Line etiquette - holding spots

[eli3886]

There have been numerous times when someone has left the line in front of me and needs to get back in, and that's not a problem at all. However, we were at the Magic Kingdom a few years ago and after standing in line for about 30 minutes (with our small children) for a ride, had a family of 10 push past us to join another 8-10 in front of us. They were all apologies, blah, blah, blah, about small kids not being able to wait (except my small kids, I guess) and I got really irritated. We kept seeing the group throughout the rest of the day--easily recognizable because of their matching shirts and every time we would say, "Oh, look, it's the Rude family again". Poetic justice came at the end of the day when we were walking past the queue of another ride and some of their group was shouting back and forth with others already in line that they weren't allowed to join them. They appeared miserable and worn out. Somehow, I couldn't feel any sympathy for them!

 

[dizneyjill]

I've just read this thread and feel I have to put my 2 cents in..Yes children have to go to the bathroom.I had children. That's why you go to the bathroom regularly, hold back the drinks. I have to go to the bathroom to. I take pills for congestive heart failure...I hate to waste the time, but hey..when you got to go, you got to go..I don't let my sister go ahead and save a place in line. I look at it this way, people have stopped thinking of others and only themselves. If I or my child has to go to the bathroom, it's my problem and I should not thrust my problem on the people waiting in line. Look at the time listed...when did the kid pee last. Can he last 30 minutes? Planning is everything. Will it really kill you to leave the line and go to the bathroom with your family. Shouldn't it be your inconvenience and not others. If I'm in the wrong lane of traffic, should I stop and turn on my signal and wait to turn left in the right lane and hold everyone else up? NO, I continue down the street and turn around...it's my problem, why should others be bothered.There may be emergencies... but is getting out of line going to kill you? If the kids are that crazy and tired..do us all a favor and take them back to the hotel for a nap. I would rather be doing something else besides standing in a line too, but that is how we have order.That is how we learn patience and manners.That is how we learn all good things are worth waiting for.....not everything is instant. Life is not a video game or text messaging. Some times you just plain have to WAIT YOUR TURN...now back to your regularly scheduled arguing .Take a deep breath......aahhhhhhhh peace to all!

 

[mom of2]

Thank you Dizneyjill

 

[JenSop]

I've just read this thread and feel I have to put my 2 cents in..Yes children have to go to the bathroom.I had children. That's why you go to the bathroom regularly, hold back the drinks. I have to go to the bathroom to. I take pills for congestive heart failure...I hate to waste the time, but hey..when you got to go, you got to go..I don't let my sister go ahead and save a place in line. I look at it this way, people have stopped thinking of others and only themselves. If I or my child has to go to the bathroom, it's my problem and I should not thrust my problem on the people waiting in line. Look at the time listed...when did the kid pee last. Can he last 30 minutes? Planning is everything. Will it really kill you to leave the line and go to the bathroom with your family. Shouldn't it be your inconvenience and not others. If I'm in the wrong lane of traffic, should I stop and turn on my signal and wait to turn left in the right lane and hold everyone else up? NO, I continue down the street and turn around...it's my problem, why should others be bothered.There may be emergencies... but is getting out of line going to kill you? If the kids are that crazy and tired..do us all a favor and take them back to the hotel for a nap. I would rather be doing something else besides standing in a line too, but that is how we have order.That is how we learn patience and manners.That is how we learn all good things are worth waiting for.....not everything is instant. Life is not a video game or text messaging. Some times you just plain have to WAIT YOUR TURN...now back to your regularly scheduled arguing .Take a deep breath......aahhhhhhhh peace to all!

 

[shalom]

You go to a movie theater. In front of you in line are a young man and woman on a date. The man says to the woman: “There is no sense in both of waiting in this long line. You should go get the popcorn and re-join me in line when you are done.

I'm fascinated by the frequency of the "one gets popcorn at the theater while the other gets the tickets" example in this thread, because none of the movie theaters in our area allow it - you must have a ticket to get into the area where they're selling the food and drinks. Personally, I don't really think lines for the movies are the same as an attraction at Disney, because when it's your local movie theater you've usually got more options (don't like crowds, you can just go after the movie has been out a while or on a night when it isn't so busy), but it just makes me wonder why my area's so different...

On the way home from the theater you stop off at the grocery store. You head for the deli where they have a “take a number” system.

The "take a number" system at Disney is essentially the Fastpass, so also not a direct parallel for line cutters in the standby line.

The husband says: “Don’t worry dear. You hold our place in line and stay with the cart. I will go get the milk and come back.”

In this case, unlike attractions at Disney, the only person who "matters" is the person paying. If the person running back to get the milk returns before the other person is rung up, they haven't wasted your time at all. If they aren't back when the cashier has run everything else through, in my experience in multiple states, most cashiers will tell the person who sent the runner they'll have to ring it up and he can get back in line for the milk (although if it's a short line they'll first ask the other people in line if they mind waiting).

OTOH, if the problem is a store error (they're ringing something up and there's no price on it), and they have to send someone back to verify the price, then everyone has to wait, because the person in the front of the line did not deliberately make the choice to get in line when they weren't ready to be rung up.

When the mother and her two children seek to re-join the father in front of you, you tell them that they are rude and should go to the back of the line. In my world, I scoot back a foot or two and let the family back in line.

Personally, I don't mind letting a few people through and don't demand they justify their reason. I disagree with the "no one gets by" position just as much as I do the "why can't I have fun and then join my pals?" position. But this is the only example in your post that really applies to waiting in line at Disney.

In my world, if I am the 1,000th person in line, I don’t give a rat’s ‘you-know-what’ what the 999 people in front of me do, as long as when the gates open, I am no more than the 1,000th person let in the door.

But how are people supposed to KNOW they are the 1000th person in line if it's commonly accepted that one person can get in line and hold a place for ten? If the ideal is that you stay in line if you want to see the attraction, then most people will stay in line, and there will only be a few who don't for their own personal reasons (which same are not my problem), and another few who leave for very short periods (bathroom or whatever) and then come back. Meaning people who are trying to decide whether to wait in this line or skip it for another attraction are getting fairly accurate data.

How are people supposed to make that choice knowledgeably when it's common and accepted for one person in line to be holding a place for ten or twenty people?

 

[nytimez]

This thread never fails to make me laugh. Someone says leaving a line to use the can is like cutting across lanes of traffic to hit an exit at the last moment, and a bunch of people chime in to agree.

Next time you see a near-fatal return to a line from a bathroom or snack cart, please post it here!

 

[kakiegirl]

Okay, I skipped some pages to this long debate, but I think it is rude because if everyone did it then the line would be considerable longer to the people behind you than they were originally expecting it to be. For example if there are 100 people waiting in line in front of me and all of them have at least two people come and join them then the line has tripled from what I though it was. From my experience Disney does not encourage this at TSM, they may not stop it but everytime we have been there there has been a CM repeating please have all your toys together before you enter the line.

For those who think it dosen't matter at movie theaters if you hold spaces in line you should attend a midnight showing of one of the Twilight Saga movies. It can get hostile.

 

[larryz]

Perhaps you are right. Maybe we are from different worlds. Let’s take a look at how things work in these different worlds.

You go to a movie theater. In front of you in line are a young man and woman on a date. The man says to the woman: “There is no sense in both of waiting in this long line. You should go get the popcorn and re-join me in line when you are done. She leaves and returns 10 minutes later and seeks to re-join her date in line. Inasmuch as you detect no bio-emergency, you inform her that getting back in line is rude and improper, and suggest that she go to the back of the line. In my world, she re-joins the line without issue.

Bad assumption. If a movie is drawing lines of people to see it, I'll just wait until it isn't. However, WDW is a very popular place and unfortunately, I can't avoid lines. If everyone would just get in line and take their turn (like most people should have learned in grade school, if not kindergarten) everything would be just fine. The frequent appearance of this topic on the forum indicates this isn't the case. Frankly, I try to avoid line jumpers by visiting during the low attendance times, avoiding most of those "special" people who think the rules don't apply to them.

On the way home from the theater you stop off at the grocery store. You head for the deli where they have a “take a number” system. The woman in front of you takes number 77. You pull off number 78. You look up and see that they are now serving number 34. You wait for 20 minutes at the counter watching the deli worker slice everyone else’s bologna. The woman who was in front of you decides to use her time more efficiently and do some shopping. She comes back 15 minutes later with her cart half full of groceries, but in plenty of time to hear her number called. Sensing no bio-emergency, you tell her that she is being rude and that by leaving the deli area to shop, she has forfeited her place in line and must take a new number. In my world, she places her order without incident.

Wrong again. The woman with number 77 has a "fast pass" to her turn in the deli, and I would respect that. In fact, my observation is that stores install the "take a turn" numbers as a form of enforced order, if you will, because line jumpers are incapable of it otherwise. But in all honesty, if I see my number is 44 numbers away from that currently being served, I'll go somewhere else for my deli products. My time is more valuable to me than waiting behind 44 people for sliced roast beef. This isn't Soviet Russia -- not yet, anyway.

Finished shopping, you take your cart to the front of the store. The check-out lines are packed. You are fourth in line. In front of you is a couple with a full cart of groceries. The wife says to the husband: "Oh dear. We forgot the milk.” The husband says: “Don’t worry dear. You hold our place in line and stay with the cart. I will go get the milk and come back.” When the man returns, you ask him if he has had a bio-emergency. He looks at you with frightened confusion. You then tell him that it is rude and improper for his wife to have saved his place in line, so he should take his milk and retreat to the back of the line. In my world, the man reconnects with his wife and they check out in front of me.

Again, a bad comparison. I don't pay 80 bucks a day to go shopping and I don't consider the checkout stand a thrill ride or entertainment experience. If Mrs. Forgetful's husband can make it back before I'm being rung up, no worries (although I've seen some stores enforcing policies that you must have all of your groceries with you before getting in line -- I like those places). If not, he can wait until the cashier's done with me (and pretty much has to, as the cash register doesn't deal well with interrupted tallies).

And finally, in your latest trip to WDW, you are in line for Fantasmic. The family in front of you consists of a father, his wife who is 8 months pregnant, ten year-old Timmy who broke his ankle playing soccer and walks with crutches, and 5 year old Cindy who is fidgety and cannot stay still for 10 minutes let alone an hour and a half. The father says to his wife: “Honey, why don’t you and the kids get out of line and go sit down somewhere. You are exhausted. Timmy’s foot is swollen and Cindy is bothering everyone around her. I will call your cell 15 minutes before the line is supposed to move and you can re-join me in line.” When the mother and her two children seek to re-join the father in front of you, you tell them that they are rude and should go to the back of the line. In my world, I scoot back a foot or two and let the family back in line.

You're batting 0 for 4 -- place in line has no effect on the F! experience since everyone in the theater sees it at the same time. Besides, if I see F!, I'll take advantage of the FDP, and thus will have a guaranteed seat, as long as I get into line in time and people like you don't let hundreds of others cut in line ahead of me.

In my world, if I am the 1,000th person in line, I don’t give a rat’s ‘you-know-what’ what the 999 people in front of me do, as long as when the gates open, I am no more than the 1,000th person let in the door. In your world, somehow, what others do bothers you, even if what they do does not impact your ultimate outcome.

If you keep letting people who weren't in line into the line ahead of you, you might well wind up the 2,000th person in line. By that time, I'm sure you'll recognize the effect of your viewpoint. Enjoy it. I'm not going to.

Indeed, we are from two different worlds.

Exactly right. In my world, we follow the established rules of consideration, respect for others and fair play. You get in line and take your turn. I owe that to myself and all the other people in line behind me.

I hope I never have to live in yours.

And here we agree.

 

[smidgy]

it's been years since we did fantasmic...at what time do they let you in to sit down for the show, and how long before do people start lining up? thanks

we haven't done it in a few years, either. we don't think it's worth the wait, even if you are seated on a bench. back when we did do it, the wait to get was maybe a half hour, tops (that was when they had the show every night, though). the only time we ahd to wait a long time to get inwas in dec 2007 for the 2nd show. we had to wait for the people in the first show to exit. it was a packed crowd, no way anyone could leave it and wiggle back into it. it made me very nervous (I kept thinking of the trampling incidences at soccer games in the UK or rock concerts)

We would have no problem finding each other as we would have waited together to get in and would find our seats then DH would go off with the baby until the show started..

oh! my bad, I thought you meant in line to get in.
I see nothing wrong with waiting in line together, getting seats, then wandering with the little ones while mom saves the seats. we do this.. get our seats, then hubby goes to get a beer, then I go, then he goes for a smoke, then I go. or to get a hot dog, whatever. that's the whole reason they have the restrooms, DSA, beer cart hot dog and popcorn cart, etc. INSIDE the theater!

I also have no problem whatsoever with someone leaving a line, any line, to go to the bathroom. I would have a problem with dad saving a line at dumbo, while mom and 4 kids ride tea cups, snow white, etc, then join dad in line.


to a PP, yes , Disney uses the Red tag system to help determine approximate queue times. but, say they just post a wait time of 30 minutes (due to the red tag arriving at the front). so you choose to join the line. and the cms see how many people have joined the line. NOW, 10 line place holders ahead of you each have 5 of their friemds and family push through ahead of you,. the CMS may decide to now give someone else a red tag, cause the wait time has changed. but it's too late for you. there are now 50 more people in line ahead of you than you thought would be when you joined it.
this just isn't right, and is totally different than a mom and a toddler, who were already in line, leaving it for the bathromm or a diaper change and returning.

 

[smidgy]

on a side note, I just watched the most hilarious Curb Your Enthusiasim episode, where Larry David was irritated with lines, (and specifically, people in front of him taking their times "sampling" things ; ice cream flavors, perfume scents). at the perfume store, there are 3 dif. .lines, 3 clerks, and he keeps switching lines to get in the "faster" one. ends up behind a "sampler" and goes on a rant about "why can't they to the lines like they do at disney? with the ropes? and it's fair?"
anyone else see it? (it's on "on demand")
or well, pardon my parenthetical aside. back to your regularly scheduled debate....

 

[wcpamotm]

Can I share my little spot-holding petty annoyance? That would be, carrying a food tray around a fullish seating area searching for an empty table before our food gets too cold, and seeing tables being held be people while others in their party are getting their food.

Now, I know that people have written about medical conditions that prevent them from standing for extended periods, and really I'm not unsympathetic toward that. (Maybe Disney should provide more seats in a waiting area? ) I suspect that in some cases that's exagerated, though I would never confront anyone about it. Just would like to see a little more consideration, that's all.

And make no mistake, this only applies to seating areas that are nearly full. If you'd like to sit at a table at a half-full food court just to do your crossword puzzle, I'll never give you a second look!

 

[nytimez]

Can I share my little spot-holding petty annoyance? That would be, carrying a food tray around a fullish seating area searching for an empty table before our food gets too cold, and seeing tables being held be people while others in their party are getting their food.

During peak times, they often won't let people sit until they get their food in some places -- there are CMs from the door to the lines to the seating areas who try to block people who want to sit while they wait for food.

I try to never, ever go to WDW when it's that crowded.

 

[squirrel]

Can I share my little spot-holding petty annoyance? That would be, carrying a food tray around a fullish seating area searching for an empty table before our food gets too cold, and seeing tables being held be people while others in their party are getting their food.

Now, I know that people have written about medical conditions that prevent them from standing for extended periods, and really I'm not unsympathetic toward that. (Maybe Disney should provide more seats in a waiting area? ) I suspect that in some cases that's exagerated, though I would never confront anyone about it. Just would like to see a little more consideration, that's all.

And make no mistake, this only applies to seating areas that are nearly full. If you'd like to sit at a table at a half-full food court just to do your crossword puzzle, I'll never give you a second look!

I found that annoying also. I go with my niece so I don't have anyone to hold a table for us. I found a few CS places don't care who sits occupying seats without food. I wandered around with a tray of food and my niece searching for a place to sit. Finally found an empty table but it was one of those high bar style tables without seats (stand and eat table) which is way too high for a 4 yr old.

 

[PaulaSB12]

To have one person holding a place on a attraction line while the other members is riding another line is rude. What you are saying is that your time is more important than everyone else's is. Your family is too important to wait in line.

 

[spacemountainmom]

We were staying at POFQ a couple of years ago and a large group from a church arrived towards the end of our stay. My dh and I would go down to the food court each morning for breakfast before the kids were up. One morning we noticed young people from this group coming into the food court and dropping various jackets, backpacks, etc...on about 20 separate tables. They then left the food court. I was rather flabbergasted. We sat around for another half hour or so and maybe five of the tables ended up being used by member of this group. We watched many people walk by the "saved" tables and sit elsewhere. It still was pretty early so it was not too crowded yet. I still thought it was pretty rude.

My dh had to go home the day before the kids and I. On our last morning, the kids and I were up early to get our luggage checked in. The three of us then went to get some breakfast. There were not any "open" tables, but there were about 10 of them with sweatshirts from this church laying on them. I picked up the stuff on one table, deposited it on another and told my kids to sit down. I was then approached by a member of that group who told me the table was being saved. I politely told her that I didn't see anyone actually using the table and I was going to use it and if she had a problem with that she could go find a cm. She sputtered a bit and left. The kids and I finished our breakfast and still most of their "saved" tables were sitting empty. I walked over to the girl, thanked her for allowing us to use "her" table and told her it was available for her use once again. I can just imagine the conversation after I left.

I'm sorry - you don't get to just "save" a bunch of tables in a crowded resort for your people who may or may not show up.

 

[jannylynn]

I must admit that I thought it was ok to let my DH take the children off to get a hot dog whilst I waited for fantasmic - but is that a no no too?? (I am worried that my two small boys will be a nightmare queueing too long for fantasmic and thought eating might take their mind off of it!!)

I haven't done it - but thought it would be ok to do in Dec - if not I won't!!!

The line is packed so tightly that you won't be able to get back to your family unless you are standing there in the very early stages of the line. I suggest getting food before stepping into line and be prepared to hold hands to stay together. Of the entire trip that was one of our worst experiences-- the show was wonderful! I was so afraid my kids would get trampled or separated from us.

 

[mommy2paisley]

We had WAY too many GROWN ADULTS (no kids involved) doing this on our trip the first week of October. After SEVERAL adults pushed past us for Soarin, the guy in front of us said something, as did I. Nothing rude, the two people just told us they "needed to get through to the rest of their party." I don't remember what guy in front of me said, but I said, "Yeah, you and the other 10 people." The lady rudely said, "I don't think so." BUT I could see her group ahead of us. I think there was literally ONE person holding the line for AT LEAST ten adults. It was rude!

Would I have rather held the line so that my DH and DD (4.5) could enjoy something else while we waited and waited and waited? SURE! But we didn't! If our DD could wait in line, so could all the adults who seemed to think their time was too precious for that.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

The line is packed so tightly that you won't be able to get back to your family unless you are standing there in the very early stages of the line. I suggest getting food before stepping into line and be prepared to hold hands to stay together. Of the entire trip that was one of our worst experiences-- the show was wonderful! I was so afraid my kids would get trampled or separated from us.

Thanks Jannylynn - You've actually helped make up my mind for me

We will give Fantasmic a miss this time - we are visiting for our first ever WDW Christmas and its more important for us to see all the Christmas stuff this year and we will worry about Fantasmic another time.

DH and myself saw the show years ago, but the children have yet to see it - but I wasn't keen on any of the Fantasmic dinner packages, so thought if we really wanted to see it we would just queue - but holding hands, getting trampled or seperated when the boys are still small - I think I can do without that (I just won't tell the boys about it and avoid that area altogether - it might actually be a good quiet time for us to visit Osborne Lights while everyone else is queueing/watching Fantasmic instead??)

Anyway thanks again for replying!

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

We just left Disney yesterday. In the past it hasn't bothered me to let people with young kids go ahead of us in line to rejoin their party, and I continue to feel that way. On Friday we were in the line for TSM (no Fastpass, 60 minute wait). A LOT of people reentered the line and went to join their parties carrying food, drinks, etc. I started feeling a little irritated.

Just then DD (10), who has a bladder problem, said she had to use the restroom. We left the line, and went to the bathroom. We discussed it and decided it wasn't worth it to push through the line to rejoin DH and DS, so we found a bench and waited for them to get off the ride. Maybe I'm getting old, but the way I feel is that no ride is worth having to push through to regain our spot. People get very irritated, and I know this because I was getting very irritated.

 

[Marblies]

I too, chose to sit out rather than rejoin my adult girls in the TSM line last year and had the best treat. I leaned against a pole eating a Mickey Bar (mmmm - but not the treat to which I previously referred.) Out popped the Pixar table lamp from one of the second story windows. He danced for ages to all different genres of music. It was hysterical and I would have missed it if I had squeezed myself back into the line. Sweet sweet pixie dust.