Seven Dwarf mine train needs some help.

[tirian]

The solution is to just stop with this tacky interactive queue nonsense. You never give guests and their out-of-control children the opportunity to screw around with things. Remember how they decided in the late 60s to not make The Haunted Mansion a walk-through attraction because they figured it would get vandalized? Yet another example of modern Imagineering second-guessing the genius of WED. Everyone in line is just staring at their phone anyway.

I agree with you, but the unnecessary FP+ has made entertaining queues necessary. Even on slow days, many high-capacity attractions post ridiculous queue times because FP+ has broken carefully planned systems (e.g. HM, IASW, SSE, GMR, POTC).

 

[matt9112]

Yeah, I can't stand it when parents don't watch their children. IMO it's becoming a bigger and bigger problem lately, and not just at theme parks.

IMO, if someone is holding up the queue by playing with the interactive parts, then everyone else just walks around them and keeps moving. There's no reason why those things should slow everyone else down. I get that some people don't see it that way if their kids are the ones who are holding up progress, but when this kind of stuff happened while we were at WDW, no one seemed to mind having people go around them for a variety of reasons: stopping to take pictures of things that caught their interest, talking to Mr. Potato Head at TSMM, or stopping to push buttons on Space Mountain lol. Everyone seemed to be able to make this work just fine. Maybe it's worse on more crowded days.... *shrug*

I have a 4 year old and I am disgusted at how some other parents are. Just letting there children run wild and unchecked. All over restaurants and the same at theme parks, sitting on the ropes and railings and other useless activitys. we are pretty good with my son if he acts up in a restaurant we go sit in the car until mommy is done eating. In places like disney its a tad harder to do but still doable. Granted my son is decently well mannered anyway.

 

[flyerjab]

I have a 4 year old and I am disgusted at how some other parents are. Just letting there children run wild and unchecked. All over restaurants and the same at theme parks, sitting on the ropes and railings and other useless activitys. we are pretty good with my son if he acts up in a restaurant we go sit in the car until mommy is done eating. In places like disney its a tad harder to do but still doable. Granted my son is decently well mannered anyway.

One thing that I will add to this is that on our last trip, and I can't remember which ride line it was, I noticed that Disney has those chains in the queue lines that are magnetically connected. Not a minute later, a kid went to sit on the chain and the magnets were obviously pulled apart and the kid fell right to the ground. I am just waiting for WDW to get sued for that as a company with this much wealth is always a target.

What bugs me at times goes back to the idea of 'this is why we can never have nice things.' When the 7DMT opened, everyone was raving about the cool interactive features the imagineers built into the stand by line. This was so hyped that we decided to wait in the 45 minute line last summer. Now, the effects were neat. However, it is not neat when parents have their faces buried in their mobile devices while their kids are splashing themselves with water from the gem washing station in the standby line. The splashing got so nuts that other adults in line were getting hit with water.

Now I certainly look at my phone in long lines, but I always keep one eye on the kids. My wife does also, so between us that is a full set of eyes. And these so-called 'act ones' that the imagineers have added to some of the standby queues are cool. This type of activity is what ruins it for everyone though, so it wouldn't surprise me if this whole concept is negated or big cutbacks are put in place to tame down this type of interactive element. It is a shame but that is what I see happening. Life seemed simpler when phones and/or tablets were not there to distract you from the tangible real-world surroundings.

 

[matt9112]

One thing that I will add to this is that on our last trip, and I can't remember which ride line it was, I noticed that Disney has those chains in the queue lines that are magnetically connected. Not a minute later, a kid went to sit on the chain and the magnets were obviously pulled apart and the kid fell right to the ground. I am just waiting for WDW to get sued for that as a company with this much wealth is always a target.

What bugs me at times goes back to the idea of 'this is why we can never have nice things.' When the 7DMT opened, everyone was raving about the cool interactive features the imagineers built into the stand by line. This was so hyped that we decided to wait in the 45 minute line last summer. Now, the effects were neat. However, it is not neat when parents have their faces buried in their mobile devices while their kids are splashing themselves with water from the gem washing station in the standby line. The splashing got so nuts that other adults in line were getting hit with water.

Now I certainly look at my phone in long lines, but I always keep one eye on the kids. My wife does also, so between us that is a full set of eyes. And these so-called 'act ones' that the imagineers have added to some of the standby queues are cool. This type of activity is what ruins it for everyone though, so it wouldn't surprise me if this whole concept is negated or big cutbacks are put in place to tame down this type of interactive element. It is a shame but that is what I see happening. Life seemed simpler when phones and/or tablets were not there to distract you from the tangible real-world surroundings.

Although electronic devices have uped the antie a fair bit the trend predates "modern devices" I think it is far more a culture problem thay many have that children can just roam free and do as they please. (The old kids being kids thing) on steroids. Before phones parents would get lost in conversation and often times I bet they are watching there kids but simply find the behavior accepted...over time it has snowballed into what we know now. TDL is living proof it is culture not technology to blame. You can't blame apple for your parenting skills. (Not you personally the parents in question)

 

[djkidkaz]

In regards to interactive queues, if I'm in line behind you and your not moving forward because your playing games, I'm walking around you and moving forward. So they cause me no problems.

 

[flyerjab]

Although electronic devices have uped the antie a fair bit the trend predates "modern devices" I think it is far more a culture problem thay many have that children can just roam free and do as they please. (The old kids being kids thing) on steroids. Before phones parents would get lost in conversation and often times I bet they are watching there kids but simply find the behavior accepted...over time it has snowballed into what we know now. TDL is living proof it is culture not technology to blame. You can't blame apple for your parenting skills. (Not you personally the parents in question)

That is a great point. I didn't think about it from a cultural perspective.

I was leaning towards the point that there a more distractions today than before. There is a mall near where I live that has this small fountain at the one end. There was a popular viral video from years back of a woman walking and texting on her phone. She wasn't watching where she was walking and she took a total header right into the fountain. It was caught on a security camera, so obviously, someone posted it on youtube. To me distractions are more of an issue today than they ever were.

To your point though, it makes me wonder why the American society - on average - seems to lack respect, manners, or whatever the proper word is. It is a good question that I wish I understood the answer to.

 

[KLinder7]

In regards to interactive queues, if I'm in line behind you and your not moving forward because your playing games, I'm walking around you and moving forward. So they cause me no problems.

I'm with you on this. See this all the time and I'll politely pass the group. If it's 30 mins before park closing and I'm going on BTMR, if you are walking slower than a turtle I will pass too. Need to get some back to back rides in before the park closes. Think the key is to know when to pass and be polite.

 

[matt9112]

That is a great point. I didn't think about it from a cultural perspective.

I was leaning towards the point that there a more distractions today than before. There is a mall near where I live that has this small fountain at the one end. There was a popular viral video from years back of a woman walking and texting on her phone. She wasn't watching where she was walking and she took a total header right into the fountain. It was caught on a security camera, so obviously, someone posted it on youtube. To me distractions are more of an issue today than they ever were.

To your point though, it makes me wonder why the American society - on average - seems to lack respect, manners, or whatever the proper word is. It is a good question that I wish I understood the answer to.

Most society's where more manners and respect are common (think japan) there is a very old tyme part of culture still alive and well. (The strong family hyerchacy) that is a carry over from emperial days and beyond. Now think of America...how in touch with our founding fathers are you? How much of that old tyme culture is left? It used to be prevelant in America why has thay changed? We have taken these freedoms and allowed our culture to dumb itself down...in many aspects....respect for your parents being one of them....directly connected to types of parenting....directly connected to discipline......directly connected to social norms. See how that worked? That is just having to do with the child aspect at hand but you can make other (trees) as well where you can matter of fact trace how problems arose.