Why doesn't anyone make their kids wait in line?

[otten]

The thread title is very hyperbolic. Is this a thing some inconsiderate/entitled people do? Yep.But in my experience the majority of parents do make their kids wait in line with them.

IME the worst offenders for rudeness and entitlement are actually adults.

 

[CandMmommy]

My daughter is almost 5 and has severe ADHD and SPD. She waits with us. Yes we are miserable and she wallows me to death when I have to hold her, but I try to keep her distracted. It can often look like a wrestling match, but if she’s to melt down mode, I just leave the line and let the other 2 ride with dad. She loves Disney, but the wait for her can be overwhelming sometimes. I’m sure her behaviors irritate others waiting in line, but she just doesn’t have the physical ability to stand and wait like many other kids her age.

She’s also the sweetest, funniest and possibly the cutest kid you will ever meet


I look at it that the parents must know what the kid needs. I’m at Disney. I try not to let a whole lot ruffle my feathers. And having a child that isn’t neurotypical has really taught me how to give a little grace.

 

[Love Tink]

I look at it that the parents must know what the kid needs. I’m at Disney. I try not to let a whole lot ruffle my feathers. And having a child that isn’t neurotypical has really taught me how to give a little grace.

It's two different ways of looking at the world:
Anyone who does something I don't like is "entitled"
or
I don't know what's going on in another person's life and I give the benefit of the doubt

You have the right attitude. Also, I suggest getting a DAS for your daughter - it is great if she is managing lines, but it never hurts to have one in your back pocket if she is having a particularly hard day (spoken as a the only non-AD/HD person in a family of five).

 

[lcp9]

agree with PP that when I see this, it's generally adults/teens that do not appear to have children with them. I have 4 kids, 7, 5, 2, 3 months, and we wait in line. The only times we haven't have been when somebody needed a diaper change mid-line (...because do you really want to stand next to my 2 year old's diaper? I don't.)

I, however, have no problem holding a parade spot because the parade situation is absurd. And it's always been adults without children who get pissy last minute that no, I will not move my blanket for you to sit in this spot I've been holding. I paid $130 for a halloween party ticket and had to spend 2.5 hours on a curb to get a parade spot...but that's another thread

 

[Niltiac]

it's generally adults/teens that do not appear to have children with them.

I don't know what's going on in another person's life and I give the benefit of the doubt

I just want to point out as food for thought that adults and teens can have hidden disabilities too. I have visited DLR with an adult who often needs to leave lines suddenly. Because we have both had the luxury of visiting the parks multiple times, we generally just all leave the line when it happens, even if it means giving up a FP. If it were a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and we hadn't known to ask for DAS or how to utilize FP to avoid hour+ waits, it might be a different story. Certainly some people do cut in line intentionally. Maybe a lot of people do. But honestly, for me personally, it's just less stressful to give everyone the benefit of the doubt than to try to figure out on a case-by-case basis who to be angry with. If I saw obviously intentional cutting it would be hard not to be annoyed, but off the top of my head I can't think of any instances that I've seen that at DLR.

 

[cmwade77]

Was in the parks again yesterday at DCA. My daughter was riding junkyard jamboree alone so I was waiting near the exit. There was a lady hanging around the very end of the line when you're about to be told which side to go to, waving people through. After a few min she said to the cast member "there is my husband and kids", the cast member left, opened the chain for them so they could cut right in! All the while kids were going on and on about how fun the "dancing cars" ride was they just did.

Later we were in line for the fun wheel. The whole time in front of us with a mom and one daughter. Right at the last minute, dad and FOUR KIDS join mom and one kid in front. It was a busy day and they were making announcements about how they would be grouping parties of 2 and 3 with other parties of 2 and 3. So, instead of joining mom and daughter with me and my daughter, the 6 of them now took up the whole car so we had to wait. But the worst part was, it was the last one in that cycle so we had to wait for the rotations. It isn't fair to assume the line is so long when you join it, only to find it keep ballooning as others join their party. And for the record, I heard dad and the kids quite enjoyed their toy story mania while mom and the toddler girl waited in line for fun wheel.....

As I said previously, Disney openly encourages this for guests with hidden disabilities, so CMs can't really say much about it.

 

[cmwade77]

I just want to point out as food for thought that adults and teens can have hidden disabilities too. I have visited DLR with an adult who often needs to leave lines suddenly. Because we have both had the luxury of visiting the parks multiple times, we generally just all leave the line when it happens, even if it means giving up a FP. If it were a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and we hadn't known to ask for DAS or how to utilize FP to avoid hour+ waits, it might be a different story. Certainly some people do cut in line intentionally. Maybe a lot of people do. But honestly, for me personally, it's just less stressful to give everyone the benefit of the doubt than to try to figure out on a case-by-case basis who to be angry with. If I saw obviously intentional cutting it would be hard not to be annoyed, but off the top of my head I can't think of any instances that I've seen that at DLR.

Exactly right.

 

[lcp9]

I just want to point out as food for thought that adults and teens can have hidden disabilities too. I have visited DLR with an adult who often needs to leave lines suddenly. Because we have both had the luxury of visiting the parks multiple times, we generally just all leave the line when it happens, even if it means giving up a FP. If it were a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and we hadn't known to ask for DAS or how to utilize FP to avoid hour+ waits, it might be a different story. Certainly some people do cut in line intentionally. Maybe a lot of people do. But honestly, for me personally, it's just less stressful to give everyone the benefit of the doubt than to try to figure out on a case-by-case basis who to be angry with. If I saw obviously intentional cutting it would be hard not to be annoyed, but off the top of my head I can't think of any instances that I've seen that at DLR.

Definitely. Which is why, regardless of the group cutting through, I just mind my own business honestly, paying the $10 for maxpass makes the lines so short that there’s not really reason to complain about any of it.

 

[dotfurio]

Mostly we all wait in line together. If it's going to be a long one we might grab the kids a snack first and we usually play headbands on my phone. However, I've been guilty leaving the line with a kid while dad waited for emergency bathroom trips and once when we randomly saw a favorite character going by. It's only happened a handful of times in all our trips. I've probably only noticed other families joining the line a handful of times as well, usually on the busiest days. It doesn't bother me, though, since I figure they usually had the same kind reasons I did and it doesn't happen very often. I could see where it would get frustrating if I experienced a lot of guests doing it, though.

 

[ExcitedMama]

We always wait together, but I often hold spots for parades and my DH and the kids join me before it starts. We started going pretty young for the kids at DL and I started keeping them busy by pointing out fun things people were wearing, like look at those ears, those pretty shoes or that fun character shirt and complimenting whoever was wearing it. Since then my kids are always noticing and complimenting people because of our Disney line boredom tactic. My DD is great at line waiting but my son is a grump and hates it but that’s life.

We often have a parent or a parent and child joining someone ahead of us and I don’t mind. On our last trip however a woman and about 5 teenagers pushed through the line at Star Tours and was really rude about it. It’s obviously a narrow queue and way too many people. Plus that many people would definitely bump the rest of us to another screen. Even if I had wanted to complain it’s not like any CMs are anywhere near the line.

 

[lildreamer101]

I have read something on here about this happening.
There was a couple in line for a ride (Can't remember which one). Anyway, a group was trying to get past them close to the time they would be loaded on to the ride, they were excited after waiting a long while in the standby or fastpass line.
Anyway, the group included a woman and her two pre-teen or teenage children. The couple, instead of letting them pass them to meet with the "family", they created a barricade. The guy stood next to his girlfriend to block her from passing. They didn't make eye contact, just stood there moving forward if the line shifted. Soon, the woman was fuming! But nevertheless she left the line, huffing and puffing. Turns out there was no family up ahead. How did the couple know this? Because by that time, the couple had asked ahead, nothing. Also, the people ahead in line were either teenagers or other women with children. Hmm.

 

[nutshell]

Do I like line cutters? No. But I would never let something so petty impact my joy at Disneyland.

 

[WonkaKid]

I asked my mom and she said I was too special to wait in line(s). I’m sure you’ll all agree ;-).

All kidding aside, I don’t think there’s been a time I’ve visited the park when I haven’t seen this. Usually it’s one person trying to catch up to their family. I’m not a fan of it but I understand. But I ageee with many of the other posters: I really dislike when three or more people do it. It has the feeling that someone in the party said “You know what? What don’t you all go on (whatever ride) and I’ll get in line for (whatever ride2). Then you come join me when you’re ready.”

On a related note, one of our biggest BIGGEST peeves is when a variation of this happens at rope drop. One child will SPRINT to be first in line for a ride... and then his/her family of five+ comes to join him/her at the front of the line. It’s a cheat. It’s like they all ran. People are hesitant to blame/scold a child for running. After all, they’re at Disneyland, possibly for their first time. They can’t be blamed for being excited. But the parents know better. That’s why we hate even more when a kid does this and we then hear a mother or father say to him/her, “Good job, junior!” They knew what the plan was. It’s a decided cheat.

 

[Love Tink]

On a related note, one of our biggest BIGGEST peeves is when a variation of this happens at rope drop. One child will SPRINT to be first in line for a ride... and then his/her family of five+ comes to join him/her at the front of the line. It’s a cheat. It’s like they all ran. People are hesitant to blame/scold a child for running. After all, they’re at Disneyland, possibly for their first time. They can’t be blamed for being excited. But the parents know better. That’s why we hate even more when a kid does this and we then hear a mother or father say to him/her, “Good job, junior!” They knew what the plan was. It’s a decided cheat.

Maybe you could understand the excited kid who sees him/herself as the family hero and the family who wants to give him/her a reason to smile.

Or you could worry about whether you were the first person to the ride. Again.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Eh. Until Disneyland enforces no line jumping it'll keep happening. And tbh what CM at Disneyland wants to enforce that on a kid? They'd probably luck into attempting to enforce and it'll turn out to be a kid who has health issues that result in them being in the bathroom a lot or something- not worth it! It's a personal decision for each set of parents how they'll spend their time in the parks and I'm not about to say no to any set of parents and kids joining others.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I asked my mom and she said I was too special to wait in line(s). I’m sure you’ll all agree ;-).

All kidding aside, I don’t think there’s been a time I’ve visited the park when I haven’t seen this. Usually it’s one person trying to catch up to their family. I’m not a fan of it but I understand. But I ageee with many of the other posters: I really dislike when three or more people do it. It has the feeling that someone in the party said “You know what? What don’t you all go on (whatever ride) and I’ll get in line for (whatever ride2). Then you come join me when you’re ready.”

On a related note, one of our biggest BIGGEST peeves is when a variation of this happens at rope drop. One child will SPRINT to be first in line for a ride... and then his/her family of five+ comes to join him/her at the front of the line. It’s a cheat. It’s like they all ran. People are hesitant to blame/scold a child for running. After all, they’re at Disneyland, possibly for their first time. They can’t be blamed for being excited. But the parents know better. That’s why we hate even more when a kid does this and we then hear a mother or father say to him/her, “Good job, junior!” They knew what the plan was. It’s a decided cheat.

They send their CHILDREN to RUN?! WTH is wrong with people?! Line cutting with kids doesn't really bother me but literally putting children in danger absolutely does and having them run off a rope drop is literally putting their kid in danger

 

[WonkaKid]

They send their CHILDREN to RUN?! WTH is wrong with people?! Line cutting with kids doesn't really bother me but literally putting children in danger absolutely does and having them run off a rope drop is literally putting their kid in danger

Happens all the time.

 

[WonkaKid]

Maybe you could understand the excited kid who sees him/herself as the family hero and the family who wants to give him/her a reason to smile.

Or you could worry about whether you were the first person to the ride. Again.

Of course I understand it. I understand the motivation for much behavior that's generally considered inappropriate. For example, a kid sees a chocolate bar at the store that his mother/father won't let him have. So he swipes it. I understand the motivation -- the kid wanted a chocolate bar. But that doesn't excuse the behavior.

As to me being first, as I've said to friends countless times before, it's not important to me that I be first. It's important to me that someone doesn't cheat by sprinting ahead of me
(especially when their family of nine then joins them at the front of the line, ahead of dozens of people that were all ahead of them -- it's very common). If a child is behind me in line and has a pleasant demeanor/good attitude, I'll always let him or her have my first-place spot. I've done it many times. I love kids and I understand their excitement. I also understand that they have parents that comprehend rules, safety and the concept of fairness.

 

[alvernon90]

Maybe you could understand the excited kid who sees him/herself as the family hero and the family who wants to give him/her a reason to smile.

This is definitely my take on it! "Hey, son, you did a great job breaking the well-publicized rules and endangering yourself and others, all so the rest of us could break another rule and inconvenience the worthless humans around us. If you need a reason to smile besides being at Disneyland, our pride in your inappropriate behavior should do just fine!"

 

[WonkaKid]

This is definitely my take on it! "Hey, son, you did a great job breaking the well-publicized rules and endangering yourself and others, all so the rest of us could break another rule and inconvenience the worthless humans around us. If you need a reason to smile besides being at Disneyland, our pride in your inappropriate behavior should do just fine!"

Agree completely.