People wanting to ride together

enfynet said:

What is everyone's thoughts on mid-line vending machine etiquette?

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I was at Cedar Point, and getting ready to enter the line for Gemini, when I was stopped by the girl at the entrance, and told that I could not bring my pop into the line, I had to either drink it, or dump it out. I just looked at her and said, you have to be kidding me! Are you serious? And, she said, just telling you what the rules are.

Then I said to her...So, you sell pop in line from machines, but once someone buys that pop, they are not allowed to drink it in line? That doesn't make any damn sense. Then she says, dump your pop, or leave the line. So, I stood right there, and blocked the que, until I finished my soda. Damn, if I am going to pay near $5.00 for a soda, then be told I can't drink it. I only had a few gulps left, so it wasn't long. But, that really made me mad.

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Also, what are the thoughts about a line forming outside a ride that is closed? When walking to the entrance of a ride normally, it's just a matter of who gets there first. But when it's closed, no one is actually in line yet. Now, I think the courteous thing to do is enter as part of the line outside the ride entrance. But what about holding places in line there? You haven't entered the queue yet. Is that still line jumping?

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I did that for Top Thrill dragster, and it worked well for me, because I was in the second train out of the station when the ride opened, and the line operators, did a good job of making sure that nobody cut in front of anyone, with a small group of 30, that turned into several hundred as soon as it started testing. Got on Top Thrill in under 5 mintues, when I returned to the que for a re-ride, the wait time was at an hour and a half.

So sometimes waiting works well.

If the line is on a midway, then people can join the line with their group, once you are in the queue line proper (or an extended queue the park erected) then all normal line rules apply.

In my opinion, once you enter the queue, you're in line, ala RCT. For instance, if I'm walking through a bunch of switchbacks (as I'm supposed to according to the park rules) and someone ducks or hops over the rails to get ahead of me, I consider that cutting. I rarely care or do anything about it, but I do consider it cutting. Especially since it's not actually going to save them time (well, I suppose the fact that they cut me is saving them time, so...).

What about vending machines in line? Do you lose your spot? How do you re-enter the line?

Vending machines and vendors that are in the line, are in the line. Said person can rejoin his group after purchase.

Hmmm... I wonder why the FastLane attendant in Mantis' line felt otherwise.

Why can't the line in back of the person using the vending machine stop and wait to advance until the person is finished with the machine? It's not like anyone will get to the ride vehicle any faster if they stop advancing for a minute.

Outside the queue? If people are lined up, and someone cuts, it's cutting the way I see it anyways. What's to stop me from just cutting in line at the front for no reason if that was the case?

Touchdown said:

If the line is on a midway, then people can join the line with their group, once you are in the queue line proper (or an extended queue the park erected) then all normal line rules apply.

I'm not sure how that's not cutting. What's special about the lack of aluminum rails that negates the value of social etiquette?

^Because more often then not people from the groups are putting crap in lockers or something else. Im usually in parks alone, but people do this all the time, it is pervasive, and its just not something that bothers me or anyone else in those lines for the most part. You are still on the midway, and odds are you have been in line for less then 10 minutes, so people who are joining groups arent cutting in front of too many people.

Timber-Rider said:

Got on Top Thrill in under 5 mintues, when I returned to the que for a re-ride, the wait time was at an hour and a half.

So sometimes waiting works well.

So, when does your "waiting" time begin? The 45 minutes to an hour or maybe longer waiting outside of the queue for a closed/testing ride, or does time begin only once you've entered the queue? Because it seems like you "waited" a lot longer than 5 minutes for your ride on Dragster.

Touchdown said:

^Because more often then not people from the groups are putting crap in lockers or something else.

Is there a limit to how many people you'd allow to have spots saved for them in front of you? For example, for Math & Physics week, would you allow an entire bus load or two to jump ahead of you?

Short version: If you have 2 groups of 2 riding together, YOU do the extra waiting. If you have more than 4 people in your party and are trying to get organized, I'm willing to wait an extra train.

But, as noted in the other thread, I may be a little too nice... ;~)

LostKause said:
Why can't the line in back of the person using the vending machine stop and wait to advance until the person is finished with the machine? It's not like anyone will get to the ride vehicle any faster if they stop advancing for a minute.

Outside the queue? If people are lined up, and someone cuts, it's cutting the way I see it anyways. What's to stop me from just cutting in line at the front for no reason if that was the case?

I agree that it would be ideal for everyone behind me to wait while I used the over-priced vending machines. (who's doing that, anyway?) But usually the machines are positioned in a cubby slightly off the path which encourages people to pass by while I struggle to find money then make my selection. Line Mentality tells people somebody got out of line and they'll get there faster if they pass em by. Never mind the fact that the person or party will wiggle ahead to reclaim their spot in line anyway.

Outside the queue follows the same rules of etiquette as any other line. A line is a line, is a line,... We see people queued up outside all the time, at the movies, the arena, at restaurants, and we wouldn't dream of stepping ahead. If I see a line along side the fence at TTD and feel like getting in I go to the end of the line and my wait starts there.

I admit I violated that rule once at Dorney while in line at Guest Relations for a Coasting for Kids event. I'm sure Carrie would be happy to tell you all about it.

As for vending machines, I don't mind if it takes you a minute and you want to jump back up and re-join your party. That's such a small thing in the grand scheme of life. I'm not even totally opposed to someone having to leave to use the restroom or whatever. It happens, and I would hope I'd be extended that courtesy if the need arose.

It was the worst display of line cutting I've ever seen...at a charitable event no less! ;-)

I'm really not that concerned with folks who step out of line and come back. That has no bearing on my wait time whatsoever, so I really don't care. It's the folks who show up out of nowhere to be with their friends that sometimes gets me. And to be honest, I only really care about that if they seem rude about it. Sometimes they ask if it's ok and I'll just say sure.

Fortunately, it doesn't happen enough to me to cause me concern. I wouldn't even suspect in the grand scheme of things that the amount it happens warrants an extra ride cycle wait.

It's all bets are off at Guest Relations at a Coasting for Kids event, however! :-)

sirloindude said:
That's such a small thing in the grand scheme of life.

Absolutely. I wonder how many people in line care or think about it the way we seem to. Probably not many.

I'm reminded just now of a guy I saw in line for a ride at Cedar Point. As a Professional Line Nazi and Junior Policeman he felt it his duty to stand on tiptoe, crane his neck, and occasionally jump up and down looking for infractions and calling them out. It didn't matter if the violators were in front or behind him, or if it was legit, he wasn't having it. It got to be hilarious, he was a big doofus with a loud voice and we wound up spending a good deal of time with him. It got to where people would duck under the rails, trade places and then go back on the next pass, just so they could watch his head fly off again.

Good times in line...

LostKause said:
Why can't the line in back of the person using the vending machine stop and wait to advance until the person is finished with the machine? It's not like anyone will get to the ride vehicle any faster if they stop advancing for a minute.

That would be the polite and neighborly thing to do, except on a hot day it's hundreds of people every hour that are doing that. The end result is an empty queue beyond the machines leading up to the ride.

During the first years of Millennium Force, food services would wheel out their vending carts into the MF queue and sell warm drinks near the start of the line. I say warm, because the bottles sold so fast they didn't sit in the ice very long before being purchased. So many guests would hold up the line buying soda, that eventually the entire queue would empty out, save for the small portion before the ramp. The end result would be more visitors baking in the hot sun while waiting in the uncovered portable portion of the temporary queues as perfectly good shaded queue went unused. This of course led to more warm soda sales and a vicious circle that went on and on until the ride crew went in and tried to move the line along.

It's all bets are off at Guest Relations at a Coasting for Kids event, however! :-)

Funny, I always thought you were nicer in person than online.

Oh well.

I've noticed that some groups act like it's the end of the world if they don't all get to ride together. I never did understand that mentality. The larger the group the more impossible it is to get everyone on the same train, especially when the park is crowded. It's not going to kill them to wait on their friends if they aren't too far behind. :)

I've never been asked by anyone if they could cut in front of me to join up with their friends, but I probably wouldn't have a problem with it if they asked nicely. I also don't have a problem with people catching up with their friends while they are getting a soda or snack while in the queue. Other than that I have a HUGE problem with (illegal) cutting, especially when they think they can do it and get by with it. Adults are just as bad as the kids.

Most people are respectful and courteous, but there are always the few who think they own the place and can do whatever they want without consequences.

And don't even get me started on people who still try to smoke in line or the ones who block the entrance while arguing with their friends about whether they want to ride or not. ;)

-Tina

OhioStater said:

Funny, I always thought you were nicer in person than online.

Oh well.

Not where Guest Relations...or babies...are concerned.