Disneyland and Walt Disney World generally do a good job in creating its lines for rides and shows, essentially making queues part of the appeal of each attraction. And the parks have recently been adding interactive queues to attractions such as the recent refurbishments of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World.
But while theming and clever design can make standing in Disney queue more pleasant, many guests waiting in line is one of the least favorite elements of visiting the Disney theme parks.
With that in mind, here are my top ten tips for avoiding lines while at Disney, particularly at Walt Disney World. Please feel free to save your favorite time-sharing ideas in the comments section.
1. If possible, travel during Disney’s off-seasonby avoiding the busiest travel periods at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The two domestic U.S. parks do have somewhat different schedules, but in general holidays, spring break periods, and the summer are very busy at both destinations.
See this article for the busiest times at Walt Disney World.
2. Visit the least crowded park on its least crowded day. Although this tip is more relevant to Walt Disney World, with its four major theme parks, it also applies to Disneyland. Know that weekends tend busier than weekdays at both Disney destinations. But there are patterns in projected guest attendance that can allow guests to create an itinerary to avoid the busiest park on a given day
How to identify which parks are crowded on what day? Visit Touring Plans, part of “The Unofficial Guide” and its brand of Disney guide books. Subscribers have access to crowd levels and theme-park itinerary recommendations, but visitors can see the current month’s crowds level for free as a teaser. In fact, if there’s one Disney travel guide I recommend for planning a trip to either domestic Disney resort, it’s “The Unofficial Guide.”
3. Arrive prior to a Disney park’s opening, for what is informally known as “rope drop.” It cannot be stressed enough that being at the parks not only for early morning touring, but before the parks open, gives guests an advantage. Not only are the lines shorter and, in some cases, walk-ons, but you can get earlier FASTPASS times (see below).
4. Avoid Walt Disney World parks offering Disney’s Extra Magic Hours (EMH) in the morning or Disneyland's Magic Mornings (MM) unless you are eligible for the perk (primarily on-site guests) and can be there for the earlier park opening. You’ll lose the early-morning touring advantage if visiting a theme park that offers EMH or MM and you’re not in that first wave of guests.
See What are Disney’s Extra Magic Hours?
5. Take advantage of Disney’s FASTPASS, a free option for certain attractions.Briefly, FASTPASS allows guests to “reserve” a window of time to visit an attraction and bypass the stand-by line. Guests insert their admission media in an attraction’s FASTPASS distribution machine and receive a ticket that allows them to return within a one-hour designated window rather than wait in lines. Current return times are posted for attractions, as well as stand-by wait times.
Using FASTPASS can be complicated. Guests may only hold one ticket at a time, or one every two hours, whichever comes first. And the option is not available for every attraction. Taking advantage of FASTPASS reflects a guest’s plans for the park and interests, but when used strategically the option cuts down time spent in lines and allows guests to hit more attractions in the same amount of time.
See the article for more information on Disney FASTPASS.
6. Pay attention to Disney’s wait times. Speaking of wait times, pay attention to them once you’re in the parks and be prepared to adjust plans. Lines for an attraction may be longer than expected or a ride may be temporarily down. Wait times are posted in the theme parks; be sure to check with your park map for locations.
Another useful option for identifying Disney wait times is to use one of the many mobile applications; there are many to choose from designed for different devices and carriers. A short list includes Disney and Verizon’s Mobile Magic and Touring Plans’ Line app, and VersaEdge. Some apps are free while others charge a fee. What works best depends on a guest’s individual devices, plans and budget. A good place to start researching various options is on iTunes, with consumer reviews.
7. Enter the Single Rider lines.Walt Disney World and Disneyland will fill empty seats at certain attractions with individuals. You and members of your party will be split up during the experience, but move through the lines that much quicker.
8. Use the Child Swap (a.k.a Rider Switch). Two or more adult guests traveling with small children who don’t fit the height requirement of a ride can take advantage of the Child Swap, sometimes called the Baby Swap, Rider Switch or Rider Swap. When your party enters the queue, tell the Cast Member you’d like to do the Child Swap. The Cast Member will then inform you as to procedures.
The first adult rides while the second adult stays with the child. Then the second adult rides, without waiting in line again, and the first adult stays with the child. How the Child Swap is used The Child Swap also works with FASTPASS. As with other line-saving techniques, the Child Swap has different strategies depending on the attraction – and how the swap works will vary dependent on the attraction and its queue design.
See this Walt Disney World Moms Panel video on the Rider Switch.
9. Take advantage of poor weather. Many guests will stay away from the parks in poor weather such as rain or an unexpected cold snap. Throw on some rain gear or an extra layer and enjoy the attractions with lighter crowds. (Note: Of course, use common sense with weather conditions; sometimes it is more reasonable to forgo touring the parks – for instance, in heavy storms or other severe weather.)
10. Criss-Cross the parks to visit the E-ticket attractions first. For guests with more mobility and a lot of energy, consider criss-crossing the park to hit all the most popular attractions or those that quickly back up. Doing so will require more walking but less standing.
Collectively, these time-saving strategies are based on one common factor: plan. Plan for your Disney vacation. Do your research, make an itinerary and have back-up options. I cannot emphasize enough reading online resources (my favorites are listed under preferred links, right) and at least one Disney travel guide. My first travel guide of choice is “The Unofficial Guide” to either Walt Disney World or Disneyland.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with “The Unofficial Guide” or Touring Plans.
I know it can seem contrary to the idea of a vacation to make a plan, but it’s well worth doing so for visiting Disney. There’s so much to see and do, and the time you save line can be spent seeing and doing more things, and appreciating the Disney details at your own (non-standing) pace.
Kungaloosh! Put on your set of ears and join me in stalking the Mouse. Read more of my Disney Travel Examiner articles or sign up for a free subscription.
Comments