[Other] Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

[WICKEDBUSA]

So my fiance and I were at the park on Sunday to try out our new premium passes. We fast passed Ghost Galaxy when we first got in. The return time was 7PM so it was a while before we were able to get on (we finally got into the park around noon).

At 7PM, we finally make our way up the fast pass queue and while we are waiting, I notice a father and son cut in front of us and several other people. I was about to say something to the father and son, but that's when the line started moving.

As the father and son arrived at the front of the queue right before going into the building, the cast member asked them for their fast passes. The son began to rant about how his mom was inside with the passes. Meanwhile, the father had already disappeared into the building.

The cast member inquired as to how long it had been since the son's mom had "supposedly" entered the building. The son replies with, "About 20 minutes ago." The cast member replies with, "If she came through here 20 minutes ago, she is no longer inside the building because the queue inside is no longer than 10 minutes."

The son then proceeds to tell the cast member that he wants to go check inside to make sure his mom isn't waiting at the exit of the ride. The cast member again proceeds to tell him that he cannot let them in without a fast pass. The cast member then tells the son, "I can let you in to have you go check, but I will call the loading area to let them know to NOT load you onto the ride." Son ends up being allowed into the building.

We finally get let into the building. We ended up right behind the father and son. We get to the loading area and sure enough, they are loaded into the pre-boarding area. I informed the cast member that the father and son cut in front of us and several other people, in the fast pass line, and DID NOT even have a fast pass. So, the cast member gets on the phone and calls the other cast member that collects the fast passes.

Cast member returns to me and tells me that there's been a change of shift up there so he can't verify what I am telling him. So, in the end, the father and son who cut in line got to ride before us. I really tried to not let it get to me as I wanted to enjoy the ride, which we did, but after wards, it really upset me knowing that they got to ride and practically did not wait at all like other guests.

[DaHatTrick]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

some people just dont have lives, how rude of them to do that

[Mr. Bungle]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

Guests at the parks have indeed become more rude on the whole over the years.

[aashee]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

I hate to say, I see stuff like that quite often. It must get tiring for the CMs to know they are getting hosed but can't stop all of the liars & cheats.

[fourmountain]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

I've seen this happen more and more often at Disneyland. And, unfortunately, I've seen the CMs care less and less at the loading area. I suspect that they just don't care that much because their focus, and rightly-so, is on guest safety and operating the ride in an efficient, safe manner. However, that doesn't make the situation any less annoying for other guests.

Another twist on line-cutting happens with the single rider system. We were getting on Indy a few weeks ago when we noticed this group of four kids going through the fastpass line. When we got to the cut-off, they told the attendant that they were all single riders and he shuffled them, with us, to the corridor that leads to the stairs that go over the loading zone. When we got to the load area and the CM was grouping, they said "four" and road together. I mentioned it to the CM on our way out and she just shrugged and said "It happens. Exit's that way..." It wouldn't have been so bad if we didn't watch them do this two others time during the day. There has to be a better way to do the single rider option.

[Mr. Bungle]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

I was a single rider on Indy and there was a group of six kids who decided to take advantage of the single rider line over the 1-hour-plus wait. They were laughing and all happy with themselves for their idea, and thought they'd all get on together. The CM working the loading area did it right and only allowed on one or two single riders at a time, to fill in spaces in the cars where a row had less than four people.

[sir clinksalot]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

I don't think it's a case of the CM's caring less, it's more of a time thing. The CM's taking 5 minutes to argue with somebody regarding FP's is going to disrupt the rest of the line and make everybody else's wait a LOT longer than it would be for letting those two people on the ride.

[Mr. Bungle]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

I don't think it's a case of the CM's caring less, it's more of a time thing. The CM's taking 5 minutes to argue with somebody regarding FP's is going to disrupt the rest of the line and make everybody else's wait a LOT longer than it would be for letting those two people on the ride.

Very true. Still it's a big minus to all other guests around.

[Karalora]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

Not just at Disneyland but in life in general, people get away with gaming the system and sometimes cheating outright because it's more of a hassle to stop them than their malfeasance causes to begin with. All we can do as individuals is resolve not to be part of the problem.

For my part, if someone in my party is lagging and doesn't get in line with the rest of us, I will encourage the whole group to stand aside and let others pass us in line until the lagger arrives. If everyone did that, line-jumpers couldn't use "I'm trying to catch up to my party" as a ruse.

[Mr. Bungle]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

For my part, if someone in my party is lagging and doesn't get in line with the rest of us, I will encourage the whole group to stand aside and let others pass us in line until the lagger arrives. If everyone did that, line-jumpers couldn't use "I'm trying to catch up to my party" as a ruse.

I appreciate it when people do that, and I try to do the same.

[WICKEDBUSA]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

So in theory, if we all wanted to do so, each of us could cut to the front of the line with a book of excuses and chances are pretty good that the CM will not argue much and just let you ride? Has anyone ever seen a CM not allow someone to ride because of line cutting?

[Kasey]

[fourmountain]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

For my part, if someone in my party is lagging and doesn't get in line with the rest of us, I will encourage the whole group to stand aside and let others pass us in line until the lagger arrives. If everyone did that, line-jumpers couldn't use "I'm trying to catch up to my party" as a ruse.

Same here. I agree...if everyone did that, then that ruse would be washed-up.

[Bobd20011]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

I had something like this happen when I was waiting for Nemo, first thing when the park opened. A woman lifted the rope and cut in front of about a half hour's worth of line because she felt slighted because there was a ticket taking problem at the park’s entrance. My wife and I, and the woman’s family, were stuck while hundreds of people swarmed into the park. At first I was really frustrated, and for a moment I let it put a damper on my morning. I had to wait, even though I got up early, why shouldn’t she?

Then after I took a deep breath, and took a Disneyland trivia book out of my backpack, I began to ignore the incident. Moments later a child waiting in front of me asked about the hidden Mickey book that my wife was reading. We had a very pleasant conversation with the young man and he looked through our books while we waited. Overall, it turned out to be one of the more pleasant line waiting experiences of our trip.

What did I learn from this experience? When I am at the happiest place on earth, I try not to let other people’s actions affect the magic.

[Draco]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

We see Space Mountain line cutters all the time when going up the Fast Pass line. They think they're getting away with something and rush up only to be turned away by the CM collecting the fast passes at the door. It's always fun to flash a big smirk and a Nelson "ha ha" at them when they turn back after being unsuccessful in their line cutting attempt. I can imagine people are doing it more and being more creative with their lies now with GG lines being so long.

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

Another twist on line-cutting happens with the single rider system. We were getting on Indy a few weeks ago when we noticed this group of four kids going through the fastpass line. When we got to the cut-off, they told the attendant that they were all single riders and he shuffled them, with us, to the corridor that leads to the stairs that go over the loading zone. When we got to the load area and the CM was grouping, they said "four" and road together. I mentioned it to the CM on our way out and she just shrugged and said "It happens. Exit's that way..." It wouldn't have been so bad if we didn't watch them do this two others time during the day. There has to be a better way to do the single rider option.

I witnessed the exact same thing on Indy just this last Sunday. It was an older teenage couple, quite obviously very in love with each other. God forbid Romeo and Juliet can't sit together for a 4 minute ride...

[hollywood1939]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

I've seen this happen from time to time. Sometimes they get caught, sometimes they don't.

What's really frustrating is when people hold spots in the line for other members of their party. I'm ok with 1 or 2 but one time at Matterhorn just before we got to the front this lady in front of us let in about 8 people. That's quite annoying.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

I'm just glad I read this thread before buying an annual pass. I'll spend my money on something else.
If they're not going to enforce that you even have a fast pass, then what good is the fast pass line at all?

[DuffyGuardian]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

Im not suprised at the father and the son. It drives me crazy, but what can you do as a fellow guest?

I am also not suprised at the CM. When I worked at DL many years ago, if there was a problem with a guest, the lead would be called and would take care of it. Most likely the guest would get what they wanted, even if it was against policy, as long as saftey wasn't compromised. I had an issue with a guest while working, my lead was called, the guest got what they wanted and that was that. So I thought. The guest reported me to City Hall, I got a complaint. My manager met with me, saying I had a complaint and they had talked to the lead and knows I was just following orders and did nothing wrong. I wasn't in trouble, but this complaint was left on my record.

Im not sure what happens if CM get to many complaints, but I think CM are letting things slip because they don't want a complaint from a guest, when the CM is following the guidelines set up for where ever they work as long as it doesn't effect the saftey. Saftey is still first.

I think if a CM is going by the rules Disney sets up and a guest complains, the lead gives in(making the CM look bad) then when a complain in that matter comes in, it shouldn't be left on the CM record. Because this will be the start of things not so great for Disney.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Line Cutting Experience Over the Weekend

You would think that the process of the CM calling the lead over and then the guest having to plead their case with the lead would be embarrassing enough for the guest, that would deter them from trying to cheat in the future.

If they're not going to enforce that you actually have a fast pass in your hand, then they should do away with the fast pass system altogether. It's really just a stopgap measure and it's unfair really, all it does is shift the burden of waiting from some guests to other guests. I'd like to think that Walt Disney would frown on that.

Why don't they put up more signs, like "A valid Fast Pass is required for each guest." Also signs, "Cutting in line is prohibited. Saving space in lines is prohibited." And design the queues to be more contained so that you can't cut in somewhere, the only way to get in is at the end of the line.