Disney patent applications often provide a glimpse into how the company may address what it sees as operational issues. A patent application published May 20, 2021 addresses something theme park visitors dread: waiting in a standby queue. “Dynamic Management of Virtual Queues” provides a possible solution.
The patent application clearly explains why Disney wants to reduce wait times.
One drawback of requiring guests to wait in a queue is the psychological and physical toll that a prolonged wait can impose on those guests. As common experience will testify, waiting in line is at best tedious and, depending on the length of the wait and environmental conditions, may be physically uncomfortable.
US Patent Application 2021/0150421
In addition to the psychological and physical concerns, long queues can also lead to guest dissatisfaction and loss of revenue for the theme park.
Another drawback of physical queues is that they prevent a guest waiting in line from enjoying other attractions available in the same venue, which may further frustrate the waiting guests while also depriving other attractions of traffic and potential revenue. Depending on the length of the queue, a physical queue can also have unpleasant consequences for other users of the venue, for example, by congesting public spaces and restricting freedom of movement for non-queueing users of the venue.
US Patent Application 2021/0150421
The dynamic virtual queue management system uses data from across the theme park to determine when a guest is able to return to an attraction. The scenario described in the patent application mentions a guest that has a virtual queue reservation for a second attraction. The guest would like to ride the first attraction before his return time. The dynamic queue management system would take all available data, including average wait times at the first attraction, and attempt to find a return time for the first attraction. This return time will not interfere with the guest’s virtual queue at the second attraction.
Fig. 1 shows how the system (100) works in a venue (150). The venue is the entire theme park. Four guests (116a-d) are shown, but the patent explains that the virtual queue management system could support up to “millions of guests” at a venue. Note that guest 116b has a mobile device (160b) such as a smartphone.
In this example, two attractions (152, 154) feed queue information to a computing platform (102). The software code (120) analyzes the attraction data. A Cast Member (118) at the first attraction (152) has a mobile device (160a) that can also supply data to the dynamic queue management system.
Two other park fixtures are also represented here: a digital display board (134) and a ticketing kiosk (158), such as a FastPass kiosk.
Fig. 2 provides a closer look at what happens on the guest’s mobile device. The computing platform (202) that runs the dynamic queue management software (220a) is able to “summon” the guest to enter the queue. The summons (234) can be shown as a notification on a display (266) with an accompanying audible alert (238). Note that the device’s RFID chip (278) is also used; that will allow the mobile device (272) to provide more precise location information, especially in queues. Dynamic queue management could be easily supported in the My Disney Experience mobile app via a software update.
The flowchart shown in Fig. 3 gives a simplified view of the process used by the dynamic queue management system. After the guest requests entrance to the first attraction’s queue (381), the system checks to see if the guest is enrolled in a second attraction’s queue (382). It is important to note that the software will verify a guest’s eligibility to join a queue.
Examples of eligibility criteria may include how many virtual queues a guest can be enrolled in concurrently, whether the guest or guests are authorized to be present in venue 150, whether the guest or guests meet size or age requirements for admission to first attraction 152, and/or the physical proximity of the guest or guests to first attraction 152, to name a few. The eligibility checks described above serve to ensure that no individual or group obtains fraudulent or otherwise inappropriate admission to any attraction in venue 150.
US Patent Application 2021/0150421
In step 383, the system determines the guests looking to experience the first attraction. Once a group is filled, the dynamic queue management software looks for a time slot that can accommodate the group (384) and determines a return window (385). The return window is calculated using average wait times of earlier guests. Finally, the system assigns the guests to the time (386) and sends a notification.
Few specifics are given regarding the expiration module (426). However, the expiration module would likely address two situations: guests who miss their virtual queue return time and extended attraction downtime. Park hours could also be used to expire and prevent additional guests from entering virtual queues near closing.
If implemented, the dynamic queue management system would fundamentally change the Disney Parks experience by eliminating the need for long standby wait times.
What do you think of Disney’s possible solution to long standby lines? Sound off in the comments.
Does this potentially suggest Disney are moving away from fast pass and towards different methods like universal who use virtual queue already? I am hopeful not, fast pass seems to work so well and with Covid restrictions easing seems possible to return and so I am unsure as to why they would remove something that works well and is well loved!
A fancy fastpass. So long as you can still go to other rides and attractions in the park, ok. Went last week to magic kingdom and was able to get thru all but 3 rides, we didn’t want to go on them, before we left about 5:00.
This sounds fantastic! I hate standing in a queue for more than 20 or 25 minutes. I feel like I’m wasting valuable time that I could be shopping or eating or riding other rides.
I’m interested and it sounds like it would be very helpful, but I’ll have to wait until we see it actually brought to reality and how it’s implemented before making any final judgements on it. If it’s anything like Rise’s boarding groups then I’m out. I only want that stress for one attraction, not all of them thanks.
Sounds good, but troubling that disney feels this is patent worthy. 6 flags already does this with some vip tickets… where you don’t skip the line, you just wait in line virtually. Just because the device changes to a user’s phone, and is extended to everyone does not make this new.
In fact virtual lines have been perfected this, this past year. I worry Disney will cause some parks to not implement such a feature… even if already working on it, out of the expense of Disney bringing litigation.
It will most definitely change the theme park experience. How much better would it be to take the hours spent in theme park lines to enjoy many other aspects of the park’s experiences. Shows, restaurants, or even just enjoying the little details that they put into every part of the parks. I personally can’t wait.
I like it as long as you can be in multiple virtual queues. Anything is better than standing on queue. I also worry about capacity. ROR virtual queue is all filled up in seconds
It sounds nice. But we have never been able to ride Rise of the Resistance yet. I have clicked like a madman trying to get on that virtual line right before and just as it becomes available. Every time i get “not open” and then “full” notices. So i’m very skeptical of this right now
Too complicated. Disney, like any business, first and foremost wants to make things more profitable for them, not improve the guest experience. I do not want a mobile app dictating what attractions I can and cannot experience, particularly with Disney’s abysmal IT track record and experience with the Rise of the Resistance virtual que.
What happened to spontaneity and a relaxing vacation experience discounting from the demands of the modern world? If you really want to be a slave to a mobile app enjoy but this not for me. I am sure that I am not alone and that Disney will try to profit off such attitudes by allowing you to purchase priority access or some other form of bypassing these virtual ques, much in the same way Universal Express Pass allows you to bypass the virtual ques. Again, pay more for the same as things are now. Sad to see, but inevitable I suppose with a for profit business. Not looking forward to see anything of this nature implemented.
What would this do to crowds in general at a park… Have you been to Disneyland on a day when the park is at capacity? You can hardly move at times. Now take all the people parked in lines and let them roam free? Omg. I don’t like waiting in line either but I wonder if they really have the space for this.
That’s a very good point!! The stores, restaurants, etc., will all be a lot more congested if no one is waiting in a line.
The solution to your comment is restricting compacity at a ticket premium with park pass reservations. Disney has been waiting to do this for years, and finally have the chance to roll the program out.
So combined this with the Genie app. and you’re basically getting an alternative to FastPass where an automated system manages traffic flow and wait times at attractions. No need for separate FastPass/Standby lines. Interesting.
I don’t like virtual que ‘s because like ROR attractions will become unavailable in seconds to minutes and for those that don’t have a attraction coming up in near future they have to do something, meaning walk around without purpose and still a crowd. I don’t want to walk around without hope or a purpose.
Alan
How are groups, such as a family handled?
This makes perfect sense. No one–not even Disney–benefits from having thousands of guests waiting in multiple hot, muggy queues all around the park. The crying kids, unruly people, and clogged walkways aren’t good for anything.
Sounds like this will just make standby lines worse and end up making everything that’s usually walk on with a higher wait .
Stuff like teacups will end up being longer wait since they want to balance it out.
After 3 trips without fast pass, I never want to see it return because standby lines moved so fast especially when an attraction was at regular/ full capacity
To get in the queue at stsr wars we had to be in the park at 5am. Will it be the same?
Now you can join the queue at 7am from your resort. Or you can join the afternoon queue from inside the park (if you have a park reservation and aren’t park hopping). So that has already changed.
Personally, I think it’s a great idea providing Disney IT can actually make it work correctly. Unfortunately, that’s where I have my doubts considering how they blundered everything else when it comes to technology I don’t have a lot of faith in this working very well.
Everyone seems to forget the obvious. Where do people go if they are not in a queue? Take everyone waiting in a queue and drop them into the already crowded pathways of the park and imagine the gridlock. Park capacity depends on people in queues. Get rid of FP, make it so you can be in one virtual queue, and a standby line, and it might work out
What about people that don’t have smart phones?
This effort has definitely taken some time to get working. I’m sure Disney had some difficulty with making sure that their patent doesn’t actually infringe on Universal’s virtual queue systems.
I’d guess that dispite what we’ve seen in the parks for Rise and Disneyland max passes, they’ve been tweaking the system quite a bit in the backend. Now they have something filled, they can start to build out infrastructure and get any other vendors they may need involved in the process. Or at least they can once they have the patent secured.
let’s be honest here. with the new all about profit disney under chapek, if you are waiting in line you are not buying anything. disney is becoming “woke” to make as much money as possible while offering as little magic as possible. magic costs a lot of money to provide to the plebes.
I’ll bring up the comment first pointed out when booking fast passes months in advance brought up: how will this impact spontaneity and laid back nature of how most people normally like to enjoy their vacation. Not everyone will enjoy structured plans, full of designated locations you must be at, at defined times that are determined by not very transparent calculations of statistics of how the far the queues have been going, and your location within the park.
Don’t accesso already do virtual queuing for theme parks? Perhaps they should go to the professionals.
This and other recent changes require guests to bring their smart phones nito the parks, have the Disney app installed and know how to use it in every detail to enjoy the experience. I would prefer to leave my smart phone locked in my luggage back at the hotel but this option has now become impractical.
It would be nice to not have to stand in lines. However, if people are not standing in lines they’re going to disperse and wait for other rides, making those lines longer.
Sounds great, and I’d be all for it, but my grave concern is around FP+. I can see Disney rolling out the VC as the standard or “complimentary” service and moving FP+ to a paid service or upgrade.
I agree .. bring back fastpass!!
The Structures are already getting built as we speak. Another set of touchpoints to all E ticket rides at WDW. To be finished around August.
Also, This is the start of planning rides 60 days ahead of time. You pick which rides you want and get pooled to ride them at a specific generated time. Like fastpass+ But I think more convenient.
I don’t mind a computer minimizing my wait times as long as I don’t have to act like a computer and stay on a schedule constantly through my vacation. That sounds stressful- like work. Also, Disney will need to do something about wifi in the parks. It’s notoriously bad.
Well fast passes were OK when you had to be in the park to get them. When they let you get them months in advance was when disaster hit. It sucks big time. This sounds like a good idea. I’m a DVC member for 30 years and a pass holder. Fast pass became the worst idea ever.
The big concern is how to implement this without turning getting a ride reservation into playing the lottery. With fastpass, getting one was easy and a wait time with it was roughly 15 minutes.
Waiting in line 15 minutes is much better than being denied access to the ride for the entire day because you didnt win the virtual queue lottery.