The Magic of Disney World Queues

Lines at any amusement park are to be expected. That is no different when going to a Disney Park. Disney World brings in 55 million+ visitors every year, so you can expect to wait. The good thing is that Disney understands the “queue”. They also understand that they have to keep you busy so you don’t realize you have been waiting for 2 hours to ride Toy Story Mania (well worth a 2 hour wait by the way, IMHO)! Many rides now have interactive queues where guests can play games while waiting. From Dumbo to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh to the Haunted Mansion to the brand-new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Disney Parks has updated what has traditionally been the worst part of the ride ~ and turning that around. Every ride at Disney has a story, and Disney immerses you in that story from the time you walk into a line. From the story, to the music, to the decorations, Disney is an immersive experience like no other! Let’s take Toy Story Mania for example, where you enter the world of Andy’s room: large “Sorry” pieces, “Barrel of Monkeys” everywhere, and even a talking Mr. Potato Head. The Tower of Terror is another example of this fantastic theming that takes place from the moment you step into the line.

The Safari in The Animal Kingdom even has a video talking about poaching and the reservations made strictly for the ride. My personal favorite is Rock “N” Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith’s queue. When you walk up there is a huge guitar with roller coaster rails and a recording studio. I mean, the studio even has a name (G Force Records). You get into the building and there are records and posters all over the walls. Then, you go into a recording studio where “Aerosmith” is practicing before a “gig” in LA. Their manager comes to get them and they ask to make sure their “guests” get a ride to the concert. That is when you walk in and load into cars and the car is a limousine. You could wait forever and it would never seem like it. For me, this is what really sets Disney apart. They “get” what the guests want and do everything they can to exceed those expectations.