Waiting in line....

[samano]

I remember reading a post a while back about things people do while waiting in line with their kids, great ideas but I cannot find it now!
So, please share with me your fun and creative line-waiting strategies!

 

[Baloo]

I thought we had something about that posted on the DIS but I can't find it!

I do have this bookmarked from allearsnet about standing in line with kids.Hope it helps!


http://allearsnet.com/ae/issue148.htm

 

[denecarter]

Talk about your trip! It reinforces it in their little minds. Ask them what has been their favorite ride/character/meal. Talk about everything. Remind them about all of the cool stuff you've seen and done. Let them ask you questions, too.

We've done this with my nieces and nephews. It passes the time and it gives you insight into what they are enjoying and what they don't really care about. When we make plans, we often base it on what we "think" they will enjoy if they haven't been before or in a while.

If you've been several times, you could compare the trips. "Remeber when you finally got tall enough to ride _____."

Of course, I have a couple of nephews that would rather talk about what we're "going" to do instead of what we've done. Hey, I can do that, too.

 

[grinningghost]

Ask them to try and list all the characters they've seen so far. Then when that's exhausted, ask them to list all the rides they've been on. Then all the foods they've eaten... and so on...

Kids LOVE to make lists.

 

[6mouskateers]

We do a lot of talking in lines with our older ones. It passes the time and I find out lots of info that I normally wouldn't get. I think it's because they are more relaxed or something-(or maybe it's because mom and pops are suddenly cool and ride the Rockn Rollercoaster,AND know all the Aerosmith songs I don't know). It just seems they are more apt to open up on vacation.

I get most of the poop on who is dating whom, who is not, what girls they think are pretty etc etc. We don't really grill them per se, but seems things just "happen to come up" in conversation.

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

My plan for waiting in line is to plan my days so I don't encounter lines, and if I do, they're very short. We used tourguidemike.com for our last two trips and the results were phenomenal.

 

[maine_jennifer]

Sorry - I'm not going to be much help either. Like 2infinityandbeyond I've used tourguidemike for my past four "park" vacations and was amazed how little I waited in line. I'm pretty sure I got rid of my waiting in line list, but let me look for it tomorrow.

 

[Schmeck]

The link above included bubbles on their list - please do not blow bubbles in line! Bubbles sting when they pop in your eyes, little kids chase after bubbles (and get separated from their family) some bubbles stain delicate fabric, and some people get contact rashes from some bubble formulas, my daughter included.

 

[Daxx]

We did this w/a family on the bus. I wish I knew the title of the book ... but maybe someone else does. Anyway, they had this book w/a zillion questions. Things like "How long is the Nile River?" and it lists choices. Each gets to guess the answer and then you reveal the answer. It was the neatest book b/c it was filled w/tons of fun, interesting and educational questions! I thought I could remember the title, but forgot it the instant we set foot in the MK. I thought "What a fun way to pass time!"

We play "guess it" ... sort of like 20 questions, but you ask as many questions as you want to guess what the person/place/thing is. We usually do characters (movie, Disney, books). DS loves this game and it's always fun. We also play "Right now, in MK, someone is ..." and we name things that someone could be doing (waiting in line at Buzz Lightyear, about to plunge down Splash Mountain, eating ice cream). We each get to decide what someone in the parks is doing.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

The link above included bubbles on their list - please do not blow bubbles in line! Bubbles sting when they pop in your eyes, little kids chase after bubbles (and get separated from their family) some bubbles stain delicate fabric, and some people get contact rashes from some bubble formulas, my daughter included.

I agree. I was covered in bubble gunk by the time we got to the ride while waiting behind a bunch of kids blowing bubbles. And one of the kids was squealing at the top of their lungs everytime anyone blew a bubble. I thought my parents were going to have a nervous breakdown before we got on the ride.

 

[BounceyOne]

We play a game called "who am I?"

One person thinks of a person (we always use disney characters) and everyone else asks questions trying to figure out who it is.

For example I choose my person and the questions go like this.

Are you a boy or a girl? boy
Are you furry or real? furry

Have me met you before? yes
where have we met you? at breakfast and in the park
which park? magic kingdom

What color are you? yellow

Are you pooh bear? YES!! then the next person goes.

We play this in the car and waiting in restaurants too.

My teen son is good at coming up with obscure characters that we never get.

 

[Del]

We play rocks, paper,..... and we talk about what has been their favorite thing that we've done so far.

Del

 

[daisyduck123]

My plan for waiting in line is to plan my days so I don't encounter lines, and if I do, they're very short. We used tourguidemike.com for our last two trips and the results were phenomenal.

We do something similar to avoid lines...we only go in the off season (pull the kids out of school), FastPass, go early in the morning, etc. & we've never waited more than 10 minutes in a line.

 

[Kimi313]

Several games will play in line are:

1. 20 questions, someone picks a character and everyone else ask yes/no questions.

2. paper, rock, and sciccors

3. Thumb wrestling

4. take this time to decide on what to do in the next couple of hours

5. I spy

6. Our favorite, if you are on a ride that involves getting in a vehicle that are named or are certain colors everyone picks a color/names they think they will get on. example...snow white scary adventerures the mine cars are named after dwarfs so everyone picks a dwarf. This takes place as you are closer to the entrance and after everyone picks the children tend to focus more on the cars than the last 15 minutes of waiting.


I don't mind standing in line cause I'm crazy and I love this time with the family.

 

[samano]

I don't mind standing in line cause I'm crazy and I love this time with the family.

Either you're not crazy, or we both are! I feel the same way....

Thanks to all for the great ideas!! Exactly what I was looking for...

 

[southernbella]

We look for hidden Mickeys.