Fast Pass Line Etiquette?

[Daisy'sMom]

We went to Epcot yesterday and I have a question for everyone. I decided to park the EVC (just had a back fusion 8 weeks ago) and walk into THE LAND when it was time for our Soarin fastpass.
While walking up the fastpass lane we encountered what I thought was rude behavior. I was walking with my cane and I know that I don't walk really fast right now, but I was going at a good clip. After we had gotten half way thru the area, three people from Japan came running up and said to DH, let us by please. They were racing, looked like speed walking to me. DH got a bit angry and said, "No, we are in line, you are being rude."
My question is, were we wrong and should we have allowed them to go ahead of us? We went about another 15 feet and had tostop for the back up and fast pass collection. This has bothered me all night. Should we have let them ahead of us because I was not walking as fast? DH says no, they were wrong. Your thoughts...:mickey:
Thanks

[lettripp]

I think you were right not to let them go ahead of you in line. The Fastpass line is a line like any other. Once you pass the first CM, that is the order in which you should board!

[TheVBs]

You absolutely did the right thing. A line is a line. It wouldn't be acceptable for someone to zoom past you in the regular line, it's not acceptable in the FP line either. :thumbsup: to your DH! :mickey:

[pink]

If someone has less groceries than you in the store and you know your transaction is going to take longer are you supposed to let the person with the less amount of items go first? No, it would be nice of you but it is not expected, you were there first.

The same thing goes for this situation. They were on a line, they came in after you, they have to wait. The fastpass line is sometimes used for wheelchair and disabeled people too. Don't worry, you did nothing wrong. :mickey:

[Mendelson]

I've never understood these people - when you know there's going to be a line (and when isn't there a line??) - who climb up your back as you walk along. The ride isn't going anywhere! A lot of a WDW is hurry-up-and-wait, so why hurry?? People even do this when you can SEE the end of the line. What is the rush?

Obviously, you were completely in the right.

When I'm in a queue where we have a long way to walk before we reach the end of the line and it's a queue I don't mind or even enjoy - such is the case often with ToT or TSM - we take our sweet time, soaking in atmosphere. When people rush up behind us I simply wave them by, as opposed to having someone essentially stepping on my heels. Better for the stress levels of both parties. Then, of course I know exactly where to stand in the ToT library and often end up in front of them anyway. ;)

[Scorpiosammy]

I could not agree more with the previous poster's replies. Whether or not the line is standby or fast pass it is still a line. I have found that most people behave worse at Disney than at an establishment at home (ie: the "I will never see these folks again" mentality). I sure hope those people don't act that way at their local supermarket! :-o

Walk at whatever pace you feel comfortable with and if they don't like it, then tough ;) It is not an express lane, it is a queue at Disney where everyone should wait their turn :) And yeah, what is up with folks all up in your personal bubble while you are waiting two hours in a line for Space Mountain? Does being right on top of the guests in front of you really going to get you on the ride any faster? :thedolls:

[LauraByTheSea]

You had every right to say no. It's one thing to offer to let someone pass, but it should not be expected of you. And it rude of them to even ask!

[medic9016]

I depends on how they ask to go by, I think you should have let them get by. If they were rude and demanded to get by, I would not of let them by either. I was at WDW after knee surgery and I let people pass with no problem.
Do yo get upset when you are passed in your car?

[jlmct52]

I applaud you. No one could possibly be in that big of a hurry that getting 2 people ahead is going to make their world perfect.

Also, I have to disagree with the letter that compared the line to a grocery store line. Sorry, this is a completely different animal.

[Scar]

... three people from Japan came running up and said to DH, let us by please. First of all, you should not feel bothered, you're husband had every right to say no if that's what he felt.

I think it depends on how they asked. It's hard to judge with someone who may not speak the language well, but were they really rude? I mean, If they they were nicely asking (they did say please) then I think I would have let them pass. Either way, I never let that stuff bother me when I'm on vacation.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

If I was taking an especially long time, looking at things in the queue, "hidden" things, hidden Mickey's, etc, then I would offer to let people go ahead of me. But, otherwise, especially when there is a "line" ahead, it wasn't going to matter, and I agree that I wouldn't have let them pass, we're all in the line together :).

[Kenny1113]

And yeah, what is up with folks all up in your personal bubble while you are waiting two hours in a line for Space Mountain? Does being right on top of the guests in front of you really going to get you on the ride any faster? :thedolls:

This is a little off topic, but hopefully this will help a little with the frustration.
This is a cultural thing, different cultures have different ideas of what is acceptable personal space. Hope this helps!
I love my personal space as well and few things bother me more, but now I know it is not intentional.

[SBETigg]

You were in line. They were wrong.

If you were actually in the queue, they had no business trying to pass. If you were simply in the building walking toward the queue, I think people can go right by you if you're much slower. They should be nice about it, of course. But if you're just walking through the building to get to the queue, you're not in line yet. You had already entered the queue. They should have been politely behind you and too bad for them.

[Pirate Granny]

What is it about that ride...we've had people push around us in the regular line and the fast pass line...mind you, no excuse me, and when we challenged one set of people, they said they wanted to 'catch up with their friends'...we said perhaps their friends should come back and stand with you...they looked shocked...and of course, stayed right behind us...complaining loudly about 'rude old people'...I actually had one person say 'what a sour person'...oh well...so be it...WAIT YOUR TURN...
:pirate:

[Daisy'sMom]

DH told me today that I was walking pretty fast, and if they had been a little polite in asking to go by, he would have moved us out of their way. However, they did come up on us like gangbusters and when the girl said let us by please, she had her arm between him and me.
I always let people ahead if I think I am taking to long, but we were in line and I was not holding anyone up.

[svarhall07]

I believe Disney World is a place for everyone, people with disabilities, who are overweight, who have small children, who've recently had operations, who move slow, and who move fast.

I liked the analogy to the interstate . . . if a car is moving slow in front of you and you normally drive faster, the obvious decision is to pass the car. I think queue lines are the same - if you move slow and have not caught up to where others are waiting, and a group of people approach and want to move on, in my honest opinion you should move over and let them pass. Now, they should definitely be courteous and say please and thank you.

It is great that you are able to be at WDW 8 weeks after surgery, but just as the person should have said please and thank you who passes, the person who is moving slow and causing others to be slow SHOULD also say please excuse me and thank you.

[crltkcagle]

Good job for telling them no! I hate rude people!

[Jillirose]

I depends on how they ask to go by, I think you should have let them get by. If they were rude and demanded to get by, I would not of let them by either. I was at WDW after knee surgery and I let people pass with no problem.
Do yo get upset when you are passed in your car?

I agree.

[Speedy1998]

In our culture yes, you had every right to tell them no.

In their culture, they might have been in the right.

One of the few problems I have experienced at Disney is that it is a destination for people from all over the world. Which means you are going to end up with behavior that is normal in one cultue being considered rude in another.

[finaldynasty]

I don't only think you did the right thing...I know your DH did the right thing.

[Tink#64]

It sounds like so many typical people today, "This is my world & you are just in it"! It burns my butt how forceful & rude some people can be, but there's no way they'd ever see it that way! I'm sorry, to me, if you were in the que, then you were in line, and that my frined was called "cutting" in school! :D To try & squeeze in between you & say "Let us by please", wow - that's rude, no matter if you say please or excuse me! :D

[Fastpasssteve]

Different cultures have varying ideas about what a "line" is and what it means. This was brought home to me years ago in Italy when waiting "in line" (there was no line, just a mob) to get something from a meat counter at the butcher. I learned that it is a free-for-all...especially when the 80 year old woman elbowed me in the stomach. In that culture, there was no expectation that we would be helped in the order we entered the establishment.

You may have experienced a similar cultural phenomena. However, it was nice that they even though to ask if they could pass, instead of just hustling past you.

It's perfectly OK that you decided not to let them pass. They asked...you said no. Simple. No one needs to be upset.

[minniefan]

You did absolutely the right thing. You were just walking. The line stops and goes anyway. It's not like they were going to get there any sooner if you were walking faster to begin with.

Now if you had been stopping to enjoy the queue, which we frequently do, it would be a different matter because you would not have actually been proceeding in the line. Then it would be the polite thing to do to not block the way (like those who block the entrance to the line waiting for the rest of their group to arrive)

I can't understand why people are just always in such a hurry. You see it everywhere. Give yourself time to get where you are going, and take time to enjoy yourself. Especially on vacation. Stop and smell the roses people!

And to the person who compared it to getting passed by another car - they are not even related. They are only related to those who think if someone is in front of you on the road then that must mean they are "first" and you need to hurry and pass or you will lose. Again, pointless.

[darthmacho]

I fully endorse your behavior and support your husband putting the rude jerks in their place! :thumbsup:

[Skippy]

Do yo get upset when you are passed in your car?

Well that depends.... is traffic backed up to the point of stopping, and someone comes flying up the side (knowing it's stopped) and jumps in? If so, yeah - it bugs me a bit. I waited in line, and so should you.

Now, will I let the person with out of state plates that is obviously not from around here slip in because they don't drive this stretch every day and didn't know the exit was going to be backed up almost a mile? Of course.

[LudwigVonDrake]

You were in line. They were wrong.

If you were actually in the queue, they had no business trying to pass. If you were simply in the building walking toward the queue, I think people can go right by you if you're much slower. They should be nice about it, of course. But if you're just walking through the building to get to the queue, you're not in line yet. You had already entered the queue. They should have been politely behind you and too bad for them.

I agree :wave:

[ThanxForNoticin]

Actually, this situation seems pretty straight-forward to me. Once you are in the queue for an attraction, you are in line. What they tried to do was line-jump, so you should not feel the least bit bad about maintaining your spot in the line. We have already done what you did.

[Imagineer1981]

Well part of it could be cultural. If they are really from Japan or another asian country, there is no such thing as waiting or a personal bubble, believe me I have been to China and Japan and its a pushing match. So to them even asking was probably a big step.

Personally I think you did the right thing, however its always better for you to be the polite person and let others pass if you are going very slow, but they should wait until you allow them to pass

[Goofster]

Hmmm...I reread the OP again and I would probably have moved out of the way for them. Its wonderful that you were walking in the FP lane 8 weeks after surgery, but my guess is that maybe you were walking somewhat slower than the speed of "line traffic." Which is not your fault. Given the language barrier of the guests behind you, and the fact that they actually said 'let us pass' rather than just pushing you aside...I would have let them by....mainly to avoid any confrontations and awkwardness...and to avoid worrying about it later (which it sounds like you were doing).

[mjm12000]

I think if you are entering a line and it is a bit of a walk to the actual end of the line up, where one would have to stop, there is no problem if someone passes me or I pass them while walking through the cue to the final stopping place of the line. Some people walk slow and some walk fast, imagine if you are a fast walker and you could normally walk fast enough to do let's say two rides in one hour, but the person in front of you walks slow and as such can only get in one ride per hour, should the faster person have to wait and miss out becuase someone else is walking slow? I agree with what someone else said earlier, do you get upset when you are passed on the road in your car? No even if the person in the car passing you is heading to the next stop light just the same as you? No you wouldn't get upset you would just get there in your own time. There is a difference in line jumping or letting people in to the line when it is not moving and everyone is standing waiting, it is not the same as when you are walking through the 4 miles of cue before you get to the actual line of non moving people.

[DizneyRox]

Soarin is a bit different that many other attractions. The queue is actually pretty wide and often the fastpass "line" is quite far from the point where you enter the queue.

For me it would depend on where in the queue you were. If you had just entered and it was a ways to the actual line, and I were in back; I would look for a nice way to pass without knocking anyone over, etc. I don't think that's unreasonable to expect. If you were actually near the line or in it, then that's your place in line and it's up to you to wave poeple through, etc. Sounds like you were pretty close, 15 feet wasn't going to make that much difference for them.

Most attractions though don't have the luxury of wide open spaces like Soarin, and in that case, when you enter, that's your place in line.

In any case, there's a respectful way to do things and not. I wouldn't be put off too much by people asking, and (depending on the situation) wouldn't be snippy in a reply. Again, all depends on the situation.

[pink]

Also, I have to disagree with the letter that compared the line to a grocery store line. Sorry, this is a completely different animal.

How is that a different "animal"? Someone who thinks they have the right to go ahead of you because they believe that they're going to be faster or that they don't have to wait. It is the same concept, just a different setting.

Just because she was injured and her walk to the line (or in the supermarket scenario her transaction) was going to take longer does not give those other guests the right to cut in front of her or even ask, it is just rude all around. :mickey:

[g8rgirl29]

I think once you are in the line, that is your spot. I like to enjoy some of the queues, there is so much to see. Now there is usually a line waiting in front of me when I choose to stop and enjoy them so I don't feel I should have to let someone in front of me when I stop to take a photo. If there was no line in front of me and they were waiting on me to move to load onto a ride I would gladly wave people on past me. Chances are you didn't hold those people up at all really, I am sure you got to a point where you both had to stand and wait anyways.

[Toodle]

I have a permanent disabiity that sometimes causes me to walk very slowly - we almost always move to the side when we hear people coming up behind us. It is easier. I hate to feel rushed by the people behind me especially if they are children. They are so excited to ride the rides. That being said, we have luckily, never encountered anyone who "asked" to be let by.

[Scorpiosammy]

This is a little off topic, but hopefully this will help a little with the frustration.
This is a cultural thing, different cultures have different ideas of what is acceptable personal space. Hope this helps!
I love my personal space as well and few things bother me more, but now I know it is not intentional.

I am not sure what you are getting at, but this is not off topic. The OP was commenting about how the other guests were basically trying to get by them or in other words running over top of them. This happens to me at least once every trip. I also realize that Disney is basically a melting pot with guests consisting of many ethnic backgrounds, beliefs, religions, etc and there is bound to be conflict. Thankfully it usually doesn't escalate past a minor annoyance ;) As a side note, I am glad that I studied sociology while I was college before I graduated to give me a broader view of the world. I think it helps in dealing with situations like this.

I understand fully well that we are all only human and bad things are bound to happen at least once during a vacation given the multitude of visitors in one location. I have been 26 times and counting -- the "frustration" you claim I feel has not kept me away. I say, bring on September! :party:

I apologize for this response, but I felt the need to defend myself. I have never had someone "come down on me" on a message board before (and never thought it would be a Disney board) o_O

I hope everyone has a Disney Day! :thumbsup:

[Kenny1113]

I apologize if my post came off as coming down on anyone. That was not my intent. :blush:
I was simply replying to the comment about people being in ones personal bubble, and clarifing that this is not always someone displaying poor manners, but sometimes a culture difference.

I felt that this could be percieved as off topic because I was not responding to the OP post directly.

[brownie]

It might have been nice to let them by, but I don't see it as something you were required to do. I wouldn't worry about it. They did get on the attraction, didn't they?

[WVParkfan]

Since you were slowly walking up the queue, and not yet to the back of the line, then I think you should have allowed them to pass you.

But, I don't think you should beat yourself up over it. I'm sure that the family who passed you doesn't even remember it.

[5MemphisTiggers]

Some of this has been said (maybe not directly), but I do think it depends upon the attraction. I don't think you were wrong in the way you responded, but the queues are different.

For instance, someone asking to pass me while standing in line as Space Mountain or ToT is, to me, a little different than someone pushing by me as we exit the stretching room at HM or as we are filing in to the lobby at Philharmagic. These are open areas with no defined "line", and one almost expects others to push by you. Even the queue at Soarin' is quite open at the beginning and it can be a little hard to define when someone is "cutting" in front of you. I'm not saying I like it, but I accept it as part of the ride. I also right those folks off in my mind as those that "just don't get this place." :D

In the end, I think it was nice that they at least asked if they could pass (rather than just barging through). If someone asks, you have every right to say no, and there is nothing wrong with that. The one asking should respect your answer.

Sometime (at least for me), the most difficult part of it is letting it go and not letting it spoil my magic. :mickey: I guess I would have to go by my mother-in-law's words "In light of eternity, what does this matter?" ;)