Jumping Lines

I agree with the sentiments that those who abuse this sort of thing are rude and annoying. But life experiences have taught me that its better for me to 'just let it go' than to give any more thought to it.
A similar example is on the highway with slow traffic. There are several on-ramps where people entering the road will pass the cars already on the road until they get to the end of the on-ramp and then join. Ok I understand that. But when someone pulls out of the right hand lane into the on-ramp, passes a dozen cars and then rejoins, that can really annoy me. Once I pulled my car halfway out into the on-ramp and blocked the jerks who were doing that. In the moment it felt satisfying. However, it made the whole incident stay with me for several hours. Later I asked myself why not just let it go and let that brief moment pass.
And so, for me I will keep reminding myself and my family that we should not let anyone's behavior interfere with our enjoying Disneyland. Just ignore it, let it go, and have fun. Frankly, it only delays me by perhaps 10 to 30 seconds anyway. That should not ruin the next hour for me.
 
My proposed 'rule' for joining a line is that the number of people joining the line should never be more than twice the number of people waiting or 4 people, whichever is LESS. So if Granny is line, she can be joined by 2 people. If Granny and Gramps are waiting, 4. If Granny, Gramps, and Auntie are waiting, max 4 may join.

And as far as 'line leaving' of course, that should be allowed. It's not just kids who occasionally have a potty emergency, adults do too. The proviso is that their party must still be standing in line when they get back. I saw once where a party had already entered the ride vehicle and a parent argued that they should be able to jump to the head of the line so they 'all get off the ride at about the same time'. No. The proper thing to have done would have been for her party to allow people to pass them until she returned.
 


As far as Frozen goes, they'll specifically tell you to have your whole group together when you get into the line and not to save seats, repeatedly. So that's straight-up out of bounds (but, you can always take someone out for a bathroom break). I still see people saving seats, but it's technically not allowed and honestly I don't see that much of it.

As far of the rest of it, these topics come up periodically, and you'll find a variety of opinions and hair-splitting about the number of people, time involved, etc...

Overall, for my part, I try to give people grace. Is it annoying when a large group joins a single waiting person? For sure! That happened to me twice at the turnstiles this summer, once changing us from being about 10 people back to being more than 20 people back (minutes before the park opened, after waiting 40 minutes), and that giant group was a disorganized mess who were all entering on new tickets, needing pictures, and trying to match up their tickets to individual people... Was that kind of frustrating? Yeah. Do I think those people were intentionally trying to be jerks? Nah. I think someone said, "I'll go save us a spot in the entrance line!" Maybe that person was really excited to have "helped" their family group in that way. Is it kind of thoughtless? Yeah. But it's not breaking any actual "rules," and it's not really worth the headspace of actual anger or frustration.

Disney actually encourages people with certain disabilities to join their group later in lines. So, that's something that you never know why it's happening, and again, I try to extend grace and assume it's that type of situation rather than something nefarious.

People have different values and different ideas of what is ok. A lot of things that "offend" people aren't even on other people's radar. I prefer to assume that most people have good intentions - what do I gain by choosing to be frustrated by other people's actions?

I agree with you 100% - sure it can be annoying, but I'm not going to waste my time in my happy place being annoyed by others. They do what they do. In the end it effects me very little. It doesn't make it right, but I choose not to worry about it, especially when it isn't intentional. Yeah, it's one thing if someone is trying to be a jerk, but if they are just confused as to procedure or whatever (like the tickets thing or they unintentionally walk in front of you), well, nobody's perfect. I'm not perfect. It's just not that big of a deal in the long run.
 
Here's the one I hate: one person (usually younger kid) rushes into a line, other guests file in behind, and then the parents/other siblings (stragglers) show up a minute later. But now there are several or more people between the stragglers and their other party member. Often, the stragglers will call the kid to the back of the line with them. But sometimes, the stragglers think it's OK to pass the people in front of them to catch up to their kid. Annoying.

Consider yourself lucky that this happens often. I think I have seen it happen once or twice in my life, and I've been going for 30 years. I am far, far more likely to see an entire family (parents, kids, grandparents, cousins) push through to catch up with the one 10 year old boy who ran ahead to the entrance than to see them tell the boy to come back to them.

But an acquaintance of mine from years past used to take her girls to Disney a couple times a year and said that she always made her husband wait in the lines and then at the last second she would drag her kids through all the people saying, “Sorry, got to meet dad. Dad, we’re coming!” She said she spent a lot of money on the vacation and wasn’t going to spend the whole time dealing with whiny, bored kids in line. I asked what about everyone else who were waiting in line and also spent a lot of money? She said, basically, that it’s not her problem.

This is absolutely the root of the issue. Some people are selfish jerks, and you find them wherever you go. It's why, no matter how much you love Disneyland, it can never truly work or truly live up to your expectations. (Substitute "America" for "Disneyland" in that sentence and it is still true.)

We have a child with disabilities. With the new DAS it does not apply to seated shows without FP. We have been told by every CM we speak with to hold our children out of the mass line and have one of us save seats. We hate it as then there are three or four of us coming in late (depends on who is using a wheelchair that day) and we have gotten many rude and hurtful comments. It is very frustrating as we are doing exactly what CM's tell us to do, and a few times we have had to be walked in by CM's because people are being cruel to our children. Now both our kids look typical when they are not using wheel chairs or walking devices. I really wish people would default to being kind but I get the frustration of waiting in line and having people appear to cut in front of you. But try and keep in mind that some of these people may be doing exactly what they are told to do by Disney.

Truly bizarre to see people saying that someone is rude because they are pushing ahead with a wheelchair. I think it definitely is more likely to happen when they see a family pushing ahead with no visible indicators that a kid is disabled. Though truth be told, as evidence by posters on this very board, it's not unusual for someone to say "my child's disability is that he doesn't like waiting in long lines to go on rides, unlike most children who love waiting, and I do not want to be irritated by my child while he is bored." Or words to that effect. People then decide for themselves which category the family pushing ahead of them falls into.

Disneyland’s policy is to let people hold places in line, regardless of the reason.

Uh, what?

I did not know this was Disney's policy--I've never even been to Disney.

It's not.

It's a slippery slope from anything to I'm King of the world and the sea of humanity shall part so I may walk on to any ride I wish.

Again, as can be observed from reading line cutting posts on this very board, there are people out there who don't need a slippery slope to reach rock bottom, they cheerfully bring shovels and start digging as soon as they arrive at the front gates.

This is why I love MaxPass so much. I don’t notice this behaviour when we Fastpass our way around the park.

This. It's also the reason I never bother watching fireworks or parades.
 
My proposed 'rule' for joining a line is that the number of people joining the line should never be more than twice the number of people waiting or 4 people, whichever is LESS. So if Granny is line, she can be joined by 2 people. If Granny and Gramps are waiting, 4. If Granny, Gramps, and Auntie are waiting, max 4 may join.

And as far as 'line leaving' of course, that should be allowed. It's not just kids who occasionally have a potty emergency, adults do too. The proviso is that their party must still be standing in line when they get back. I saw once where a party had already entered the ride vehicle and a parent argued that they should be able to jump to the head of the line so they 'all get off the ride at about the same time'. No. The proper thing to have done would have been for her party to allow people to pass them until she returned.
I'm actually really happy you said this. DH has some health issues, and one of them essentially gives him the bladder of a 4-6 year old. We can just be standing in line at the grocery store totally fine, then he will BOLT out of line because he's about to pee his pants.
If it is just DH and I at the parks, I will leave the line and wait for him, but if our family is there he will hurry and catch up. Or if he knows he won't be back in time or we will be too far in the queue, he will just miss that ride and miss us at the exit.
In a typical day at Disneyland, he will go to the bathroom 15-25 times depending on the day. So yes, there are times he will join us back in line and appear to be an adult who we should have waited for at the entrance, but sometimes he doesn't know and he will just have to leave.
Trust me, I don't like it any more than you do seeing him hop the line. CONSTANT bathroom breaks can get frustrating especially when we do DLR with children in our group and don't know why we keep stopping instead of going to the next ride.
But when that man's gotta go, he's gotta go!:rolleyes1
 


It's not.

According to the many, many, many guest services CMs I have talked to, it is not against the rules to hold someone’s place in line and CMs will not stop people from doing so. As myself and a PP have experienced, guest services CMs have actually RECOMMENDED having another party member hold your place and joining them when they get closer to the front. I have even brought up to a CM that it makes me uncomfortable to do this because of the way we have sometimes been treated because of it. That CM just shrugged their shoulders and said, “It’s not against the rules, so if you need to do it, just talk to the CM at the line and they may be able to help walk you up to join your husband.” I have also overheard guest services CMs give this option to people who do not qualify for a DAS. Of course they are not telling guests to have one person wait and then have their party of 10 join them later, but CMs will not stop you from “place-holding.”

The point is, you never know who has a disability and who does not. There are many serious medical conditions that are invisible to the naked eye. Of course there will always be people who take advantage of this situation, but my family and I practice being kind and understanding of others, even the aggravating ones.

ETA: I feel like parents who have their partner and children join them later in line if their kids are having a hard time waiting are doing a favor for everyone around them. I’d much rather have a solo person turn into a family of 5 with whiney, annoying kids towards the end of the line rather than having to wait behind the whole family for 45 minutes.
 
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According to the many, many, many guest services CMs I have talked to, it is not against the rules to hold someone’s place in line and CMs will not stop people from doing so. As myself and a PP have experienced, CMs will actually RECOMMEND having another party member hold your place and joining them when they get closer to the front. I have even brought up to a CM that it makes me uncomfortable to do this because of the way we have sometimes been treated because of it. That CM just shrugged their shoulders and said, “It’s not against the rules, so if you need to do it, just talk to the CM at the line and they may be able to help walk you up to join your husband.” I have also overheard guest services CMs give this option to people who do not qualify for a DAS. Of course they are not telling guests to have one person wait and then have their party of 10 join them later, but CMs will not stop you from “place-holding.”
We do this on my good days on Pirates. The kids (adults and grandkids) will get in line, and I will wait by the Royal Veranda. When the kids reach the top of the walkway, I will join them to enter the show building. It works for us, and no one has ever said anything, probably because I am one joining about 6.
 
ETA: I feel like parents who have their partner and children join them later in line if their kids are having a hard time waiting are doing a favor for everyone around them. I’d much rather have a solo person turn into a family of 5 with whiney, annoying kids towards the end of the line rather than having to wait behind the whole family for 45 minutes.
Idk, I feel like this is a whole separate issue. When my son was 2, he did great in the lines at Legoland the first day and morning of the second, but wasn't having it in the afternoon. We left two lines when it was clear he couldn't wait nicely, and spent the rest of the day playing at Duplo Town (a themed playground, basically). It never occurred to me that the solution was to let my tired, overstimulated kid jump the line in front of others who *were* waiting patiently for their turn.
 
We do this on my good days on Pirates. The kids (adults and grandkids) will get in line, and I will wait by the Royal Veranda. When the kids reach the top of the walkway, I will join them to enter the show building. It works for us, and no one has ever said anything, probably because I am one joining about 6.

I think you hit the nail on the head there. Disney's policy is that you don't have to miss the ride with your group because a situation arose. Their policy is definitely not "one person can wait in line for everyone in their group and let the group join them at the end." That would be utter chaos, and yet that is the exact result of a policy where anyone is allowed to join anyone else in line.
 
Idk, I feel like this is a whole separate issue. When my son was 2, he did great in the lines at Legoland the first day and morning of the second, but wasn't having it in the afternoon. We left two lines when it was clear he couldn't wait nicely, and spent the rest of the day playing at Duplo Town (a themed playground, basically). It never occurred to me that the solution was to let my tired, overstimulated kid jump the line in front of others who *were* waiting patiently for their turn.

When my daughter was little, before she was diagnosed with epilepsy and necessitated a DAS, we let her stamina and patience level guide us through the parks. If she couldn’t wait in line, we’d get out of line. We aren’t going to force our child to stand in line and have ourselves and everyone else around us suffer the consequences. And we aren’t going to separate when we are there as a family. That is how my husband and I roll as parents. Not everyone else does. We have the luxury of being AP holders that visit way more than once a year, but I know this isn’t the case for everyone visiting the parks. I am fine with a parent staying in line while another parent waits somewhere else with an impatient child. It makes my experience more enjoyable. Even if it means I have to wait a few extra minutes to get on a ride.

Am I cool with 1 person holding a spot for 3 or more other people that are perfectly capable of waiting in line themselves? Of course not. But I am not going to let it irritate me to the point of thinking about it for more than a few seconds. It doesn’t matter where you are, there are inconsiderate people everywhere. You can’t control their behavior, only your own reaction.
 
According to the many, many, many guest services CMs I have talked to, it is not against the rules to hold someone’s place in line and CMs will not stop people from doing so. As myself and a PP have experienced, CMs will actually RECOMMEND having another party member hold your place and joining them when they get closer to the front.

Last month, I was at City Hall getting a DAS for my son who has autism and anxiety. The CM said that as an alternative to using the DAS (since you can only have one return booked at a time), we could have our other family members wait in line and then my son and I could join them as they close got to the front. I expressed that I was not comfortable doing this, as my son has anxiety about bumping into and touching people he doesn't know. She said, "You don't have to go through the line. Just tell the CM at the exit that you are waiting to join your party. They will let you enter through the exit when you see them." We didn't end up doing this, but it's a good option for people with disabilities to join their parties without having to push through the whole line.
 
You can’t control their behavior, only your own reaction.

That is so true. I realized a long time ago that when I let myself get bent out of shape over someone who cuts me off on the freeway, has a few too many items in the express line, or tries to jump the queue at Disneyland, it has a whole lot more negative effect on the quality of my day than anything else. And even worse, I become a lot less fun to be around.

To put a different spin on an earlier post, I'm spending way too much money trying to have fun with the family and build memories with my daughter that I hope last for her lifetime. There's no way I'm going to compromise that by turning into a grumpy old bear because someone else's lack of consideration cost me another 60 seconds in line. If I get crabby and start muttering about it or -- worse yet -- actually confront someone, that is what she's going to remember.

Others may say, "It's the principle" or "It violates my sense of fair play." Maybe. But there are far greater injustices in the world to worry about than that. I'm at Disneyland. So I'll do my best to play by the rules myself, and when others don't... I think the best thing I can do for my family is to let it slide off my back and catch the next omnimover.
 
Just FYI... they did not have any sort of bathroom pass or easy way out of the line for MFSR...
That's odd and worth sending in a comment about. If they want people to buy the blue milk, then stand in a 45 minute+ line, of course kids are going to need to use the restroom! I wonder if there is a restroom inside the ride building like there is inside the IJA building. I know that CMs at Indy will allow guests to use the CM restroom there in emergencies because the walk back outside is so long. Hmmm.... will have to investigate this on our next visit to Batuu.
 
Just FYI... they did not have any sort of bathroom pass or easy way out of the line for MFSR. And yes after just going before we got in line ... my 4 year old had to go after 15 minutes in line. The very nice mom from the group standing in front of us said we could just find them and rejoin the line but by the time we got back they would have been in the inside queue so we just got back in the regular lineup and I used it as a learning experience for my little guy.
Interesting, because when my nephew had to go, they had my sister walk him out (had to walk back out the line), then they had them come up the FP line and wait for us at the merge.
 
You know that isn't actually line cutting, right?

I actually feel that it is. Somebody who was 20-30 people behind me in the line is suddenly trying to sneak around all us who were there first, to get ahead of us all. If that's not cutting, I don't know what is.
 
I actually feel that it is. Somebody who was 20-30 people behind me in the line is suddenly trying to sneak around all us who were there first, to get ahead of us all. If that's not cutting, I don't know what is.
At that point, does it really matter? This is where I put my "I'm not going to let others spoil my fun" hat and let them go. We likely will be in the same ride vehicle anyway.

The other side, my daughter likes to let a couple go, then we put our large party around them. Then when the people behind us try the "Oh, we need to catch up", she says "Oh, you're with the ones who pushed my mom out of their way?" That usually gets an "Oh, we are sorry"... and the front group goes back to their group.
 
We've had people try this in GOTG before. They were the very last people to enter the room, then they walked around the edge all the way to the door out. The people next to us noticed them as well, so when the door opened, they stepped left so the cutters couldn't get in front of us.

You know that isn't actually line cutting, right?

Of course this isn't line cutting. There is one line before the room, and another separate line that re-forms after the room.

This happens not only at GOTG (DLR)/ & TOT ( WDW/DLP), but also when exiting the stretching room in HM, and there is also a similar room at RNRC. CM's want these rooms filled up. When the later arrivals fill in available space, sometimes they end up closer to the exit door through no fault of their own.

Specifically at GOTG, we learned after out first time through that my 6 yo DD could see what was going on in the room a lot better if we stood in a certain spot, and I picked her up and held her. Regardless of when we entered, we moved as close as possible to that spot.
 

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