I was watching the DB webcam this afternoon, trying to gauge how busy the park was by looking at DB's line and the area around it. For the roughly 15 minutes that I was monitoring it, the DB line barely extended beyond the track underpass, and the area around DB was almost devoid of people.

I live not far from the park, so about 35 minutes later I was at DB in person, and I found a much different scene than what I saw on the webcam. The DB line filled 3 or 4 rows in the queue and actually extended all the way out onto the midway. There were many people out and about in that area as well - the stone wall along there was full of people sitting along it, the snakepit tables were all full, etc.

Is it known for sure that the DB webcams are a live feed? I've always assumed they are, but after experiencing this, I am beginning to question the authenticity of what is shown on there. And this is not the first time that I've been surprised to find a much longer line than what I saw on the webcam not long before.

Just wondering.

Yes, they are a live feed. But a lot can change in a half hour. Especially if you happened to glance at the webcams shortly after the park opened. The park can fill up rather quickly in the first few minutes of the morning.

I think it's live, only because there are times when we've monitored whether it's open or not via the webcam... I think it would be more work to have a fake camera affixed to the Eiffel Tower, record a few days worth of camerawork, then sync it up online, and run it on seamless loops than it would be to just have a live feed. There's no good reason to fake it, either... I bet that you just hit the park at a weird time, and even if you live 35 minutes away, recall parking, getting to the front gate, walking back to the ride... A lot can change in an hour...

Smartphones

Netbooks

Laptops

If it weren't live, it would have been noted long before now by one or more patrons with such devices inside the park.

I saw the first DB ride of the season via webcam, and it was right on time.

My 35 minutes included drive time, parking, and walking. (I didn't measure with a stopwatch, but that's a fair estimate)

This was in the late afternoon, so it couldn't have been the morning rush.

It may have been just coincedence. I know conditions can and do change. But like I said, this wasn't really the first time it's happened either. I've been bitten (no pun intended ) several times now, seeing virtually no DB line on the webcam, and get there to find a relatively long wait. So I was just wondering if anyone else has done this and encountered a similar experience.

I guess someone with a "smart phone" (mine is most certainly not) could test this pretty easily, come to think of it!

I have personally seen visitors wave at themselves while watching their smartphone in the Diamondback line...one even from here.