line cheaters at Princess Fairytale hall

[ktlm]

You specifically state this occurred at rope drop, so you are talking about the morning rush, not a Dad getting in line and waiting while his family is doing other attractions in the park. This is a very common rope drop Anna and Elsa procedure which has been happening since they were back at EPCOT. In fact, back when they were in Norway at EPCOT, it even had the nickname "the Dad's race". I'm assuming you are talking about A&E and not the other side of PFF, as I have not heard of this kind of rush for the other Princess side. Actually, if you look at the boards back when A&E were newer, this very action has been recommended over and over for both DL and WDW by posters wanting not to have to wait an hour or more.

You would not have liked DL last summer. That was the typical protocol for Anna and Elsa on a lot of days. We researched on these boards before going as they were a priority for DD- and knew that there was a good chance that DH would have to join the Dad's race if we did not want a wait of a hour or more. The gates opened, everyone moved down to the rope near the castle, and then when the rope dropped it was a Dad's race to A&E, with a few moms joining in the race. The rest of everyone did a fast walk to A&E and then the Moms (or Dad's) and little girls took their place in line wherever Dad (or Mom) had made it to in the sprint. No one was upset that people were moving ahead of them and joining their sprinter in the line. There were a couple with kids a little older where the kids had sprinted with the parents and were already there. For the most part, it was definitely safer for the little ones to let one parent run ahead and let the little ones just stay with the other parent and walk quickly out of the way of the sprinters. I have seen a child knocked to the pavement in the morning TSM stampede at DHS before. Until DL and WDW consistently control the racing-it will continue to happen. There were some days at DL that CMs did lead people to A&E in an orderly line, but we were not there one of those days. Dh did the sprint with the rest of the dads. I've heard that for a while WDW was taking measures to try to control the running too.

 

[hookedonears]

Getting out of line to go to the bathroom is way different than the Dad running ahead of the crowd to get a good spot in line ahead of all of the other families. Sorry, but it's not cool to do that.

Getting in and out of lines for any reason is not acceptable period

 

[SabbyR]

I might be in the minority here but Im on vacation if something as trivial as a dad letting his daughter join him in line bugs me I need a, idk, nap. 5 minutes extra of my life hanging out in line with family isn't gonna kill me. We have great line talks. A tour group might annoy me but I hope Id just brush it off. Im at Disney World and Im grateful to be there.

 

[bsiev1977]

Hang on, so at Rope Drop when there's a mass crazy maul to get to the front, the dad raced with the pack while his wife and daughters followed the pack and didn't get trampled. They all went to the same destination and joined each other to wait in the same line. Why is anyone bent out of shape about this?

There's no bathroom break, no running off to get breakfast or grab old paper FP's for other rides, or even going on other rides. The dad just walked faster than his family and the mom kept her girls from getting trampled.

See this is exactly why I despise RopeDropping. I've made the mistake of being at Magic Kingdom for an early morning tour before RopeDrop. I love being in the empty park early but once they opened the gates to the RopeDroppers all hell broke lose. I literally feared for my life as I dove for cover in the nearest shop. Those people are nuts and so darn pushy. No attraction is that important, even at Disney. What bugs me the most is how people easily cop attitudes abut their place in line.

Just chill out. The princesses are there all day long. I'm sure the dad, his kids and everyone else crazy enough to follow the CMs in got to see the characters well before lunch. Me? I'll stick to my late night hours and FP+ when people are more civilized. I prefer racing the clock to see what I can do before park closing to racing fellow guests to see who I can beat in a footrace.

On the other hand, the Dad should have joined his family on their leisurely stroll to the Princesses.

A child having to leave the line to go bathroom is one thing. A group member holding a place for others who hadn't been in the line at all is different. It shouldn't be allowed in any line in the parks. Wait until you can go in together. If there is a disability in question, take advantage of the concessions Disney makes for disabled guests.

 

[bsiev1977]

I might be in the minority here but Im on vacation if something as trivial as a dad letting his daughter join him in line bugs me I need a, idk, nap. 5 minutes extra of my life hanging out in line with family isn't gonna kill me. We have great line talks. A tour group might annoy me but I hope Id just brush it off. Im at Disney World and Im grateful to be there.

I don't mean to pick on you specifically, so I apoligize if it seems as if I am. I'm just responding to what you wrote. One major reason that there are people who think they can get away with whatever feels convenient, is because people allow the, to get away with things. If it's first thing in the morning, the dad should just stay with his family.

I understand that as long as Disney allows this type of behavior to continue, it will continue.

 

[mirak]

So you don't think if you look at the line and see 10 kids waiting and think "Oh, that's not too bad, we'll get in line, too." then all of a sudden 3 or 4 adults ahead of you in line get up front and call their 2 or 3 kids to join them that it doesn't change how long you wait? You've just gone from thinking there are 10 kids ahead of you and your family to having 16-22 kids ahead of you, each of whom may want an individual picture, autograph, interaction, etc. with the character. No. Nope. No. If you try and get your kids in front of me and my family waiting in line, you're going to hear my mouth. Loudly. Line cutter. Plain and simple.

Ok. But my kids will still get to see Anna and Elsa 10 minutes before your kids, so we "win" - but I hope calling my kids "line cutter"s will make you feel better. As another poster said, people need to relax. Life's too short to get worked up over such trivial things.

 

[mirak]

On the other hand, the Dad should have joined his family on their leisurely stroll to the Princesses.

A child having to leave the line to go bathroom is one thing. A group member holding a place for others who hadn't been in the line at all is different. It shouldn't be allowed in any line in the parks. Wait until you can go in together. If there is a disability in question, take advantage of the concessions Disney makes for disabled guests.

Or better yet, just "hire" a disabled guest to join your family for the day like those East Coast Mommies got caught doing!

 

[alvernon90]

Why is anyone bent out of shape about this? ... What bugs me the most is how people easily cop attitudes abut their place in line. ... Just chill out. The princesses are there all day long.

Yeah, everybody! Why get so bent out of shape that people who arrived in line after you are shoving you out of the way to enjoy the attraction before you? It will still be there later. Relax! Don't worry about where you are in the line. Now get out of my way, I'm cutting in front of you. Waiting your turn is for suckers. I mean, relax! You're on vacation!

 

[bsiev1977]

Ok. But my kids will still get to see Anna and Elsa 10 minutes before your kids, so we "win" - but I hope calling my kids "line cutter"s will make you feel better. As another poster said, people need to relax. Life's too short to get worked up over such trivial things.

But, where is the limit for you? Are you just willing to let people cut in front of you everywhere? Can people cut in front of you at Space Mountain? Haunted Mansion? A counter service line?

 

[mylittlebuttercup]

I am also of the opinion that this is line cheating and not okay. If there is a bathroom emergency, that is a different matter (i.e. no one wants to stand next to a baby who pooped in line or wants a just potty-trained kid to wet themselves.)

 

[nugov2]

But, where is the limit for you? Are you just willing to let people cut in front of you everywhere? Can people cut in front of you at Space Mountain? Haunted Mansion? A counter service line?

I don't view this situation as cutting, it is joining a family member already in line and yes I would be willing to let a family join their family everywhere including but not limited to space mountain, haunted mansion and a counter service line. Cutting is a random group of people walking up and just walking in front of everyone while joining is meeting up with people already in line waiting.

Would you yell or call out a person who was in a CS line who ordered for all 10 people in their party b/c they didn't want to wait in line? Is that unfair too b/c now you had to wait longer for your burger? Either way you still have to wait. I think the logistics of getting 10 people through a line would be hard, but I think the common way this plays out is with mom and her 2-3 kids joining dad and IMO there is no issue. I'm sure there are extreme cases, but that isn't what OP was discussing so not sure how it is relevant.

 

[IrishNYC]

Ok. But my kids will still get to see Anna and Elsa 10 minutes before your kids, so we "win" - but I hope calling my kids "line cutter"s will make you feel better. As another poster said, people need to relax. Life's too short to get worked up over such trivial things.

Oh, I didn't call your kids line cutter, YOU are the line cutter. Wonderful example to set for your kids.

 

[ethanwa]

I have no problem with this. It's not like the Dad is there to see the princesses. He's just holding the line for his daughter. It's not cutting/cheating.

What I DO have a problem with is when one person waits for MULTIPLE groups.... like 10-12 people show up at the last minute to cut in. It happens a lot with teenagers in Disneyland (but not so much in WDW).

 

[nugov2]

I am also of the opinion that this is line cheating and not okay. If there is a bathroom emergency, that is a different matter (i.e. no one wants to stand next to a baby who pooped in line or wants a just potty-trained kid to wet themselves.)

Just curious how do you know who has an emergency and who doesn't? Do you ask as they rejoin the line? What if little timmy is newly potty trained and has to go now so mom says fine. Now susie wants to go, but technically could hold it. Should mom force Susie to stay in line b/c she isn't an emergency like Timmy? What if she brings Susie with should she now forfeit her spot b/c only one of her kids had an emergency. Anyone who has kids knows that when one has to go they all do. It is a chain reaction with small kids. I think most people for the sake of keeping their blood pressure low while on vacation should just assume the best and that if they see mom with 2 kids getting into line it was an emergency instead of getting their undies in a wad.

Comparing the posters example to a group of 10 teenagers getting in line or a 20 family members including aunt Ethyl getting in line is silly, because that isn't what happened and I have never witnessed that happen in all of my years visiting the parks. I'm sure it happens, but it certainly isn't common IMO.

 

[SabbyR]

I don't mean to pick on you specifically, so I apoligize if it seems as if I am. I'm just responding to what you wrote. One major reason that there are people who think they can get away with whatever feels convenient, is because people allow the, to get away with things. If it's first thing in the morning, the dad should just stay with his family.

No it didn't seem like you were picking on me at all. Very well written reply. I just PERSONALLY don't understand the people who need to be "line police". For example last trip we were in line at Everest a grandma type lady was holding a spot for her two grandsons(guessing on relationship) they went ahead of us. A little annoying but whatever. What was really annoying was the mom who for the rest of the line continued to loudly cut these people down. " if my kids did that id just be appalled. Some people just have no manners" and on and on and on. Personally, if my girls cut in line we'd have a chat. If my girls carried on like this mom did, wed be heading back to the hotel. Lifes not fair, get over it. Now Im not saying everybody is like this. But ive seen this happen other places not just DW. I just couldn't fathom getting that stressed over something so trivial.

 

[smitch425]

Entering the line as a complete party is the only way it should be done, IMHO. Otherwise, you or your family members become an inconvenience to others who are already in line. Saving a group's worth of spots for parades at WDW is not permitted. You can be successful, but if someone wants to sit in your "saved" spot, the CM will side with the person who is present, not the people who can't be bothered to wait. Really...some people are so self absorbed that they leave their common courtesy behind. It really isn't that difficult.

 

[Candleshoe]

I guess I'd like to know if the family had to push through an enclosed line to join Dad, or if he was out in the open.

Not sure I explained myself well. But, take TSMM, sometimes the line for that is out side the building. I don't mind people joining up there at all. But it really bugs me when people push through the lines in a building, in a smallish "line hall", to join their party.


In the days of FP runners, I used to go ahead of DH and DD to get TSMM fastpass, and they would get to the standby line, but if i wasn't done before it was time to go in, they would let people ahead of them. I didn't want to have to push by people to join them.

 

[dmband]

I understand that as long as Disney allows this type of behavior to continue, it will continue.

That's just it, if Disney doesn't care then no one else should either.
Some of the same people who complain about line cutting are the ones getting throw away rooms and "working the system" (not saying anyone specifically in this thread, just an example in general)

On a side note somewhat related, it bugs me when their are empty seats on a ride for example vs making people slide in and fill the seats by a stranger but once again if Disney allows it I guess there is nothing to get upset about.

Edit - reminds me of a story from the yr tsm opened and it was packed, talking 3+ hrs packed.
A family joined someone in line and many people got upset including myself. Only to find out the child joining the line had many issues and standing in line really wasn't an option. Very quick I realized I was being a jerk for even thinking how rude it was and instead said to myself thank The Lord my children are healthy enough to stand in line. Big picture people

 

[20yBWDW]

I have mixed feelings on this. I have a son with ADHD and anxiety. Waiting in lines feels like torture for us. Constant reminders to stop touching ropes, give people personal space, be aware of your spot in line. On our last trip, in line for the 7DMT, we had multiple groups of teenage girls that just "excused" themselves all the way to the front of the line. Presumably, there was someone at the front of the line holding a spot for them? I think there should be a clear cut rule and it should be posted. Because if the rule is that saving spots is okay, then let's all do it, and my ADHD kid and I will have a much better vacation. If the rule is that saving spots is not okay, then let's stop doing it. Because the people who err on the side of being considerate are losing out to the people who err on the side of...well...efficiency in their own vacation pleasure.

 

[HockeyMomNH]

Entering the line as a complete party is the only way it should be done, IMHO. Otherwise, you or your family members become an inconvenience to others who are already in line. Saving a group's worth of spots for parades at WDW is not permitted. You can be successful, but if someone wants to sit in your "saved" spot, the CM will side with the person who is present, not the people who can't be bothered to wait. Really...some people are so self absorbed that they leave their common courtesy behind. It really isn't that difficult.

I completely agree. I see no reason why anyone should be in line without their entire party. Just wait until your party is ready and all join the line together. It's not rocket science. If you get in line and someone needs to leave for whatever reason, everyone who wants to ride with that person should just leave the line and start back at the end when everyone is ready to ride.