Don't Hate Me for Knowing More

[pipermae]

Although I don't have anything to contribute (I haven't been since '06 and it was for a day... in truth, I was probably one of those rude high schoolers who just wasn't thinking) but I've learned a lot reading this bored... but reading the spiteful comments is getting to be too much.

I'm not saying that you're wrong for agreeing or not agreeing with Pickles, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Obviously theirs could have been written to be more sensitive, but so could some that disagree with theirs. This isn't what the OP was about. Everyone's 2 cents is turning into a very angry $20 bill, now.

So, I think everyone should take a deep breath and pull the claws back and lets get back on to the original topic.

*steps off of soapbox*

 

[playswithstars]

Actually HM at MK is not a regular line where you are single file when you get in the line it is wide enough for several people to stand side by side, it is like this through the turn stile and up to the doors, so yes people can come in the line and go past you if you are single file.

Even if it is wide enough for several people across that does not mean it's intended to allow people to cut in line. I've never seen it happen in my times being there or heard of it happening. I would def. being saying something if my family, who we normally stand so we can talk to each, was skipped by people.

I can understand the spreading out in the stretching room but not in the regular line. That's just screams rude to me.

 

[playswithstars]

I think that the people who are annoyed by a whole party of however many people boarding with the person in the wheelchair / ECV have never traveled with someone in a wheelchair or ECV. If you had someone "with wheels" in your group, you might feel differently and be a lot less annoyed. Just sayin'

My twin sister had to use a wheelchair the last two times we've gone just because of health issues she was having and it was too much walking. We actually agree with the poster who said a whole family shouldn't wait with them. We would let her get in the place for wheelchairs and then the rest of us got in the regular line.

We've also rode things separately at times because we didn't want it to seem like we were using it to cut lines.

My sister and mom left the park early one night and she had to return the wheelchair upon leaving the park. There was a long line of people that had been waiting over to 40 minutes for a bus back to the resort. Right as the bus pulled up a guy in the ECV came up and went to the front of the line. The bus driver let him on before any of the people who had been waiting almost an hour.

 

[fan1080]

Even if it is wide enough for several people across that does not mean it's intended to allow people to cut in line. I've never seen it happen in my times being there or heard of it happening. I would def. being saying something if my family, who we normally stand so we can talk to each, was skipped by people.

I can understand the spreading out in the stretching room but not in the regular line. That's just screams rude to me.

As was mentioned, the HM que is not a single file line, it's much wider than that. You are bound to have people go by you.

 

[fan1080]

My sister and mom left the park early one night and she had to return the wheelchair upon leaving the park. There was a long line of people that had been waiting over to 40 minutes for a bus back to the resort. Right as the bus pulled up a guy in the ECV came up and went to the front of the line. The bus driver let him on before any of the people who had been waiting almost an hour.

Disney's policy is to load ECV/Wheelchairs on the bus first. That allows for easier loading of the ECV/wheelchair because there are no other guests to try and work around while they are being loaded..

 

[playswithstars]

As was mentioned, the HM que is not a single file line, it's much wider than that. You are bound to have people go by you.

Nope, that's never happened a single time we've been there but as I said my family and I don't exactly stand in a single file. Because that would make it quite difficult to talk to each other. But I still view that as cutting in line since it is a structured que line and not something like the stretching room.

"Disney's policy is to load ECV/Wheelchairs on the bus first. That allows for easier loading of the ECV/wheelchair because there are no other guests to try and work around while they are being loaded.."

This may be the case but I still view it as rude that they can cut in front of all the people that were waiting close to an hour. They didn't even wait more than five minutes for the bus and got to get right one. Everybody in the line near them expressed that they felt it was rude as well.

 

[distherapy]

As was mentioned, the HM que is not a single file line, it's much wider than that. You are bound to have people go by you.

We just got back. It is single file for a while - like any other ride. When you get to the first CM at the turnstiles (or even a little earlier), it opens up (the big, open area before you enter the mansion). The CM was saying, "It's not one line anymore. Fill in all space." Of course, no one listened to her, so it was an awkward line. Having read this exact thread and knowing what to look for, I moved forward. DH grabbed my backpack and pulled me back because people were angry that I was "cutting". I tried to loudly explain that the CM just told everyone to move forward and not stand in one line, but I still get eyes rolled at me from the other people. Ugh.

 

[fan1080]

Nope, that's never happened a single time we've been there but as I said my family and I don't exactly stand in a single file. Because that would make it quite difficult to talk to each other. But I still view that as cutting in line since it is a structured que line and not something like the stretching room.

"Disney's policy is to load ECV/Wheelchairs on the bus first. That allows for easier loading of the ECV/wheelchair because there are no other guests to try and work around while they are being loaded.."

This may be the case but I still view it as rude that they can cut in front of all the people that were waiting close to an hour. They didn't even wait more than five minutes for the bus and got to get right one. Everybody in the line near them expressed that they felt it was rude as well.

Having someone go by you in the HM que may not have happened to you, but the que is certainly wide enough for it to happen. And, after you go through the turnstyles.... same thing can happen there too.

In your opinion Disney's policy is rude? Disney does what it can to make things better for everyone, sometimes, we need to give priority to others. This policy is one that is definately not rude.

 

[WDSearcher]

How do royalty and celebs and people used to to being catered to handle going to WDW? I once remember seeing footage of the Beckhams and their little kids walking around MK. Do you think if one of their kids spontaneously wants to ride Dumbo, that somehow it happens? I remember reading about a sheik (way more wealthy than the Becks) who rented out one or two entire floors of the fanciest Disney hotel (Grand Floridian?) so that his nth wife and some of their kids could go to WDW. It was a small group of people. I don't remember if he went or not. I can see paying for several servants/attendants to run around the Kingdom and grab fastpasses for you and letting you have them (even so you still can't ride anywhere you want anytime you want), or does WDW essentially hand you a fastpass printer? But then every royal and celeb would want a fastpass printer and there would be some very awkward situations for WDW Mgmt.

And I have never even been to WDW... but I can see it is truly the event of a lifetime for many people. Trying to maximize rides/hour spent in the park can really be thrown off if there is any special FPing.

Celebs and special guests are given Guest Relations VIP guides, who guide them through the park, assist them on rides, etc. But it depends on the level of "celebrity" the person is. If it's someone like, say, Princess Diana and her sons, who are likely to get mobbed at every turn, they will be back-doored into a ride or attraction and have reserved seating (with a "buffer" around them in some cases) for shows so that they're not constantly beseiged with fans (because Disney is also trying to give THEM a good guest experience). There is a specific schedule (for security purposes) and all the ride & show managers are aware of when the party will be in their area, and they are prepared.

With lesser celebrities (Candlelight narrators, for example), they still have a VIP guide, but that guide is going to handle their FPs and such, making sure they can basically walk on to most things. There are special VIP FPs for these guests so that they can maximize their time, since they normally have far less time to visit than regular guests. They will go through the FP line, but not necessarily be back-doored. They wait to board in the FP line just like other FP-holding guests.

Someone like a shiek who buys out a whole floor of a resort is probably going to also pay for several VIP guides who can handle his brood and get them through the parks. They'll receive pretty much the same treatment as any other guest paying for VIP guide service.

 

[fan1080]

We just got back. It is single file for a while - like any other ride. When you get to the first CM at the turnstiles (or even a little earlier), it opens up (the big, open area before you enter the mansion). The CM was saying, "It's not one line anymore. Fill in all space." Of course, no one listened to her, so it was an awkward line. Having read this exact thread and knowing what to look for, I moved forward. DH grabbed my backpack and pulled me back because people were angry that I was "cutting". I tried to loudly explain that the CM just told everyone to move forward and not stand in one line, but I still get eyes rolled at me from the other people. Ugh.

Agreed, and it was designed that way on purpose, so they can fit more guests in. Therefore, it is not ONLY single file, as has been suggested.

 

[WDSearcher]

This may be the case but I still view it as rude that they can cut in front of all the people that were waiting close to an hour. They didn't even wait more than five minutes for the bus and got to get right one. Everybody in the line near them expressed that they felt it was rude as well.

But do you think that the person on the ECV was "lying in wait" for the bus to arrive and then gassing up his ECV to purposefully inconvenience everyone else, or do you think it was just dumb luck that he happened to roll up at the same time that the bus did?

Even if that ECV guy had gone to the very back of the line, the bus driver would have likely seen him as he drove up and motioned him to the loading area and loaded him on the bus. I doubt that the ECV guy was actively and consciously planning to one-up everyone around him and board the bus first. I think he just happened to show up at the same time as the bus and got lucky.

 

[playswithstars]

Agreed, and it was designed that way on purpose, so they can fit more guests in. Therefore, it is not ONLY single file, as has been suggested.

If you read one of the first post I made about this I said that I could understand at the are near and around the door before you got into the mansion. It's obvious that your supposed to fill in that space. Which is what the other person was saying was the case. That it WAS single file up until that point which is what I was saying. But before that it should be treated as a regular line.

 

[cpayne1997]

Oh this all reminds me of the most awful memory that I EVER had at Disney. My DH, DD(8), DS(5) and I were in line for Expedition Everest at AK (yes my kids are tall enough to ride it and love it too). The line was pretty long and we were waiting outside the actual ride entrance and my daughter said that she really had to go to the bathroom and could not hold it. From past experiences (IE peeing in the Dumbo line) I now take her seriously. Anyhow there was a CM about 4 feet from us and heard what she said to me and I guess he saw "the look" on my face. He walked closer and told me to go ahead and take her to the bathroom and that since the rest of my party was in line, I could get back in the line with my DH and DS. So we ran to the bathroom as fast as we could and walked back up the the CM and told him we were back and he gave us the ok to walk up to my DH and DS. As we started our journey back up to my DH and DS I did get my ugly looks and such but did not think anything of it. Until we got to a VERY rude man that would not let us get by. He literally put his hands across the bars so that I could not pass. At this point I am trying to explain to him that I am not "cutting" in line and I did not want for my child to have an accident in the line. My daughter was now crying b/c she was worried that we would lose her Daddy.... it was awful. At first I thought that he was kidding so I then tried to duck under his arms and he grabbed my arm and pulled me back behind him. It was horrible, the people around me started to get really mad at him after he grabbed me and help me and my daughter over the rails to get around him.....thank you to all of those nice people! Anyway when we finally got to my DH and DS.....to say the least he was not happy about the incident and unfortunately we did see that family several times thoughout our visit. I would hear his daughter make commets like "I can cut in front of people if I want to" and make a silly laugh. It was entertaining to say the least. Luckily I never told my DH what the man looked like.

So I have learned a lesson from this: If a CM tells you that it is ok to get back in line have them escort you back to your family to save you from any drama! Also I would be upset too if a bunch of people started going around me in line too, but I try to remember that Disney is a family place and sometimes things happen...especially when it is a Mom and child.

 

[khertz]

We've had a couple of incidents -- about 4 years ago, we went to Universal for a Mardi Gras night. It wasn't too crowded, and we got a great spot for the parade, knowing they were throwing beads. My kids were probably 12 and 8, and about 1/3 of the way through the parade, a dad and his son stepped right in front of us and kept grabbing beads from rightin front of my kids' faces! We even had a couple of times when the person on the float would call out to my kids -- they were wearing something distinctive, don't remember what, and toss beads, and this dad would tell his son to grab them! I couldn't help it, I lost my balance and banged right into him... "Excuse me! I didn't realize we were sharing this space!"

I'd avoid the real Mardi Gras if I were you...

 

[WDmommyof4]

Here is something else "I Know" because of the many family members I have in law enforcement. Be VERY careful of the people you decide to confront because you choose not be taken adantage of. There are many violent & angry people in this world that will not hesitate to assault you because you dared to confront them & these same people do visit WDW. You will most definitely be the "victim" in that case. The advice to "walk away" is the better one, but as the poster in question mentioned, when you're squished in a crowd of people it's not always easy to do.

This is exactly why I don't say anything to anyone. I also do not honk my horn at other cars when they cut me off and almost cause an accident. It isn't because I like being a victim I just like to avoid face to face confrontation. I am a very quiet person in my daily life. I work at home, go to school at home. Yes, I probably do need to speak up for myself but when I think about doing so all I can think about are the possible repercussions.

 

[DisDarling]

I think Disney is very very overwhelming for first-timers. Even if you've done your homework, you're never really ready for it when you get there. Not to mention that the advice you DO get prior to visiting isn't always helpful.

Imagine this scenario ... you've been kind of lurking around the various Disney boards, trying to get hints on your very first Disney vacation. You haven't read every single thread, but you're hoping to avoid all the trouble spots. Plus you've been asking friends and family who have been before what to be aware of, what to look out for, what to "know before you go." And everywhere you read, you see people complaining about line-jumpers and people who "follow their own rules." And all your friends tell you to "hold your line" when people try to push past you. The one big pet peeve you read about over and over again is people trying to push past you in line to be first into the park or on a ride or whatever. In truth, there's not really a lot of this that happens, but to read the boards or talk to people, you'd think that every single person is out to take your place in line. (Or maybe your only prior reference is Six Flags or the fair, where line-jumpers are rampant.)

THEN, you get to the park super-early, like everyone told you, and you're standing in line at the turnstile that you've been directed to or the turnstile that has a CM there or whatever. And then, a minute before the park opens, someone else comes up and stands at the turnstile next to yours (a turnstile that would appear to be ONLY for those folks attending a princess breakfast). Is the guy line-jumping? Of course not. Is he trying to sneak in via a turnstile that is only supposed to be used by Princess Breakfast people? Well ... no. But if the only thing you're looking for on your vacation is line jumpers, and you're overwhelmed by the Disney experience already and you're doing your best to navigate your way through by following all the signs, then yes. That is how the situation is perceived.

Clearly the guy inkkognito spoke with had no idea that the Princess Breakfast turnstile was okay for inkkognito to use at that point. He was standing where he'd been told to stand and was on the lookout for line-jumpers. He was protecting his place in line and trying to "educate" you that you were in the wrong here. Once you realized where the guy was coming from, a better way to deal with this guy may have been -- as someone suggested upthread -- to engage him in conversation. Don't blow him off, because that's what line-jumpers do. Be friendly instead of dismissive and you'll get a lot farther.

I couldnt agree more!!!

 

[kpadalik]

Hey, it pays off when you know more about Disney than the average person. I do my research, not only for the fun and interesting things I find, but for my benefit when it comes to visiting the parks. When people give me those "How did you do that?" looks, I kind of smile on the inside and go, "HA!".

 

[shellym]

There was a long line of people that had been waiting over to 40 minutes for a bus back to the resort. Right as the bus pulled up a guy in the ECV came up and went to the front of the line. The bus driver let him on before any of the people who had been waiting almost an hour.

Disney's policy is to load ECV/Wheelchairs on the bus first. That allows for easier loading of the ECV/wheelchair because there are no other guests to try and work around while they are being loaded..

We never get the buses, as I'd rather drive our hire car and get back to the hotel when i want, not have to wait for a bus.

BUT why do they let this happen? If someone has been waiting in a queue for 10mins, let alone 1hr, why should someone in a wheelchair get priority? Especially if its busy.

I understand about the GAC card, and that not all disabilities are obvious, but I wonder about this in the ride queues aswell. If your in a wheelchair, then why IN GENERAL should you not have to wait in a line with others? Please, I'm not trying to annoy anyone, just asking the question.

 

[pickles]

The line was pretty long and we were waiting outside the actual ride entrance and my daughter said that she really had to go to the bathroom and could not hold it. .

If you were near the end of the line, tell me again why the rest of your family couldn't wait for you guys to use the bathroom and then get in line...together?

Let me see if I got this right..wheel chair folks cant get onto a bus without their entire family cutting in line with them, because they don't want to have to wait in a line alone? They all need to be kept together. And a family with kids is allowed to send one to the bathroom while the other holds a spot in line..they are ok with being split up?


Just a pondering this...

 

[CanadianGuy]

Ok.. We've just closed TWO Threads each on the topics of ECV arguments and line cutting..

If the arguments about those two topics continue and degenerate .. that's the surest way to this otherwise fun thread getting shut down.

This thread is being moved to the ThemeParks Community as it has evolved into a story telling thread.

Thanks,

Knox