Three's a crowd... or not?

[tobikaye]

How do you all feel about being seated with a stranger on Spaceship Earth? I ask because during my trip a few weeks ago I heard the CMs say many times to "Find a ride buddy" to people as you near boarding. I was with my nephew, so it didn't apply to me, but I couldn't help thinking with the whole touch screen part it may be a bit awkward to sit with a stranger. I ride single rider on the rides that have that line, and I still don't think I would be comfortable sharing a cart on Spaceship Earth.

I would be just fine with Spaceship Earth, but I do not have to be in control of the screen. Same thing with Buzz Lightyear, as long as the person did not keep it turning in circles the full time, I would have no problem riding with a stranger there either.

 

[samsteele]

Lately I have been traveling solo to WDW and I'm often seated next to strangers. 7DMT is a good example. Because it is still in such high demand, I'm always paired with another rider. And those are tight seats. While in line, I always look ahead, do the math, and try to figure out who I'm going to sit next to. One time it was a 16 year old girl who was riding on her own, for the second time, because "OMG its awesome!" She was actually quite sweet & her enthusiasm, while a little over the top for the ride, was infectious. She told me she was happy that a "nice, middle age lady" was seated next to her instead of some "freaky person." I didn't know if I should be thrilled with this or not. Middle-aged. Uggh. But I guess for a 16 yr old, 40 something is positively ancient. Another time, I was seated with the Mom of a family party of 3. Dad & child were in the seats ahead of us. She had this huge mother of a purse that she couldn't quite get stored or squared away so I was a little concerned that I might get slammed by it. She was also frightened of any coaster (even a little one like 7DMT), warned me she might throw up and then squealed and screamed throughout the ride. I was fine with the squealing and screaming. Fortunately, I didn't have to deal with the throwing up. 7DMT is more challenging for me because the seats are so close, small & you are packed thigh to armpit with the stranger next to you. I've learned to just roll with it. Fingers crossed I haven't had any nasty experiences. Yet

 

[Lucius Best]

How do you all feel about being seated with a stranger on Spaceship Earth? I ask because during my trip a few weeks ago I heard the CMs say many times to "Find a ride buddy" to people as you near boarding.

I would guess the CM was talking to large parties, a reminder to figure out who you're sitting with, and not instructing strangers to pair up. Even with a party of 4, at some point the guests need to figure out the seating arrangement. I'm guessing a lot of park guests are unprepared, get onto the moving platform before figuring out who is sitting with who, then can't decide right away.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would guess the CM was talking to large parties, a reminder to figure out who you're sitting with, and not instructing strangers to pair up. Even with a party of 4, at some point the guests need to figure out the seating arrangement. I'm guessing a lot of park guests are unprepared, get onto the moving platform before figuring out who is sitting with who, then can't decide right away.

That wasn't how it sounded. I was wondering if that was the case, but they kept yelling to Find a ride buddy. I admit, I thought, if I was alone there would be no way they would force me to share my ride car with another person.

 

[samsteele]

I would guess the CM was talking to large parties, a reminder to figure out who you're sitting with, and not instructing strangers to pair up. Even with a party of 4, at some point the guests need to figure out the seating arrangement. I'm guessing a lot of park guests are unprepared, get onto the moving platform before figuring out who is sitting with who, then can't decide right away.

I would guess this is why, too. I've never had a problem boarding solo on this one. Spaceship Earth is a slow moving dark ride that breaks down. Not just often. But routinely. I wouldn't be thrilled being paired with a stranger on that one. And I doubt the stranger would be thrilled being paired with me either. I might have to give him the "Ruth Buzzy" look and clutch my purse. Probably aging myself with that one.

 

[mesaboy2]

I've ridden BTMRR a time or fifty, and I was seated with a stranger at least once. Didn't care for it, but I wouldn't (and didn't) say anything either. It happens.

 

[Satchmo128]

My experience as a single rider echoes much of what has already been said. It definitely is awkward to sit with someone you don't know on BTMRR because it is definitely possible to slide around as you go around turns on that ride, but it isn't the end of the world. I know that I am in a teenage girls VIDEO of the entire ride (there were three friends and then ME in the last two cars of BTMRR) from our last trip, lol.

I love to talk to the person I am paired with when I do the single rider line for EE or RnRC. My DH will not ride ToT, either, so I resort to chatting with my neighbors on that one as well. You can meet a lot of fun people when you are sitting next to them!!

 

[bumbershoot]

In your situation, at TSMM, I can't picture a Disney CM sitting a stranger with an 8yo girl for a 5 minute ride in the dark.

It's that thinking that got the SR line in Anaheim taken away. The thought that the ride is *dark*. TSMM isn't dark. And you're NEVER alone, or out of sight of *someone*.

Luckily, it's not really that dangerous of a ride.

none of us are huge. DS is particularly small. If we were big or tall people, that could be uncomfortable.

YOu thik it's not that dangerous *because* your family is made up of smaller people.

I always thought people were flat out lying about BTMRR's danger until my own son nearly fell out of it when seated next to his dad. They came off the ride absolutely shaking in fear. DH is a big guy and hadn't ridden that ride with DS before. I had a bad headache and didn't want to ride. DS was 8 and they thought it would be fine. Because DS was so far away from the lap bar and wasn't bracing himself properly, he started sliding down and down and was nearly on the floor.

That's interesting, as I mentioned earlier, in 15-20 solo rides on TSMM, I've never been paired with a stranger. I'm not opposed to it, just never have had it happen.

On the rides without SR lines, I bet that almost every circumstance of a stranger sitting with someone is a misunderstanding.

I know that we've in the past have ridden Haunted Mansion with all three of us (dh, dn, and me) in one doom buggie. Can we still do this? All of us are small frame, if that helps to know the size to determine if we would fit.

I've never been *seated* on HM, either at DL or MK. You just get in the next buggy. I've been there when they are announcing that they want you to squeeze in with family; in that case DH and I pretend we aren't together and we load in the way that allows us to be comfortable on the ride. Which means I'm generally alone and DH and DS share. Same on Peter Pan.

Maybe it's because I typically go during slow periods, but I have never seen strangers being seated together on BTMRR.

The only time I've ever come close to being seated with someone else is when that someone else has totally misunderstood the directions.

As for safety, I've been on BTMRR a very many times. If having any parent riding beside their child was dangerous, surely the ride would have a different restraint, no?

It can indeed be/feel dangerous. See what I wrote above. Scary scary for those of vastly different sizes. (and I thought people were lying until it happened to us...silly silly me)

There is a photo of a family of 3 in one row on BTMRR on the WDW website.

They are small people and look very squished.

How do you all feel about being seated with a stranger on Spaceship Earth? I ask because during my trip a few weeks ago I heard the CMs say many times to "Find a ride buddy" to people as you near boarding. I was with my nephew, so it didn't apply to me, but I couldn't help thinking with the whole touch screen part it may be a bit awkward to sit with a stranger. I ride single rider on the rides that have that line, and I still don't think I would be comfortable sharing a cart on Spaceship Earth.

I wouldn't do it. THAT ride is too long and too dark for me to feel OK sitting with a stranger, and I'm a person that uses SR lines. I would assume that the "ride buddy" is meant for big groups as theorized. I'm not going to find a stranger as a ride buddy for that ride. No.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

You can do 3 on BTMRR. There was a thread about it just the other day. There is a photo of a family of 3 in one row on BTMRR on the WDW website.

THANK YOU! I thought they always said "2 or 3 per row" when loading BTMRR, but with so many people talking about being seated by themselves when they were in a party of 3 I was starting to doubt myself. You think I'd know for sure...on our last trip, the kids decided it was their favorite and we rode it 4 times in a row at RD on our last day!

 

[IrishNYC]

DH talks to strangers in public all day long so he hates to do it on personal time. I made quite a few chatty friends sitting next to strangers on rides two weeks ago.

 

[soniam]

@bumbershoot
I know what you mean about dangerous. I always felt that way as a kid. As an adult, it doesn't bother me. However, DS is really skinny, so we always help him to hold on and make him wrap himself around the bar or belts.

 

[MartDM]

It's not just limited to rides with single rider lines. We also are a party of three and, depending on the lines, they may match your party up with another party having an odd number of people in order to fill the seats. We have never had an empty seat next to us on 7DMT or EE; one of us has to sit with a stranger.

 

[LisaBi]

TT is an issue for us. DS has Down Syndrome, and one of his "things" is sitting next to strangers. Usually I just put him on the end of whatever it is and I sit next to the person we don't know. But on TT, he insists on the middle seat. You can see the dilemma here! If they seat someone next to him, I just tell him he can have the outside seat or sit next to the person. He loves the ride so much, he is usually OK with it. Of course if its a pretty teenage girl, he's more than happy to have her sit there!

 

[luvthemouse71]

I got the stinkeye once from an old man on Soarin' a couple of years ago. My sister doesn't ride, so I was alone. They put me at the end of a row that consisted of a large family. The guy spoke Spanish, and didn't know that I speak a little Spanish. He stormed up to the CM and demanded that I not sit with them, he wanted "family only" in his row. Yeah, he got nowhere with that nonsense,lol.

it was even funnier when he and his wife couldn't figure out the seatbelts. Not only did I buckle the dude in, I had to help him unbuckle too. I got a very begrudging "gracias" at the end of that. He looked like he was going to poop himself when I replied "de nada". His granddaughter was mortified..

I think people need to remember that you are in a crowded public place and you have to be able to deal with strangers at times. I'm aware that there are phobias, but Disney can only accomodate so much.

 

[karly05]

I have ridden TSM solo several times and they have never seated anyone next to me. Not that it can't happen (esp. at more crowded times) but I have yet to encounter it.

7DMT will fill all seats, as will the 3 single rider rides.

As a solo, I have never been seated next to anyone on Splash or BTMRR (or anything else with one shared restraint for everyone in the same seat/row).

 

[Cloudless Nights]

I have ridden BTMRR with an older gentlemen before, by accident. He was also in a group of three, wasn't paying attention when the cast member told him to wait for the second train to be with his party, and continued not to listen to the rest of his party when he proceeded to get in with me. I was a little annoyed with his cluelessness, but I didn't mind sharing the seat.

Otherwise, I have ridden TSM and Splash multiple times without another person.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I've ridden the following as a single rider:
-Little Mermaid
-small world
-Winnie the Pooh
-POTC
-Living With The Land
-Gran Fiesta Tour
-Soarin'

I've never been seated with anyone else in my row/vehicle, other than Soarin' (for obvious reasons).

 

[Cloudless Nights]

I've ridden the following as a single rider:
-Little Mermaid
-small world
-Winnie the Pooh
-POTC
-Living With The Land
-Gran Fiesta Tour
-Soarin'

I've never been seated with anyone else in my row/vehicle, other than Soarin' (for obvious reasons).

I forgot--I was placed with a couple and a small child in the front row of POTC as a single rider last trip. I had my own row on IASW though.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I truly don't see how one could go to WDW, and successfully avoid close exposure to strangers.

I've personally been seated with strangers on all of the following:
Mission:Space, animation class, Soarin', Barnstomer, Circle of Life, CBJ, DINOSAUR, Energy Adventure, Enchanted Tales w/Belle, At least one raft ride in Typhoon Lagoon, Mexico, GMR, HoP, Jungle Cruise, France, Innoventions attractions, ITtbaB, Kali, Kidcot stations, Safari, Main St vehicles, Pooh (same car), Carousel, Minsters INC, Muppets, PWhirl, TTalk, Star Tours, Stitch GE, CoP, Tiki room, the bird show, Capt EO, FotLK, and the Wildlife Express Train.


Do you also avoid: bus rides; monorails; fireworks, parades, preshow/preride areas of Astro Orbiter (elevator), Haunted Mansion ("Please move tothe dead Center of the room."), the Wildlife Express Train, the Kidcot stations, all the indoor shows, and all the attractions listed above?

Many times over, I've had far more close encounters with strangers on the bus and monorail than any park attraction. I've also been bodily shoved post-Wishes a number of times.

Why is sitting beside someone on SE worse than any of the above?