Darwinian Thought and POTC

[Grim Grinner]

During our last trip, the POTC had a steady cycle of people heading into its entrance, past a couple switchbacks and into the first real section of the cue where it splits into 2 lines. Everyone ahead of us kept going to the left, following the crowd.

The right side was never barricaded, but nobody headed down that way!

My wife and I were able to ride multiple times in rapid succession all while people had to wait in upwards of 5-7 minutes to get on.

It just goes to show how many people are more likely to follow the pack than to question the nature of the line.

Both sides WERE open, and sadly no one wanted to get on the right from the right where there clearly was no line.

Consider this a great trip tip, or an example of how people sometimes refuse to think.

 

[sbkline]

People probably assume that if no one is using the line to the right, then there must be a reason for it. And they don't want to risk conspicuously going into the line that no one is standing in, get to the end and find it blocked off and then lose their place in the line that they were originally in.

 

[sknydave]

The odd thing I have noticed is that almost everyone always goes left, yet it takes just as long to board on the right side...

 

[Master Yoda]

You are correct...most people will follow the pack. Another interesting tidbit. When a queque is divided into 2 separate lines, like at POTC, most people will instinctively go to the right. The right side of these split queues are typically made larger then the left to accommodate the extra guests. I believe the right side of POTC is around 17% larger than the left.

 

[CThaddeus]

I believe it's called "herd mentality." I used to see it all the time when I worked at Disneyland (ie. everyone would always go to ticket booths closest to wherever they were dropped off by the tram, and wouldn't do a bit of walking to find a much shorter line further down; everyone going through the right side of the Star Tours line even after they were told both sides were open). It has always come in very handy to know this information. Now, I can usually get the shorter line since I just watch where people go and do the opposite...when availiable.

 

[Patsc85]

Yeah both sides are almost always open. Plus the right side has the cool chess scene!

 

[MissM]

Yeah both sides are almost always open. Plus the right side has the cool chess scene!

Yup. I always head right not because of herd mentality but because I always take pictures of the Chess Game for my page on it. :lol:
-m

 

[phenom1307]

During our last trip, the POTC had a steady cycle of people heading into its entrance, past a couple switchbacks and into the first real section of the cue where it splits into 2 lines. Everyone ahead of us kept going to the left, following the crowd.

The right side was never barricaded, but nobody headed down that way!

My wife and I were able to ride multiple times in rapid succession all while people had to wait in upwards of 5-7 minutes to get on.

It just goes to show how many people are more likely to follow the pack than to question the nature of the line.

Both sides WERE open, and sadly no one wanted to get on the right from the right where there clearly was no line.

Consider this a great trip tip, or an example of how people sometimes refuse to think.

i see that happening all the time...i just dont understand it :shrug: i always try to find the line that has less people in it

 

[Karolena]

Similar thing happened to us when we were trying to get into Epcot this past February. They had just started letting people in and it was that horrible bottleneck of people. My father looks to the left and sees some turnstiles with practically no one going through, so we went to check it out. Turns out is was a castmember and guest entrance. We went through there and got in really fast. Then a huge mass of people went over to that line. All it takes is one person to do it sometimes.

 

[chels26]

on the Keys to the Kingdom tour, our tour guide talked about most people using one side. most people actually go to the right because the majority is right handed. thats why main street is the way it is. when you're walking up, all the food is on the right to tempt you. and when you're walking down it towards the train station.. all the gift shops are to your right.. conveniently all together so you don't even have to step back out onto main street. any way.. thats why if there are two lines, more people go to the right. space mountain, there is ALWAYS a shorter line on the left. same goes for PoTC & BTMRR, IMO. How ever, my family likes to look for the shorter line.

 

[Monty]

What does Darwin have to do with it? :veryconfu

 

[loweyan]

there is ALWAYS a shorter line on the left. same goes for PoTC & BTMRR, IMO. How ever, my family likes to look for the shorter line.

While on most rides it seems to me that the asertation that most people go to the right is correct, only on PoTC does it seem to be the opposite.... as noted above I almost always see the left hand side being way more crowded. There have been times that the left side has people out almost to the turnstiles and the right hand side will not have people past the gun deck (the park where you pass over the river).

It's very odd......

 

[Texas84]

Funny. Last time I rode POTC everyone was going left and I led my group right. That did seem a lot longer. And dark. For a minute I thought we went the wrong way! :lol:

I was also at the Atlanta Falcons Monday night game. I went to get a hot dog and the concession had two lines. There was a long line in the right line and NO ONE in the left. There were three vendors on the left side just staring at the line on the right. I was in and out in minutes while the other line was stalled. :ROFLOL:

 

[SDav10495]

Interesting...on my last trip in February, it was the right side that was the most crowded. :shrug:

I always find it fascinating the extent to which Disney took simple human behavior--like a tendency to go right--and integrated it into park design. The Main Street example chels26 mentioned is a good one. (Oddly though, my family and I always have to turn left at the end of Main Street and start at Adventureland--even imagining turning right feels totally wrong!)

 

[PeeplMoovr]

What does Darwin have to do with it? :veryconfu

He designed the queue for POTC, of course.

 

[KaliSplash]

Slight thread drift on similar topic. At the fast food places, you have two lines for each person taking orders, yet on many occasions, everyone lines up in one line. I sometimes feel a little guilty going into the empty line, and therefore placing my order next. But I often do it anyway. Occasionally the cashier will mention both sides are open, but not always. I have never had a cashier refuse to take my order next when I 'reopen' the other line.

 

[Laura]

Slight thread drift on similar topic. At the fast food places, you have two lines for each person taking orders, yet on many occasions, everyone lines up in one line. I sometimes feel a little guilty going into the empty line, and therefore placing my order next. But I often do it anyway. Occasionally the cashier will mention both sides are open, but not always. I have never had a cashier refuse to take my order next when I 'reopen' the other line.

Ever notice that the counter service restaurants will usually have at least one line with absolutely no one in it, even though all the rest of the lines have 10+ people in line? Usually it's the lines all the way to the left or right. People like to wait in the middle lines I guess.

We always go for the shortest line.

 

[Monty]

He designed the queue for POTC, of course.

:ROFLOL:

 

[DisneyChik17]

He designed the queue for POTC, of course.

Based on the flight pattern of the short-beaked finch?

Or whatever that bird was. It was a finch, I know. LOL!

 

[Rob562]

Ever notice that the counter service restaurants will usually have at least one line with absolutely no one in it, even though all the rest of the lines have 10+ people in line? Usually it's the lines all the way to the left or right. People like to wait in the middle lines I guess.

We always go for the shortest line.

It's always a good idea to look at the lines at WDW's fast food places before choosing one to get in. And of course after you use the second, unused, side of the register, people start forming a line behind you.

And while the thread is drifting slightly, this brings up a good tip for groups. If you're in a group where each person will be ordering and paying separately (such as a group of friends, as opposed to a family where everyone orders together on the same bill) split yourself up across 2 or more lines. At the very least, split yourself across both sides of the same cashier. Then when your group gets to the front, every order the cashier takes will be from your group, as opposed to every-other-one, which would happen if everyone lined up in a single file line.
I see school groups making this mistake all the time, and by the time the last person is leaving the counter with their food, the first kids are done eating and itching to get back out into the park.

-Rob