Long Line Memories and Line Etiquette, Your Worst Line Experiences

[correcaminos]

It's one thing if a family member has to make that bathroom run and makes it back in time. I'm cool with that. I'm not cool with just one person waiting in line for more than another to return. If it is one adult and then another with a few kids show back up I think that's beyond rude.

Worst I had was when I was waiting to watch fireworks and such at Tomorrowland Terrace when a family pushes in front of us and puts their kid up high blocking our view. They said it was the kid's first time watching it so they had to see it. It was my husband's first time too. A CM came along and moved them after seeing them.

 

[HoustonHorn]

1. We were in line for the safari. My daughter was in a stroller. At the point of the line where they tell you to park your stroller, I did so. When I walked back to my family, the people behind us (whom I had been in front of for 20 minutes) made to block me from rejoining my family. Even though they had been behind me for 20 minutes, and I was gone for less than 2 minutes to park the stroller as you must do.

2. My buddy and I are in line for A.S.S. Woman and her 8ish year old son open the gate and push their way forward, telling everyone their family is up ahead. Folks let them go, but were shaking their heads. Fast forward 4 hours, and we are in line for ToT. She pulls this same BS. Again, everyone let her go, and by the time we realized it was the same woman, she was way ahead of us. This is why we can't have nice things - always schemers and scammers who refuse to abide by the social contract.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I went with my Dad and younger siblings to Disney World for a few days in October of 2012. We were in line for Soarin'. They were a bunch of adults in line who kept passing gas and were just obnoxious in general.

 

[RobWDW1971]

So, while discussing line etiquette and what is allowed and what is just plain annoying, some “line memories” came flooding back to me. I know you all have them, so feel free to vent and share.

Are you one of those awkward people/families who hold a place in line. I don’t mean, while someone works their way out to use the facilities and then works their way back. More like, one parent rides a ride with the kid while the other waits in the super long line.

Or I actually stood in a probably 4 hour line at Epcot for Anna & Elsa while I sent the kids to Test Track. Yes, the line took that long. In the broad sun! Long enough for them to ride Test Track & come back. Then they saved our place and I went in search of cold beverages.

Are y’all fine with that strategy? It seemed everyone was going the same.

I am not cool with blatant cutting, which I witnessed while in the old line for Ariel (where Nautilus used to be). The line seemed like it was never ending and we saw kids squeezing between the fake boulders. I had to tattle to a CM. Where were the parents??

So kind of a “What’s Your Worst Line Memory” or “What Have You Done or Put Up With In Line/What Is Acceptable?” question.

The Anna & Elsa line experience is ingrained in my mind. What are some of yours.

And BTW, shame on Disney for any sort of line that goes on that long. Couldn’t they have had more than one Anna & Elsa to speed it along??!

I hate when I'm in a line talking to the person next to me in a clearly direct, soft voice and some person standing near me interjects themselves into my conversation. It is the height of rudeness.

Last time I was there I had a person say "I couldn't help but overhear...." to which I responded "Oh, sure you could" and turned back to my companion to finish my conversation.

 

[Genie_naughty_whispers]

The worst experience i have had is one time I waited in a line....

 

[clarabellej]

Not that my opinion really matters, But I’m not really fine with that strategy. I get 4 hours is a RIDICULOUS line, but when I took my nephews, we all waited together. If everyone sends placeholders then the cast members can’t tell how long a line will actually be. I have complained to CMs about line jumping which seems similar to what you did for your children. The whole party should be in line unless someone needs to go to the restroom or has a medical issue that needs tending to.

Think Tink, trust me, there was no cutting in the Anna & Elsa situation. True, it might have interfered w/a head count, but there did not appear to be one. I do not recall any CMs out at the totally outdoor line that wound round. It was awful and I was a fool to stay in it. No one in the line cared if one person stayed in it, while others wandered off. I think we agreed silently, we were all in the same boat. I did not have a hat on and remember thinking, is anyone else bothered by this sun? I have back issues and I always tend to overdo. I never really what is too much, till it is too late. This was one of those situations. It was like I was possessed. From the moment I got wind that the wait was that long, I was determined to do it! My daughter would have skipped it from the start.

 

[clarabellej]

I hate when I'm in a line talking to the person next to me in a clearly direct, soft voice and some person standing near me interjects themselves into my conversation. It is the height of rudeness.

Last time I was there I had a person say "I couldn't help but overhear...." to which I responded "Oh, sure you could" and turned back to my companion to finish my conversation.

Rob, I’m from a small town and we tend to do that. Helps pass the time.

 

[clarabellej]

I've been in a situation that standing in line waiting at Toy Story Ride and guests went behind the curtain of Mr Potato Head with empty soda bottles. After a few minutes they came back on line. Had to relieve themselves.

Gross!!!!! Mr. Potato head always drove me nuts! And yes the Toy Story Mania standby line is a killer. Or was, I think it has been improved with an added track. That was one that left you wanting to take a seat in line or find something (a railing), anything to take a load off.

 

[clarabellej]

Speaking of “holding areas,” then there are always those people: who rush the theater doors and push their way to the front.

Those in the know hang back.

The CMs always make everyone move over. So if you are smart & patient rather than pushy, you let the pushies go ahead & you end up in the center of the row.

Mickey’s Philharmagic comes to mind.

Everyone needs to just chill.

If you pay a fortune for the HEA dessert party, only to have some guy hoist their kid up right in front of you in the viewing area.

I am not opposed to little ones being helped to see among the big people, but it can be done politely. And this was with plenty of space around.

I digress. Just more of my peeves.

 

[clarabellej]

I went with my Dad and younger siblings to Disney World for a few days in October of 2012. We were in line for Soarin'. They were a bunch of adults in line who kept passing gas and were just obnoxious in general.

This happened to us too in the Plaza Garden viewing area for HEA. I kid you not! Grown man. Come to think of it, it happened in Ross one day too. Like those Walmart shopper pics you see online. Some people have no shame.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Thankfully, this situation will never happen again. Summer of 1984: I forget the exact name, but we were waiting in line for that show about the wonders of computers at one of the Communicores. The two ladies in front of us in line chain smoked the entire time. My brother and I were uncomfortably coughing, but they obliviously continued to smoke one cigarette after another right up until we entered the show room.

Everytime I read a complaint from a smoker about a new rule that makes it harder for them to partake in their unhealthy addiction, I think back that until relatively recently, the rest of us non-smokers were simply expected endure all that aerial nastiness without complaint. In this regard, at least, the world has become a better place.

 

[Goofyernmost]

First, I'll start by saying that if I am aware of the expected wait is an hour or more, I simply do not ride it at that time. Nothing and I mean nothing in WDW is worth standing in the heat for that long. My only acceptable time is 45 minutes and that is after I have done everything else that was important to me.

My most pleasant memories are from pre-FP days. I don't recall ever having to wait more then 40 minutes in line back then and we kept moving in endless switchback areas. We all had the same experience that we found humorous and chatted back and forth as we passed each other in the line. Never any anger, fatigue yes, anger no. It was fun.

The funniest one to me was at the old Lion King show when it was where Pandora is now. It was the first show in the morning. There were a total of 14 people in the line. A mother and daughter came up behind us and the young girls started to do an obviously rehearsed movement toward the front of the line. She would gain about 5 feet and then loudly say, Mom, I'm up here like she was waiting for her to find her. She managed to work her way up to the second one in line. It was so comical and so freaking unnecessary. All of us were going to get in at basically the same time and we had the entire theater to chose from. Hilarious, and somewhat disturbing.

My worst experience was just after FP was introduced. Not knowing how it worked I got in a line that said 30 minutes wait. Then we all proceeded to wait and wait and wait as what seemed to be hundreds of people legally cut in front of us. That was the first time that I witnessed or felt the anger of the crowd. People were frustrated that we weren't moving, it was hot and humid which wasn't helping the situation. For the first time ever there was cursing being heard not just directed toward the people with FP's but at Disney itself.

I immediately sent an letter to Disney expressing my displeasure with the system and wondering why Disney thought it was a good thing to p*** off hundreds to make a few happy. It still doesn't make any sense. To their credit they did call back and listened to my rant for about 20 minutes. Then I'm sure they hung up, perhaps went on break and in about 40 seconds managed to forget everything I said about it. Such is life!

BTW, the standby line in Soarin is a joke. It is 10 feet wide in places and impossible to stop people from cutting ahead of you because they can get in front easily if you are even a little distracted. And they do move ahead as much as they can. It has been years since I used the standby line there, so hopefully it has changed.

 

[Lilofan]

The lucky guests ( some are celebrities) are with the plaid vested cast members from Guest Relations with back door and front of the line access. It's obvious when standing in line then all of a sudden a GR cast member and the guest party appear out of nowhere and get the VIP treatment and start loading into the next available ride vehicle.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I wanted to say to the people in front of us who were just so irritating and nasty that time: "Do you mind?"

 

[Lilofan]

I wanted to say to the people in front of us who were just so irritating and nasty that time: "Do you mind?"

I've seen fellow guests run for their lives when 2 men who didn't know each other starting violently hitting each other while on line for Soarin. The police came and I think both were taken away.

 

[clarabellej]

First, I'll start by saying that if I am aware of the expected wait is an hour or more, I simply do not ride it at that time. Nothing and I mean nothing in WDW is worth standing in the heat for that long. My only acceptable time is 45 minutes and that is after I have done everything else that was important to me.

My most pleasant memories are from pre-FP days. I don't recall ever having to wait more then 40 minutes in line back then and we kept moving in endless switchback areas. We all had the same experience that we found humorous and chatted back and forth as we passed each other in the line. Never any anger, fatigue yes, anger no. It was fun.

The funniest one to me was at the old Lion King show when it was where Pandora is now. It was the first show in the morning. There were a total of 14 people in the line. A mother and daughter came up behind us and the young girls started to do an obviously rehearsed movement toward the front of the line. She would gain about 5 feet and then loudly say, Mom, I'm up here like she was waiting for her to find her. She managed to work her way up to the second one in line. It was so comical and so freaking unnecessary. All of us were going to get in at basically the same time and we had the entire theater to chose from. Hilarious, and somewhat disturbing.

My worst experience was just after FP was introduced. Not knowing how it worked I got in a line that said 30 minutes wait. Then we all proceeded to wait and wait and wait as what seemed to be hundreds of people legally cut in front of us. That was the first time that I witnessed or felt the anger of the crowd. People were frustrated that we weren't moving, it was hot and humid which wasn't helping the situation. For the first time ever there was cursing being heard not just directed toward the people with FP's but at Disney itself.

I immediately sent an letter to Disney expressing my displeasure with the system and wondering why Disney thought it was a good thing to p*** off hundreds to make a few happy. It still doesn't make any sense. To their credit they did call back and listened to my rant for about 20 minutes. Then I'm sure they hung up, perhaps went on break and in about 40 seconds managed to forget everything I said about it. Such is life!

BTW, the standby line in Soarin is a joke. It is 10 feet wide in places and impossible to stop people from cutting ahead of you because they can get in front easily if you are even a little distracted. And they do move ahead as much as they can. It has been years since I used the standby line there, so hopefully it has changed.

Goofyernmost, is Pandora where Camp Minnie Mickey was? I hadn’t thought about it till you referenced old LK show. We had a great line experience there, many years back. They had a pretty talented guy who would make up songs to help pass the time in line for character meet n greets. He made up a super delightful song about our dog back home for my young daughter. She was thrilled. I’ll have to look for it/we have it saved on our computer somewhere! I remember with FP was new and was not thrilled with it, but now having adjusted, really appreciate it. We’ve had “if looks could kill” looks from people in long standby as we whiz past. The worst was in of all places, LWTL! It was super backed up during Spring Break. So much so, I was even grumbling in FP. I think that was the first time I ever experienced the “longish” FP Line, that I had to see to believe. Still the FP line was much, much better than the standby that spilled over into Sunshine Seasons dining area.

 

[marni1971]

We had an entire family try and sit in front of us waiting for the MSEP years back - Five minutes before it was due to arrive. Funny thing was we were already sat on the kerb. I launched a verbal volley at the parents and a CM explained the error of their ways.

For attractions we had a large enough group in Paris Pirates to form a human chain across the interior queue. It has parts that are quite wide, wide enough for people to push past. Sure enough a family tried to. They didn't get far.

Years back we saw fisticuffs on the TTA ramp. Less than 30 seconds and two or three suits arrived - before uniformed security - and politely but forcibly suggested the two men follow them. A minute later and you wouldn’t know anything had happened.

Not queue related, but I’ll leave this one here

 

[Raineman]

We had an entire family try and sit in front of us waiting for the MSEP years back - Five minutes before it was due to arrive. Funny thing was we were already sat on the kerb. I launched a verbal volley at the parents and a CM explained the error of their ways.

For attractions we had a large enough group in Paris Pirates to form a human chain across the interior queue. It has parts that are quite wide, wide enough for people to push past. Sure enough a family tried to. They didn't get far.

Years back we saw fisticuffs on the TTA ramp. Less than 30 seconds and two or three suits arrived - before uniformed security - and politely but forcibly suggested the two men follow them. A minute later and you wouldn’t know anything had happened.

Not queue related, but I’ll leave this one here

View attachment 447562

He was probably there since rope drop. Gotta kill most of the day to get a good spot for a parade that he’s probably seen many times! I don’t get people like this.

 

[Heppenheimer]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned this yet, but here goes. Maybe it's not an issue anymore.

But back in the day, if you were waiting in line and you suddenly saw a large group of young people from a certain country, all wearing the same shirt, heading towards your line... well, I won't go on, but to say what followed was usually not an ideal Disney park experience.

 

[RobWDW1971]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned this yet, but here goes. Maybe it's not an issue anymore.

But back in the day, if you were waiting in line and you suddenly saw a large group of young people from a certain country, all wearing the same shirt, heading towards your line... well, I won't go on, but to say what followed was usually not an ideal Disney park experience.

Is this another WDWmagic “third rail” where we can’t speak the obvious, observable, factual truth? I’m always fascinated by what we are allowed to discuss on this forum and what is forbidden.