DL Etiquette

[Renae De Liz]

I haven't read through the entire thread but I think my hopes for people to notice in etiquette is the NO FLASH photography!

I don't know what changed, but I went in 2006, and in 2009. 2006 was wonderful, but 2009 there was flashes throughout every single dark ride!! It was AWFUL! It was also my honeymoon, and for someone that only gets to go to Disney every 3 years or so, I'd like to be able to ride Pirates and thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere at least once without blinking away light spots every 10 seconds. I noticed in 2006 they would sometimes stop the ride for a couple seconds if flashes ever happened and announce to please stop it (which rarely was needed but it WORKED), but they never did that in 2009. The Cast members on the rides didn't care to even hear our asking nicely to remind our boat to not use flash. It was so bad we went and complained, and the lady we talked to (who was very nice) had been working there for decades, and hinted that Disney had let go of a large portion of their more experienced cast members in favor of some new younger hires (which I'm assuming because were a lot cheaper) and that since then there had been issue with up keeping the rules (as the new hires were more lax). She didn't say it like that exactly, but we had a long conversation and that's what we gathered from it. She seems honestly aghast at so much flash photography on rides.

Anyway, rambling my story, but I hope on our trip in June the flash issues would have been taken care of (I'm pretty laid back, so for me to call something an "issue" takes quite a lot!)

And finally I will add to the voices that say it's fine to get back in line if you have very little children. Even in bathrooms, as long as you ask and are polite! I'm the type to notice if anyone is in need (old or young) and let them go in front, it's not that big of a deal and it's nice to be able to help. I'm going with my 2.5 year old this year for the first time (never went with one so young) and can only hope others are understanding, because if my toddler is having a tantrum or can't behave (which it entirely unpredictable most the time) then I'd take him out of line in consideration of others around me, then meet up with my family when things calm down.

Though I do think things are a case by case basis. I too have experienced massive families pushing past me without so much as an excuse me and the teen deluges, so I understand that as well. But I hope people are more understanding of little young ones, or even the elderly that maybe cannot wait in line for so long.

 

[Rainasunshine]

I like YOU!

As a 35 year old mother of 5 I commend you for you out look. We can all take a page from your 19 year old book! Beautifully said!

Thanks guys!

 

[nannyz]

We will be going to DL in July. My grandson will turn 5 years old while we are there. I anticipate that the line for the rides in Cars Land could be 3 or 4 hours; so my question is this: If he is waiting in line with his dad and has to go to the bathroom, would it be acceptable for me (who is not waiting to ride) to come and take him to the bathroom and return him to the line with his dad?
And another question: Would it be considered acceptable for an adult to change off in the line -- his dad waits with him for an hour, then I wait with him for an hour, etc., but at the end only one adult goes on the ride with him?

 

[larina]

The use of changing tables in the restrooms for anything but changing a diaper. I'd have to wait with my baby, for people doing wardrobe changes for 4-10 year old kids, and using an infant changing area to do this. Ridiculous, if you ask me. Clothing changes should be done in a stall.....

Eww, I'm not changing my 4 year old on the bathroom floor anymore than I expect you to change your baby there. It is, after all, a changing table not a diaper changing table. I understand you need it to change a diaper, I need it to change an outfit. If the child fits, or can make it work, they can be changed on the changing table. Sorry.

...If you bump into someone, just say excuse me...

Yes, what has happened to excuse me? It is highly underused!

...Don't forget this ettiquette tip: Cut some slack. Someday it will be you that needs it.

It all comes down to this, doesn't it?

As long as we are being honest, YES that is exactly what you paid 200+ for, to wait in lines and see attractions...

Yep

...Yes, you can teach waiting in line under any circumstance. But, you can also teach acceptance other's situation...and maybe there is an acceptable middle-ground. Especially at the Happiest Place On Earth...

This is really what it all comes down to. Lighten up people, you are supposed to be having fun. Kids have to go to the bathroom, sometimes at the worst times! They aren't out to get anyone, they just have to go. If one person can get a kid out of line, to the potty, and back before their turn, good for them. I have 3 kids and have only had to do this once, thank goodness (those in line around me all told me to bring her back, they were super nice about it), but I've seen it tons.

...Just think back to one of the most trying times in your life, or horrible day and how you felt and imagine that someone else is going through the same feeling. Just treat them like its there worst day, and you will make it their best day I'd imagine parenting is not the easiest thing in the world, and life itself isn't so easy...Think before we judge, act, speak...Everyone is at Disneyland to have a good time, there needs do not supersede ours and in the same token our needs should not come before theirs. Let us try to make Disneyland everyone's happy place, it was built on dreams ...

You are very wise!!!!

 

[dnamertz]

I also have to mention something that caught my attention. A lot of you mentioned that you ask your kids if they have to go potty and they tell you no, then a little bit later they do. I grew up with a mom that didn't ASK if I had to go, she TOLD me to at least try before we ever went anywhere. Sure enough, I almost always ended up going. I do the same thing with DS. We do not leave the house or do anything where there wont be a bathroom for a little bit before he at least tries to go potty. So far we have not had a situation where we had to stop what we are doing right now to take him to find a bathroom. I also somewhat keep track of when he goes at home. He has had times where he is so into playing or doing whatever it is that he is doing that he forgets and has a accedent. So I sometimes remind him that its been a while and he should try.

I do agree with you about TELLING your child to try to go potty, and not just relying on ASKING them if they have to go. I do this with my 5 year old in every day life if I know its been more than a few hours since she's gone. This can also be done at Disneyland, however DL is a little different than every day life because you are spending most of the day wainting in lines/riding rides. You can take potty breaks every few hours and make them try to go, but there can always be unexpected times in between where the unexpected urge arises. This happens in real life...my daughter will have to go within an hour after she last went. Regular potty breaks should be taken at DL if you have young kids, but unless you are forcing them to try every hour or before entering evey line (which is not realistic), there can always be those surprises that catch you off gaurd.

If this happens to a family, I feel that forcing that entire family to leave the line they have already invested time in is going to impact them negatively more than it's going to negatively impact me if one of them stays in line while the kid and an adult go potty and return to the line that they were already in. And I don't feel that type of line holding to be equal to flat out line cutting (which is why I don't see that this later leads to a teen who will line cut). Just like I don't think that leaving the grocery line to retrieve one item is the same as just walking up to a line and cutting right in front of others.

 

[Isatricia]

I have always taught my girls that if there is a bathroom available, use it as there may not be another one available later. At Disneyland we went to the bathroom as needed and on the occasion that one said they had to go "now" when we were in line, I told them it was too late and they had to hold it or we had to get out f line and start over. They decided they really didn't have to go "now" and they were fine and did not have an accident. I have one daughter that still has issues making it on time, but that is how I felt the best way to handle it. BYT, should told me in line for Splash that she had to go "now", but ended up being fine - she just didn't want to stand there any more.

 

[disneychrista]

I am sure in the 8 pages of this thread this has been mentioned. But it is not really that easy to "save a spot in line" for your DH & child. IMO, it is rude to push your way through the line to find your group, which is what will have to happen in most cases. Standing in line is part of the experience, some of the lines are just as fun & entertaining as the rides itself. And lets face it, kids have to learn to be patient sometimes too.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

most lines we stand together in, the thing i save seats for is the shows i line up hours ahead of time to get good spot, most Rides saving place in line wont work to well because as others have said the quees go in side and you cant see any longer.
IE Indy my son would stand in line for, not dareing to miss out on this time lol.
shows woc, fantasmic are the two big things i will be saving spots for.

splash,space, and the rest he will be a big boy and stand in line for (only if he had to go to bathroom would he leave with daddy)

 

[Eeee-va]

We will be going to DL in July. My grandson will turn 5 years old while we are there. I anticipate that the line for the rides in Cars Land could be 3 or 4 hours; so my question is this: If he is waiting in line with his dad and has to go to the bathroom, would it be acceptable for me (who is not waiting to ride) to come and take him to the bathroom and return him to the line with his dad?
And another question: Would it be considered acceptable for an adult to change off in the line -- his dad waits with him for an hour, then I wait with him for an hour, etc., but at the end only one adult goes on the ride with him?

Radiator Springs Racers has Fastpass, so at most you SHOULD be looking at two exceedingly long lines, not three.

If the line for one of the other rides is really 3 hours, then you PROBABLY won't have any problem with the bathroom hand-off while the line is outside the main switchback area. (I can't say absolutely no person would get mad, but I think almost everyone understands that a bathroom break could be needed sometime in the span of a 3-hour wait. And there probably--though not certainly--will be good places to just hop in and out of the line at that point.)

I haven't seen pictures of the actual queues, but I assume once you're at about an hour before ride time (and maybe even more than an hour), it will go into a switchback area. At that point, to reach your grandson, you'd probably have to force your way through a crowded line where everyone has been waiting for maybe 2 hours already. There's no way to know for sure, but I think that could be problematic. You've read here how upset people get when they think someone is "cutting" in a 30 minute line. I imagine the AVERAGE person would be a bit upset to think someone is cutting a line they waited 2 or 3 hours for. That is the impression I would get if I'd been waiting for 2 hours and an adult randomly started to push in front of me because she had to get to her family up ahead.

I understand the bathroom break thing, but you probably can't explain to everyone in the line that you're just going through the line to take your grandson to the bathroom and will bring him back to his place, then exit the line.

And by the time you DO bring him back, some new people will be in the back of the switchback, so then they'll also be thinking you (and your grandson) are cutting. And you've had to push your way through a crowded line 4 times at this point, twice with a young child.

Switching off who waits with your grandson is a similar problem, only in my opinion even worse. Many people understand bathroom breaks, but if you do a switch-off, I think most people will assume you're all going to ride and inexplicably, one of the ADULTS is skipping out on the line, leaving the child to wait the entire time. And unlike the bathroom switch, no one in line will ever see you coming in or out with a child, so many people will likely just think you are cutting. If you are wanting to switch because of mobility/fatigue issues then I would suggest renting a wheelchair or ECV. That's Disney's solution, and frankly if you have mobility/fatigue issues, I don't think pushing your way through a crowded line is the best way to handle those.

The solution that would keep most onlookers from judging would be if all 3 of you waited in the line, with 1 or the other taking your grandson out for bathroom breaks when needed. At the end of the line, you simply state you do not wish to ride.

I am NOT saying this is what you should do, or that this is the most fair solution. It doesn't make sense that someone who's not riding should have to wait in the entire line just to ensure a child can use the restroom throughout a 4-hour wait. But I am saying that of all the options, this is the one that will lead to the fewest dirty looks from the crowds of people waiting in line. Once you are in the switchback area, this solution will also lead to the least amount of inconvenience for all the other people in the line (remember, each time you go in or out you have to make your way through a whole bunch of people, some of who are not inclined to let you move ahead of them).

Overall, I'd just say get your Radiator Springs Racers FP and then head over to Cars Land right away, so hopefully the lines are "just" an hour or so and you won't have to worry about those 3-4 hour lines.

 

[disneychrista]

the thing i save seats for is the shows i line up hours ahead of time to get good spot

For the most part, I don't see too much of an issue with this. As long as the rest of your party is there within 20 - 30 mins of the start of the parade, show etc. If it gets to the point that the rest of your party is having to squeeze through to find you, that is when there is an issue.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

thanks an ya 30mins before shows they would meet up wwith me. woc and fantasmic ill be nearly two hours early just to make sure my 5'1 hight can see the shows i hate being small

 

[charmama4]

Is running allowed in Disneyland? If so, in your opinion, when is it ok and when is it not ok?

running...? no. "walking with a purpose" yes