Standing in Line Can Be Fun!
Maggie Ballantyne2.9.19I don’t know anyone who loves standing in line waiting to ride an attraction. At Disney when a ride is developed, every detail is thought out from the entrance of the queue through the exit of the ride. There are details or a story to follow, there is an introduction to the ride to set the stage, there are hidden Mickeys to look for, and much more! In recent years, Disney has gone one step further to refurbishing and developing queues to make them interactive and to help pass the time. These are great especially if you are traveling with kids. Let’s take a look at the interactive queues in the Magic Kingdom:Seven Dwarfs Mine TrainThere is so much to see and do while waiting in this queue! Guests can spin and play with the gems that our favorite dwarfs have mined. When the gems hit the right light, look up at the beautiful projections they create on the ceiling. There is also a line of tables with floating gems that guests can move around to create different combinations. Do you or your kids like music? Walk past the fountains to play different tones and watch different colored water create a fun display of both color and sound.The Many Adventures of Winnie the PoohIn my opinion, this is by far the loudest, but most interactive queue line. After taking a peak into Pooh’s house or seeing Eeyore’s house of sticks, guests move to Rabbit’s garden where there is a very large area for kids to run around and play. There are drums to beat, games to play, and pinwheels to spin. Listen closely to the buzz of the bees! You can move bees from hive to hive on the metal track along the queue. At the end, there is an interactive digital wall of dripping honey. Guests can write their name, draw a picture, or wipe away the honey to reveal a familiar face or two.
Peter Pan’s FlightThis queue is designed to take you through the Darling’s home. When you move through the bedroom of Wendy, Michael, and John, you will see Tinkerbell flying around and popping up around different objects. Just follow the sound and her golden glow. There is also a wall of shadows that will show each guests’ shadow along with Peter Pan’s shadow. When your shadow appears, you can interact with the other shadows. For example, there are shadow bells hanging from the ceiling and your shadow can ring them. If you hold out your hand, a butterfly may even land in your shadow’s hand!
Under the Sea- Journey of the Little MermaidThis air conditioned que is one of my favorites in Disney World, not just because of the interactions, but because of how beautiful the details are. Scuttle makes an appearance to entertain guests of all ages with his stories and jokes. There is also a little blue crab that appears in several places along the line waiting to interact with guests. He has “who’s its and what’s its galore” that he will sort and play with as guests point to them and he responds accordingly.When you are exiting this ride and crossing the bridge to head back into Fantasyland, be sure to look to your right at the rocks. There is a giant Steamboat Willie hidden Mickey that most guests walk right past!DumboIn the redesign of Fantasyland, Disney added a second Dumbo ride and they created a paging system for families waiting to ride. If families get in the standby line, they are given a pager that will let them know when it is their turn to ride. While they wait, families can hang out in an air conditioned circus tent and play on the playground to pass the time.The Haunted Mansion
This is my favorite queue in all of the Disney theme parks. This queue takes you through interactive elements and the graveyard. There is a bookshelf with books that just can’t seem to stay on the shelf, an organ that plays music, and a casket that was recused from the bottom of the ocean that will be sure to surprise guests as they are waiting in the Florida heat. When you approach the five busts in the queue, take a moment to read how each one died. This is actually a short murder mystery and if you put the clues together, you can figure out which one is the murderer. Lastly, before you enter the mansion, take a look at Madame Leota’s tombstone to your left. Don’t blink! You might miss it!If you love the queues in the Magic Kingdom, then make sure to check out more in other Disney theme parks. Another favorite of mine is Soarin’ in Epcot. Soarin’ has one of the simplest queues, where you can play trivia games along the way. Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest and Flight of Passage have some of the most detailed queue lines I have ever seen. The queues for Tower of Terror and Midway Mania in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, also have queues that fit the theme perfectly with details that guests will not forget.
If you would like to learn more about Walt Disney World attractions, please contact me at maggie@wishesfamilytravel.com or follow my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wishesfamilytravelmaggie