How do you feel sitting next to a stranger on a ride?

Just an FYI that they discussed this thread on the Disneyland Podcast this past weekend

They did bring up some specific situations that were interesting - liek putting multiple groups in a cabin on Mickey's Fun Wheel or how a 6th added on the car on Radiator Springs might mess with people that wanted a nice family photo

Mary Jo (I think it was) shared how they were riding Haunted Mansion and the CM was mentioned "please fit 3 to a doom buggy" so some random woman jumped in their doom buggy with them and they were squished with a stranger for the entire ride and how that negatively impacted their ride
 
I have no problem with it. My funniest ride photo ever was on 7 Dwarfs Mine Train with me sitting next to a dad and his 2 cute little girls in front of us. I texted it to my husband to show him my new family!!!! :rotfl:
 
3 in a doom buggy or seashell, not gonna happen. That's a little too personal for me when I'm riding with one of my little girls. I will kindly say no and if they insist I will kindly get out and move to another one.
 
I don't mind it at all on rollercoasters, I do single rider whenever I can, so I guess I'm used to it. I remember doing it at EE and laughing with my friends that my 'riding mate' was better than theirs (she was a teen and it was first time there, she was really nervous so we did a screaming contest :rotfl:!)
Family rides like Little Mermaid or Haunted Mansion...I guess that if your party is an odd number, you know someone's going to ride with a stranger. I think the best in those cases is to rotate whenever you can so everyone can share some of the rides with their loved ones (and also, everyone gets the chance to make new friends:)!)
 


I usually travel solo, so really have no choice. It doesn't bother me. It seems that the groups have more problems with the "add-on" than vice-versa.

There is this one ride though... It picks you up from the resort and takes you to the park. There are all of these strangers on it!

Seriously, if you can sit next to a stranger on public transit (Disney or otherwise) you should be able to ride with them on an attraction.
 
This past Disney trip before I had to cut it short because of the Hurricane but I swear some people either don't have emotions or they get upset because they don't want to sit next a stranger during a 1 or 2 minute ride. For example the Rock'n Roller Coaster very popular attraction and my favorite with Dinosaur coming in 2nd, You're supposed to have a good time on those rides and not worry about the person next to you. It's the whole point of a single rider line and they will not sit you by yourself even if you asked because the popularity of the attraction not even slow days or 20 minute waits. Loosen up a bit and show that you actually came to have fun and not emotionless human being. :jumping1:

My wife is not a fan of the roller coaster type of ride so I invariably end up riding them on my own. Sitting beside a stranger is no big deal, after all we are in Disney and there because we love it so enjoying it with another Disney lover is not a problem!
 
It depends on the ride. Something like HM I don't expect to be seated with strangers and I think it would be weird since it's a dark sort of enclosed seating arrangement and I'd probably feel like they were invading my personal space. Thrill rides where I know they fill every seat, I expect that someone in our family will be sitting next to someone we don't know and it doesn't bother me. Except for when we end up seated in a way that my 6 year old can't be seen by the camera and we have some random adult in our ride picture instead. I don't always remember which side they are taken, but if I do I'll usually ask if they mind sitting so the camera will be able to catch my kids in it. So far no one has said no.

One time we rode barnstormer, which just barely fits two across, and some stranger got in and squeezed himself next to DH and one of our boys. It was rather odd as they obviously did not fit. But the CM caught it and asked him to step out. That would have made for a very awkward ride.
 


So... this isn't exactly the same, but I feel the need to share this story. Not at Disney, but we were on on of those river raft rides at Six Flags. Thunder River, specifically. And with that, even if you aren't sitting right next to a stranger, there are nearly always strangers on your boat.

My grandmother, up until she was in her mid 80s, would always go to Six Flags once a year with us, her treat. She never really liked the rides, except for the calm ones, like the Colossus (Ferris Wheel), carousel, and log flume. But she LOVED Thunder River. My grandma also wore a wig. The entire ride, she would have her hand on her head, holding her wig on. Whenever we would hit a bump, change directions, go down a rapid, etc. she would let out a long drawn out, "Whooooooooops!" The first time, my family and I would be cracking up, but the others on our boat would be looking at us like we were crazy. But by the end of the ride, everyone.... family, friends, and strangers, would be cracking up when my grandma would yell out. Including my grandma! My mom would always have to help her out of the boat, mostly because they'd both be laughing so hard by the end. I'm sure the other passengers later recounted stories of the crazy lady who was holding on to her hair and shouting "Whooooops!" at random moments.
@Allison Joy - What an awesome memory of a special lady, and you all having some magical moments together. I now have a huge smile on my face, and one in my heart. So - thank you for sharing. Sorry I didn't get a chance to read (and be touched by) this until now.
 
I've traveled to WDW a lot solo, so have been through this quite often. I think my friend @TheMaxRebo said it best - may not be my FAVE ting, but I don't mind THAT much, especially since it's for a short period of time. I can deal.

I will say that one of my FAVE memories (think I've shared it here before - so - if you've seen it - sorry!) was when Stitch was Alien Encounter. I was riding it for my 1st time during MVMCP, and had arrived later than my large group of friends, so was alone for it, and didn't know what to expect at all. Sitting next to me was a big, burly, bearded "tatted up, biker type" dude. When we went to leave, he said to me "I saw you jump when the alien broke out of that container". I think I blushed, then confidently faced him and retorted "Yeah, and I heard you scream like a little girl when the alien licked your head". He sheepishly grinned, look around, and whispered "Yeah, I did". :teeth:

I will also say that what bothers me much more than being next to a stranger for a short period of time on an attraction is when I've been seated for a show or meal (like Biergarten, or Hoop Dee Doo) with people that made me feel uncomfortable, unwelcome, etc. I know I've also shared here about Grampa from a large family who LOUDLY proclaimed to the server that "I'm NOT paying for HER meal!!!!". Heffalump. :rolleyes:
 
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I've traveled to WDW a lot solo, so have been through this quite often. I think my friend @TheMaxRebo said it best - may not be my FAVE ting, but I don't mind THAT much, especially since it's for a short period of time. I can deal.

I will say that one of my FAVE memories (think I've shared it here before - so - if you've seen it - sorry!) was when Stitch was Alien Encounter. I was riding it for my 1st time during MVMCP, and had arrived later than my large group of friends, so was alone for it, and didn't know what to expect at all. Sitting next to me was a big, burly, bearded "tatted up, biker type" dude. When we went to leave, he said to me "I saw you jump when the alien broke out of that container". I think I blushed, then confidently faced him and retorted "Yeah, and I heard you scream like a little girl when the alien licked your head". He sheepishly grinned, look around, and whispered "Yeah, I did". :teeth:

I will also that what bothers me much more than being next to a stranger for a short period of time on an attraction is when I've been seated for a show or meal (like Biergarten, or Hoop Dee Doo) with people that made me feel uncomfortable, unwelcome, etc. I know I've also shared here about Grampa from a large family who LOUDLY proclaimed to the server that "I'm NOT paying for HER meal!!!!". Heffalump. :rolleyes:

i do recall you sharing that before Heidi - great story!

I've heard of people being sat with other families at Biergarten (guess it goes with the themeing of the big comunal tables at Oktoberfest) - but not at Hoop Dee Doo ... I think I'd be a little uncomfortable with people I didn't know there - or at least because I wasn't expecting it I would be
 
i do recall you sharing that before Heidi - great story!

I've heard of people being sat with other families at Biergarten (guess it goes with the themeing of the big comunal tables at Oktoberfest) - but not at Hoop Dee Doo ... I think I'd be a little uncomfortable with people I didn't know there - or at least because I wasn't expecting it I would be
Yep, and even if I'm not alone, it still usually happens, because many of the times I'm with only 1 other person, and those tables are made for much bigger groups. And yes - Biergarten IS because of the whole "Oktoberfest" thing. Guess they're much friendlier in Germany than Bad GrampaLand. :stir:
 
I got use to it pretty fast when I went solo. It was weird and not fun when the woman I sat next too on RRC tried to tell me to get out... It was a lot of fun with the family I sat with on EE told me to smile big since I would be in their family photos. Guess it depends on who you sit next to.
 
Although it's not my favourite thing to do, I appreciate it's sometimes necessary to keep the busy lines moving but when you go on RnR coaster or EE and the person next to you screams down your ear for the entire ride, it kind of ruins it for me. I don't mind screaming when it's a big dip or revolution, I'm talking about just screaming/yelling all the way round the track. I must have sensitive hearing :ssst:
 
I don't have a problem with riding with strangers, growing up as a kid we were a family of 3 so someone pretty much always had to share with a stranger. Also the single rider lines at DW are awesome. They would never put a stranger in HM or Little Mermaid.
 
In "real life" I'm basically a quiet person, but at Disney World I'm quite gregarious (sometimes to the point of being annoying). So if I'm seated with a "stranger", they aren't a stranger for long. By the end of the ride I either have a new friend, or the "stranger" is running away.
 
@Allison Joy - What an awesome memory of a special lady, and you all having some magical moments together. I now have a huge smile on my face, and one in my heart. So - thank you for sharing. Sorry I didn't get a chance to read (and be touched by) this until now.

Aww. Thanks. I called her "Nana." She was definitely a special lady. She lived to be 96, and passed in 2002. She lived alone and walked a mile to the grocery store every day until she was 90 and had a stroke, and then she came to live with us, but only at my mom's insistence. She wanted to be independent almost to a fault. At the age of 95, she finally admitted she MIGHT be getting old. I want to have the outlook on life one day too.
 

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