What are the rules for waiting in line?

[smidgy]

I don't think anyone would have an issue with a bathroom break in a 4 hour line. However, most would have an issue with one person saving a place in line for the rest of the family, or god forbid, an entire international tour group (happened to me once).

Line jump in what matter is acceptable? Are you meaning going to the bathroom and coming back or a legit line jump like keeping yoru kids out of line until the very end and jumping in?

both these posts are right on. no problem with someone already in line, needing a bathroom, and REJOINING the line. have a major problem with space savers. you can't REjoin a line you were never in.

 

[smidgy]

Or they could go the other way and do what Cedar Point does, no leaving the line and rejoining in the middle for any reason whatsoever. You leave for the bathroom, you start at the back of the line.

see, to me that is torture. if you are in a 3 hour line and your child has to go. (or even you do) that is understandable. as opposed to those who has a couple people wait in line and the rest use the bathroom go on another ride, purchase snacks, etc. and then "catch up" totally unacceptable

 

[smidgy]

My personal view is that I don't care what happens in the line in front of me as long as my expectations regarding my wait time are not impacted. If I join a line that is posted to be 30 minutes, I expect to wait 30 minutes.

• If 50 people in front of me leave the line and are replaced by 50 different people who assume their places in line, my expected wait of 30 minutes remains at 30 minutes and I don't care. (As long as the 50 people leaving and 50 people taking their places don't push their sweaty bodies past me.)
• If a person leaves the line to go to the bathroom or get a drink, or take a phone call and returns to the line and my wait is still 30 minutes, I don't care.
• If a teenager sees her parents in the line and wants to join up with them, I don't care. Great to see the family having fun together and it doesn't cost me any time. And in most rides, it won't cost you any time. Odds are, you are still going to get into the same PoC boat that you would have gotten in anyway. And if three people get into a single honeypot instead of two, my place in line has not changed. I get the same honeypot either way.
• But if a bus load of people try to join a line and it causes me to get pushed back from 30 minutes to 45, then yes, I care. Number of times that I have had that happen in pretty much annual visits since 1972? Zero.

well said. the salient point is how long was the "expected" wait in line when you "chose" to enter that line. (and, of course, with lines like FOP that can vary) but when people say, "those extra 5 people were going to be in line ahead of you anyway", that doesn't matter. it only maters if they were in line ahead of you to start with.

 

[Jennasis]

Couple of things...

1. I have no problem with a parent taking the kid out of line to the potty and then rejoining the rest of their party in line after or anyone having to leave the line for whatever reason and then politely making their way back to their party. But what do single parents/travelers do?

2. I wouldn't get in a line longer than 30 minutes. And I certainly wouldn't do it with a child who might not be able to "hold it".