ROTR was still not ready to open if hours long breakdowns is a consistent thing

[Tapdawg]

Was at the park yesterday (01/30). Park opened at 9am and yes there is a boarding group one. We were group 14 and were called by 10am. They wound up getting to group 96 and stopped boarding groups around 9pm. the park closed at 10. Groups starting boarding minutes after the park opened.

Excellent! Sounds like the experience is improving. Let’s hope this becomes the standard instead of the exception.

[BlAcKoUt510]

Wait, whaaaaaat? So you mean Disney opening this attraction during their admittedly slowest part of the year wasn’t done to bring more guests into its parks - during slow season ? ? ?

oh ok. 🙃

Right?! Crazy they "purposely" opened this attraction during the slowest period.

[whoever]

Disney opens quite frankly, the greatest attraction ever devised in ANY theme park EVER, for a line of business (the parks), which only generate 28% of operating income and it's down here/there while they work out ways to improve it. "Fans: This sucks!!! BUT... I'll go wait in line anyway". Disney (me and other shareholders) laugh all the way to the bank. Me as a consumer of the theme parks cries a little.

[SkippyXS]

The boarding group lottery concept is a case where the cure isn’t any better than the disease. Disneyland since day one been: ticket = attraction access. The lottery concept favors savvy pass holders and is completely out of alignment with consumer expectations. I’m sure there a many people who visited the parks for the first time in years to experience this attraction and neglected to learn about the lottery and its extremely limited gamey nature. ROTR should have opened when it could meet customer expectations, that is to say, operate reliably enough so that anyone who gets in line is guaranteed a ride.

[CM08]

The boarding group lottery concept is a case where the cure isn’t any better than the disease. Disneyland since day one been: ticket = attraction access. The lottery concept favors savvy pass holders and is completely out of alignment with consumer expectations. I’m sure there a many people who visited the parks for the first time in years to experience this attraction and neglected to learn about the lottery and its extremely limited gamey nature. ROTR should have opened when it could meet customer expectations, that is to say, operate reliably enough so that anyone who gets in line is guaranteed a ride.

Very true. It's such a weird dynamic during opening rope drop now, there is literally silence with everyone on their phone trying to get a boarding pass. No guest is actually excited to walk into the park... and the few who don't know about boarding groups are left 'in the dark' confused as to what's happening. By the time anyone can explain boarding pass to non-smartphone users the passes are long gone.

Not to mention the lines at park exit gates at 8:05am with everyone who didn't get a pass to try again some other day.

[KevRus]

^ Yup. It’s so bizarre, and a strangely cult-like experience.

Goofy and some characters were out on Main Street dancing to music while everyone was quietly staring at their phones. People trying to cut in line for the turnstiles to make it inside by 8am.

It’s totally weird and uncanny. I go to Disneyland to take a break from my phone, yet everything is “gamified.” I hate the whole system and can’t believe it’s still happening. Guests MUST be complaining, right??

It’s probably a way for Disney to semi-artificially raise their daily attendance “clicks.” So gross.