Wait time app

[Who Dey]

I have been lurking on this site for a very long time and finally decided to post because of the current wait times thread. I have posted this on the TPR forum and didn't get much feedback. I think we should all start using an app for wait times. I have downloaded Ride Hopper for free. I try to input times every time I go to a park. If we can use this app for KI it would help us decide if it is worth running over to the park. Let me know what you think or if there is a better app. I just chose this one because I travel a lot and it has all the parks even Stricker's Grove. I just wish more people would input times.

[The Interpreter]

Phone stays in car.

And has NO apps.

Welcome to KIC, though.

[CoasterOhio]

I have a certain 'page' that I try to talk to the fans often to to get the current times in the park. It helps me, and it helps others who want to visit the park that day.

[Oldiesmann]

There used to be a generic "theme park wait times" app (I think it was calls Ride Hopper), but as it relied on users to keep it up to date, so it wasn't reliable most of the time.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk

[BoddaH1994]

Problem is, it's hard to tell if it's accurate or not. Even the signs outside of the rides sometimes are over-estimates. I had a guy try to tell me he waited for 6 1/2 hours for Banshee on opening day. Really? 6 1/2 hours with nothing to eat, drink, or going to the bathroom? I don't think anyone really knows how long they wait. Even earlier tonight, I hopped in line for Banshee before they closed the line at 9:45. I happened to check the time on my phone before I stepped in line to see if we had the potential for a reride. It was 9:01 when we got in line. As we approached the station, my friend asked me how long we waited. I told him that I thought it had been about a half hour. I then check the time... it was 9:14.

[The Interpreter]

I know. So does Dave Althoff. I start the timer on my watch (remember those?) if I want to time a line. It starts when I enter the line and ends at dispatch. Dave often records dispatch times, intervals, etc. I know he's not the only one.

[Existential]

I count steps in line. Last year someone asked me how long the Flight of Fear wait was when I exited and I told them 292 steps...but that morning it was over 400. He told me to kindly do something 'off'.

[Banshee Back VII]

I count steps in line. Last year someone asked me how long the Flight of Fear wait was when I exited and I told them 292 steps...but that s morning it was over 400. He told me to kindly do something 'off'.

Steps are not an accurate way to do it. Let's say you are 7'4" and someone else is 5'5".

[The Interpreter]

If they were both in the Armed Services...?

[Existential]

Then count aisle posts if you like. 192 posts to ride Diamondback.

[Banshee Back VII]

Then count aisle posts if you like. 192 posts to ride Diamondback.

Or, like Terpy, you could use a watch!

[Who Dey]

I know the app takes user input and sometimes users can be Dumba.. Well not very mature and put in wrong times. I always timed on my watch the time I walked into the line to boarding then post the time. If enough people who are not DAs input the time we can have a useful tool and save me the 5 minute drive to the park if it is too crowded for me. I will be inputing times tomorrow but I will be in Planet Snoopy most of the day. I just can't get enough of the Great Pumpkin Coaster. Too bad they changed the seat belts on it this year.

[Who Dey]

Somebody made my today. I was driving by KI and checked Ride Hopper and someone put in wait times and they even looked accurate. I was so happy.

[TombRaiderFTW]

You're welcome.

If more people would update it with accurate times, it will begin to provide semi-accurate estimated wait times when user data isn't available. I wish people would bother, because it's really a neat little app.

[Who Dey]

I put times in today but they were little kid rides, The Racer, Stunt Coaster and a quick ride on D-back. When I go with just my older kids or by myself, I will put in the big rides. Now if we could just get this going on at more parks like Kennywood next Monday and ValleyFair in June and Michigan's Adventure in July.

Thanks for those who input times.

[Gabe]

Well, for more accurate times, they could install a system like Disney has been using for years--give random people a card attached to a lanyard, then hand it to the ride op upon entering the ride. It gets scanned and the wait time sign gets updated accordingly. Of course, that would require the park to spend a little bit of money for such digital signs instead of ones featuring dials that can be changed by anyone.

[thedevariouseffect]

The parks already do this, but use slips of paper with the time they entered the line on them. Once they reach the station they give them the paper slip who in turn reports it to Ride Ops. or supervisor/gold tag waiting on the exit side of the platform.

It was good to see those too, let us know where things were like say full queues, half queue, one train op, etc.

[Guest dtk1376]

It would be cool if they could do something like those screens they got at Kroger where it is able to tell them how many people are in line, that uses infrared data, not sure on if that would work as well in an outdoors environment like at Kings Island.

[Who Dey]

My theory on why parks don't publish wait times online is to prevent people from checking time and thinking lines are too long. This keeps people out of the park. If it is a mystery people take the chance come to the park and spend money. I know some parks like BGT have a central board with wait times. Even this could be done but I think to keep people in the park they keep wait times a mystery except if you walk to the line and look at estimated wait time boards there. I think it is good business but for my selfish reasons I wish I could know the crowd before leaving my house.

Of course when I visit other parks lines won't keep me away, but for my home park that I visit 35 to 40 times a year I don't stay if lines are more than 15 minutes. #spoiledbyshortwaitsonweedaysinMay

[Oldschool75]

I can tell you the wait for Banshee is long, because it's down again.

Sent from a signal coming out of the Vega system.

**Well apparently they are removing topics that pertain to a ride being down now.

The topic I started about Banshee being down was removed. ???

[The Interpreter]

Yes. Mr. Dane SPECIFICALLY asked we NOT do this:

http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php/topic/29483-threads-regarding-rides-temporarily-going-down-throughout-the-day/#entry617490

[Webble78]

It would be cool if they could do something like those screens they got at Kroger where it is able to tell them how many people are in line, that uses infrared data, not sure on if that would work as well in an outdoors environment like at Kings Island.

They already have the TVs for FunTV (I think that's proper capitalization) so your suggestion could be possible, in theory.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gabe]

I don't know if the two can coexist at a CF park, but Disney seems to do just fine with having both a SRL and a FP+ line(or at CF Fast Lane) for certain rides throughout their parks. I know that abuse of the SRL was rampant during the DB days (witnessed it myself numerous times), but again, at Disney, if you're in the SRL with a group, you WILL get split up 99% of the time. It's just a matter of training. I also don't think that having wait times posted on an app keeps people away from the rides; on the contrary, it might encourage people already there to shop and eat while waiting for the lines to diminish(the premise of the orig FP). The park makes no money off you while you're in line....

[The Interpreter]

...unless you get so frustrated you go buy Fast Lane or Fast Lane Plus. Ca-Ching!

[kikid74]

I love the (unofficial) Disney and Universal Studios wait time apps, and have been looking for something similar for Kings Island. I'd be willing to give this Ride Hopper app a try (just downloaded it), as it appears to be similar. However, I'm flipping through the different parks across the country & I'm not seeing any of the parks being updated. Does it really have no users?

[Gabe]

As for the Disney app, the official one is free and is available on all mobile platforms and is the most accurate one since it is updated by the park and not by individual users.

[kikid74]

I didn't even know that they had an official one. When we went to WDW in 2012, I don't recall if the app just didn't appear in my search or if it was a matter of user reviews. I'm not sure when/if we're going to WDW next, but I'll look into it if we go again. Thanks for the info!

[Gabe]

Disney at first rolled it out on a limited basis with limited features only for Verizon users. With the upgrade to MM+, the app got a makeover and is available on all carriers and should now be the only source of info you'd ever need for the resort. It is much much more than simply a lines app.

[kikid74]

Thanks again! I guess I should go back and check whether Universal has an official app. We're planning on a visit there this fall.

[kikid74]

I was at the park yesterday & tested out the Ride Hopper app from 3:30-6:30. It seemed like at least one other person was using the app, which isn't much of a crowd sourcing effort when some jokers put "80 minutes" as the wait time for Banshee. That wait was only 10 minutes, which was obvious if you were at the ride and had been in its line before. Overall, the app seems like it would work pretty well with a larger group of participants.