long lines

[disneyluver91]

Okay, I want to be really prepared for LONG LINES at disney this time. Last time i went, i was stuck on a 2 hour line with nothing to do, nothing to drink, nothing to eat, very hot, etc. Somebody plz tell me a list of things to pack in my ever-wonderful fanny pack. I will greatly appreciate it...thanks in advance.
Cindy
(a.k.a. disneyluver91)

 

[wdwguide]

You might bring along something to read or a handheld video game. Some music on a portable tape or CD player is also an option, or a book-on-tape.

Even better, invest some time before you leave and learn how crowds flow through the parks and how to bypass bottlenecks by following an alternate pattern than most people are. Know where stuff is and how to get there quickly. In conjunction with FastPass, you can do all E-Tickets at the Magic Kingdom on a day like July 4 without ever having to wait longer than 30 - 45 minutes.
Doing this is dreadfully boring, but it will pay off big-time once you are in the parks.

 

[natt]

FIRST AND FOREMOST... USE FASTPASS WHERE AVAILABLE!
Last summer was the first time we were there since it's been available, and we avoided using it at first, but once we got the hang of it, it seemed like "why wouldn't you use it" (other than when they run out by mid-afternoon!).

As far as what to pack, that depends on how much space you have. Baggies with trail mix is a good "filler" and of course, the obvious water!

wdwguide: Reading guide books is dreadfully boring???? My family thinks I'm insane - every night I'm in "my chair" reading some kind of book, as though I've never been there before!

 

[BarbaraMB]

My friend and her family have recently returned and she remarked that SO MANY people are NOT using fast pass. She just couldn't understand why people would stand in line for an hour or more instead of utilizing fast pass. Isn't it possible that during some very busy times that even with fast pass some long lines are just unavoidable?

 

[wdwguide]

Originally posted by natt

wdwguide: Reading guide books is dreadfully boring???? My family thinks I'm insane - every night I'm in "my chair" reading some kind of book, as though I've never been there before!

Well, I think that reading guidebooks is lots of fun (so is writing them), but many people think that taking the information that's in them and customizing it for their personal needs is tedious. I know several people who end up going on rides they don't care for just because the touring plan they are following tells them to.

Myself, I have been reading guidebooks about Disney parks since I was ten - more than eight years before I ever set foot in one.

 

[disneyluver91]

BUMP
you guys are helping a lot

 

[disneyjunkie]

Are you staying on site? If so, are you planning to take advantage of EE? If you get to the parks early, and us FP, you shoud be able to avoid many lines.

 

[DISNEYBIGGDOGG]

2 hrs!!!???? Not worth it. DO fastpass or come back another time. You could ride 2 or 3 rides in that time frame.

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by DISNEYBIGGDOGG
2 hrs!!!???? Not worth it. DO fastpass or come back another time. You could ride 2 or 3 rides in that time frame.

Amen. That's my solution. Our attack is always multi-pronged:

Get up early. The first instinct on vacation is to sleep in. Not following this instinct can get hour an hour to an hour and a half of a leg up on the competition. And I'm sorry, but with 2 hours lines, they ARE the competition.

Avoid the EE park. If you'r eligible, go for the EE portion then get the hell out of there, for the sake of your mental future.

Break in the middle of the day, come back around 4:30. It's amazing how much you can get done around 5-7 PM while loads of people who failed to take a mid-day break are finally giving in to sunburn, heat stroke, and cranky children by heading back for dinner and a swim. It's also when a lot of folks are eating.

Hit the big boys during the parades. If you must see the parades, see them. But if you're like me, have seen them plenty and don't care if you miss one or two, great E-Ride accomplishments take place during the parades.

FASTPASS, FASTPASS, FASTPASS. Already mentioned here and in every post about crowds, why do people still not get this?

Simply refuse to do the two hour line. We'll pick a list of attractions we must ride. We'll hit them early in the AM and fastpass them, hoping to cut the wait under a half hour. Beyond that, while Space Mountain is more important to me than most of my inlaws, I'll walk before I'll queue up for two hours to do it. There's just too much fun to be had without willfully sitting in an egg-fryer.

When all else fails, get thee to EPCOT. Somehow, even on the worst days, EPCOT is managable, and seems to simply be built better (crowd-wise) than the other parks. And it's got far more eating opportunities, meaning you don't have to go through that terrible decision of do I wait 44 minutes for a hot dog.

That's my two cents. I know the OP didn't ask for that information, but I can't fathom what I'd bring to a two hour queue except directions to the ride with a ten minute wait.

Pat

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I wouldn't worry in the slightest about long lines this summer. You may have seen the pitiful hours (especially for MK) posted by WDW for June and July. I have been told that the hours are determined by the expected number of guests. Therefore I would expect the crowds to be at about the same levels one may experience in early October or so. Disney would never lie to us or lead us astray would they?

 

[grinningghost]

Above all - bring a Mistymate and a big water bottle. Nothing like getting stuck in a line and dehydrating.

 

[Eeyore2003]

Ditto everything that's been said. I really wouldn't wait in a two hour line. ONE TIME, my boys waited in line for Test Track for 1 1/2 hours ( I hadn't gone with them that time)!!! That's the "one time" I was really fuming because it was so unnecessary. The problem was we had over slept a bit and were just "that much" too late to take advantage of the first few minutes getting ahead of the early morning crowd.

I grabbed them both, (after they argued with me), and headed to TL in time for it to open. They did several unrushed trips swimming with the sharks and had plenty of short lines for the slides before hitting the wave pool. The day was re-couped and we all at a wonderful relaxing time, and we headed to Epcot another day, "on time", and had a wonderful day of short lines there too. (They also don't argue with me either anymore!!!)

I love reading my Disney guides. My new "Unofficial" already looks worn and I just got the new one for this year a few weeks ago!!! I think it's worth it to be able to know how to adjust if things are not working. Two hours at Disney World is allot of time!!!

 

[Eeyore2003]

Don't feel bad though, I'll bet most of the people here have been there, done that, and that's where all these little tips have come from!!! But truly, Disney is so much more relaxing and fun with a little planning. It's a such a big place and it's so easy to get caught up and just "go along" with it all.

 

[jaysue]

Get thee a guidebook - wow, you have amazing stamina to wait 2 hours - I am impressed. Since I take my DS (3 1/2 yrs) with me, we could never last that long - he gets itchy after 15 minutes or so wait.

We use Fastpass, use touring plans, start out early and bypass anything that has too long of a line - someday when DS gets older and tries to call the shots even more than he does already this strategy might not work.

We used the Unoffical Guide to Walt Disney World 2003 and the suggestions and touring plans worked just great for us

Thanks
jaysue