Disney etiquette question

[03badger]

We're taking our DD in December, she'll be almost 3. Would it be ok for one of us to stand in line while she plays a little and then have the other hand her over when we're close? I don't want her to have a meltdown in line and either have to get out of line or upset anyone. However, if this is frowned upon, obviously we won't do it.

Thanks everyone!

 

[crisi]

We're taking our DD in December, she'll be almost 3. Would it be ok for one of us to stand in line while she plays a little and then have the other hand her over when we're close? I don't want her to have a meltdown in line and either have to get out of line or upset anyone. However, if this is frowned upon, obviously we won't do it.

Thanks everyone!

I think when you see the lines, you will realize that this solution isn't practical for most of the long lines. The place where you board the ride is generally fairly far removed from anywhere a child could play a little.

Line management will go a long way to keeping the waits minimized. Many people swear by Tourguide Mike for line management tips.

 

[saratogadreamin09]

i dont think this would work because you can't reach the front of a line without waiting in it

 

[vcgirl925]

ITA with the PP's. I don't think you would physically be able to do that. Honestly we never wait long in lines. One we go during slower periods and Two we alway utilize fast passes. We try not to wait in line longer than 20 minutes for a ride.

 

[RMulieri]

this really doesn't work for many of the reasons other posters have cited.Plus, you will get the evil eye from people waiting in line.Apparently, the thinking is that unless there is a dire emergency all members of your party need to wait together.Not saying I agree with this( I am a mom of a little one too)But people waiting on line in the Florida heat ( even in Dec)start to enter the mob mentality mindset.

 

[tzolkin]

By using AM EMH at Magic Kingdom, we were really able to avoid waiting in any lines with our little ones. We were able to walk-on or wait under 5 minutes for all of the rides in Fantasyland. Ones they really liked we did twice. The few times we walked through that area in the evenings the wait times were 50-90 minutes. I knew my youngest could not wait in a line like that, so we just didnt ride. Other things that we really wanted to do, we got fast passes for. But most of those were not things that the youngest could ride, so he played or relaxed in the stroller while we used our FPs and rider switch passes.

 

[LilGMom]

We've been taking our kids since the oldest was ten months and if they want to ride something we all wait in line. Most line ques have things to look at and if they don't that is a great time to start talking about what to do next, what you've already done, look at the map, etc. My youngest was a month shy of three years old on our last trip and he knows that standing in line is just part of the fun. And like the other posters have said where you get on the line is usually not real convenient to get to if you waiting in line. We also use our best judgement on some lines. I know my youngest would love the Indy cars but that line is usually pretty long and there isn't much to look at so we tend to skip it unless the conditions are 'just right'.

 

[maxiesmom]

Well, yeah. Or else every family would have 1 person designated as the Line Place Holder. All the lines would be very short, but in reality take an hour to get thru, as everyone else is off having a snack and then hopping in line at the last minute. I think all of us would rather be doing something else than waiting in line.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Well, yeah. Or else every family would have 1 person designated as the Line Place Holder. All the lines would be very short, but in reality take an hour to get thru, as everyone else is off having a snack and then hopping in line at the last minute. I think all of us would rather be doing something else than waiting in line.

I agree. Just entertain her in line. You won't be able to hand her over at the last minute anyway unless you walk through the whole line and well, you will probably encounter some very unhappy people that way. As for the poster who suggested it was "mob mentality" well, we have 4 kids- I am sure that you would not want us to send one line waiter and then at the last minute get everyone on the ride before you? It is just courtesy. If you want to ride the ride then you have to wait your turn.
OP- I wouldn't worry too much. There are many things to look at on the lines and if you time it right there is usually hardly any wait for anything.

 

[barnaby1]

We've been taking our kids since the oldest was ten months and if they want to ride something we all wait in line. Most line ques have things to look at and if they don't that is a great time to start talking about what to do next, what you've already done, look at the map, etc. My youngest was a month shy of three years old on our last trip and he knows that standing in line is just part of the fun. And like the other posters have said where you get on the line is usually not real convenient to get to if you waiting in line. We also use our best judgement on some lines. I know my youngest would love the Indy cars but that line is usually pretty long and there isn't much to look at so we tend to skip it unless the conditions are 'just right'.

I agree that children need to learn that standing in line is just part of it. We don't wait if the line is very long (30 mins or more). I think you will be surprised at just how well your dd will cope with standing in line - there is a lot of people watching to be done in those lines. That is what keeps mine occupied.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

We took our son who was just over 2 in May and the only time we did this was for Dumbo. My husband waited and then I passed DS over the rail to him as he came around the last curve. I didn't try to ride too though. Other than that, we worked it so we didn't have to wait for long, and after the first ride, he figured out that you "wait your turn" and then you get to ride. He LOVED the rides and knew that getting in line was the way to get to them. Every now and then he would tell me, "Wait your turn!"

He does go to preschool 2 days a week and they deal with waiting your turn there too so he was a little prepared.

And we kept things that we could pull out to distract him if we started seeing signs of unhappiness--stickers, a snack, the map, etc.

 

[KayW]

Plus there may be other kids in line close in age that your child could "play" with. This happened to us while waiting for Spaceship Earth. Long line, my DD had fun with the little girl ahead of us. It's amazing how different they become at Disney too!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

There's one place where I could see this working, Ariel's Grotto. There's a play area with water right by the line. When DD and I were in line, several kids were playing while the parents stood in the line. No one seemed to object to this. I let DD run around until we were getting close to getting in to see Ariel. My rules were I had to be able to see her at all times and she had to come over immediately when I called for her.

Other than that, I agree with the other posters that it's not practical and there will be people who won't be happy with you for doing this. Really, DD handled waiting in lines very well. I brought a travel sized Magnadoodle for her to play with while we waited. And there were always other little kids around for her to talk to.

 

[crisi]

You might get a dirty look or two at Dumbo - but it would work there as well. Most places it just isn't logistically feasible. For instance, the line at Goofy's Barnstormer wraps, wraps again, goes behind the coaster, comes out in front, goes uphill - and then inside - all landscaped and gardened. The Pooh ride has much of the queue inside - you can't reach the front of the line without going through the line.