How do you feel sitting next to a stranger on a ride?

[LilyWDW]

I don't mind it at all. Move the line!

 

[scjo68]

I don't mind it at all. I have never had an issue with it at Disney, and I have had to ride with strangers many times.

I did have an awkward situation at Busch Gardens Williamsburg once.

They have Tea Cups just like at Magic Kingdom. I was with my kids and their cousins, and we were getting on the tea cups. I let the four kids ride together, and if there had been more of a line behind me, I would have skipped the ride altogether and waited for the kids to get off the ride and not taken up a teacup by myself. There was no line behind us though, so I got in a cup alone. As they were readying the ride, three young men suddenly jumped into the cup with me. It was two high school/college age boys and one younger boy. Had there been time, I would have just gotten out, but the ride was starting, and I was wedged in like a sardine. So I sat , closely squished in with them - my knees touching their sweaty knees.... Awkward! Then, They proceeded to spin the cup as fast as possible. I didn't really care, but it would has been polite to at least ask me.

Of course my kids thought it was hilarious.

That was definitely a time I would have preferred not to ride with strangers.

 

[Antaniasmom]

The first time we did this at WDW was this year when we all went single rider on Expedition Everest and Test Track. It really is the only way to get on these rides FAST and we all had enjoyable experiences while doing this. Even my daughter who was frightened of Expedition Everest but a very nice teenage boy sat next to her and calmed her fears.

 

[pjweaver]

I have a bigger issue on a six hour flight being shoe-horned between two strangers than a two minute ride where you are looking straight ahead the entire time.

 

[k8Davies]

I don't mind especially on our last two trip traveling with a little one, we either had to ride alone, on some rides, or not at all.

Although I do remember back in 2014 trip, we were going to baby swap for 7DMT, when we got to the CM to ask about it, the little one became fussy and we were going to go the hotel, I was a bit bummed about not riding it; the CM was really nice and asked if I wanted to go through the FP have a quick ride before we went back. My DH said he would be fine and I nipped on the ride.

Any who, long story short, got on the ride next to someone who had queue think the wait time was about 100 minute at the end we got a bit stuck outside the loading bay, and I got a 5 minute rant about how it wasn't worth the queue time and how awful it was, I just nodded and smiled - I didn't dare tell him about the stroke of luck I got lol..

This was thankfully just a one off and normally I get placed next to really nice people, who unfortunately have to put up with me

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Generally I don't mind and actually has resulted in some fun memories - such as on Expedition Everest where I was using single rider line and got put next to a girl who was probably around 12 or so and spend the whole ride yelling "cusre you Yeti!!!!!' - it was pretty funny

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Don't mind or care. I have traveled solo a few times so it's no biggie. I would generally say "hi" to the stranger and see how they react. If they seem friendly and talky, I would have a short conversation. If not, I wouldn't. Either way it wasn't awkward for me

I never thought about it, but HM and rides like it would be pretty weird with a stranger but I don't recall feeling weird so I probably had my own Doombuggy.

 

[rosysubmarine]

It definitely depends on the ride, like I wouldn't want to squish some poor unfortunate soul on The Little Mermaid or the Haunted Mansion, but I have fun meeting new people on rides like Test Track. If they're receptive, I usually do a little chitchat, ask them how their trip is, etc. Worst come to worst, I just enjoy the ride quietly.

 

[stayathomehero]

I'm usually fine riding with a stranger on a roller coaster or the like. Sometimes it's silent, sometimes there's a few nice mini chats.

A couple weeks ago though, I was a single rider on Rock 'N Roller Coaster, and there was a family of three. They were very upset that I was added to their group. And AS I WAS SITTING THERE, they were talking about "oh, well, he won't ruin our family photo, we'll photoshop him out."

Gee thanks. I was so tempted to be obscene in the photo but wasn't.

 

[mamamelody2]

I don't have a problem with it.

 

[KingLlama]

Duffy sucks.

 

[lady_hlh]

I was on Rock n Roller Coaster last month with a youngish boy who had been in the single rider line with his brother. It was his first time on the ride and watching his reactions was so much fun.

 

[L&Lfan]

I don't think twice.
Would I rather sit with a friend? Of course.
But I don't mind sitting with a stranger at all.

 

[Alicenwonderment]

Although I do remember back in 2014 trip, we were going to baby swap for 7DMT, when we got to the CM to ask about it, the little one became fussy and we were going to go the hotel, I was a bit bummed about not riding it; the CM was really nice and asked if I wanted to go through the FP have a quick ride before we went back. My DH said he would be fine and I nipped on the ride.


This happened to me and my bff. She had flown to FL to help me drive back home after my CP program. I didn't realize she wasn't much of a roller coaster fan. I told her she must go on Splash Mountain. After all it was a cute log flume ride that she couldn't miss. (This was in the days of no fast passes)She grabbed a snack and we figured she would eat it while we waited in line. Well we waited in line for a bit and noticed that the wait time was 80 minutes. I was like ugh! I could do this ride in January and not even have to wait to do it two times in a row. 80 minutes? I think my friend was relieved when I why don't we just forget it the wait was too long. As we were leaving the line a CM saw us and asked why we were leaving. I just said well 80 minutes is just a long time to wait. His answer "why don't you and your friend go down the exit and let the person at the front know I sent you." Wow!! I was so excited. How could I give up a chance to skip the line and ride Splash? I dragged my friend on the ride. She had thought she was saved from Splash but instead she screamed the whole ride. LA! La!! I did buy her the I survived Splash Mountain t-shirt. It was so funny she kept saying "I'm gonna die."[/QUOTE]

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I don't really care either way, sometimes it is what it is. The only time I didn't like it was on my solo trip in 2006 on the Jungle Cruise. I tripped getting into the boat and sort of fell in, right onto some dude's lap. He was very nice about it, but I just cringed the entire ride with embarrassment.

 

[elaine amj]

It's not a big deal with me. Sometimes I'll chit chat, sometimes I'll be quiet. What I didn't like at Universal was twice in a row on 2 different rides, we were a group of 3 and I'd be put next to a stranger even though each row seated 4. Why not get a single rider into the row instead of splitting my kids and I up?

Most recently I was riding EE and got paired with a single rider. Chatting in the vehicle, I find out he's from Jamaica in WDW for the first time and his family chickened out of the ride. He loved it and his mix of joy and terror was hilarious. When we all got off, he was excited to see his photo and was trying to take a pic of it with his cell. He didn't get the pic in time and was disappointed. A minute later, I remembered I had Memory Maker and could easily send him his pic. I chased after him as he left the gift shop and quickly got his email address. Later that night, I emailed him his photo. It was rather funny chasing a man down for his email address! Especially since I was with my DD16 and my father lol.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I might be one that says I prefer to ride alone. However, this is based on my previous experiences. I grew up going to Disneyland several times a week and it is practice there that they don't sit parties with strangers unless it is more than a 2-seater (Indiana Jones, Splash Mountain, Radiator Springs Racers, etc.). So, to me, I wasn't used to it. When I started to go to Walt Disney World a lot last year, I was very uncomfortable getting on rides like Big Thunder, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and other rides that don't have a single rider line with a stranger. In fact, the first time it happened, I got on the ride as if I was going to ride it alone until a CM told me to move over for another single to get on the ride with me. I was very shocked that this was the procedure at Walt Disney World.

Now, I am absolutely ok with riding on rides that HAVE a single rider line. Sometimes I go in the regular queue like Expedition Everest, because I like to sit in certain locations. I always know I will be placed with a single rider. I have also used the single rider lines on many occasions at WDW and DLR.

So, to make my answer a lot clearer...I prefer to ride alone on any attraction that doesn't have a single rider line. Once I knew the process at WDW, I would begin asking to ride alone, and the CM would always let me ride alone. When I am placed with a single rider on rides, sometimes I spark a conversation. Sometimes I don't. I also need to say that I am 6'4" with my height in my legs. I don't want my legs touching a stranger where I know the ride restraints will be tight like on 7DMT. Plus, I tend to slide on BTMR, and I don't want to ram into the person next to me on the tight turns or have the stranger ram into me. I enjoy rides a lot more when I'm alone or with friends/family.

 

[KingLlama]

Okay I've been thinking about this and here's my two cents:

There is just one moon and one golden sun. And a smile means friendship to everyone.

Just a little something I came up with off the top of my head. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[disneysteve]

I don't want my legs touching a stranger where I know the ride restraints will be tight like on 7DMT. Plus, I tend to slide on BTMR, and I don't want to ram into the person next to me

I agree with this. BTMR is not a ride where they should be pairing strangers. That would be very weird as you definitely get pushed up against each other unless you're really working hard not to.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Okay I've been thinking abou this and here's my two cents:

There is just one moon and one golden sun. And a smile means friendship to everyone.

Just a little something I came up with off the top of my head. Take it for what it's worth.

hey that's catchy!!! And the best part, there is no way it would ever get annoying no matter how many times you hear it in a loop! You've done it again Llama!