Disney World is magical. You get the chance to step foot into the world of your favorite movies and stories and it really feels like a dream come true…until you’ve been standing in the hot blazing sun for an hour trying to score a ride on Slinky Dog.
Slinky Dog Dash
Now, this is not a dig at Slinky Dog Dash the ride (trust us, we love it!) but it is a dig at the ride’s queue. With rides being a big part of stepping into the magic of Disney movies and experiences, ride queues are inevitable to experience during your trip. And unfortunately, there are some UNCOMFORTABLE ride queue problems we just can’t ignore. Have an idea of what those may be? Let’s find out!
A ride’s queue is arguably just as important as the ride itself. It’s like the appetizer of the full-course meal; it sets the tone and can make or break your entire experience. There are some great queues with spectacular theming that transports you into the stories imagineers are trying to tell, but there are some that really highlight how uncomfortable waiting in line can truly be.
Getting roasted in the sun like a marshmallow
At the parks, the sun can definitely turn into our arch-nemesis. So, when we have to stand under it for at least 30 minutes, it’s safe to say we’re not exactly thrilled.
At the mercy of good ol’ Mr. Sun
As mentioned, Slinky Dog Dash’s queue is completely outside. There is some coverage once you get past a certain point of the queue but the heat can be felt and with the ride’s wait time averaging around 70 minutes, you can expect to wait out in the sun for some portion of it. Another ride with even minimal sun coverage is Tomorrowland Speedway. This queue has no shade for most of its queue and it can get especially grueling during the summer.
Other attractions that can have you suffering the woes of the sun are Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Alien Swirling Saucers, Astro Orbiter, and the Jungle Cruise. We found a great way to deal with this is by packing a UV protection umbrella which can help keep you cool and protect your skin from prolonged exposure to the sun.
Check out our Amazon Storefront for travel essentials that can help with the sun!
Having a bathroom emergency with NO bathroom near
Want to know real pain? Waiting an hour for an attraction and then having to leave right before riding because you had to take a ‘tinkle trip’ and it just couldn’t wait.
Flight of Passage
This is an issue I encountered personally, and I still think about it to this day because if Flight of Passage’s mid-queue restrooms were open at that point in time, this probably wouldn’t have happened. Still, I’m happy at the addition of a restroom inside of the queue, but unfortunately, that is not the case for most attractions at the parks. We definitely wish there were more bathrooms in queues because there’s nothing worse than a bathroom emergency striking mid-line, and you’re left strategizing a speedy exit plan.
It’s also a double whammy of frustration when you’ve waited so long only to have to leave halfway through. A great way to avoid this mishap is planning ahead of time and taking bathroom breaks before getting in line for an attraction. This tip is especially helpful when you’re traveling with kiddos.
A boring queue with minimal theming means there’s nothing to distract from the waiting
Yeah, I’m looking at you Soarin.
Soarin’ Queue
Soarin? More like Snore-in (ba dum tsss). No, but seriously, it’s a little upsetting to see an attraction that’s so full of life have such a dull and bland queue. Soarin of course is the first one that came to mind and it’s the one that hits the hardest for us. We just think that a queue that involves blank dark hallways with nothing but screens projecting an outdated minigame does not do this attraction justice.
On the plus side, it is air-conditioned so points for that, but you can definitely feel how long you’ve been waiting in line when you have nothing to immerse yourself with. For queues like these, we suggest playing a portable or mobile game that allows you to be distracted while still being able to go through the line efficiently and as needed.
People skipping the line to get to their party members
I’m sure we’ve all experienced having to move over while in line because someone’s uncle’s-best friend’s-sister is ahead in the queue and they need to meet up. As much as we understand wanting to ride together, this request can be pretty uncomfortable when you have to shuffle around and make room for the other person to pass by and vice versa.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
This is totally avoidable though, and we suggest being more considerate to other guests in line and not getting into the attraction until your entire party is together.
People standing too close
Breathing over my neck is not going to make the line move any faster, sir…
Loooong line
Yeah, this can be a common issue with any queue, no matter its design. It’s not exactly comfortable having someone so close that you can practically share a backpack. Probably a universal experience in general, but even more so when you’re in line for an attraction at the parks. We think it’s a good idea to be aware of how close you are with the person in front of you to avoid this uncomfortable situation.
Chaotic merges; It’s a mess!
I’m stressed out just thinking about it.
The Guardians!
Some of our favorite queues are the ones for Cosmic Rewind and Haunted Mansion. The details featured in these queues are incredible and you fully feel immersed in their stories and world-building. However, they feature a flaw that we truly dislike: line merges. The queue starts with your average line and then at some point before entering the loading area, the line gets disrupted and it turns into a chaotic cluster of people thrown together and trying to enter whatever room is next.
It can be overwhelming, especially if you’re traveling with a big party and are trying to keep everyone together. We know it was probably designed to fit as many people into the room as possible, but it can be a little too hectic for our liking, especially with all the other over-stimulating elements one goes through during their day at the parks.
No benches/seating available
Disney World is the most magical place on earth, but even magic has its mishaps.
Rise of the Resistance
Rides can have down times which makes them inoperable for the time being and those in line are left waiting a lot longer than expected. This can happen a lot with attractions using technologically advanced effects and occur within a moment’s notice. Sometimes they evacuate the lines but most times they allow guests to choose whether they prefer to leave or stay. If so, you’re looking at an even lengthier wait time and if you’ve been standing for hours already, it can really get to you.
Because of this, having the opportunity to sit can be crucial. And even without downtimes, some attraction wait times are hefty so if queues don’t offer any benches or seating, it can definitely take a toll on your feet (who have probably been the bravest of warriors all day).
Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom
And there you have it! Uncomfortable queue problems we encounter all the time at Disney World. And although we can’t completely change the queue ourselves, we believe that the magic of preparation can help eliminate some of that uncomfortableness.
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Maybe some of those people trying to catch up to their party had one of those bathroom emergencies you listed earlier and are returning.
Agree with pretty much all of these! We have learned to coach the people who are likely to need the bathroom to go before long queue waits, or do our best to avoid them altogether as much as possible. But IMO the one that is the hardest to deal with is people standing too close. For whatever reason, one member of my family tends to attract the ‘close stander’ and even the occasional leaner! Children run into him because they’re not paying attention that the queue has stopped. They grab his legs and his clothes, and once, one even wiped their face on his shorts! The parents weren’t even paying close enough attention to notice much less apologize. It’s amazing how many people DO NOT CARE even when you ask for a little more space, or even for them to stop touching you. Maybe we need to take a cue from another recent post and be a little stinkier in the parks lol – you know, some people might be doing it on purpose to keep those line leeches away! (Not us, not yet… kidding!)
What happened to the day when cue lines were covered with fans and sprayers. I can remember this back when the 20,000 leagues attraction was at WDW MK. I am sure they had them in California back in the 60’s. Now the only fans I see are at AK in the Safari cue lines.
If you really have a bathroom emergency, tell a cast member and they may help you get to where you need to be and then get you back in line with your group. Happened to us on Rise of the Resistance. Yay WDW Cast Members!!