Bumper boats - Disney and ride cramming

[mouseketeer07]

I am so sick and tired of every time I go to Disneyland and get on a water ride and having to deal with boats getting gridlocked throughout the ENTIRE ride. There are so many boats being let onto rides, and I get that it's to combat lines, but it's honestly not working. The lines for rides like Pirates and Small World are still jam-packed, and even on the offseason there are too many boats! I'd rather wait in a longer line than have my ride experience ruined. I don't know if it's like this for Splash Mountain, as I'm not on it very often, but I'm sick and tired of the boat bumper car game that Disney is playing! I never remembered it when I was a kid but as I get older the boats just get jammed on every ride! I hope they reduce the number of boats they let out, at least on the offseason, to combat this because it really detracts from the ride experience.

[HiddenMickey87]

Pirates, Splash, and IASW are the biggest offenders for me too. I tolerate Pirates the best because it's indoors and gives me time to look for details, but I still rather have a smooth, continuous ride. IASW is brutal, especially if you're out in the heat.

Though I guess it's hard to tell if the backlog is caused by loading/sending too many boats at once, or a stalled boat (i.e. needing extra time to load passengers).

[mouseketeer07]

Pirates, Splash, and IASW are the biggest offenders for me too. I tolerate Pirates the best because it's indoors and gives me time to look for details, but I still rather have a smooth, continuous ride. IASW is brutal, especially if you're out in the heat.

Though I guess it's hard to tell if the backlog is caused by loading/sending too many boats at once, or a stalled boat (i.e. needing extra time to load passengers).

Yeah, i agree, but it happens all the time. Like I remember it happening occasionally a while ago but nowadays it happens every time I ride them.

[HiddenMickey87]

Slightly off-topic, but I've found that playful spooks have been disrupting HM rides waaaay more often than in the past.

[TacAlert]

I never remembered it when I was a kid but as I get older the boats just get jammed on every ride! I hope they reduce the number of boats they let out, at least on the offseason, to combat this because it really detracts from the ride experience.

That's because as a kid you came to Disneyland and had fun. Now you come to notice things like boats backing up which they always did.

Just go to the park and enjoy yourself. I mean, does it really ruin your experience?

[Eagleman]

Boats backing up...has always back up

as long as I remember~~~~~~~~it part of the ride system
Specially

loading/having too many boats at once.

[NGW]

I mean, does it really ruin your experience?

Bumping into the boat in front of you, having a boat bump into you from behind, then sitting and waiting X minutes before moving again absolutely ruins the experience. How in the world can you say it doesn't?

[Bubu]

It is what it is. When you are dealing with 60K or so people in the park...man...everything is grid lock. I think what ruins the experience more is "seasoned professionals" thinking that every ride is like participating in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". I don't want to hear random townies...I know the script too...I want to hear people like Thurl Ravenscroft. Less boats...longer lines...ya gotta choose. Make your own experience. I'd rather sit on a bench near the Rivers of America.

[Eagleman]

Well
I can except

Bumper to Bumper boat ride

lot better than

Bumper to Bumper traffic on the freeways
specially during rush hours ======== lol

[MRaymond]

The sad part is, adding more boats doesn't change the launch rate, the spacing still has to be maintained. All it does is take guests off the street and locks them in an attraction.

[TacAlert]

Bumping into the boat in front of you, having a boat bump into you from behind, then sitting and waiting X minutes before moving again absolutely ruins the experience. How in the world can you say it doesn't?

How I say in this forum is I sit down at my computer, put my fingers on the keyboard, and type, "I mean, does it really ruin the experience?"

But if boats backing up bother you that much, then don't go to the park. Spend your 1000s of dollars somewhere else. The boats have always backed up at the top of Pirates. Sometimes at the bottom of the lift also. Sometimes before you go down the first drop. I just rode it two weeks ago where the top was backed up, but went down both drops with not stops and up the lift with no stop.

[TacAlert]

It is what it is. When you are dealing with 60K or so people in the park...man...everything is grid lock. I think what ruins the experience more is "seasoned professionals" thinking that every ride is like participating in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". I don't want to hear random townies...I know the script too...I want to hear people like Thurl Ravenscroft. Less boats...longer lines...ya gotta choose. Make your own experience. I'd rather sit on a bench near the Rivers of America.

Same here. Sometimes people watching is the best attraction. Listening to people gripe about boats backing up or fireworks not shooting off correctly. Makes for a good day or evening. Sometimes when I go to the park I ride absolutely nothing except for maybe the train.

[tarheelalum]

Slightly off-topic, but I've found that playful spooks have been disrupting HM rides waaaay more often than in the past.

That is the truth. We did Haunted Mansion everyday for a week earlier this month and there wasn't a trip on that attraction that the ride did not stop multiple times. 5 years ago it would hardly ever stop once. And its not just people on scooters either transferring in and out. The attraction just seems to be worn out and in dire need of refurbishment.

[chickinvic]

That's because as a kid you came to Disneyland and had fun. Now you come to notice things like boats backing up which they always did.

Just go to the park and enjoy yourself. I mean, does it really ruin your experience?

Not really true. It honestly happens a LOT more now. I first started visiting in the 80s and it was not like this. As far as ruining the experience? Yes, if I had to be stalled through most parts of the ride jammed up with other boats, that would ruin the ride experience for me.

[TacAlert]

Not really true. It honestly happens a LOT more now. I first started visiting in the 80s and it was not like this. As far as ruining the experience? Yes, if I had to be stalled through most parts of the ride jammed up with other boats, that would ruin the ride experience for me.

I don't get it. What is being ruined? How is the experience ruined by a few boats backing up?

[Starcade]

Some of these are a tough call because of new regulations many special needs guests now are granted special considerations and these considerations lead to the triggering of "playful spooks" and many boat back ups on IASW and POTC. It's hard to complain because these people deserve to be able to enjoy the park as well and it would be cruel to force them to miss out on these attractions especially because many of them have unfortunately missed out on many things do to their abilities being altered. I think today Disney is much more considerate, because of laws not just empathy, than they where pre turn of the century when they simply said you had to be able to make on the normal ride or sorry about your luck. I often try and put myself in these guests places when I find myself frustrated by delays and it tends to give me pause and makes me appreciate the time I am having a touch more.

I do the same thing when caught in traffic, like this mornings huge delay on the 405 tripling my commute time. I always remind myself those that caused it are having a far worse moment than my personal inconvenience. ( and before anyone is concerned I am not comparing or equating being in an auto accident to having a disability they are completely different things )

[HiddenMickey87]

I don't get it. What is being ruined? How is the experience ruined by a few boats backing up?

The point of the ride is to be immersive. When you're constantly thinking about or being distracted by bumping into others and/or being bumped into, it takes you out of show. I don't think anyone's experience is "ruined" to the point of throwing a fit and storming out of the park, but we can at least agree it's annoying.

[Mike_M]

I can remember the boats in POTC backing up to the jail scene back in the 80’s. I don’t think this is a a new thing.

It doesn’t ruin anything for me.

Trips to Disneyland have always included being around a lot of people and crowds. I’ve ridden POTC completely alone with no one at all in the boats I could see in front or behind me and it was a little odd to be honest. It’s like going to the movies. For me, it’s better in a full theater than an empty one.

To add to something said above, hearing the ‘Playful Spooks’ announcement in HM actually pulls me out of the ride more than boat congestion does. I wish they’d only play that if you get stuck for longer than a couple minutes. The brief stops to load or unload someone with a disability shouldn’t need the announcement. My 2 cents.

[Eagleman]

It is a little annoying.......but notting that going get me upset......
It just part of the ride.......

[Bubu]

same here. Sometimes people watching is the best attraction. Listening to people gripe about boats backing up or fireworks not shooting off correctly. Makes for a good day or evening. Sometimes when i go to the park i ride absolutely nothing except for maybe the train.

a-men!