What do you do to pass time in line?

[la79al]

I was wondering what everyone does while waiting in line. DH and I have phones but the kids won't and I would rather conserve the phone for FP and pictures. I know if I don't come up with something, it will be telling the kids (4,9,11) 85 billion times to stop hitting each other, don't play with the ropes, etc.

 

[Boopuff]

Ah a modern, first world problem!! What did we do with kids prior to tech? I'm trying to remember back when we traveled with tiny ones. I'd suggest some simple games (I spy, 20 questions, Disney trivia!) or ask them some of their travel ideas. I remember awhile ago my kids had a "pal Mickey" He kept them busy in line! The lines are much more interactive today than they used to be. Have fun!

 

[Disneypro1]

We go in early May. So What lines? Honestly the lines are almost non existent then. But To pass time. I’d give them the phone. We always bring a charger that charges 4 phones one full charge. Never ran out of battery yet. Often times they just goof off and pass time.

 

[Mome Rath]

The 4 year old may be the hardest, but my brother and I were about the age of your older 2 when we first went and there were no cell phones, no video games, no nothing lol, so we all talked (up to an hour and a half for rides, as there was no FP of course). We made plans, looked at the park map, and talked to those around us when they seemed interested in conversation. My biggest tip; if you are going to venture into actual long lines, make sure everyone goes to the bathroom right before queuing up and have some water with you for waiting.

 

[StarSeven7]

We let our kids go on the Play Disney app sometimes (there's some interactive stuff based on which line you're in) and we also bring a portable battery charger. But most of the time if we're stuck for a while we eat snacks, do 20 questions, talk about what we want to do next, I also found a Disney would you rather on Pinterest that we play sometimes and my kids enjoy it!

 

[RaisingBelle]

We play games like "I'm going on a picnic.." and we change it up. Sometimes it has to be things we see from where we are in line, sometimes its disney specific - movies, characters, things we've done so far, or basics like food, etc. We also look for hidden mickeys in the queues. I usually have pens and paper in my bag so for those lines that don't move, we can draw. We pull out the map of the park and plan where we want to go after we finish this ride.

 

[Alesia]

We haven't stood in line for more than 30 minutes in decades, so we typically just talk to each other

 

[Disneypro1]

We haven't stood in line for more than 30 minutes in decades, so we typically just talk to each other

Agree. No need to anymore. FP is a great thing. And we go in May. So no long lines.

 

[Lizgistix]

Talk to the people I'm with, eavesdrop on conversations, people watch, look around at the decor, give dirty looks at people not keeping up when the line moves.

 

[loves to dive]

My son was little before tech. so we would talk or make up stories about things we saw in line. Now that he is an adult, we still talk and both have kindle on our phones so will read. And we do still stand in lines, we aren't very big planners and rarely book more than one FP at a time and that is while standing in line and never more than say 45 min. in advance. We just don't like being tied down to plans.

 

[dawnball]

I tell my kids 85 billion times to stop picking on each other and stay off the ropes.

Really though, we do the same things we do anywhere else. I spy is a current favorite. Hide and Seek (no one actually hides, we just make up outrageous places to "look" for people). With an almost 3-year old there's a lot of spelling, counting and explaining. We'll chat about the ride and how excited everyone is. We recite Daniel Tiger taglines. We play imagination games. We point out things about the queue. We'll look for people with mickey ears. I'll twirl the toddler-beast in circles or pick him up and put him down. We do silly dances. We make up secret handshakes. Generally, I'm pretty sure we make a spectacle of ourselves, but my kids aren't swinging on the ropes or running into other people, which is the line I draw. Also, I've got no shame about saying "Yeah, we picked too long of a line. Lets take a break, have a snack (or a run, or whatever) and try something else." There's no ride at Disney that's worth me spending my vacation time grumpy at my kids.

 

[Piglet99645]

We plot out next several rides ... I ask the kids to prioritize a list of rides for me (just to keep them engaged ... I usually have a plan). We talk about where to eat. Now we order food from the app. If it’s not too complicated to do so, one of us will run and grab churros and come back. I gauge everybody’s mood and need for a break. Kids are older now do it’s easier.

 

[Jobelle]

I remember 15-20 years ago as a teenager my sister was struggling with the wait at Indiana Jones in DL and driving us all crazy. My mom suggested she start 'playing' her favorite movie in her head (you've got mail). She was quiet for about ten minutes and then my mom jokingly asked her "what part are you at?" And without any hesitation my sis started quoting dialogue. It gave us all a laugh and it's something I try now to get my own (much younger than teen) girls to do - tell a story to themselves in their heads.

 

[TammyLynn33]

Yes look for fastpasses border food check wait times

 

[lulubell.f]

LOL following this for the advice! When my boyfriend and I are in line forever, usually he ends up trying to distract me while I try to be patient (which I'm really bad at being). Once, we were stuck in line for Big Thunder for 2 hours while it was broken down and I was sitting on the ground and had pulled out the pack of playing cards I always keep with me

 

[GeneralTso]

Heads Up is a fun ap that helps pass time.

 

[NYCANC]

We were invited to play Heads Up with the group in front of us. That was a lot of fun since it was not just us.

 

[Earlinkansas]

The first thing to do in line is set up your next attraction or event. Once you have a plan, there are several fun things to do in most cues, but we have played ‘heads up’ on the phone. Another fun game is to guess how many more loads before ours? How many more boats for pirates, or limos on rock’n roller coaster. It builds the anticipation and recognizes the reality that we may take some time before we get there.

 

[Summer2018]

I refuse to wait in line for more than 15-20 minutes maximum.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

One of my kids has my old phone, the other has his own. Its a prepaid phone from walmart it was 19.99 . best money ever spent. We use them at doctors visits, grocery store and today at the tax office. They really came in hand last year at Disney.
If you have amazon prime or Netflix you can DL movies or tv shows to use off line as well as games.