if they don't want to wait in the holding room. If you have UE, you paid to experience as many attractions as possible, not sit in a room for 20-30 minutes. I have no doubt the holding room is entertaining the first time, but if UE guests just want to ride the ride, they should not be subjected to the a mandatory 20-30 minutes in the holding room. These new virtual queues really devalue the power of UE, and hopefully will not be utilized on every single attraction moving forward, just those where there are longer periods between load cycles.

UO “attractions moving forward?" Are there any?

(Chuckle)

At least Disney World doesn’t charge hotel guests to park.... oh wait...... (golf clap)

TH, there is something, but nobody seems to know what it is other than the Forbidden Forest. They have an entire other property that is shrouded in secrecy. Clearly, they do not have the level of development that Disney has right now, but until they fix the FP+, I am sticking with the West Coast.

@Apple Butter - and don't be surprised that within the next 1-3 years that guests are paying to park at Disney Springs and the water parks too. It's only a matter of time - They've already opened the door to charging for FP+, so nothing is considered sacrosanct anymore at WDW.

Parking garages at DSTP were designed around a free parking model. There was no underground or capped stubups placed to accommodate toll booths. During construction I was told it was in the tenant leases that free parking for guests would be assured.

Guys- someone told TH that Disney won't charge for parking at the springs. So rest assured it won't ever happen.

(Chuckle)

@TH - There are plenty of ways around both of your points.

1. I've seen plenty of parking garages that have been fitted for payment systems after they've been built, even when infrastructure was not put in place as part of the original design. Power does not need to come from below for gates, and most newer pay garages these days don't require booths with pay terminals at stairways and elevator lobbies. Also, there's nothing preventing engineers from placing the physical gates just outside of the parking structure. It's really easy to horizontal drill or trench across the approach outside of the garages if they don't want to run conduit down from the ceiling inside the garages (where power and com lines are already located for lighting and space availability sensors).

2. I don't doubt that Disney negotiated free parking in the leases. However, there's nothing preventing Disney from slowly grandfathering that out for future tenants and when current tenants renew their leases, which are not likely longer than 5 years. Also, there's nothing preventing Disney from establishing a validation system that provides free parking for customers of Disney Springs tenants, but charges window shopping guests/loiterers. I've seen it happen at many malls where I live, so the same happening at Disney Springs would not be the least bit surprising, especially after they started charging parking for on-site resort guests. The fact that even with the expanded parking, spaces are hard to come by on weekends during peak seasons - that may encourage managers and tenants to determine that they need to limit loitering at DS to ensure paying customers can get in and out with relative ease. Remember, Disney is a business, and will look to capitalize on every available revenue source they can, and they've already shown an intense focus on this area over the past 3-5 years.

Did ya hear about the red-head?

Oy vey... the TH Creative UOR is terrible and Disney can do no wrong bandwagon is till in effect eleven years in...

As I now understand it parking garages are owned and operated by Reedy Creek. If parking fees were instituted the company would not gain any revenue from them.

N B said "Oy vey... the TH Creative UOR is terrible and Disney can do no wrong bandwagon is till in effect eleven years in."

Indeed, it is. I wonder what UOR did to TH Creative to give him such a burn?

I didn't know that TH....Good info if it's correct. However, couldn't Disney request that parking fees be instituted in exchange for relief from taxes paid by Disney to Reedy Creek? Disney wouldn't be receiving direct revenue from the garages, but would essentially be profiting from the fees in the way of a reduced tax burden to support RCDC (quid pro quo).

With Disney now charging guests to park at the resort hotels, I just cannot envision pay parking not coming to DS at some point in the next decade. Honestly, they almost need to charge for parking (predominantly for guests not spending money there), because the garages are overflowing. Disney would not undercut their core audience of on-site guests (who could take the buses over for nighttime entertainment), and a validation program could easily be implemented to allow guests with legitimate business at DS free access to the complex.

The day of reckoning is coming, because while the garages initially addressed the biggest problem with Downtown Disney/Disney Springs, the theory of induced demand is beginning to take hold and returning the complex to the traffic nightmare it was 10 years ago.

A new garage is under construction. Plus there are the lots west of the Orange garage and the Strawberry lot.

And I completely disagree with the claim that the "traffic nightmare" of yesteryear is showing signs of returning at DSTP. The civil improvements have solved the problems -- which used to be NIGHTLY and now are rare.