Line jumpers, or "I'm just catching up to my party"

[WDSearcher]

I think sometimes you can't always assume people are cutting in line. About 5 years ago when my son was barely a year old i was in the tent where you can meet all the characters and after waiting about 15 minutes in line i realized my camera batteries had died so i ran out to the stroller alone to get extra batteries we had but as i was trying to get back to my wife and son, i was stopped by a woman on line who refused to allow me through. I explained to her but her answer was "well bring your wife and son and they can wait behind me". They even called a CM over and made a big deal, by the time it was over my wife had already gone through and we just left with no pictures of my son and the few characters. On a positive note, my son is now 6 and we're making our first trip back since then and hope to have a magical time!

That's why a single person trying to catch up to their party never bothers me. Because we DON'T know the circumstances. A group of snickering teenagers or a gaggle of people in "family reunion" t-shirts trying to convince you that they all had to leave at the very same moment to go to the bathroom is one thing. One grown man or woman trying to catch up with the rest of the party is another. I mean really -- this woman in line was so concerned about ONE GUY getting past her? Now, maybe she had been pushed aside or back all day, and this was the last straw, but come on. If your Disney trip is scheduled so tightly that you can't wait five minutes longer for something, then you've scheduled WAY too much in too short of a time. And if you feel your so entitled to the space that you can't be reasonable, then you need to relax.

I'm sorry that you missed getting photos with your son and the characters, but glad to see that you neither carry a grudge nor let it ruin your vacation. You definitely came out as the classiest person in that situation!

 

[3prettyprincesses]

Wow, some of you all really are sticklers. I for one know that if my 5 year old has to go potty while we're in line, I have no qualms taking her and then going back up to our spot with my DH and other 2 daughters. Matter of fact, we have done that when she needed to go, should I let her stand in line and pee her pants so we won't offend the line police visitors? I would (and have) let other parents do this without a second thought. I've even held spots for parents in line with just 1 child who needs to go to the bathroom. That's not rude of them, what is rude is not letting these parents back in line. Goodness, we're all on vacation, why stress over it? I certainly wouldn't want to make a scene especially in front of my kids. I'd be upset if it was a group of teenagers cutting in line but I won't let it ruin my time with my family. I'm just surprised that some people are so rude as to not let people back in line. Does it really matter if you're waiting 3 more minutes to get on your ride? Should a whole family leave the line to take 1 of their children to the bathroom? That's crazy, you don't know the cirmcumstances of why a person had to leave the line.

 

[BamaFan121s]

I'm trying to read back over the pages to see where anyone said they had issues with a parent or child rejoining the family as there seem to be several posters who seem quite offended at that idea.....however, don't see any such comments at quick glance, so I'm not sure why people are getting upset over that notion.

What I DO see is people upset when large groups who were clearly having a spot held for them or who try to push forward to join a group further ahead in line or those who just line jump altogether. That seems to be what pushes people's buttons, not 3 yr old Jr's emergency, unplanned bathroom break.

 

[bicker]

Wow, some of you all really are sticklers. I for one know that if my 5 year old has to go potty while we're in line, I have no qualms taking her and then going back up to our spot with my DH and other 2 daughters. Matter of fact, we have done that when she needed to go, should I let her stand in line and pee her pants so we won't offend the line police visitors?

I'm one who doesn't have a problem with five year olds taking a potty break. However, I do understand and respect the other perspective. None of those folks have said anything about having folks pee in their pants. (It is a little bit nasty to suggest that they did, don't you think? ) I suspect that their perspective is to take a potty break before entering the queue, and failing that, to leave the queue if someone needs to take a potty break and rejoin the queue at its end. It may not seem reasonable to those of us who would have had to face basically having to enjoy a fewer number of attractions that way, due to having our little ones with us, but it is reasonable to folks who feel that abuse of the potty break allowance leads to them spending more time in queue than is appropriate. We'll just have to agree to disagree with them.

As it is, I think very few people really have a problem with 5 year olds taking a potty break, especially as compare to the number who have a problem with 15 year olds taking a potty break. It is a matter of where do you draw the line between reasonable accommodation for youth and the propensity to encourage abuse. My vote is to put the line at age 10. A lot of things happen, WDW-wise, at a guest's 10th birthday.

I'm just surprised that some people are so rude as to not let people back in line.

There is no reason to assume that they are rude about it (unless the person who is line jumping gets rude to them, I suppose).

Does it really matter if you're waiting 3 more minutes to get on your ride?

Well, that's basically the whole context of this thread, really -- it is what people are disagreeing about. And I suspect if people could be assured that three minutes per attraction was the limit of the inconvenience, even the most sticky "sticklers" would probably not have a concern. I understand their concern to be about how that three minutes turns into five, eight, ten, fifteen, etc., and suddenly the number of attractions you visit during a day decreases.

 

[boldlyreal]

He said "hey man, I had to poop, now I have to catch up to my family".......

I hope he washed his hands!!!!!

Once on Space mountain my DS had to go.... so my DH took him and we(other DS,DD and myself) waited in line and let everyone pass until my husband caught back up. It was so much cooler in the building to wait than outside. It was funny to because a woman right behind my husband said "hey how come you let all those people cut?"

So I told her so my husband could catch up with me and by the look on her face she thought I was insane. she went on to ask if she could cut and I told her if she really needed to go ahead.

Tina

 

[Mennamachine]

I'm just surprised that some people are so rude as to not let people back in line.

I'm not rude. If one person, or one person and a child politely ask if they can cut by to rejoin thier party, I'll probably let them go. If a large group of people try it, they can wait at the end of the line like everyone else. If someone, even a parent with a small child rudely pushes his or her way through without saying "excuse me" or something, they will not get past me.

I think it is rude, though, to cut up to rejoin your party, even if it is the parent+child bathroom break. I would have never thought of doing it until I saw it happening at WDW. When we went to amusement parks and other places as children, we would have left the line and re-joined it at the end if someone had to leave it for whatever reason. We aren't entitled to a spot in the line unless we're standing in that spot, in my opinion.

Does it really matter if you're waiting 3 more minutes to get on your ride?

Think about it this way. Say I'm waiting in a 90 minute queue. every 10 minutes, someone pushes through to join his or her party and increases my wait time by 1 minute. Turns my 90 minute wait into a 100 minute wait. Why should MY time be wasted because of someone elses issues, whatever they may be. I'm not saying that people don't have valid reasons behind this activity, but I still don't see how inconveniencing everyone else waiting in the queue is justified.

 

[Ctsplaysinrain]

As it is, I think very few people really have a problem with 5 year olds taking a potty break, especially as compare to the number who have a problem with 15 year olds taking a potty break. It is a matter of where do you draw the line between reasonable accommodation for youth and the propensity to encourage abuse. My vote is to put the line at age 10. A lot of things happen, WDW-wise, at a guest's 10th birthday.

Now, this is a ridiculous stand... Are you stating that if I need to take my 12 yr old son ( who has a form of Autism) and forgets that he needs to use the bathroom until it's "leaking" to the bathroom, you would think it would be ok to refuse us back in the line whearas the pretty little 5 yr old princess would be welcomed back with no problems....

 

[3prettyprincesses]

I'm one who doesn't have a problem with five year olds taking a potty break. However, I do understand and respect the other perspective. None of those folks have said anything about having folks pee in their pants. (It is a little bit nasty to suggest that they did, don't you think? ) I suspect that their perspective is to take a potty break before entering the queue, and failing that, to leave the queue if someone needs to take a potty break and rejoin the queue at its end. It may not seem reasonable to those of us who would have had to face basically having to enjoy a fewer number of attractions that way, due to having our little ones with us, but it is reasonable to folks who feel that abuse of the potty break allowance leads to them spending more time in queue than is appropriate. We'll just have to agree to disagree with them.

As it is, I think very few people really have a problem with 5 year olds taking a potty break, especially as compare to the number who have a problem with 15 year olds taking a potty break. It is a matter of where do you draw the line between reasonable accommodation for youth and the propensity to encourage abuse. My vote is to put the line at age 10. A lot of things happen, WDW-wise, at a guest's 10th birthday.

There is no reason to assume that they are rude about it (unless the person who is line jumping gets rude to them, I suppose).

Well, that's basically the whole context of this thread, really -- it is what people are disagreeing about. And I suspect if people could be assured that three minutes per attraction was the limit of the inconvenience, even the most sticky "sticklers" would probably not have a concern. I understand their concern to be about how that three minutes turns into five, eight, ten, fifteen, etc., and suddenly the number of attractions you visit during a day decreases.

Goodness, I wasn't being nasty in my comment about letting my child pee their pants in line, I was trying to be funny because it would be absurd and would never happen, KWIM? I just don't see why it's a reason to get so upset. It is vacation right? But you're right, people do want their time to be well spent at Disney, I totally get that. I just didn't see the reason to not let a child and parent out of line to use the bathroom. Anyhow, yes, let's just agree to disagree because people think their way is justified while others think their way is justified. I just didn't see the big deal. We were actually at an amusement park this past weekend and this lady thought my 3 DD's had cut in front of her son. She started getting nasty and rude so I had one my DD's get off the ride and wait for the next one. Nobody wants to hear an argument in line about who cut who or who is right. Anyhow, this woman was sooo rude but I just ignored it and we had a great time. Why let it ruin our family time?

 

[3prettyprincesses]

As it is, I think very few people really have a problem with 5 year olds taking a potty break, especially as compare to the number who have a problem with 15 year olds taking a potty break. It is a matter of where do you draw the line between reasonable accommodation for youth and the propensity to encourage abuse. My vote is to put the line at age 10. A lot of things happen, WDW-wise, at a guest's 10th birthday.

Now, this is a ridiculous stand... Are you stating that if I need to take my 12 yr old son ( who has a form of Autism) and forgets that he needs to use the bathroom until it's "leaking" to the bathroom, you would think it would be ok to refuse us back in the line whearas the pretty little 5 yr old princess would be welcomed back with no problems....

Exactly...nobody knows the circumstances of why someone is leaving the line. It seems most (not all) people assume it's not for a good reason and therefore get annoyed or even go so far as to not let them re-join their group. I don't get it. This lady above makes a very valid point...should she not be able to take her 12 year old son with a form of Autism to the bathroom and then not be able to ride with the rest of her family? Where's the love?

 

[bicker]

Now, this is a ridiculous stand...

Nice.

Are you stating that if I need to take my 12 yr old son ( who has a form of Autism) and forgets that he needs to use the bathroom until it's "leaking" to the bathroom, you would think it would be ok to refuse us back in the line whearas the pretty little 5 yr old princess would be welcomed back with no problems....

Blame the injustice of society on those who abuse and exploit, not on the folks using reasonable measures to evaluate the situations they're faced with. Beyond that, you may want to look into the accommodations Disney provides for just your circumstances. Disney is excellent, that way.

And please try to be polite in your replies, if any.

 

[MushyMushy]

I had to laugh when I read this. Line cutters DO NOT get past my family. EVER. DH can't abide by that. He will literally stand backwards in the line, facing me, and stand right in front of people trying to push through. He will bob and weave and spread his arms and legs out so they can't pass, and never says a word, never touches them. I remember one time (at a non-Diney park that shall remain nameless) he did that for a full minute with this group of teenagers, and they started shouting at him and cussing at him, and security came and escorted them out of the park. The whole line applauded him.

Also, posted rules are there to keep people from being INJURED. If you feel it is ok to cut in line because there aren't POSTED rules specifically telling you not to, you are seriously lacking common decency! It IS WRONG to cut in line. Period.

Your husband is my hero! I totally agree with you both.

Wow, there are some pretty strict people here. I agree I don't think it is fair for a huge party to cut in front of people, that would drive me nuts... but now you guys have pretty much made me very nervous.....I have a 5 year old, newly 3 year old (potty training now) and a 17 month old. After reading this, by a number of peoples standards we are probably going to have a challenge. So if we wait in line for 45 minutes and suddenly the 3 year old yells out she has to go to the bathroom the whole family must then leave the ride? I supposed I could leave with the 3 year old and the 17 month old (too young to protest she is missing the ride), all three of us forfitting the ride because a 3 year old must pee (and believe me it is hard to hold it at 3), but let her brother go with his dad... Now if the baby dirty's her diaper after lets say, hmmm an hour wait...Perhaps I should just change it in line! I can only imagine what everyones thoughts would be on that (lol). I agree with those letting a parent back in with a child or two, especially if they left the line and came back. Sometimes nature calls for little kids and believe me they can't wait to answer! I pretty much guarentee it will happen to us. Even if I have them go right before we go into every ride..

What would you do in a park that had strict rules for that type of thing? We have an amusement park where I live that has posted rules EVERYwhere about line cutting for any reason -- you'll be escorted out of the park for doing just that thing. I'm sure you'd manage. We never had a problem with it when my kids were little -- if they had to go in the middle of a line, we'd explain to them that we would have to wait all over again for that ride. If they still had to pee, then we would take them out of line and get back in. Often, though, they miraculously didn't have to go anymore.

Families can survive quite well without line cutting.

 

[bicker]

Goodness, I wasn't being nasty in my comment about letting my child pee their pants in line, I was trying to be funny

Okay thanks for clearing that up. It sounded like you were serious.

I just don't see why it's a reason to get so upset.

After Mannamachine's explanation, do you understand their perspective a bit better now?

It is vacation right? But you're right, people do want their time to be well spent at Disney, I totally get that. I just didn't see the reason to not let a child and parent out of line to use the bathroom.

And again, I think the fact that we have different lines we draw is just a matter of how much abuse we're willing to allow adversely affect our own experience; it isn't a matter of right and wrong -- they're all reasonable perspectives even though we disagree. There is another thread that is discussing staking out a spot to watch the parades, and the "saving" of space. There, too, you can see a variety of reasonable perspectives, also based heavily on how much abuse each person is willing to allow to adversely affect their experience. For example, I will always allow someone's young children, say less than 6 years old, get in front of my wife and I to watch the parade (when we don't have the kids with us), regardless of how late the other family arrives as compared to us. (Of course, Mom and Dad would have to stay behind, and thereby trust us... we're worth the trust, don't worry. ) Some folks won't allow anyone arriving late in front of them, while others will practically stand aside and let everyone arriving late squeeze in front them.

 

[bicker]

Exactly...nobody knows the circumstances of why

Indeed, and that's why abuse and exploitation is so damaging to society-in-general since it fosters an environment where we simply cannot trust that people "getting ahead" have valid foundation for doing so. We live in a poisoned pool. It is really unfortunate.

 

[dvczerfs]

im just asking, dont get mad, but, i have been to wdw 50 some odd times, i have never seen one of these phantom potty people try to exit a line that they were standing in for 45 mins. it would probley take you longer to push your way out than if you just go on the ride. i was just wandering how you get out of most lines after waiting 45min w/out a cm pointing the way?i do go during school times so maybe that has something to do with it,but thats another argument on another thread.

 

[Texas Rob]

After reading this thread I didn't really know there were so many angry people who went to WDW. I have never personally jumped ahead of someone else in line...if i miss my party I wait. But that doesn't mean that we should flog someone for trying to get with their party or beat up the youngster for being young (we were all young once).

Anyway...like one poster said...if you don't like it don't read the thread.

Just everyone take a big breath and think happy thoughts!

Group hug!

 

[livndisney]

It had been stated over and over in this thread and the many others like it:

It is generally accepted to leave a line to meet a "bathroom" need.

It is doubtful that the GROUP of (Fill in the blank with the word of your choosing) has all had a bathroom NEED at the same time. Those are the situations that upset people most. If you have just stood in line for XX minutes and you have a (mom, dad, teen, green headed monster or whatever)
who begins "excusing" themselves to get to their party exclaiming they just got fastpasses, just got off XXXX ride, just went shopping etc. then I think it is reasonable to expect the people around them to get upset. They did not have a "need", but rather a "want".

 

[3prettyprincesses]

And again, I think the fact that we have different lines we draw is just a matter of how much abuse we're willing to allow adversely affect our own experience; it isn't a matter of right and wrong -- they're all reasonable perspectives even though we disagree. There is another thread that is discussing staking out a spot to watch the parades, and the "saving" of space. There, too, you can see a variety of reasonable perspectives, also based heavily on how much abuse each person is willing to allow to adversely affect their experience. For example, I will always allow someone's young children, say less than 6 years old, get in front of my wife and I to watch the parade (when we don't have the kids with us), regardless of how late the other family arrives as compared to us. (Of course, Mom and Dad would have to stay behind, and thereby trust us... we're worth the trust, don't worry. ) Some folks won't allow anyone arriving late in front of them, while others will practically stand aside and let everyone arriving late squeeze in front them.[/QUOTE]

You are right...there are WIDE degrees of what people believe to be a reasonable or not reasonable reason to cut in line, spots saved for parades, etc. What bothers some doesn't bother others. I guess it just seems rude to me to not a parent and child re-join their party. I assume that there IS a valid reason for them leaving in the first place. Apparently it does really boil down to how it affects a person's enjoyment at Disney. Seriously though, I'd have a problem if I saw an adult flatly blocking/refusing to let a parent and their child back in line to join their family. I wouldn't say anything but I'd feel very badly for that parent and child. Everyone is there to enjoy themselves with their family/friends. Again, agree to disagreee.

Indeed, and that's why abuse and exploitation is so damaging to society-in-general since it fosters an environment where we simply cannot trust that people "getting ahead" have valid foundation for doing so. We live in a poisoned pool. It is really unfortunate.

A sad commentary on the state of things but pretty accurate. Most people (again not all) tend to be cynical and assume that if a person leaves the line it's not for a good reason. It's too bad we all can't be more trusting but I guess people get jaded quickly with the few who abuse our trust. Kind of does poison the well for others. Sad but true to some extant. Still, I stand by my convictions....I will trust that if a parent or child leaves the line then they have a good reason to do so. I won't block their way to re-join their family in line. To each their own I guess, right?

 

[bicker]

Has anyone actually suggested flogging? I really think it would be bad if anyone did any physical harm to anyone else regarding this issue.

 

[bicker]

A sad commentary on the state of things but pretty accurate. Most people (again not all) tend to be cynical and assume that if a person leaves the line it's not for a good reason.

Well, I don't think that's being discussed here. My understanding is that when we're talking about folks who are not letting others pass, it is almost surely because they didn't see the guest "leave the line". Remember before I said my tolerance level is for up to age 10, but that's only in terms of granting benefit-of-doubt: If I see anyone pass me leaving the queue, I wouldn't think twice about letting them pass getting back into the queue, regardless of their age -- even if they're a bunch of teenagers -- and I'd go so far as to help them get past someone nearby who questions them, confirming that I did seem the leave the queue earlier, and that they're not actually line jumping.

It's too bad we all can't be more trusting but I guess people get jaded quickly with the few who abuse our trust. Kind of does poison the well for others. Sad but true to some extant.

Somewhat related to this is the Tally of Operations Designed or Changed Possibly Due to Abuse thread. It outlines a set of WDW feature, services and perquisites that Disney has curtailed, eliminated or changed, presumably due to abuse and exploitation. WDW could be so much better than it is today, if Disney didn't have to make the changes necessary to combat abuse and exploitation.

 

[winnapooh]

I have no problem with a parent and small child re-joining their group after a bathroom break, or even an adult that had to leave for some reason...especially if they were already in line in front of us. When groups of people are trying to cut the line, using the excuse that they got separated from their group, I get annoyed. We waited, so can you! We've let people go ahead of us when we've gotten separeted, so can you!

What I really have a problem with is what happened to us on our last trip to WDW. We were in line for a ride, and a small child of the family that was in line behind us managed to get around us. I understand, kids get excited! However, if it was my kid, I would have called them back to our family. This family handled it a bit differently, however. The father sqeezed past us to join the kid. Then the second kid went around us. The mother kept trying to pass us as well, but couldn't find a spot to do so (she seemed a bit embarassed). The second (older) kid turned around to me and said "My mom needs to get past you." I responded "Does your mom know how to say Excuse Me?" The kid just looked at me and kept going. When we were at the ride, the mother finally said "Excuse me!" I let her pass, but I was so annoyed! Not because the kid passed us in the first place, but because I think that was their tactic to cut in line! What a great thing to teach your children!!! The only justification was that they couldn't do it to anyone else, since the mother was stuck behind us.