Line Cutting

[YodaGirl]

But the point is that you were able to find a seat. Your fear that you wouldn't be able to find a seat was unfounded.

But not everyone does.

Like me. On my last trip, I was a solo traveller and so could not have anybody waiting at a "saved" table for me after I got my food. And working my way through the Earl of Sandwich queue, noticing the number of tables with people but no food, I was afraid I'd be stuck drifting around with food but no table. Thankfully, Earl has a few deuces which are understandably not popular with families.

It has also recently happened to me at Sassagoula Floatworks in Port Orleans. The food court at the Land used to be bad before the seating area was expanded.

To be clear, if there are ample tables available I do not care if you use one to play bridge at! (And this happens at a local QS restaurant.) All I would ask is that you be aware of your surroundings and have a little consideration for those who are in a different situation than you are.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

When I started this thread late last night I had no idea it would generate so much reaction. I hoped to get some response, but it was quite a shock to come back today and see pages of responses already.

Anyway, I'm only part way through, but I noticed a number of people commenting about how this is a frequent topic. Sorry to disturb those of you who are "regulars" to Disboards. I just started using these boards again recently as it had been over 5 years since my last Disney trip. Back then I don't remember this topic and I had not seen it posted in the last few weeks, so I didn't realize this might be annoying to some people.

No worries

I've been posting regularly for the past year (mostly on the DCL boards), but I still find myself posting things that touch nerves with some of the old timers. I just ignore the snarky comments and move on.

But not everyone does.

Like me. On my last trip, I was a solo traveller and so could not have anybody waiting at a "saved" table for me after I got my food. And working my way through the Earl of Sandwich queue, noticing the number of tables with people but no food, I was afraid I'd be stuck drifting around with food but no table. Thankfully, Earl has a few deuces which are understandably not popular with families.

It has also recently happened to me at Sassagoula Floatworks in Port Orleans. The food court at the Land used to be bad before the seating area was expanded.

To be clear, if there are ample tables available I do not care if you use one to play bridge at! (And this happens at a local QS restaurant.) All I would ask is that you be aware of your surroundings and have a little consideration for those who are in a different situation than you are.

This reminded me. Last Thursday, we ate at the counter service fish & chips store at Epcot. The seating area was reserved for a private party. We saw lots of empty tables, but the CM's wouldn't let us eat there. We carried our food into the England pavilion and all of the benches were full. We simply ate sitting on the curb on the sidewalk. It was actually a peaceful location even though we didn't have a seat.

Not finding a seat sometimes happens at WDW. Sometimes, you just have to make the most of it. We never expected anyone to give up their benches for us.

 

[Elisa84]

I think you'd appreciate my 3 little kids sitting down at a table and not bolting in front of you with a full tray of food and drinks.(Despite my best effort to corral them, toddlers are as slick as eels when they want to be!)

 

[Mama Who]

Over.

 

[brookmey]

I think you'd appreciate my 3 little kids sitting down at a table and not bolting in front of you with a full tray of food and drinks.(Despite my best effort to corral them, toddlers are as slick as eels when they want to be!)

So, so true!

I think this is a good reason why families grab a table while dad gets the food. Keep the young kids sitting down and out of the way, as they can be slippery little suckers.

We often vacationed at Disney with another family and it could be extremely stressful at times for the parents trying to keep track of 7 young kids. We were all standing to the side somewhere in Epcot while the dads got our food when the little boy (about 3 at the time) from the other family pulled away from his mom and almost got stepped on by his dad. His dad was carrying drinks for their family of 5, all of which got dumped on the little boy. This normally mild-mannered, laid back dad yelled out some very non-Disney expletives, which we all tease him about today.

So, after that incident, and another in which my sister accidentally bumped into my dad, causing him to spill his tray, I always sit down with the kids at a table while DH gets our food.

 

[dobball23]

I'll be the dissenting voice and say that I don't have a problem with someone catching up with someone in line. I've never done it but if someone does it I gladly let them through. It has such a negligible impact on my day and hopefully allows someone to ride with someone they care about - it's not worth worrying about.

While a couple people cutting in front of you does not both you, it is about the principle of it. People are patiently waiting and doing the right thing and they get "penalized" by having to wait longer (even if it is only slightly), while someone that breaks the rules gets a shorter wait. It's not right for someone to be rewarded for doing the "wrong" thing.

 

[dobball23]

Not accounting for rudeness and unacceptable behavior, we're advised to send one parent to be the FP runner and have the other parent get in line with the kids. Is it acceptable for the FP runner to catch up with his/her family? My very large husband would die if someone confronted him for "line-cutting." We may need to switch roles.

I don't think it is OK for a fast pass runner to catch up with his/her family. The rest of the family should wait to enter the queue until the runner arrives if they wish to ride togther.

 

[GinnyEmma]

Depending upon the type of ride the line may not be any longer at all.

 

[RobDIS]

We didn't see much cutting on our trip, but at Spaceship Earth two teen girls were obnoxiously jumping under rope barriers and ran up a lane not being used right to the entrance. We just and wondered what the heck their deal was considering the posted standby time was a whole 5 minutes...

A few minutes later they came walking down the same way they went up saying "I have to go the bathroom and didn't want to ride this one anyway!" Seems the end of the queue is right inside the door they ran through OUTSIDE of the official line and CMs are stationed right there. Guess they got busted. Would have been great to have been close enough to hear what was said to them when they were sent back.

 

[focusondisney]

One time, however, it was our turn in line to meet Alice and Mr. Rabbit. A little girl came out of nowhere and joined my daughters as if she were with our family. The dad just stood to the side taking pictures. When it was time for the "let's all look at the camera and smile" my husband looked over and said, "you know there's a long line of people behind us." He played stupid and left, but we could tell he knew exactly what he was doing. He got his photo of his kid hugging Alice without waiting. Unfortunately, that kid is in all our pics too (except the last few). RUDE

See, I'd have to say "sorry honey, this is our family's turn". The handler should then take over & point out the line to dad. I'd hold up the line if I had to, but I would not let them take our family pictures with someone else in them.

 

[larryz]

When the kids were younger, I would get on line with them and my DS would park the stroller and catch up to us is line. I think that is fair and OK.

Sorry, but I disagree. A group wanting to ride together should enter the line together. If DS is parking a stroller, it should only delay your line entry by a few moments. It's unfair, discourteous and disrespectful to all the other people who are waiting behind you if you allow someone to join you without having to wait their turn -- yes, even if it's family. Or friend. Or family of a friend. Or a friend of a family friend. Or an enemy of a friend. Anyone. At any time.

The ONLY exception that I don't worry about is when a younger guest has to leave the line for a bioemergency.

 

[crostorfer]

I don't have a problem if one person, or one adult and one child needs to catch up with their party. Sometimes those lines are long, and children's bladders are small, I can understand that. It's when one person holds a place for 12 people that I get irate with.

I witnessed line cutting more in the lines to meet characters than the lines for the actual rides. I understand your 3 year old is excited and wants to get a closer look, however, if you are behind me in line, if your 3 year old pushes ahead of me, it doesn't mean you get to too!!!

 

[tiggertabi]

See 1 or 2 people isn't going to make my wait any longer, because they will ride in the same car/train/etc as the family member that was waiting. But when it gets to the point where you are now making me wait for another car/train then I get upset.

Yes, lines suck...but we all are dealing with it.

 

[JimbobJimbo]

I don't have a problem if one person, or one adult and one child needs to catch up with their party. Sometimes those lines are long, and children's bladders are small, I can understand that. It's when one person holds a place for 12 people that I get irate with.

I witnessed line cutting more in the lines to meet characters than the lines for the actual rides. I understand your 3 year old is excited and wants to get a closer look, however, if you are behind me in line, if your 3 year old pushes ahead of me, it doesn't mean you get to too!!!

And don't push your kid infront of me at a parade when I've had my spot for 45minutes or so beforehand and you decide to show up last minute. This happens almost every trip an adult stands back and shoves there kid up to the front as the parade starts.

 

[angelmichelle]

I tend to not care about Line Cutting. Unless it's insane, I let it go.
I'm here to ride the same thing as you are. No need to cause a ruckus..

Maybe it's my fear of confrontation. :3

 

[wcpamotm]

But the point is that you were able to find a seat. Your fear that you wouldn't be able to find a seat was unfounded.

I did find a seat there, without a great deal of trouble. But my point (which admittedly I wasn't clear enough making) is that deuces have been less common at more typical Disney-run CS restaurants, increasing the likelihood of failing to find a table promptly.

I did give two examples, one recent and one not-so-recent, where I was unable to find a table promptly. It doesn't happen to me personally very often because I usually don't go during the most crowded periods. You can expect that others might though.

 

[smidgy]

See 1 or 2 people isn't going to make my wait any longer, because they will ride in the same car/train/etc as the family member that was waiting. But when it gets to the point where you are now making me wait for another car/train then I get upset.

Yes, lines suck...but we all are dealing with it.

i agree. but one or two people might not make your wait any longer, but if quite a few did this...

and, to me, it's the POSTED wait time when I DECIDE whether ir not to get in line in the first place.

 

[MightyDuck001]

Line cutting however, (defined as an individual moving in front of people in line) is a pain. It's not so much that I resent people sending someone else to hold their spot, it's more that the line areas can be a little tight. There's not all that much space, it's usually kind of warm, and I don't enjoy people pushing past me like that.

 

[Always Dream]

During our trip last month, there were CMs at Cosmic Rays and they were not letting anyone save tables. They made everyone wait outside the seating area until the person w/ the food was ready and then they were allowed to enter. Many people were trying to argue their way past them but no one succeeded. This was on a Saturday at MK. There were people with their food who were waiting for tables so it was a good policy, IMO.

This is a relief to me - I really can't understand why people sitting with no food don't feel guilty when they see people standing up eating. It is especially difficult for anyone touring alone. To me, if there are not enough tables, then you should only be using them when you really need it - more than that is a bit selfish in my book.

 

[Tara922c]

I see the point you are making, but it is STILL first come, first served and it does not matter if you think they should give you the table and wait for another one once they have their food. Looking for a table in a crowded place is very stressful as well. Also I have noticed that some can see that you are waiting for a table but go and get another party to sit at the table you are waiting for. That is their right I suppose but it is not fair to the individual who was standing there waiting patiently for them to get up.


ETA: we actually had people this last trip try to force us to move while trying to finish up our meals. They said that we should just stand and finish the tiny bit we had left. That made my husband very upset and he stopped eating and told them to move from around our table and that they were not going to have the pleasure of sitting.

I would never ask, or expect someone to get up for me. What I am saying is as I wait in line to order my food, a person who came in 15 minutes after me snags the first table they see, and sends dad to order the food. As we get our trays of food, and proceed to find a table, dad enters the line. There are no tables, and now we are forced to stand there with our trays of food in our hands getting cold, waiting for someone to finish their meals. If the family who snagged the open table waited for dad to get the food, we could have sat down right away, and they would get the next available table once they received their food. Honnestly, I don't care about this situation UNLESS the parks are packed, and people are waiting with trays of food for tables. Normally when it is that busy, CS places have CMs to direct people to tables. We try to eat at off hours to avoid this situation.

As far as people hanging out after their meals, again, if you are sitting there shooting the breeze and you see someone with a tray of food and no where to sit, the polite thing to do would be to get up, and let those people sit down. If you are still eating, that is a different story.