Ride/ Attraction que etiquette

[icarus]

What is the general rule regarding ride que etiquette? I've been to tons of theme parks, big and small, including Disney parks. This year our kids are a bit older, and my wife and I have the chance of splitting up a few times during our Disney Park trips.

Is it wrong for me to wait in line, and then have her show up 15 minutes later with one of the kids to join us in line?

I know I've seen it done a million times, but I'm just curious what people think?

 

[Aye Sea Turtles]

Is it wrong for me to wait in line, and then have her show up 15 minutes later with one of the kids to join us in line?

I know I've seen it done a million times, but I'm just curious what people think?

Most people feel this is wrong, yes. It is more polite for you to hang back and wait for your wife/child to join you, and then get in line together.

 

[LilGMom]

What is the general rule regarding ride que etiquette? I've been to tons of theme parks, big and small, including Disney parks. This year our kids are a bit older, and my wife and I have the chance of splitting up a few times during our Disney Park trips.

Is it wrong for me to wait in line, and then have her show up 15 minutes later with one of the kids to join us in line?

I know I've seen it done a million times, but I'm just curious what people think?

This can be a hot topic - just be forewarned.

I will tell you my personal opinion on this and will don my flame resistant clothes. I personally view this as line cutting. I feel that if your party wants to ride X ride than all must wait in line for X ride. We have two small children (6 & 2) so there are times when we split up as well. But if I have the youngest and see that DH & the oldest are about to get onto Buzz I will wait until we can all re-enter the line together instead of pushing past people to immediately get on. The only time I won't do that is during an off-peak time when there will hardly be anyone on the ride and then I have DH & oldest wait for us if there are only a handful of people between us.

 

[Hannathy]

Is it wrong for me to wait in line, and then have her show up 15 minutes later with one of the kids to join us in line?

Yes IMO it is wrong. We would all like to be doing something else rather than waiting in line but waiting in line is what you pay for the reward of riding the ride. You should wait on the rest of your family at the entrance of the ride before getting into the line. If you try what you suggested be ready to deal with what happens if the 15 minutes worth of people behind you (probably at least a 100) don't let your wife and kids through to you. Everyone who wants to ride together should wait together.

 

[jdd]

This can be a hot topic - just be forewarned.

I will tell you my personal opinion on this and will don my flame resistant clothes. I personally view this as line cutting. I feel that if your party wants to ride X ride than all must wait in line for X ride. We have two small children (6 & 2) so there are times when we split up as well. But if I have the youngest and see that DH & the oldest are about to get onto Buzz I will wait until we can all re-enter the line together instead of pushing past people to immediately get on. The only time I won't do that is during an off-peak time when there will hardly be anyone on the ride and then I have DH & oldest wait for us if there are only a handful of people between us.

Completely agree. And, I believe, there is a written policy that disallows holding a space in line.

 

[caroline1851]

I've seen this question posted a ton of times and most everyone thinks it's not alright to do that. I personally don't have a problem with it.

 

[icarus]

. . . If you try what you suggested be ready to deal with what happens if the 15 minutes worth of people behind you (probably at least a 100) don't let your wife and kids through to you. Everyone who wants to ride together should wait together.

I'm not saying I would do it, I'm just asking the question.

I'm hoping that a child having to go to the rest room is reason enough to leave and come back though? You try and have the bathroom breaks between rides, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

If such an instance occured, I would "deal" with the folks behind me if they don't let my wife or myself back in line.

 

[Passions71203]

 

[Andyjo0930]

I'm on the other side. I have a son who is autistic. Waiting in lines for him is not easy. On our last trip, I did get him the GAC card, but only used it a handful of times when the wait was just too much for him. Most of the time, we used fastpasses or waited in the regular line if it was under 15 minutes. There were a few occasions that I had my husband get into line with our daughter and I had to bring our son to calm down and just get away from the crowd. He loves the rides but he can be a handful in line. Most people just allowed me to join my husband when we got back in line (mind you, I was only a few minutes behind him, I did not wait until he was at the front of the line.) Most of the times it actually occured when we were in line for a character, rather than a ride. Most ride lines you can't see the front of the line where they load so I would have no idea when they got to the front. And I also had families do the same thing, they had other people in their party come into a line we were waiting in. In my opinion, I don't consider it line cutting because the spot was being held by another family member. I'm not riding with those people anyway, so either way, I have to wait for another car or buggy or whatever. But that's just my opinion.

 

[DiszyDeanette]

If such an instance occured, I would "deal" with the folks behind me if they don't let my wife or myself back in line.

Hopefully by apologizing and returning to the end of the line with the rest of your family?

 

[cymbaldiva]

I'm staying tuned for this one...

 

[princessofcandles]

Hopefully by apologizing and returning to the end of the line with the rest of your family?

WhatEver!!!

You mean a mom and dad in line for 45 minutes with a 4yr old and the kid start to do the pee dance. You would make them go to the end of the line so someone can take that kid to potty? No-freakin-way!!!

Its one thing to let a mom hold a spot for 5 teens to come in at the last minute. Its completely an other to have make a 5yr old stand still that long. And I don't have kids so I've never been the mom in line. I have seen parents in this situation look around to see who's gonna give them problems *cough*. But I'm like, dude, take your kid to the potty and I'll hold your spot. Now, I've never gone "on-peak" so this might be a bit more of a challenge. But I would like to think people would be curtious and take it as a case-by-case situation.

 

[honeymo78]

I'm a bit more sympathetic to someone leaving the line with a small child for an unexpeted bathroom run espeically if they say something to those around them (although I'd likely have my family leave and get back in line when we are done), than to part of a family (young or old) waiting in line then having the rest of the family join them. Just wait for the whole party to be ready before you get in line. And there is no amount of "deal"ing you could do with my DH if you are attempting to join someone farther up in line if its more than just beyond the entrance. He'll call for a CM and I'd hate to be the family trying to explain why they are cutting in front of everyone else in line to (cause that's what you're doing) to join family member who got in line before them.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I'll jump into the fray here and say I'm a bit flexible. If a child is already in line and needs to take a potty break, I have no problem with letting her or him go and cut back in line. It's not going to make my wait any shorter than I originally thought it would be. But holding a place in line for somebody who hasn't already been in line and letting them cut in? That I could have a problem with.

 

[BuffettFan]

I agree with Brian. If I've seen your child in line, and then one parent leaves the line with the child, and returns after their "potty break", I wouldn't give it a second thought. But when just Dad has been in line for 20 minutes .....and then Mom and the kids show up...that I have a problem with.

 

[Passions71203]

I'll jump into the fray here and say I'm a bit flexible. If a child is already in line and needs to take a potty break, I have no problem with letting her or him go and cut back in line. It's not going to make my wait any shorter than I originally thought it would be. But holding a place in line for somebody who hasn't already been in line and letting them cut in? That I could have a problem with.

I also agree with you Brian

 

[jimmiej]

When I get in a line, I want to know exactly who's in front of me. Unless there's a special circumstance, I think it's wrong to do.

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

What is the general rule regarding ride que etiquette? I've been to tons of theme parks, big and small, including Disney parks. This year our kids are a bit older, and my wife and I have the chance of splitting up a few times during our Disney Park trips.

Is it wrong for me to wait in line, and then have her show up 15 minutes later with one of the kids to join us in line?

I know I've seen it done a million times, but I'm just curious what people think?

As a general rule, line-jumping is heavily frowned upon. It's always a good idea to keep your party together.

 

[the_princess]

I agree with Brian. If I've seen your child in line, and then one parent leaves the line with the child, and returns after their "potty break", I wouldn't give it a second thought. But when just Dad has been in line for 20 minutes .....and then Mom and the kids show up...that I have a problem with.

I agree with you...

 

[icarus]

Hopefully by apologizing and returning to the end of the line with the rest of your family?

Are you kidding?

So, your scenerio is:
. . . if we're all (4 of us) in line for 45 minutes or longer
. . . one child needs to use the bathroom
. . . one parent and child leave to go to the bathroom
. . . when the two come back, the other parent and child leave their place in line and go to the end of the line (even though there were 4 of us in line to begin with, which would be the same number that everyone behind us had regardless of the bathroom break. Now lucky you gets 4 people out of line?)

That's not going to happen, and if I get the rudeness in the line I will probably sink to that level and give it right back.

If that makes me a bad person, then that's what I am.