Waiting in line for characters...slight rant

[Angel Ariel]

DH and I just got back from 5 days at DL - we had an amazing time! I'll post a trip report in a little bit....we only had one rant, re:waiting in line for the characters.

Why do so many people seem to forget the concept of a line when it comes to seeing characters?! Hi, yes, there is a line here, you cannot just shove your children in front of everyone to get to the character! It doesn't matter if the person in front of you has 5 children, or no children, pushing in front of people who've been patiently waiting in line to see the character is rude.

I don't know if it's because DH and I have no kids (and it's usually just me who will stand with the character while DH takes the picture), but it happened 3 times on this trip, and a few times last year when we went as well. It's incredibly frustrating! And most of the time I don't feel right saying anything to the parent, because the child is right there lighting up, and I don't want to be responsible for squashing that.

MASSIVE thank yous to Mr. Incredible, Sully, and Woody (and Belle on last year's trip!) who did not allow people to push in front of us, and directed them to the back of the line.

(oh, and as a note...none of the characters above had a handler or a photopass person at the time we were in line....we did not have this problem when the character had a handler with them)

 

[Raindown]

I feel you.

 

[skiingfast]

Well their was a time when the characters were alone in the parks. But somone has to handle the crowds. I blame it on the previous generation.

I think sometimes the photopass photographer is supposed to be doing thier task and the handlers task. But I mean they are trying to take pictures not watch the 20 people in line.

 

[haydeecm]

These days there is nothing that steams me quite as much as rudeness. I am so annoyed on your behalf. You should definitely say something, maybe they genuinely have no idea an adult would want to meet the characters, though that is no excuse.

 

[Angel Ariel]

@skiing- These characters were completely alone...there was no Photopass person with them either.

 

[Angel Ariel]

These days there is nothing that steams me quite as much as rudeness. I am so annoyed on your behalf. You should definitely say something, maybe they genuinely have no idea an adult would want to meet the characters, though that is no excuse.

I know you're right...I'm bad at confronting people in general. DH would have, except I asked him not to...These people weren't just cutting me though...there were families behind me they were cutting in front of as well..

I feel bad for the characters who were having to deal with it alone, while staying in character and not speaking (in the case of the 3 this year). I went to guest relations and left compliments for the characters with their managers because of how awesome they were

 

[Sherry E]

I've seen it happen and I have read about it happening on the DIS. People have a hard time with order and structure at DLR! I have read reports of women pushing their kids to the front of the line and telling the folks they cut in front of that their child "needed" to see whoever that character was right away (like the other kids in line didn't need to see the character too?).

I have also literally been next to a character, with my arms around whoever it was, and my friends on the other side, and suddenly some pushy parent will throw their kids in the picture too. Our picture. They refuse to wait their turn. A classic example of that was one time when my friends and I got in a photo with, I think, Tigger and Eeyore. We had Eeyore on one side and we were in between him and Tigger. Some parent threw their children up to stand next to Tigger and get in our photo (which meant that we got in theirs, too!) Maybe they see us and figure that since we don't have any kids, we don't have the right to get in photos with characters before their little angels do?? I'm not sure. I have read some posts from people on various boards who seem to think it's not right for adults with no kids to wait for character pictures and cause their kids to have wait longer to meet their favorite character - but too bad because I am getting in character pictures, like it or not!!

At least the line for Pooh and the gang in Critter Country is pretty orderly because the PhotoPass people keep it that way. Back in ToonTown, however, if you see a character, it is every man, woman and child for his or herself in trying to get in a picture!! It's like the Wild West back there!

I think everyone needs to exercise a little patience and wait their turn. As long as the people you are waiting on aren't taking 20 pictures with the character or wherever, it shouldn't be a big deal. We have had other situations where we were being perfectly patient, waiting on a group of people to take 20 photos - to the point where even the PhotoPass guy was asking them to move so we could start taking our shots!! So they moved, but once we got up to take our photos, the group of people who just shot 20 pictures now decided they had to take even more photos in the same spot, with diffferent configurations of their group!!! And they basically stood right next to me so they were in my frame and I was in theirs! When I tried to politely ask the young lady with her arm touching mine to move over so we wouldn't be in each other's pictures, she wouldn't let me get a word in and she snapped at me. She was angry at me from earlier because our PhotoPass guy was telling them that they couldn't hog the spot in front of Partners all day long and had to give us a chance to take photos too!! Sigh...

It's warfare out there, I tell ya!!

 

[Angel Ariel]

I have read some posts from people on various boards who seem to think it's not right for adults with no kids to wait for character pictures and cause their kids to have wait longer to meet their favorite character - but too bad because I am getting in character pictures, like it or not!!

Seriously!? I may be an adult by age, but I'm a kid at heart! It's still magical for me to see Mickey, no matter what age I am!

We all pay the same park admission, we ALL have the right to get pictures with the characters! That seriously astounds me!

And I'm annoyed for you that other people have put themselves in your pictures! Thankfully that hasn't happened to us. I don't know if I'd be able to not say anything at that point...and I highly doubt I'd be able to stop DH from saying something. @-@

 

[mrswh]

Don't get me started! I sometimes wonder if these people are from countries where the culture is so different there is no such thing as a line. I see it in line for character meetings (esp. at meals where you're supposed to wait for the character to come to your table, not butt into someone else's photo), rides, food, and even in the bathroom!! The worst is when you stake out a spot for a parade and sit there for 30 minutes, only to have some rude people shove their way in and block your view just as the parade is starting. I won't let it ruin our vacation, but it's annoying!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

Ugh, that's SO rude. That happened to me the other day with Minnie Mouse. I was very clearly in line, but two different moms came up from the side with their kids and went up in front of me! Rude, rude, rude.

 

[Eeee-va]

I was shocked that this happens, even when there IS a line but no handlers! Someone pushed by my adult friend and I to see Mary Poppins and Bert in December (when the park wasn't even crowded at all!). I'm pretty easy-going and Mary and Bert were gracious and amusing. So while it was rude, I didn't mind because Mary and Bert seemed to appreciate our patience and we ended up with a good photo. So as long as it turns out all right in the end I'm not personally upset when it happens to me.

(If I missed a photo I wanted because of this behavior I'd be really bummed.)

It did really baffle me that parents would cut in front of me to see Mary Poppins, though--at least, I don't know many kids who are big fans?

Sherry, people put their kids in a picture with YOU? That's just wrong and almost funny. It might be fun to try to get a collection of photos of myself with random kids.....or at least, wouldn't that be a great scavenger hunt item? (Picture with yourself, a character, and some random kid?)

 

[Angel Ariel]

There were some cases it turned out well for us,too, Eeee-va. We saw Mickey monday morning in Town Square...handler brought him out, then disappeared. We were 2nd in line, and that all went fine...

There was a Photopass guy at the envelope, and we went to get a picture from him. But hte handler was gone at that point, and the line for Mickey was getting out of control. The photopass photographer brought us over to the Fire Station and took pictures there, and then took us over to the Train Station and took pictures with it in the background (including teh magic shot w/us holding the balloons). Those were some really great photos! And we got more great ones from him at the envelope when we went back on our way out of the park.

We stopped at City Hall to register a compliment for him as well...he handled the whole situation very well and professionally!

 

[mom4princesses]

I have 6 girls and would never, ever allow them to push in front of others let alone push them to the front. I personally don't care to take pictures with the characters (not that hubby and I would ever be able to go alone, well any time soon) but we are all different and that's what make the world interesting. Child or not what are they teaching their child, to disrespect adults. So if my child in all the excitement runs up to the character I apologize, get her, take her to the end of the line and teach her the proper way, wait your turn.

 

[Disney Dreams]

...I don't know if it's because DH and I have no kids (and it's usually just me who will stand with the character while DH takes the picture), but it happened 3 times on this trip, and a few times last year when we went as well. It's incredibly frustrating!...

When DH and I went to WDW (2 adults, no kids), I was on a mission to get my picture taken with as many characters as possible.

- I joined the line with everyone else.
- I waited patiently behind those in front of me.
- On more occasions than I can count, the parent behind me asked me if they could go in front of me because of "the little one," "our children," "the kids - who really want their picture taken with ______."

It grew very frustrating, as if they were entitled to the "magic" moreso than me because I was an adult. Note: this NEVER came from the CMs with the characters, just other guests.

Some people forget that people of all ages love Disney.

Sorry for your frustration, I completely understand. Glad the rest of your trip went well.

- Dreams

 

[Angel Ariel]

I love character pics right now my plan in getting them is in part for my nephew (turns 4 at the end of the month, has never been to Disney)

I want to make a shutterfly autograph book for him...one that has pics of the characters with me and his uncle, and his mom/dad on one page, and a place to glue in a photo of him with the charactter and the character's autograph on the facing page.

I have no idea when he'll go for hte first time, but I thought it would be cute (and something we can do with our future kids!) So I definitely understand trying to get pics with as many characters as possible!

People need to elarn how to stop and smell the roses for 5 seconds at Disney, seriously! A 5 minute longer wait for your child will NOT kill them, or the magic!

 

[Escape2Disney]

I'm with you - my kids learned from a very early age that pushing, cutting in line, and being disrespectful is not an option.

I have 6 girls and would never, ever allow them to push in front of others let alone push them to the front. I personally don't care to take pictures with the characters (not that hubby and I would ever be able to go alone, well any time soon) but we are all different and that's what make the world interesting. Child or not what are they teaching their child, to disrespect adults. So if my child in all the excitement runs up to the character I apologize, get her, take her to the end of the line and teach her the proper way, wait your turn.

 

[Raindown]

It grew very frustrating, as if they were entitled to the "magic" moreso than me because I was an adult. Note: this NEVER came from the CMs with the characters, just other guests.

Some people forget that people of all ages love Disney.

I'm so right there with you. I haven't had that happen to me but, I would feel the same way.

 

[Eeee-va]

So if my child in all the excitement runs up to the character I apologize, get her, take her to the end of the line and teach her the proper way, wait your turn.

I think that is the perfect way to handle it!

I'm more bothered that adults with children seem to think it's all right to push their children ahead. Now, I don't think it's okay for anyone to cut in line. But if a 4-year-old is just so darned excited to see a beloved character that he/she ran right up to that character in front of me, then honestly, if the parent apologized and then took the picture, I wouldn't be bothered. Long-term it's not a very good lesson, but kids do get caught up in the moment. I do agree that there are ideal ways to handle it (like mom4princesses's strategy). But I've seen parents at the parks yelling at children for misbehaving (usually for something I didn't even notice the kid doing wrong). Personally, I'd rather see a parent allow well-intentioned behavior that the child didn't know was wrong, then hear them berate their kid in Disneyland.

Anyway, it does seem like sometimes parents actually push ahead, ostensibly on their kids' behalf. In the case of Mary Poppins and Bert I'm not entirely certain the kid in question recognized the characters!

 

[emacat]

I would NEVER allow my dd to do that, and people that do drive me nuts.

I think I am a little crabby, because when that happened a few years ago, I smiled at the one, pointed behind me and nicely said, "The line actually starts back there. We've already been waiting about ten minutes." She tried to ignore me at first, but I kept giving my evil eye, and eventually she shuffled off.

As an adult, I can handle the rudeness, but as a parent who knows my kid and many others have been patiently waiting, I have no problem nicely pointing that out, if necessary. But, that's just me.

 

[MattsPrincess]

We didn't have too much trouble, except with Aladdin and Pluto.

With Pluto, he was out in the main area with a handler, we saw him walk out so we were two of the first in line, along with a few others. Yet we ended up being two of the last to get our picture. Finally the CM kinda grabbed DH's arm and pulled us into our picture because there was a group that just wouldn't leave. They wanted every person in their group to get a pic on their own, then in different combos, and every pic had to be taken on their camera as well as by the photopass girl.

Almost identical situation with Aladdin. He had just come out as were walking by so we got in line behind two groups. The first group was fine, pose click bye. The second group was like the one I mentioned for Pluto, only these people didn't speak english so when anyone said anything it didn't really make a difference. Aladdin was on his own, no photopass person or anything, and I felt bad for him. He looked like he really wanted to just push them away so other people could come in. When DH got to him, Aladdin said something to him...i don't remember what exactly but along the lines "thought i'd never get to meet you, buddy."

It made me more angry with Pluto, because those people spoke english and others in line were saying things like "it's someone else's turn now" and the like. And they hadn't even waited in line, they had actually physically shoved me to the side to get to him. The poor CM kept saying things like "ok, that was a great shot, thanks for coming to see Pluto" "Pluto is getting tired now, he's gonna have to go take a nap soon" but they just didn't get it. They honestly seemed to think they were the only people there, even with 20+ of us standing there glaring at them. Because of them, a lot of people didn't get to take a pic with Pluto, and most of them were little kids. I can't stand people like that, but it seems to be ever more prevalent attitude. "I'm here, this is what I want, and i'm more important/special/deserving than you so deal with it."