Waiting in Lines About This Page:

[JoanneS]

I've been reading about children who have a difficult time standing in lines for long periods of time and I have a question:

Can one parent stand in line, while the other let's the child play or walk around somewhere near the attraction and then join the 1st parent when they get closer to the entrance to the ride? Does this make sense?

I know that I have stood in a line and then let my daughter take my place when I got closer to the front of the line (she had hurt her foot and couldn't stand for that long) , but I didn't ride with her, so it was just trading one person for one person and no one was troubled by that.

What do you think?

[RoonieRooToo]

I think it depends on the attraction/line/queue. I mean if you did that at TSMM you would probably really anger some folks as the second parent had to walk past the whole line and a lot of people would see it as cutting.

Most people are very tolerant of needing to leave the line for the kids to need to go to the bathroom or things like that. But when most families are keeping their kids already occupied and busy in the line while they wait, I'm not sure it is fair to them to have other parents cut past them with their kids all the way up to the entrance.

[Caldercup]

I think this would be a rare situation -- like maybe they'd let you hand a kid across a few lines of the corrals at Peter Pan's Flight, but usually the loading zone is quite far from anywhere that a parent could entertain a child.

When I've traveled with young kids, we always have word games, or ISpy games or even a travel yahtzee game to play. Or we just talk and joke around -- but I've been lucky in that my son was 6 when we started going and loved just looking around him at the theming in the queues.
Eileen

[AngelLily03]

This is something I've been grappling with myself. I know from past experience that a lot of adding children to a line depends on who is behind you, I've seen some people go absolutely nuts. But most people should be pretty tolerant especially with a little one.

To help with the line I'm bringing a very stylish fanny pack. If she wants to be held it is a little seat and won't put too much stress on our backs and it can also be filled with stuff to do, small board books, paper and pen, small tub of play doh, and some munchies. She's very shy so I'm actually hoping all the people make her want to be held.

[bradbeckyk]

Wow, I've never thought about it but the lines get pretty woven and it would be rude to try and hook back up of course everybody understands an emergency potty break.

We never gave the boys an option they stood in line and behaved or suffered the wrath of dad Actually my wife was really good at keeping them occupied and the boys talked or played with other children in line. I always found the line went faster when you got to know your neighbors (Other people in line) and our boys did the same with the children.

Brad

[eff051102]

I think I remember reading about this and I thought they were talking about
using a GAC because of possibly ADD/ADHD/Autism. If your child has a problem
with the lines I would get a GAC card and then enter through the exit door. That
way you are closer to the exit if there is a problem. I could be wrong but I think
that was what they were talking about.

[bradbeckyk]

Last month when we went to DL I saw a group of 8 people come up to the side entrance to Toy Story Mania with a GAC and they let them go through quickly and the standby line almost revolted so the rest of the people who showed up with a GAC had to wait as long as the people in the standby line did they just got to be in a smaller line. The group of 8 might have had handicap people but on the outside they looked and acted healthy so I could see why they crowd got upset. Besides that I have to hand it to DL because every line is made to accommodate wheel chairs so they stay in line with everybody else. That was the reason I refused the wheel chair or got out of it and stood in line with everybody else while I had trouble walking before they got my Parkinson's medication adjusted a few years ago. I didn't want to be treated different because of my illness.

[Caldercup]

Please keep in mind that what "looks healthy" is probably not. I have Multiple Sclerosis and my son has Type 1 diabetes and suffers near black-outs during low blood sugars -- we look completely "normal," but there are times when we require the use of a GAC and we are blessed that we have that option. However, most times, we are both okay to use FastPasses or stand in the stand-by line.

Eileen

[Sue M.]

With some of the lines, it can be very difficult to do that due to the zig zaging, and some start outside, then go inside the building. I'd make good use of fast passes, and get to the park before opening, to do the major attractions before lines get bad. WDW-The unofficial Guide (or their web site: touringplans.com) have some good plans that tell you the order to ride attractions to minimize wait times. Good luck.

[Lori Jakiela]

My FIL had an ECV last year and he really had no different treatment except for a few rides. We didn't expect it, and we didn't get it! I don't think anyone who really needs the aid of a wheel chair or ECV really wants to be treated differently. It is a hassle with little ones to wait in line but it is part of the experience. We miss alot because of it but, if they aren't willing to wait it must not be that important to them!

[yalibrarian]

I have a son with autism and have successfully used the following: bubbles; a little book to read; a mini-coloring book from the dollar store and 4-5 crayons in a baggie; a pencil and small drawing pad; a line-only tiny snack, like a box of mini-raisins or 4 oz. juice box; or actually used the time to have a discussion my kid. Ask them what ride they want to do next, what they have liked best so far, which character they really want to meet, etc. Play I Spy (lots of stuff to spy!). Dumbo is the worst line, with Peter Pan and Winnie-the-Pooh close seconds, so definitely use FP for PP and Pooh; sadly, you are on your own at Dumbo. Go early and wear sunscreen.

[DyanKJ130]

Our DS16 has severe ADHD and has never had a problem standing in the standby lines due to his ADHD. Starting when he was 6, we allowed his to use his Gameboy or other small items during long waits and it worked out really well. (He rarely uses handheld electronics in lines now, but when he did we'd often hear other parents ask their children why they didn't bring theirs) He's also become an 'expert' at conversation with other guests in line. We also learned to use the FP system to our advantage and ride on rides that have minimal waits in between ones with longer waits. I believe it has helped him to grow as an individual and has helped him learn how to make accommodations for himself in everyday life.

[wifey68]

Parents can do the "baby swap" or kids swap just ask a CM about it as you enter the ride, we've seen many families do it and it's very beneficial for some guests especially with little ones or kids with special needs. We happily let people by who are trying to get to other family members after taking kids to restrooms too, we've often done it ourselves when our DS was younger ... kids always need to "go" just as you get to the front of the line
Autistic kids and kids with ADHD and similar health problems find some attractions very confusing and stressful but they don't show any outward signs of their disability and only their own family know or can guess at how they will cope, so never assume they have not got different needs to your family just because they don't look different. Everyone plans their family holiday to suit their own circumstances and even the most caring parent sometimes needs a little personal time to do something that they really have their heart set on.

[WDWJAMBA]

Originally Posted by bradbeckyk

Last month when we went to DL I saw a group of 8 people come up to the side entrance to Toy Story Mania with a GAC and they let them go through quickly and the standby line almost revolted so the rest of the people who showed up with a GAC had to wait as long as the people in the standby line did they just got to be in a smaller line. The group of 8 might have had handicap people but on the outside they looked and acted healthy so I could see why they crowd got upset. Besides that I have to hand it to DL because every line is made to accommodate wheel chairs so they stay in line with everybody else. That was the reason I refused the wheel chair or got out of it and stood in line with everybody else while I had trouble walking before they got my Parkinson's medication adjusted a few years ago. I didn't want to be treated different because of my illness.

I just returned from DL last week. My DH required the use of a scooter and crutches with a broken hip. The CM had him wait off to the side near the boarding zone of TSMM while the rest of us waited in the standby line. He could rest and get off his feet and we waited our turn like everyone else. I thought that was a fair way to do it.

We didn't have a GAC card, but often were standing in lines with people who had them. I will say that at times, we all waited as long as the posted standby time or longer as regulations of how many disabled guests per run of the attraction permitted.

[MMMD]

The only time that I've stayed in line while my children played was at Ariel's Grotto. But every parent was doing that so it really wasn't a bid deal too anyone.