The etiquette of interactive queues

Image: Disney

Though interactive queues are becoming increasingly common in theme parks, there is not as of yet a standard for when guests should feel comfortable passing in front of the parties ahead of them. Guests visiting Walt Disney World definitely follow the attitude that time is money, and waiting in line longer than they expect to is not something most guests would be interested in. Most guests also know however, that especially depending on the guests around them, line cutting in Walt Disney World is probably not something you’d want to be caught doing.

This situation can be an awkward one, but the chances of it becoming a serious problem on vacation are slim. If the party in front of you does take exceptionally long getting through a line, it would not be inappropriate to ask if you may pass them. Just be sure to check with the other guests first before you end up being accused of line cutting! 

Why are some interactive queues better than others?

Image: Disney

Even with interactive queues popping up all over Walt Disney World, guests still prefer to avoid waiting in line altogether when given the chance. Fastpass gives guests an advantage in this respect, as they can choose attractions in advance to skip the standby line in, but only three Fastpasses may initially be selected each day. If for instance it comes down to choosing the final Fastpass between Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan’s Flight, which attraction would you choose?

If you choose Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, you are following the trends that generally take place in terms of queuing in the Magic Kingdom. The My Disney Experience app is an easy way to discover which attractions tend to run out of Fastpasses first, thereby serving as one of the few indicators for guests as to which attractions are the most popular choices for skipping the standby line. There are of course other factors that differentiate Seven Dwarfs Mine Train from Peter Pan’s Flight that may result in one running out of Fastpasses before the other (like one being more thrilling and new than the other) however the nature of the standby line likely contributes to this decision as well.

Both attractions typically draw long wait times, however many guests actually want to spend time in the interactive queue at Peter Pan’s Flight, whereas few guests want to wait in line over at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Where Peter Pan’s queue takes guests on a journey through the Darlings’ home with subtle interactive elements and lots of attention to storytelling and detail, there are only a couple of interactive portions of the Mine Train queue, and the areas that are not very interactive are outdoors (albeit covered). For many guests, the fact that the Peter Pan queue is air conditioned is enough reason alone to use the Fastpass for Mine Train instead. 

So what’s your opinion on interactive queues? The psychology behind them seems to make sense, that people will have more enjoyable experiences when they do not feel like they are simply bored and waiting a long time for something exciting to happen. Games and other interactive elements should, in theory, pass the time, making the wait time feel shorter than it actually is. Still, some guests thoroughly enjoy the queues as additional elements that truly add to the attractions, while others groan and feel that their wait times have actually increased. Where do you stand? Are interactive queues beneficial or problematic for guests waiting in line in the Disney parks? Which interactive queues work in your opinion, and which do not? Let us know in the comments!