Ride vehicle seating configurations

[Jobelle]

We're planning a trip to Disneyland next summer and our kids will be 8, 5, and 2.5. When watching a ride video today my oldest asked if she'd ever have to ride by herself (or, gasp, with a stranger! ... actually, do they do this... Put a grownup from a different party with a single kid?). Is there a list somewhere that gives configurations of how many adults/kids fit into a ride vehicle? If we can fit 3 to a seat on a ride we can make it work. If not I have a year to start prepping her for riding by herself.

Thanks in advance for responses ... I know we're a ways out from our trip still but my oldest will worry about this now that it has occurred to her as a possibility.

 

[Lisa24jks]

I can't say it's a guarantee as I'm not a Cast Member. But, I'm an adult who often goes solo and they have NEVER put me with a child that I don't know on any ride. For coasters, they have either put me with another adult, or given me my own row. (On Webslingers, they'll put me with a party of 3, adults/children, but never just children.) So I don't think you have to worry about that. I think in general, unless the child is old enough and wants to go on their own, they will always be with family.

As for configurations, it really depends. Some rides can definitely fit 3 to a seat if two of them are child-sized. (Haunted Mansion, for example.) And others they will ask how you want to split up the group.

But you can probably ease her fears on this one. I've never seen them make a kid ride with an adult stranger.

 

[Hobbes]

I was once in the line for Mulholland Drive (or whatever it was called at DCA) and there was an old lady (presumably a granny) in the queue behind me with her grandson and she asked if I would mind if her grandson sat with me as the carriages took 2 people and she didn't want to ride it. Of course I said that was fine and we chatted for a while-she stayed with him until we got on the ride. When we got off (dreadful ride, i was flung every which way) he said "That was great can we go on again?" I had to decline!

 

[princesscinderella]

If you can’t ride three in a row your oldest will always have to ride by herself because the younger two will always have to ride with an adult. I believe you have to be 7 to ride by yourself. We have three kids so we went through this a bit ourselves. My oldest liked to feel big riding by himself so it was never an issue.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I can't say it's a guarantee as I'm not a Cast Member. But, I'm an adult who often goes solo and they have NEVER put me with a child that I don't know on any ride. For coasters, they have either put me with another adult, or given me my own row. (On Webslingers, they'll put me with a party of 3, adults/children, but never just children.) So I don't think you have to worry about that. I think in general, unless the child is old enough and wants to go on their own, they will always be with family.

As for configurations, it really depends. Some rides can definitely fit 3 to a seat if two of them are child-sized. (Haunted Mansion, for example.) And others they will ask how you want to split up the group.

But you can probably ease her fears on this one. I've never seen them make a kid ride with an adult stranger.

They absolutely will put an adult from another party with a child. I myself have been sat next to a child on Incredicoaster multiple times when I rode it as a single. You will especially see this with rides that offer singer rider as that is the point, to fill the empty seats, so in addition to Incredicoaster, RSR, WS, Matterhorn, plus Space Mountain and Indy even though those don’t currently offer single rider.

Some rides they don’t fill the seat so a single rides alone. Off the top of my head, Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion, Dumbo, and the other Fantasyland rides.

Autopia has a height requirement of 54 inches in addition to an age requirement in order to ride along. My 7 year old son and 9 year old niece (who are about the same height) don’t meet it yet.

 

[tobikaye]

If a ride has a solo rider line and the attraction is a 2 seat vehicle, they will match up an adult with an unrelated child. Seven is the age to ride single rider alone and I have been a party of 3 that had a 8 or 9 year from the single rider line sat next to me. I have also been in the single rider line and been sat next to a child. These are going to be rides that have a seat divider so they are not sliding into each other, such as Incredicoaster. I have never been placed in with a stranger for attractions like Big Thunder where I might slide up against them.

Something to note, at least I know this is how it works at WDW, if the ride vehicle has multiple rows in the same vehicle, 2 children under 7 can sit together with the adult(s) in the other spot. At WDW, my 4 year niece and nephew were able to ride in one seat of Triceratops spin with myself and their mom in the other sit. For Barnstormer, they had to each have an adult ride with them. Not sure if this could come into play on any attractions at DL where you might need to split up as 2/3 for separate attractions.

Sorry, I haven't done DL with kids so I cannot remember which might be too small for 3 on a row.

 

[dieumeye]

It depends on the ride.

For many rides where you are in your own individual cart, like many Fantasyland rides - Dumbo, teacups, Peter Pan, etc - they won’t throw random strangers into the cart with you just to fill out the seating.

However, for the “bigger“ attractions, especially ones that offer a single rider line, they will fill every seat. RSR, most of the coasters, etc, although I’ve not seen people seated with strangers on Big Thunder Mtn.

One big note about single rider lines: if you are ever planning to use these lines, your party will definitely be split up, and you’ll definitely be sitting next to strangers.

If you have questions about some specific attractions, you can get answers to the exact seating configurations on those rides.

 

[helenk]

I have ridden solo numerous times in Disneyland and Disney World. I have never been put with a young child. I have sat with teenagers and if there is a ride that holds 3 people I have ridden with an adult and a child. To be honest if I were put on a ride with a young child I would wait until the next spot. Especially on a "wilder" ride I would not want that responsibility.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I think that if they're older than 7, they do have a chance of getting put with an adult. Kids younger than 7 must be accompanied by someone 14 or older.

 

[Lisa24jks]

They absolutely will put an adult from another party with a child. I myself have been sat next to a child on Incredicoaster multiple times when I rode it as a single. You will especially see this with rides that offer singer rider as that is the point, to fill the empty seats, so in addition to Incredicoaster, RSR, WS, Matterhorn, plus Space Mountain and Indy even though those don’t currently offer single rider.

Some rides they don’t fill the seat so a single rides alone. Off the top of my head, Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion, Dumbo, and the other Fantasyland rides.

Autopia has a height requirement of 54 inches in addition to an age requirement in order to ride along. My 7 year old son and 9 year old niece (who are about the same height) don’t meet it yet.

That's why I said it isn't a guarantee. But I have been on almost every ride in both parks as a single rider and have never been paired up with a child. (I don't ride Incredicoaster because I don't do loops, but everything else, it has just never happened.) I've always either been alone or with other adults. Guess it depends on the CM that's boarding people that day.

That said, I assume if the OP's child doesn't wish to ride with a stranger, then OP can say so and the Cast Members are not going to force the issue.

 

[Helene_C]

These pictures of the seating on each ride may be helpful for planning how to arrange your group: https://allears.net/disneyland/dlr-planning/attraction-seating-photo-gallery-disneyland-resort/

 

[StormyCA]

I've been seated 'solo' and have been seated with another person, adult or child. To me it's always seemed to do with how long the wait time is. If there's a long queue I think they want to move as many people through the ride as they can so they 'double up' as much as possible. If it's 'not as busy' they may decide to let a seat go empty.

 

[Jobelle]

I doubt she'd be willing to do single rider but thanks for the heads up on that!

 

[Jobelle]

It depends on the ride.

For many rides where you are in your own individual cart, like many Fantasyland rides - Dumbo, teacups, Peter Pan, etc - they won’t throw random strangers into the cart with you just to fill out the seating.

However, for the “bigger“ attractions, especially ones that offer a single rider line, they will fill every seat. RSR, most of the coasters, etc, although I’ve not seen people seated with strangers on Big Thunder Mtn.

One big note about single rider lines: if you are ever planning to use these lines, your party will definitely be split up, and you’ll definitely be sitting next to strangers.

If you have questions about some specific attractions, you can get answers to the exact seating configurations on those rides.

This is helpful to know. I personally am not too worried about it ... We'll try to arrange seating so we can least see her but I am uncomfortable with dark rides if she's separate from us. But it sounds like those won't be a problem
I may revisit this question as we get closer and start planning our actual days -- we could always split up and do an attraction at two different times, if needed. The 2.5 year old likely won't care which attractions she misses out on.

 

[dieumeye]

This is helpful to know. I personally am not too worried about it ... We'll try to arrange seating so we can least see her but I am uncomfortable with dark rides if she's separate from us. But it sounds like those won't be a problem
I may revisit this question as we get closer and start planning our actual days -- we could always split up and do an attraction at two different times, if needed. The 2.5 year old likely won't care which attractions she misses out on.

On 1-4 seater dark rides, everyone gets their own cart/pod. So a person, be it a child or adult, would never be seated next to a stranger in their cart/pod.

Off the top of my head, Astro Orbiter, Buzz, Autopia, Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Mr. toad, Dumbo, tea cups, Alice, haunted mansion, Winnie the Pooh, you would never be sitting next to a stranger. You would get your own cart/pod.

For Pirates and Small World 1 to 4 people can sit in each row of the boat. But if for some reason a person is sitting in a row by themselves, they would not put a stranger next to them.

Big Thunder Mtn 1-3 people per row. One person sitting in a row would not ever have another party seated next to them.

Matterhorn is only one person per row, so that’s not an issue. Same with Splash Mtn, Although multiple parties may be put in the same log, so you might have strangers in your log.

Nemo Subs and Jungle Cruise and Storybook are “group” rides so all guests just sit in a line. Technically, whoever is on the end of your group will be sitting next to a stranger, but your entire party will be sitting in a row together.

Space Mtn is rows of two. A party of three will be split into two rows, and that “third person“ will likely be sitting next to another person.

Indy is rows of 4. If there’s a party of three, it’s possible a stranger will be placed in the fourth seat in the row.

Rise is rows of 4. If there’s a party of three, they will likely get the row to themselves since Rise doesn’t do single rider, and they generally won’t split groups in the multiple rows due to the way boarding works.

Smugglers Run is groups of six. Each seat is kind of on its own, so while you will be riding with strangers, no one will really be sitting right next to you.

Star Tours I don’t remember how many people sit in a row, but it’s like a movie theater. Your group will sit in a line, and whoever is on the end will be sitting next to a another party.

And for the railroad, Casey Jr, the monorail, and any of the various main street vehicles, it’s also not going to be an issue.

I won’t go through every ride at DCA, but the rides where you might be seated next to a stranger are Incredicoaster (2 per row), Goofy Sky School (2 per row), Grizzly River Run (8 to a raft, and they fill empty seats with single riders), Webslingers (4 to a cart, and they fill empty seats with single riders).

Also at DCA Soarin’ and Guardians have long rows, so like at a theater, whoever is on the end of your party will be seated next to another group.

Nothing else at DCA should be a concern.

Didn’t mean to type out this crazy list, but I can’t sleep so it just happened! If I left out any attraction, I’m sure someone will be quick to point it out!

 

[Jnjtrio]

Yes we had a very sweet boy single rider with us on Radiator Springs Racer. He asked for the middle seat between me and my husband and we were happy to oblige.

 

[DLgal]

On 1-4 seater dark rides, everyone gets their own cart/pod. So a person, be it a child or adult, would never be seated next to a stranger in their cart/pod.

Off the top of my head, Astro Orbiter, Buzz, Autopia, Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Mr. toad, Dumbo, tea cups, Alice, haunted mansion, Winnie the Pooh, you would never be sitting next to a stranger. You would get your own cart/pod.

For Pirates and Small World 1 to 4 people can sit in each row of the boat. But if for some reason a person is sitting in a row by themselves, they would not put a stranger next to them.

Big Thunder Mtn 1-3 people per row. One person sitting in a row would not ever have another party seated next to them.

Matterhorn is only one person per row, so that’s not an issue. Same with Splash Mtn, Although multiple parties may be put in the same log, so you might have strangers in your log.

Nemo Subs and Jungle Cruise and Storybook are “group” rides so all guests just sit in a line. Technically, whoever is on the end of your group will be sitting next to a stranger, but your entire party will be sitting in a row together.

Space Mtn is rows of two. A party of three will be split into two rows, and that “third person“ will likely be sitting next to another person.

Indy is rows of 4. If there’s a party of three, it’s possible a stranger will be placed in the fourth seat in the row.

Rise is rows of 4. If there’s a party of three, they will likely get the row to themselves since Rise doesn’t do single rider, and they generally won’t split groups in the multiple rows due to the way boarding works.

Smugglers Run is groups of six. Each seat is kind of on its own, so while you will be riding with strangers, no one will really be sitting right next to you.

Star Tours I don’t remember how many people sit in a row, but it’s like a movie theater. Your group will sit in a line, and whoever is on the end will be sitting next to a another party.

And for the railroad, Casey Jr, the monorail, and any of the various main street vehicles, it’s also not going to be an issue.

I won’t go through every ride at DCA, but the rides where you might be seated next to a stranger are Incredicoaster (2 per row), Goofy Sky School (2 per row), Grizzly River Run (8 to a raft, and they fill empty seats with single riders), Webslingers (4 to a cart, and they fill empty seats with single riders).

Also at DCA Soarin’ and Guardians have long rows, so like at a theater, whoever is on the end of your party will be seated next to another group.

Nothing else at DCA should be a concern.

Didn’t mean to type out this crazy list, but I can’t sleep so it just happened! If I left out any attraction, I’m sure someone will be quick to point it out!

They put parties together on the Fantasyland Dark rides ALL THE TIME. But most often it happens when you are a party of 1 or 2, they will put another party in your "cart." A party of 4 will always get their own cart.

Same with Small World. If you have to split up a party of 4, and you don't go 2/2, they WILL put a group of 2 in with a single seater. I've never seen a single rider in their own row on either Small World or Pirates. They cram people in nowadays. As a party of 5, this won't be an issue for OP.

Rise often has single riders, not via a SR line, but just solo guests. We have had strangers in our row multiple times (as a party of 3).

Your DCA list is spot on. As a party of 3, I ALWAYS have young kids sitting next to me on Goofys Sky School and occasionally on Incredicoaster.

Space Mountain no longer does single rider and since they removed it, I always sit alone now.

They will seat single riders or parties of 2 next to a kid on RSR if your party is more than 3.

An easy way around this is to use rider switch pass since there is a 2 year old who won't be able to do all these rides. Have mom and dad take turns taking the older kids onto the thrill rides.

 

[dieumeye]

They put parties together on the Fantasyland Dark rides ALL THE TIME. But most often it happens when you are a party of 1 or 2, they will put another party in your "cart." A party of 4 will always get their own cart.

I have never, in all my life as a single rider on the Fantasyland dark rides, ever had to ride with another person/group in a vehicle. I ride at least a couple of the Fantasyland dark rides every single week. It’s never happened once.

I ride pirates almost every week and if I am in the park by myself I’m always sitting in my own row. I don’t remember ever having strangers put in a row with me.

I know you are a frequent park visitor as well, so all I can say is the difference in our experiences is absolutely baffling to me.

 

[DLgal]

I have never, in all my life as a single rider on the Fantasyland dark rides, ever had to ride with another person/group in a vehicle. I ride at least a couple of the Fantasyland dark rides every single week. It’s never happened once.

I ride pirates almost every week and if I am in the park by myself I’m always sitting in my own row. I don’t remember ever having strangers put in a row with me.

I know you are a frequent park visitor as well, so all I can say is the difference in our experiences is absolutely baffling to me.

My friend and I went in April. We had a mother and her child in the row behind us on Snow White, a couple behind us in Alice in Wonderland and another mom and kid behind us in Pinocchio.

I rode Small World on June 30 and had another single rider placed next to me. It was awkward. That person was part of a party of 4 and the CM told them (1 in 2, 3 in 3). I was in row 2, with my 2 kids in row 1 (they are older teens and we can't fit 3 across in the front row).

On Pirates, they tried to cram someone else into our row (we were 3) and they wouldn't fit. Thankfully.

I agree it was odd to have others in our Fantasyland vehicles. The fist time it happened, I joked "I guess they are riding with us." It was weird because those vehicles are so small.

Anecdotally, I have heard this is happening at WDW too. Single riders have posted about being put with groups of 2 on Navi River Journey, which would also be super awkward.

I guess sometimes CMs are told to fill the cars to keep the line moving.

 

[dieumeye]

My friend and I went in April. We had a mother and her child in the row behind us on Snow White, a couple behind us in Alice in Wonderland and another mom and kid behind us in Pinocchio.

I rode Small World on June 30 and had another single rider placed next to me. It was awkward. That person was part of a party of 4 and the CM told them (1 in 2, 3 in 3). I was in row 2, with my 2 kids in row 1 (they are older teens and we can't fit 3 across in the front row).

On Pirates, they tried to cram someone else into our row (we were 3) and they wouldn't fit. Thankfully.

I agree it was odd to have others in our Fantasyland vehicles. The fist time it happened, I joked "I guess they are riding with us." It was weird because those vehicles are so small.

Anecdotally, I have heard this is happening at WDW too. Single riders have posted about being put with groups of 2 on Navi River Journey, which would also be super awkward.

I guess sometimes CMs are told to fill the cars to keep the line moving.

I’m sure those things happened, it’s just so strange that nothing like that has ever happened to me on this type of ride - specifically on the four-seaters Snow White, Pinocchio, Alice.

I have a theory as to why: I’m a solo male.

I can imagine that perhaps as an official or unofficial policy, they don’t seat parties with single males. It’s not like I suspect every solo male is a creep, but I can see how it’s best for everyone involved just to avoid even the potential awkwardness.

Which is probably a good thing. If my two young daughters were riding Snow White alone, I guess I wouldn’t them to put some random middle aged dude in the cart with them. That would be weird.

Or maybe I just look really unfriendly so they never bother to try to seat anyone with me.