How to Navigate Long Lines at Disney
On any trip to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, you are bound to encounter some long lines, and waits that will make anyone bored. Here are a few tips for ways to beat the boredom of waiting on line!
Get a Fastpass
At Walt Disney World and Disneyland you are able to get a “reservation for a ride by booking at FastPass. At Walt Disney World, this is done using the MyDisneyExperience app up to 60 days before your trip. You can book three FastPasses for a single park at any one time, based on rules from each park. Once you arrive to the attraction at your designated time frame, you will scan your magic band at a touchpoint at the start of the queue, bypass the wait in a shorter line designated for FassPass+ holders. Once you have used your first three, you are able to get additional FastPass reservations to use on your day in the park!
At Disneyland, there are 2 options. The original paper FastPass is an option on a number of attractions at a first come, first serve basis. Based on the next available time, you will be given a ticket with a time to return to the attraction. Also on the ticket will be a time where you are able to reserve another FastPass. Disneyland also has the ability to purchase an add on of a MaxPass. This option allows guests to book reservations for attractions once inside the park for that day. This eliminates the need to find the kiosk and grab a piece of paper, and makes your wait time even less.
The addition of FastPass in the parks has shifted how people visit, so be sure to check out my recommendations for how to maximize your FastPasses!
Play a Game:
There are so many new opportunities to keep yourself occupied in line with the emergence of cellular and wireless technologies. The newest release from Disney to try and give guests a fun mobile experience in the Disney Parks is the Disney Play app.
This app will be a hit with your friends and family, and allows for some friendly competition between each other as well! The unique Disney touches to game play and ability to earn badges when you play in certain lines, makes this a great way to pass the time!
Another game that is always a lot of fun is Heads Up! This app, created by Ellen Degeneres, allows you to try and guess the word based on clues that your friends are providing. My favorite part about this game is the ability to download a Disney Parks deck, so the words will all be Disney themed! My family and I played this for a while on our last trip, and it really did make our wait go faster. There are tons of different themed decks to download, so having variety will help keep things fresh while you wait!
The best part about this app and this deck, are that you can download the game for free, and while on Disney Property, get the deck for free too! Be sure to download the app and this special Disney deck on your next trip to either Disneyland, Walt Disney World, or Aulani!
Talk to others in line
The best option to pass the time in line is to have conversations with those around you! Usually, this is your friends or family, but sometimes this might be random people. Talking to them should be fairly easy as you already have something in common with this random person…you’re at Disney! A great ice-breaker in conversations can also be talking about their Disney pins, if they are a pin trader. To learn more about pin trading and figure out how to get started, check out my review here!
Have a snack
Although you aren’t able to buy food or drinks in line and you aren’t able to take food into most attractions, using the time in line to eat is a great way to maximize your day. Eliminating the hour sitting at a table in the middle of the day can be a great way to sneak a few extra attractions in while others are sitting at a restaurant. Little kids might not be a fan of this strategy, so this might be one more focused around the adult travelers!
Mobile Ordering
With the addition of mobile ordering to many restaurants in the theme parks, you are able to place your order as you leave one ride, pick up your food, and go directly to your next line! This process helps you eliminate the wait for your food, which can be a real pain when juggling kids. This process can also help you streamline your day by allowing you to take the food you order on the MyDisneyExperience app into line with you, as mentioned in the tip above! To learn more about mobile ordering, check out my review here!
How do you like to pass the time when you wait in line? Be sure to let me know if there is anything I missed in the comments below!
