Forget Harry Potter, Disney have Magic Bands!

 

For anyone who's been to a popular theme park during peak times knows what has always driven their day has been the queue times at the most popular attractions. Well our favorite theme parks have found ways to make it easier for us.
Now l'm not saying that at any time soon we'll never have those snaking queues that keep moving ever so slowly but can go on for quite some time. But with what the parks and geeky fans are doing to reduce your wait time, there is no reason to suggest that it couldn't.
So for the time being, I'd advise you to still work on getting the kids used to having to wait in line and expect some moaning teen who thinks they're too cool for the ride!.

Distraction is the art of illusion 

Illusionists have been using it for years and so have the parks. Along with the winding queues, some attractions have created some themed detail that set the scene to what you're about to experience in order to "distract" you from the time you're in the queue.

Haunted Mansion interactive queue

Lately though, this has become an art form itself and none more evident in the latest developments in the interactive queues found at attractions like Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom.


Here you'll find quite a few amusing things to do as you walk through the graveyard. The idea here is to play while you walk past, there are musical walls, squirting tombs and a talking self writing book asking you to complete the riddles it's creating.


Thunder Road Mountain is another ride they've improved the ride queue, along with giving everything an enhanced story line with items to read, they have given you things to look and play with, like explosive detonators in which you create new mine shafts. There are viewing screens to look down and see the mine itself or the ventilators that send the air down to the minors.
Over in Universal Studios, the Revenge of the Mummy has its archaeological story with some great artifacts and has also given you an array of things to press, push and try out. There is even something you can do to unexpected people along the queue.
The Amazing Spiderman runs video footage of how a newspaper is run, when suddenly a story breaks and then sets the scene on the adventure you're about to encounter

Manta  - Sea World

Sea Word's Manta ride has a series of aquariums just under the loading area showing hundreds of Manta's and tropical fish really setting the tone of the ride you're about to enjoy. This is one way to tacke the long queues and for most of the time it does work, but at the end of the day you still are using a best part of your day to queue up for these attractions. But there are another ways to reduce your queue time.

 

Priority Boarding

Universal were the first to introduce the priority boarding system called Express Pass. So instead of joining the usual line, at participating attractions people with Express Pass could join a separate line that would get you on the attraction much quicker. This is at an additional cost to the park ticket and only limited amount of tickets are sold and normally sold out in advance at peak times. These are sold as either one time use for each participating attraction or the unlimited pass for all day usage. But, if you're staying on property, the unlimited pass is included in your stay. (Nice little grab there!)
Disney Parks used their Fast Pass system, similar to ones that are found in many other theme parks, where you would approach the attraction and using your entry ticket you are given a Fast Pass ticket with a time to return to the attraction and then join a much shorter line. But you can only take one Fast Pass at a time, you can take another one out just before your return time or after a certain amount of time has lapsed. But on busy days those return times could also run out for the day quite quickly. And when that happens you're back to the normal queue times.

So Disney have now introduced Fast Pass+ and here they take the concept to the next level.

Pre-planning

With  Fast Pass+, there is now the My Disney Experience app that can be accessed from a PC, or mobile device. Each entry ticket is assigned 3 Fast Pass+ tickets per day, when purchased in advance you can go to the app and start reserving 3 participating attractions for 7 consecutive days, up to 60 days in advance of your visit. 
  
During your stay

With Fast Pass+ you can change reservations up to 24hrs prior to the allocated time.
The app can also be set-up to email you if an attraction you're booked to go on is down, so letting you book a time for another participating attraction.



The Magic of the Band

Available in many colours

If you're staying on property, guests are given Magic Bands, these are sent to your home in advance once you've logged in to the app and set up each persons profile. You even get to choose from a selection of colours

The bands are now your key to the world, they will get you into your hotel room, the parks, reserve Fast Pass+ attractions and dinner reservations. You can also purchase merchandise and food at participating food outlets. They can also be used in water when you're at the hotel pool or water park.
To help keep tabs of your party expenses, one Magic Band can keep control of the others credit

 

You can even use Photo Pass on the bands, when the photographer takes the photo, he scans the band and the picture is emailed to your address you set up on the profile. Then log-in to the app and download the picture.
And when the vacation is over, you get to keep the bands as a memento or even re-use them on your next visit, like you need another excuse to return right?



Universally slow

Now for the time being there doesn't seem to be any sign of Universal coming up with their own version of Magic Bands, or even an experience app. Although there are plenty planning apps available for mobile devices. But to be honest, their parks are not as busy as Disney's and in any case, their busiest park is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Express Passes aren't used there for the time being. I think this is a big mistake, but I'm sure it will eventually.

So look out for all these queue busters on your next trip and I'd love to hear about your experiences if you do and don't forget to enjoy more

Dale