M&G etiquette

[ArwenMarie]

I guess assume that each person could have up to ten people joining them later?

So if there are 20 people on line, it could be 20 or 200 in reality.

 

[Keels]

I really wish that for character meets like this, that Disney would do something different than waiting in a hot line for two hours. Like - they have PLENTY of data to use to establish a hard-pass return time for these M&Gs. Starting an hour before the party, you can go up to Seven Dwarfs and get a return time for every member in your party. You have a ticket, you can come back. You don't? Sorry.

I've only been to the parties by myself, so I'm not waiting two hours by myself in a hot line.

 

[Capang]

I really wish that for character meets like this, that Disney would do something different than waiting in a hot line for two hours. Like - they have PLENTY of data to use to establish a hard-pass return time for these M&Gs. Starting an hour before the party, you can go up to Seven Dwarfs and get a return time for every member in your party. You have a ticket, you can come back. You don't? Sorry.

I've only been to the parties by myself, so I'm not waiting two hours by myself in a hot line.

Yes! I've wondered this myself.

 

[999_Happy_Haunts]

I really wish that for character meets like this, that Disney would do something different than waiting in a hot line for two hours. Like - they have PLENTY of data to use to establish a hard-pass return time for these M&Gs. Starting an hour before the party, you can go up to Seven Dwarfs and get a return time for every member in your party. You have a ticket, you can come back. You don't? Sorry.

I've only been to the parties by myself, so I'm not waiting two hours by myself in a hot line.

If we can now order cheeseburgers in advance using our phones, booking a 5-10 minute window to see characters can't be far behind. Five years ago, none of what we do now was envisioned. Five years from now we will be doing things that we cannot envision today. Rest assured that Disney hates lines more than we do. Other than cost, it is the single biggest complaint that guests have causing them to not want to return. Disney will work overtime to make old fashioned lines a thing of the past.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I understand the perspective that the line would be just as long if they all waited or not and all that. But, for me, it's the principle of the thing even if the math doesn't matter.

Unfortunately for my kids, if there's a character they want to meet that badly, they'll have to wait with us. We are not going to leave someone to babysit the line while they get to galavant around doing other things and then swoop in at the last minute to get the reward.

If they want to meet the high demand character, they are going to have to choose waiting for that over other experiences and put the work in to get the reward.

If some of us want to wait and some don't or can't due to age, we'll split up.

 

[999_Happy_Haunts]

Unfortunately for my kids, if there's a character they want to meet that badly, they'll have to wait with us...

If they want to meet the high demand character, they are going to have to choose waiting for that over other experiences and put the work in to get the reward.

A perfectly logical approach to take for instilling a life lesson.

 

[IanDLBZF from MCMagic]

My son would love to meet Moana at MNSSHP. He's 3. We are not going to wait for Moana...because he's 3. There's no way he can wait for an hour in line. His sister is 1 - she definitely cannot an hour in a line. I thought about having grandparents take 1 year old to do something else, but then the 3 year old would want to go with them and I would be panicking about them not being back in time and/or feeling like I'm cheating because he did not wait too.

Suggestion - get in the line as early as you possibly can, preferably before the party even starts and the line begins to form. I did this during MVMCP last year with Nick & Judy (got in line by 5:30 ish, they came out at 6:15, meet them by 6:22) and it worked out well.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You will get a lot of varied opinions on this. But in this particular situation, I think it is fine. Someone is in line as a placeholder for the family and it is extreme to expect children to wait in a 3 hour line. However, I would object if a large group of college kids did this and each wanted a picture. A family - yes. Other types of groups - no.

Odd that for you at Disney World, a place meant for all individuals of all ages, you put your line in the sand at only families (which by the way have many different meanings not just those who have children and by the way at what age of the children do you consider families with children to be a part of your exception).

I wonder if you had your adult (I would consider college kids adults) with you if you would feel the same way. Or if you had your parents with you if you would feel the same way.

 

[michelle06]

Odd that for you at Disney World, a place meant for all individuals of all ages, you put your line in the sand at only families (which by the way have many different meanings not just those who have children and by the way at what age of the children do you consider families with children to be a part of your exception).

I wonder if you had your adult (I would consider college kids adults) with you if you would feel the same way. Or if you had your parents with you if you would feel the same way.

This is not how I meant to come across at all. I agree with most everyone on here. I think that someone holding a place for your small party (like a family - define how you will) so that small children can eat, go to the bathroom, sit on a bench, etc and not stand in a 3 hour line is ok. Like others, I don't feel that this ends up lengthening the line as you likely will take the same time with characters. The problem I would have is with a bunch of adults (or college kids as my example, or any other type of group that fits here) or those who could more easily stand in line going off and doing rides while not having to wait in line and then all want their own pictures.
Elderly parents/grandparents could go sit and then come back in line as well to see their grandchildren interact with the character. There are many people who cannot stand in a long line due to medical issues, medicine they are on, or what not. Some younger folk may just have a bad case of plantar fasciitis right before their trip. Wouldn't expect them to miss Jack Sparrow as a result! And small children get especially unruly when they are bored. I don't fault these people for not being able to stand in a line and yet still want to see a character. Those that can do the line should. Those that can't, let's give them grace. Those who take advantage, tell them no. That's all.

 

[michelle06]

Why is it OK for a family but not a group of college kids? Disney's official if unenforced policy is no line cutting. If someone, be it part of a family or some college kids, is off having a good time riding rides elsewhere instead of waiting on a three hour long M&G line then they are cutting the line when they finally decide to show up just in time to meet the characters. Just because one person was waiting in line "holding places" for a group, any group, doesn't change the fact that the rest of their party who wasn't there waiting on line are now cutting the line they didn't wait on. It doesn't matter whether it's a family, a group of college kids or a bunch of retirees, line cutting is line cutting. I agree with MickeyWaffles. Bathroom breaks or grabbing some food & then rejoining the line are fine. Going off to ride some rides while 1 or 2 members of a party "hold places" is definitely not OK.

I agree with you and what you said is what I meant. I don't think a placeholder is ok so everyone else can go ride rides and not have to wait. But I know bathroom breaks happen at inconvenient times and getting food and coming back is ok with me. I have some foot trouble and need to sit down. It is very hard for me to stand 3 hours straight. Yet, I do not use a wheelchair or scooter. I don't use any accommodations and generally get around fine. However, I would like to be able to go sit for a bit and come back. These kinds of things. So, I think we agree. I just didn't communicate it well. I gave the example of college kids as an example of a group that should be able to wait, might go off and do rides and come back. That's not ok. But families should not do that either. But I don't think leaving line and coming back is bad either under certain circumstances. You just don't always know their reason.

 

[michelle06]

I really wish that for character meets like this, that Disney would do something different than waiting in a hot line for two hours. Like - they have PLENTY of data to use to establish a hard-pass return time for these M&Gs. Starting an hour before the party, you can go up to Seven Dwarfs and get a return time for every member in your party. You have a ticket, you can come back. You don't? Sorry.

I've only been to the parties by myself, so I'm not waiting two hours by myself in a hot line.

This is good! Just like taking a number at the deli counter You get your number when you arrive and come back later. That would allow so much more freedom and less stress.

Another plan would just be offering more characters. There are so many more villains that could be there! That would disperse the crowds a bit.

 

[slpeters]

X = X. It always has and always will. No matter what scenario you want to offer up for the family's behavior once they get to the front of the line and interact with the character--(picture with just the kids. Now the kids and grandma. Now the kids and the parents. Now just grandma. And on and on); that behavior is a "constant" and is not impacted by whether the kids and grandma waited in line or not. If a family is going to spend 8 minutes with a character after having some of them wait in line, that same family is going to take 8 minutes with a character after having all of them wait in line. 8 minutes = 8 minutes. The act of waiting in line, (or not), does not alter the family's behavior once they get to the character to take photos.

This only makes sense if you assume that everyone waits in every line or at the very least that people have no choice whatsoever what lines they stand in. There may only be one line for the individual M&G but there are a whole bunch of lines/activities one could be participating in instead of that individual M&G. Otherwise there wouldn't be that much use for place holding to begin with. Yes, twenty people each holding places for nine other people will take the same amount of time as two hundred people standing in line. But all sorts of people are going to join the supposedly twenty person line who would never even consider joining the two hundred person line.

 

[999_Happy_Haunts]

But all sorts of people are going to join the supposedly twenty person line who would never even consider joining the two hundred person line.

But this is the same poor logic that people use when they set their alarm clocks ahead by 10 minutes. How many days in a row can you wake up and say: "Fooled myself again!"? How many times can you get in a line that has 30 people in it who are actually placeholders for 120 people before you realize that a line with 30 people in it isn't really a line with 30 people in it. You assume that humans do not learn from past experiences. Again, we are only talking about the fairly unique circumstance of outdoor character meet and greets at parties. How long would it take people to understand that due to the limited opportunity to see certain characters coupled with the limited hours of the event itself results in the implementation of a new line paradigm whereby a line with 30 people in it really isn't? One time when out in the field and 30 seconds if you read chat boards. You aren't going to be fooled more than once after you see mom and 2 kids join up with dad as he gets to the front of the line and then that procedure repeats itself for 25 out of the 30 people who were in front of you. The lightbulb will go on.

 

[maxiesmom]

But this is the same poor logic that people use when they set their alarm clocks ahead by 10 minutes. How many days in a row can you wake up and say: "Fooled myself again!"? How many times can you get in a line that has 30 people in it who are actually placeholders for 120 people before you realize that a line with 30 people in it isn't really a line with 30 people in it. You assume that humans do not learn from past experiences. Again, we are only talking about the fairly unique circumstance of outdoor character meet and greets at parties. How long would it take people to understand that due to the limited opportunity to see certain characters coupled with the limited hours of the event itself results in the implementation of a new line paradigm whereby a line with 30 people in it really isn't? One time when out in the field and 30 seconds if you read chat boards. You aren't going to be fooled more than once after you see mom and 2 kids join up with dad as he gets to the front of the line and then that procedure repeats itself for 25 out of the 30 people who were in front of you. The lightbulb will go on.

People shouldn't have to figure that all out. Who is in line should be who is in line. People shouldn't have to run computer programs to figure out how many people are really in line. Who is in line are the ones standing in line. We all learn that by the time we are 6. Disney World shouldn't be any different.

 

[Gehrig1B]

But this is the same poor logic that people use when they set their alarm clocks ahead by 10 minutes.

Time to give it up I'm afraid. I am with you on this but there is a significant group that logic does not apply. Fundamentally, their view is illogical but they hang on to the notion "this is what I believe is the correct behavior and I am going to allow the behavior of those that fail to meet my definition of good behavior upset me", even though that behavior does nothing to effect their ultimate objective (the meet and greet). It's not about being in line longer to them, it's all about other people's behavior doesn't meet their standards of behavior. Maybe we should just worry about our own behavior and move on.

 

[AngiTN]

Time to give it up I'm afraid. I am with you on this but there is a significant group that logic does not apply. Fundamentally, their view is illogical but they hang on to the notion "this is what I believe is the correct behavior and I am going to allow the behavior of those that fail to meet my definition of good behavior upset me", even though that behavior does nothing to effect their ultimate objective (the meet and greet). It's not about being in line longer to them, it's all about other people's behavior doesn't meet their standards of behavior. Maybe we should just worry about our own behavior and move on.

And it's a real shame that they let the behavior of others impact their trip to the point that they have a bad time, even for a few moments. Channeling their inner Elsa, and letting it go, would be so much better. You pay so much money to go on a trip to Disney. I try to let anything outside of my control go. Because it is you know, outside of my control and as such, nothing I can do about it. Getting bent out of shape does nothing but spoil my fun. And if it's even for 5 min, that's 5 min of time I won't get back.

 

[AngiTN]

This is not how I meant to come across at all. I agree with most everyone on here. I think that someone holding a place for your small party (like a family - define how you will) so that small children can eat, go to the bathroom, sit on a bench, etc and not stand in a 3 hour line is ok. Like others, I don't feel that this ends up lengthening the line as you likely will take the same time with characters. The problem I would have is with a bunch of adults (or college kids as my example, or any other type of group that fits here) or those who could more easily stand in line going off and doing rides while not having to wait in line and then all want their own pictures.
Elderly parents/grandparents could go sit and then come back in line as well to see their grandchildren interact with the character. There are many people who cannot stand in a long line due to medical issues, medicine they are on, or what not. Some younger folk may just have a bad case of plantar fasciitis right before their trip. Wouldn't expect them to miss Jack Sparrow as a result! And small children get especially unruly when they are bored. I don't fault these people for not being able to stand in a line and yet still want to see a character. Those that can do the line should. Those that can't, let's give them grace. Those who take advantage, tell them no. That's all.

Is the bold really a rampant problem at Party M&G? I'm honestly curious. Are there a lot of groups/families that have 1 member willing to give up a huge chunk of their time so everyone else in their family can have fun without them? I just don't imagine that there are. I do think there are quite a few of the other scenarios, where you have someone in place while another adult takes the littles off to do something or the Grands go sit on a bench and join up later. Most families are forgiving for those situations but you aren't going to find too many adults that want to stand in line while all their teen kids go off and ride for hours without them, are you? How horribly boring would that be? I love my family but I'm not giving up hours in line so they go can ride without me. I wanna go ride too

 

[tomlinson]

I've read through this thread, and I genuinely never gave a second thought to something like this. Now granted, I don't ever line up to meet characters. It isn't something that interests me, so I've really never thought about an etiquette for this. I know I would be annoyed if a group left one individual and went and did other things in the park - but... how would I even know that's what is going on? I mean, if they come back with food for the group, or a souvenir then yeah, it's obvious what they were doing. I'm not sure that would bother me though. They came back. I think the only circumstance that would really irk me is if at the very last second of waiting, a group came and joined their designated person in line. The realization that suddenly there are say 8 people and not just 1, would definitely bother me.

At the end of the day, while annoying and often times rude, I would try not to let it ruin my experience. There are worse things that I could have to deal with, yeah?

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

People shouldn't have to figure that all out. Who is in line should be who is in line. People shouldn't have to run computer programs to figure out how many people are really in line. Who is in line are the ones standing in line. We all learn that by the time we are 6. Disney World shouldn't be any different.

Exactly.

Want to meet the character? Stand in line. Chances are you have been doing it since you started school. If not, check out any grocery or big box store. Or go to the DMV and get your experience there.

 

[slpeters]

But this is the same poor logic that people use when they set their alarm clocks ahead by 10 minutes. How many days in a row can you wake up and say: "Fooled myself again!"? How many times can you get in a line that has 30 people in it who are actually placeholders for 120 people before you realize that a line with 30 people in it isn't really a line with 30 people in it. You assume that humans do not learn from past experiences. Again, we are only talking about the fairly unique circumstance of outdoor character meet and greets at parties. How long would it take people to understand that due to the limited opportunity to see certain characters coupled with the limited hours of the event itself results in the implementation of a new line paradigm whereby a line with 30 people in it really isn't? One time when out in the field and 30 seconds if you read chat boards. You aren't going to be fooled more than once after you see mom and 2 kids join up with dad as he gets to the front of the line and then that procedure repeats itself for 25 out of the 30 people who were in front of you. The lightbulb will go on.

I've honestly never given this any thought before this thread, but that's ridiculous. So you're saying one should give up any notion whatsoever of knowing how long the line is?