Queueing etiquette

[vivkemp]

I just wondered how you deal with this situation in queues.

I seem to always have the person/s behind me in the queue literally breathing down my neck. I like to leave a small space between myself and the person in front of me in a queue, but too often i seem to have someone banging into me from behind with their bag/pushchair/child etc

In a 30-40 min queue they are gaining nothing by being so close to me - we can only go so fast as the people in front.

I would love to say something to them but usually don't because i couldn't bear the bad feeling in a 40 min queue.

How do others deal with this? Or is it just me? Maybe because i am 5'0" they don't realise how intrusive they are being.

 

[2Tiggies]

You have to remember that Disney attracts a great deal of international visitors. That means different cultures. Not all cultures, and also not all people within one, have the same sense of 'space'. There is little you can do about it. Body language generally doesn't work with people who don't have a sense of personal space so the best thing to do is to force some space between you. I find my backpack quite useful for this. By turning so that it is at the right angle, sort of hanging off of one shoulder, helps relieve the situation. Or standing with one hand on your hip so that your elbow creates a barrier.

To me, as it is to many of us, standing in someone's space is 'rude' .... BUT I can't make a general statement and say that it is bad manners because there are so many possible reasons why people can do this.

It could be that the person struggles with determining 'acceptable' personal space zones; it could be that the family are afraid of becoming separated; it could be that in their family or little circle, that is normal.

In the end, we just have to accept that we are all different and being different doesn't make us right or wrong. Try the above suggestions. It happens in the supermarket, on the bus, on a train .... it isn't just Disney. Best way to deal with it is tolerance and acceptance I think.

 

[vivkemp]

2Tiggies.

I agree with what you say about cultures and personal space, the worst type of this queueing behaviour i experienced was at Euro disney Paris. I was not making any observations about Disney per se, just asking how others deal with this situation without offending.

Yes i do respect others personal space, but does that mean that my personal space should be invaded to the point that it makes me very uncomfortable, and should i say something, and if so what without offending?

I am used to using tactics such as you suggest, but am wondering if it would be better to speak out, as you say, the offenders may not even realise that they are doing anything amiss, would you rather know or not??

 

[2Tiggies]

I am used to using tactics such as you suggest, but am wondering if it would be better to speak out, as you say, the offenders may not even realise that they are doing anything amiss, would you rather know or not??

Don't get me wrong - I can't stand having people in my personal space. If my post looked like I was trying to imply that I am terribly tolerant at all times I can assure you that is not the case. I agree that in almost all cases, the person is not aware that they are standing too close. Or perhaps they are in the same situation as you and have someone standing behind them who is actually trying to move away from the person in his or her space - chain reaction.

I don't say anything. And here is why:

I am a fairly assertive person. It is however, a case of assessing the situation before saying anything. In my opinion, given the foregoing, it is pretty pointless most of the time to say something. It is either going to cause offence, fall on deaf ears because the person has no idea what they are doing wrong, or cause an argument. Given the potential outcomes, I would rather stand for 20 minutes (I dont enter lines longer than that without a FP ) with someone too close to me, than to have bad karma filling the queuing area.

That is not to say it is the best approach, but it is something I accept and am happy enough that I won't let it bother me any longer than I have to endure it.

 

[london75]

Wear a rucksack and keep turning to look at things. I think it's a great way to get careless bratty kids back for treading on my big feet or bashing into me without a care.

You get at least a foot of space behind you once they learn. I'm probably weird but I hate other people's skin touching mine unless family and the rucksack works every time.

 

[vivkemp]

2Tiggles - No offence just thought i would sound out how others feel/deal with this. To be honest i take the same approach as you and say nothing as its not worth bad feeling for the sake of a short time.

London75 - I like your style, i will try that next time.

PS cant remember using fastpass much last trip, was it around in 2004?? and as it was august we did queue for long times!! We going in October this year so hopefully parks quieter and can use fastpass

 

[sandshal]

I call them "space invaders" ........ Drives me mad especially pensioners that insist on moving to the ATM keypad in a supermarket when the assistant hasn't finished serving me. As 2tiggies says it's all a matter of toleration and on the few occasions I have lost my rag I've actually achieved nothing!

I will be taking advice from London this year and carrying a rucksack with me ..... In fact I may even take it on the weekly shop .....

 

[2Tiggies]

2Tiggles - No offence just thought i would sound out how others feel/deal with this.

No offence taken That's the whole point of our threads: to get varying points of view from everyone. As I said, what I put forward is my response to it, not necessarily how I feel about it at the time.

 

[Pegasus928]

I guess there are a few ways to deal with this - some of which require some prior planning.
Here's my top 5 - in no particular order

1. Eat garlic the night before
2. 'Forget' to wear deodrant and wait for the heat and humidity to take its course. You could also wear trainers without socks, then remove the trainers at an opportune moment for that extra 'kick'
3. Trump. A lot.
4. Say in a voice loud enough to be heard by those too close to you that you hope are out of this queue soon, as you need to take your medication for leprosy/head lice
5. Cough/sneeze without using your hand to shield the resulting germ explosion - normally you only need to do this once for it to be an effective deterant against space invaders.

 

[disneyholic family]

I guess there are a few ways to deal with this - some of which require some prior planning.
Here's my top 5 - in no particular order

1. Eat garlic the night before
2. 'Forget' to wear deodrant and wait for the heat and humidity to take its course. You could also wear trainers without socks, then remove the trainers at an opportune moment for that extra 'kick'
3. Trump. A lot.
4. Say in a voice loud enough to be heard by those too close to you that you hope are out of this queue soon, as you need to take your medication for leprosy/head lice
5. Cough/sneeze without using your hand to shield the resulting germ explosion - normally you only need to do this once for it to be an effective deterant against space invaders.

leprosy/head lice is priceless!!

i wear a large hangbag or backpack and i tend to fidget and move around in line...but it helps to be with other people to do this really effectively...

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Very funny tips!! I do the elbow on hip and move around a lot. I also play with DD which often includes tickling and jumping games. If the get caught in the action they usually step back. Oh and DD is very handy with her misty fan

 

[Mrs Stonfiesta]

I tend to use my back pack or dd lol, love the idea about the fan tho . We havent ever really noticed this in wdw but are used to it in dlrp. My worst moment was when the fmaily behind us stood so close to us and then lit up a cigarette in the que for small world!!! We had our 6 month old dd and had to try and move away, but then one of thier children knocked the cigarette out of the guys hand (they were about 5) and he whacked him and made him pick it up off the floor and give it back to him i felt so sorry for the chldren and just kept dd facing forward, after how he reacted to his own child there was no way i was going to ask him to stop!!! Although everyone in the que was making comments aimed at him no one actually addressed him as he looked very agressive. Had we have not been so near the front we probably would have just got out of the que

 

[dixonsontour]

I've never really had a problem but have never been at a busy time - with ropedrop and fast passes have never really queued.

Also myself and DD go first and DH behind us - he is 6ft 4 and big so I guess acts as a buffer!

I personally wouldn't say anything unless they were actually hitting into me.

 

[DISWolves]

I guess there are a few ways to deal with this - some of which require some prior planning.
Here's my top 5 - in no particular order

1. Eat garlic the night before
2. 'Forget' to wear deodrant and wait for the heat and humidity to take its course. You could also wear trainers without socks, then remove the trainers at an opportune moment for that extra 'kick'
3. Trump. A lot.
4. Say in a voice loud enough to be heard by those too close to you that you hope are out of this queue soon, as you need to take your medication for leprosy/head lice
5. Cough/sneeze without using your hand to shield the resulting germ explosion - normally you only need to do this once for it to be an effective deterant against space invaders.

Brilliant !
How do fancy joining us on Main St, to watch Wishes!

 

[joolz1910]

The only time I reacted was watching a parade at DLP. We had staked out a spot for ages and then some students tried to elbow their way in front of my kids. I managed to stop them but then one of them tried to film the parade by literally holding their camera in front of my face, so I blocked their lens.

 

[skelfbsfb]

Wow some great tips I may try when we get there.

 

[arielrocks]

I tend to stand with my feet quite far apart that way when they inch forward they usually meet my foot an don't get an closer.

 

[2Tiggies]

I have been at some of the tactics suggested here - very good

It got me thinking, wondering how many times I recall being in a situation like that at Disney and I must admit, I only recall this happening to us twice.

A possible solution to the problem for anyone who is not feeling confrontational is to simply let the offending party go in front of you. Unless it is a large group, it is going to have no effect on your wait time whatsoever. I haven't ever done this at Disney, but have done so fairly often in a queue at the bank or supermarket. Then depending on how bold you feel, you are perfectly positioned to return the compliment by getting up close and personal

As long as I don't have someone standing behind me sniffing constantly. Cant stand that and I have no hesitation whatsoever in immediately presenting them with a pack of pocket tissues with complete disregard for any potential reaction I may get

 

[MrsSparrow..]

I call them "space invaders" ........ Drives me mad especially pensioners that insist on moving to the ATM keypad in a supermarket when the assistant hasn't finished serving me. As 2tiggies says it's all a matter of toleration and on the few occasions I have lost my rag I've actually achieved nothing!

I will be taking advice from London this year and carrying a rucksack with me ..... In fact I may even take it on the weekly shop .....

I work as a weekend check-out girl and you wouldn't believe how often this happens. I've seen arguments between customers brake out and also had customers scream at me for not doing anything! eek, personal space is a hard one to cover.

I agree with most of the tactics people have suggested. If someone keeps barging into me trying to get past (most frequently happens at Rocknrollercoaster @ DHS, an awful queue for jumpers and the likes!) I put my arms on either side of the rail or barge back. It's a little rude, but I don't tolerate people trying to move in front.

 

[disneyholic family]

i forgot to mention that the queueing issue at DLP is the reason we said we'd never go back.....
i just can't deal with constant line-jumpers and space invaders...

we got so tired trying to keep the french from going in front of us (since we left space between us and the people in front of us)....

and watching for them coming around from the side or wherever there was an open crack...

it's just exhausting being constantly on guard against line jumpers ...
for that reason, we've never seriously considered going back...