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3. Listen for carefully worded announcements

Listen in the queue for clues

Pre-recorded or live announcements will clue you in to what’s wrong if you’re in the queue or on the attraction when something goes wrong. If the message is a pre-recorded spiel, this usually means you’re dealing with an extremely common issue and it will be resolved shortly. Omni-movers like the Haunted Mansion slow or stop frequently to allow guests with a disability extra time to get into the vehicle safely. Recorded messages are available for just this purpose, assuring everyone that the vehicle will get moving again soon.

If the pre-recorded message has already played out a few times, it’s standard operation for a Cast Member to make a live spiel next. Hearing a live person typically means your wait time will be a little bit longer before you start moving again. The issue at hand is a bit more complex than their recorded spiels can manage.

4. Look for moving vehicles

Splash Mountain's vehicles are easy to see

So you’re stuck outside the ride watching Cast Members give vague answers about when the ride will operate again. How can you make an educated guess about how long it will be? Look for any indicators that can show you how serious the issue is. If you can’t see the ride path, you’re out of luck. However, if you’re dealing with an outdoor attraction like Splash Mountain, you can pause for a few moments to see if empty vehicles are moving through.

If they’re cycling the vehicles, it’s a good sign that they’re testing the attraction to prepare it for operation again. Though a moving vehicle doesn’t promise that the ride will open soon, it does mean there’s a chance they’re close. If there are no moving vehicles, the wait will be longer. The ride must cycle through empty at least once before they’ll allow guests back into the queue.

If you press Cast Members for details about a down time, you’re likely to hear carefully themed responses. “Well, we have an escaped dinosaur and our containment team needs to track him down before we can reopen.” Evaluating the situation yourself is often the best way to make a smart guess about whether the ride is worth waiting for, or it’s time to move on.

 
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