While You Wait. . .

With peak travel season to the most magical place on earth swinging into high gear, there’s lots of information out on the web to help prospective visitors.  The husband was under the impression that much of the information was being published by Disney, and much of it is, but also, there are many folks, just like me, offering suggestions on how to manage and navigate a location that draws nearly 32 million people annually. 

On Mouseplanet.com, the Parenting Panel gave varying perspectives on how to handle waiting in line which is almost inevitable while on a Disney vacation.  After encountering lines at the airport to board your plane, the next lines would be for Disney’s Magical Express or at your rental car counter.

There are various ways we have learned to combat waiting while at Walt Disney World.  Here they are:

• Waiting for Disney’s Magical Express while at Orlando International Airport.  While, the wait typically isn’t very long, it can feel like forever as this is the last part of your journey to get you to your Disney Resort and into the Disney bubble.  We manage this wait with food.  Yep, grabbing a bite to eat on the way or pulling out snacks from our own stash seems to help this wait go faster.  The boy has been known to sit on the floor in the line, enjoy his snack, and watch the video monitors installed just for this purpose.  The husband and I try to guess which lines and buses will try to move next and of course, the people watching is great!
• Waiting for a Disney bus, or any transportation, from your resort to your destination.  This wait is usually in the morning and we master this wait by talking to other Disney guests.  That, and food.  I’m usually grabbing my breakfast as we head out the door of our resort, so I finish it while waiting for the Disney bus.  The husband has his Mountain Dew bottle in hand which often stirs a conversation.  And, the boy, will talk to almost anyone waiting for a bus, but is drawn to other families.  He asks them where they are going and what they have planned for the day.  Yes, I know where he gets that!  Of course, our ears are alert for the familiar sound of the Disney bus and our eyes strain to read the destination in anticipation that it is “our” bus.  Again, this wait typically isn’t more than 20 minutes and rarely that long.
• Waiting to get into a park at rope drop.  Yep, that’s us, waiting near the turn styles for the park to open.  We manage this wait by talking to other guests and Cast Members, taking pictures, electronic games, and sometimes food.  The boy is usually ready for another bit of sustenance by this time, so snacks are good.  And, we are known to put his hand-held electronic game in a bag and this is a great time for it to be used.   Often, the game draws a small crowd of other waiting kids, and parents who are grateful for the distraction.
• The most often addressed wait at Walt Disney World is in line for rides and attractions.  The best strategy is to avoid these waits and use FastPass +, but there are some cases when that is not possible, so ways to make the time pass faster include enjoying any interactive queues that are available, talk to other guests, enjoy a snack, take pictures, and my personal favorite—plan what you are going to do next!  This will eliminate the need for stopping at the exit of the ride or attraction to plan and therefore blocking other guests.  Okay, this is a park peeve of mine, so again, use that time waiting in line to pull out that trusty park map or electronic device and figure our your next move. 
• Waiting for parades and fireworks.  This are my least favorite things to wait for, so my recommendation is don’t.  With reserved seating and/ or space available for every parade and nighttime spectacular at Walt Disney World, take advantage of these opportunities.  Otherwise, have someone from your traveling party stake a claim 2 hours prior while the rest of the group enjoys more rides and attractions.
• Waiting in restaurants, either to be seated or for food.  With Advanced Dining Reservations, most guests experience little to no waits for tables at dining locations.  And, the restaurants that do often have waits, even with ADR’s, offer guests portable pagers that have a significant range for the signal—for example, Rose & Crown’s portable pagers are good throughout the United Kingdom Pavilion.  So, grab the pager and go explore.  Otherwise, whip out the electronic game, grab the crayons and draw on the menu, take photos, or visit with other guests.  I’ve also been known to ask for a menu so that we can decide about our selections prior to seating—gotta love multitasking! 
• Waiting at the airport for your return flight back home.  This is one wait that we both dread and enjoy.  Yes, it feels good to be going home and yet, we are leaving Disney.  The boy has this wait down pat.  He opens his backpack on the floor and plays with his toys while other kids come and join him.  Seems that our “on the go” vacation didn’t give him much “down” time to play, so he enjoys this wait very much.  The husband and I slowly transition into the real world, by listening to the news on the overhead monitors, getting glimpses of newspaper headlines, and possibly checking emails.  Of course, snacks and/or food, are typically part of this wait as well, depending on the time of day.  And, people watching at the airport is always a great way to pass the time waiting for your flight.

There you have it. . . how the Williams family handles various waits while on a Disney vacation.  The only wait we don’t have any advice for is waiting for the day of your trip to arrive!

Some Queues We Have Never Seen--Will We?

Walt Disney World—will there be lines?  Yes.  Will those lines or queues provide a story line?  Yes.  Often the queues are so well themed and/or interactive they become just as fun as the attraction.  Can you by pass lines?  Yes, by using Fastpass—which is FREE to every guest.

One could go on and on about lines with incredible theming and we and others have.  But what we discovered during an evening walk is that there are lines we have never seen or experienced. 

Splash Mountain—we have yet to experience the stand-by queue which winds before going into the mountain.  We have only experienced the Fastpass line which features various portraits of the characters guests will get to meet throughout the attraction.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad—while we haven’t been to the Magic Kingdom since the interactive queue has opened, we have yet to use the stand-by entrance for this attraction.  It has only been Fastpass for us and will most likely continue.  Do guests in the Fastpass queue get to use the interactive portions of the line too?

Soarin’—we have heard that there are interactive games and screens in the stand-by line, but we have yet to see or experience them.  Our entrance to this attraction has always been through the Fastpass lane.

Expedition Everest—as of this writing we have only ridden once but it was through the Fastpass line that we entered the attraction which was still incredibly themed.

Kali River Rapids—we have seen the stand-by queue wind throughout the sheltered area from the Fastpass line which has been our only way into this wet ride.

Then there are some attractions that we have used both the Stand-bye queue and the Fastpass entrance depending on time of day, wait time posted on the attraction, and availability of Fastpasses.  Those include Toy Story Mania, Star Tours, Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan’s Flight, Dinosaur, Maelstrom, and Living With the Land.

When the husband and I were discussing this subject, he said Astro Orbiter.  Huh?  Astro Orbiter does not have Fastpass.  It is one of the slowest loading rides and we only ride it early in the morning before the line begins to build.  Then he said, “ What about pirates?”  I think he was referring to Pirates of the Caribbean, so I again reminded him that there isn’t Fastpass at Pirates of the Caribbean and that is one of the fastest loading and unloading rides (It’s a Small World is one of the fastest loading, but not so fast in unloading).

Will we EVER see the stand-bye queues of those attractions listed previously?  Maybe.  In the meantime, we will use Fastpass to our advantage, even if it means missing a themed queue or two.

Mastering "Waits" at Walt Disney World

Waiting.  It is inevitable.  If you are traveling to Walt Disney World you will definitely do some waiting, but you may not be waiting for what you might think.

Here are some various “waits” you might encounter and what we do to make them easier.

If you are traveling by plane, the first wait you will encounter is at the airport, waiting for your flight.  We like to arrive at our airport 2 hours in advance so this does mean some waiting, even waiting at the check-in counter.  At this point, everyone has a job—moving luggage, staying together, having ID’s and paperwork handy.  The same is true when we go through security.  I handle the quart size bags, tickets, and ID’s, the boy pushes bags and tubs through the scanner, takes off his shoes, and the husband brings up the rear with everything else.  It took some coordinating at first, but now it’s like clockwork.  We use the time waiting in line to make sure everyone knows what to do. 

Once through security, there is the waiting for the flight.  The boy has a carry-on bag with his items, mostly toys, that he can open and play with during this time.  We also take turns walking throughout the airport.  This is especially helpful for little ones who may have a difficult time sitting for the flight.  There are lots of things to see at an airport—people, machines, airplanes, etc..  The last airport we were in had an art gallery of sorts with sculptures—very interesting.

Waiting for the plane to take off is another unexpected wait.  We resort to hand-held electronic games at this point as they are okay until it is time to turn them off.  Snacks brought with you are also a good thing at this point, but be sure to wipe down hands and surfaces with wipes, as no one wants to be ill on vacation.  The boy now likes to read the SkyMall catalog and airline magazine.

During the plane ride we have movies, games, books, snacks.  A theme you will see throughout our “wait” strategies.

If using Disney’s Magical Express service prior to 10;00 pm, one wait you will get to skip is the wait for your luggage!  Head right to Orlando International’s Magical Express check-in counter, but be prepared for a wait for your bus.  By this point we have stopped to grab a bite to eat and then consume it while waiting for our bus.  Once on the bus, there can be another wait before it gets going and the anticipation is definitely building at this point.  We love to talk to people on the bus and find out what resort they are headed to—as the bus makes stops at multiple resorts, etc.  Often, we have been sought out on the bus as for whatever reason, we look like we have done “this” before.  Maybe it’s the lanyards?  Anyway, folks start asking us questions and we are happy to help.  Once the bus gets rolling the movies and cartoons appear on the screen.  Know this before you find a seat on the bus so that you can position yourself for a good view.  Once again, snacks appear from my magical bag for the bus ride!

At your resort, you will have two lines to choose from when checking in.  If you have checked in on-line before your stay, you get to select that line, which typically is much shorter and faster, but there will be some wait time.  Disney knows this so they have prepared a comfy spot for the kids complete with TV airing Disney cartoons, coloring sheets for the kids, and soft chairs for the adult with the child(ren) while the other adult checks in.  Now, we have done this so many times now that the boy will checkout the TV, but will then make his way to a shop to browse while the husband hangs on to the carry-on bags nearby.  We eventually meet up with filled mugs, a resort map, our Key to the World Cards, and make our way to our room.

The next wait you are likely to experience is a wait for Disney transportation to a theme park, whether it be a bus, monorail, or boat.  We use this time to talk to other Disney guests—you are all there for the same reason!—prepare our strategy when we arrive at our destination.  The ride itself is great as there is usually a lot to see along the way.  If we are waiting for a bus, we like to guess which park it is headed to before it stops or try and be the first one to read the sign on the bus.

Before even getting to the rides and attractions there will be a few more “waits.”  One is the wait for the security bag check before entering a park.  We divide and conquer on this one, each of us—the husband and I—going through a different line so that we aren’t waiting on each other and meet up when we are through the line.  Then, depending on the time of day, there can be the wait for the park to open or a wait in line to get into the park.  If it is early and depending on the park, there may be toys available, like at the Magic Kingdom which offers hula hoops to play with before the park opens.  EPCOT has great Cast Member Interaction before park opening as does Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.  Reading Park Maps and Times Guides at this point is the best use of time so that everyone is familiar with the park and knows where they are going when the park opens.  We get the most questions from other guests at this point in the day, especially at Hollywood Studios.

Most people think that the “waits” will be for rides and attractions and that is somewhat true.  Using Fastpass will minimize wait times for rides and attractions.  Disney has done a great job at making many lines and queues interactive and that eases the pain somewhat of waiting.  Once we start park touring, having a bit of a wait for an attraction is welcomed as it gives us a chance to talk as a family and make decisions about what we are going to do next.  This eliminates the need to try to walk and talk or worse yet, stop and talk when moving from one location to another.  Once we start walking, we don’t stop until we are at our destination, so a bit of a line allows us to regroup.  But if we do encounter a wait for a ride, visiting with other guests, taking pictures, having a snack break, and talking to each other seem to help us pass the time quickly.  (I know, I need to post about how those snacks get in my bag!)

We actually find ourselves waiting more for shows or parades or fireworks or characters.  These are the waits that can be the most difficult.  This is when a new toy (either purchased or brought from home) can be a lifesaver.  For example, the wait for Fantasmic can be 30-40 minutes.  This is when the glow sticks from the dollar store appear and it is also the one time the boy has cotton candy on our trip—and he knows it! 

Waiting for Lights, Motors, Action is eased by the trivia on the big screen with scenes from various movies.  Waiting for Indiana Jones is eased by music and a snack (purchased with Dining Plan snack credits, of course).

When dining at Disney, especially table service locations, there can also be waits—wait for your table and waits for your food.  Depending on the restaurant, the wait to be called for your table can be eased by a TV screen for the kiddos and comfy chairs for the adults (not at all the restaurants, though).  This can also be a great time for toy to appear from a bag.  The year the boy decided he wanted to trade Vinylmation, we would make a trade right before dinner, so he had the new Vinylmation to play with.  It was the best $10 investment we ever made as it was like having a new toy every day—after a trade, for one low price!   I can also recall waiting for our table at Rose & Crown in EPCOT.  We were sitting across from two of the telephone booths in the United Kingdom Pavilion.  Well, I actually have their numbers programmed on my cell phone and we had fun making calls to unsuspecting guests—click here to read more.  It did make the time pass quickly!

If the dining location requires ordering from a menu, there will be a wait for the meal to be served.  We minimize this by making our entire order when the Cast Member comes for our drink order.  This can be done by making decisions quickly or reviewing menus prior to your visit.  Allears.net has a great selection of menus.  If character dining is involved, the wait can include autographs and pictures.  If no characters, we have a hand-held electronic game in our bag.  Dining at Coral Reef at EPCOT offers built in entertainment while dining next to an aquarium. 

While we haven’t mastered the art of waiting, we have perfected a few tricks and strategies.  In summary, they would include the use of Fastpass at any Disney theme park to minimize wait times, taking time to review Park Maps and Times Guides—both adults and children, visiting with other guests or each other, taking pictures, interacting with queues, replenishing with snacks and drinks, and zoning out with a game or hand-held electronic device (used with caution, though).

If guests of all ages have had waiting experiences beyond Walt Disney World, such as at carnivals, waiting at the grocery store, waiting for a movie to start in a theater, waiting their turn at school or in the Dr.’s office, applying those skills to a trip to the most Magical Place on Earth will be key. 

And, know, that waiting can sometimes be a relief. . . from walking, from the elements, from anticipation about being somewhere at a certain time.  Seldom do we find ourselves dreading a wait, but rather looking forward to it.

The Art of Waiting

 The art of waiting. . . what to do while waiting patiently in the Walt Disney World lines or queues.




I must confess—we don’t spend a huge amount of time waiting in queues due to the Fastpass System. Knowing about the system and using it are incredible time savers—click here to read more. I am still amazed by the number of people who don’t understand the system and/or don’t use it. Anyway, Fastpass alone keeps us from waiting in most long lines.



If we do have to wait, in a long queue we pass the time by visiting with each other and neighboring families—Maelstrom in Norway would be a good example of this—because we didn’t get a Fastpass! We talk about the attraction we’re waiting for and build excitement. We talk about what we are going to do next. If the husband sites a kindred spirited pin trader near by, he strikes up a conversation about a pin trade. Our shirts have also started many conversations in queues—click here to read more. Everyone in the line has something in common—You’re at Disney! And, most people are there because they love it. I have learned so much from striking up conversations with people who may be waiting.


 Disney has also done an incredible job theming the queues. They have become almost like attractions themselves. There have been numerous articles written about the best queues. Not the best attractions mind you, but the attractions with the best queues. Since there is such bountiful theming or interactive experiences in the queues, the time waiting flies by. There have been times I have wished for a bit of a line when I am speeding through a well-themed queue—the Nemo attraction in EPCOT for example.




Often we take pictures if we are waiting in a queue with many photo opportunities. Since photography is often prohibited during the attraction itself, and I get miffed when the person in front or beside me is taking photos when they have been told not to, it can be fun to capture the essence of the attraction with photos in the queue area. That’s a hint people, a big hint! And, the fellas are big hams when it comes to those photo ops.



One of the longest lines we have waited in more than once was the line for Jedi Training Academy—click here to read more. Since we know this is going to happen, the boy’s DS goes with none other than the Lego Star Wars game cartridge. Not only does the boy stay entertained, but typically, other children nearby are entertained, too. We have been greeted with “thanks” and “that’s a good idea” by other parents waiting, too.

If there is anyplace we wait regularly, it is at rope drop at the parks.  Yep, we are the early arrivers.  The husband used to make fun of our early morning touring schedule until one day at Hollywood Studios, he turned around to see the throng of people behind him.  When there are more people behind you than in front of you, you’re in a good spot.  Needless to say, there is full cooperation with our “be there by rope drop” touring plans.  We keep ourselves entertained by watching and interacting with other guests.  We have met people from all over the world.  We usually explain Fastpass to at least one family a day—usually while waiting at the gates.  We also interact with Cast Members—especially the husband as he is hoping for good pin trades.  Cast Members are a valuable source of information and I have learned much from these early morning conversations.

We have seen, but not tried, using Disney trivia games to pass the time. With all the mobile devices and apps available, this might be another way to pass the time while waiting.




The best advice would be to just relax and enjoy. Waiting is part of the experience. Use Fastpass when you can and enjoy the rest. You never know what kind of magic might happen at the most magical place on earth!