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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Theme park queue jumpers

137 replies

Luckycatyellowsky · 14/04/2023 16:20

I took the kids to a theme park today. We knew it would be busy as it’s school holidays. One ride the kids were desperate to go on had a 60 minute queue. We joined the end of queue and waited. About 20 mins in three women pushed past everyone behind us and tried to come past us. When I said no she claimed she had to come past as her kids were further up. I said her kids were welcome come back to join her where she was. She swore at me and carried on up the queue to her group of teens about 10 people in front of us. They then spent the rest of the queue time loudly complaining about how I wouldn’t let the pass! ( not that I was able to stop them- I’m not going to physically restrain someone!) Aibu that everyone has to join the back of the queue and wait? Or is sending a teen in to save a place ok? I heard no one else in the queue behind us confront them- although as was about 20 mins worth of queue I doubt would have heard people much further back.
yabu: it’s fine to save a place in theme park queue
yanbu: it’s pushing in and unfair

OP posts:
Laiste · 14/04/2023 17:10

purpleboy · 14/04/2023 16:49

We've just got back Florida and this is a thing there, I saw a few times the staff telling others to use the quick queue line to find the rest of their party up ahead. It drove me insane the amount of people who came past us in every queue. By the end of the holiday we were doing the same, if we had to put bags in the lockers 1 person would go do that and the rest of us would get in the queue, they would then join us, I hated doing it but if you can't beat them join them!

Don't blame you.

The natural conclusion of this will be it's normal for one to hold the place for lots.

Maybe the Park will start employing folks who can be hired out to stand in the queue for clients ....

Laiste · 14/04/2023 17:12

Arrive at the park, go pick up your pre-paid and booked 'Queue Holder' in their Park colours, send them to the first ride while you and yours go off for a burger.

Imagine the chaos!

sunflowerdaisyrose · 14/04/2023 17:17

I call people out who do this - it infuriates me so much but can't physically stop them without causing a bigger deal and ruin our day too. They are normally the sort who have zero consideration for others so I am just glad I'm not them. Annoys me less if it's just one person. If it's two or more they can queue separately.

redspottedmug · 14/04/2023 17:20

It's going to be two if a parent has taken a child to the loo.

The best way to avoid it is to not go at a very busy time.

GodSaveTheClean · 14/04/2023 17:21

Just back from Chessington. Their definition of queue jumping includes place holders and there are multiple signs in each queue making that clear.

Yanbu; she wasn’t in the queue already she just wanted to meet up with her group.

Original poster
Luckycatyellowsky · 14/04/2023 17:24

Just to clarify: It was three women, no children with them ( teens up front). Only one woman took the time to stop, speak and then swear at me for confronting her though!

OP posts:
HurryShadow · 14/04/2023 18:02

We were at Chessington last year and a lady went past us with her kids (we were in the quick queue and she went through the main queue). My DH was moaning it was queue jumping, but I commented that she might have taken the kids to the loo, as the main queue was pretty long and the kids were quite small.

Turns out not to have been the case.

When they joined her husband in the queue, people around them got very annoyed. He'd basically just done the queue, then called her to join them when they got near the front.

They mentioned it to the ride operator when they got to the front and he refused to let them on and they had to leave the queue!

YANBU OP.

Busybody2022 · 14/04/2023 18:06

The time it's okay at merlin is if a small child needs to nip out for a quick wee

PussBilledDuckyPlait · 14/04/2023 18:09

The real issue here is why we accept such long queues at theme parks. It shouldn't be beyond the operators to implement timed ride entry for all - but of course, if they did that, they wouldn't be able to flog fast-track tickets for £70 a pop🙄

AxolotlOnions · 14/04/2023 18:10

Thorpe Park and Alton Towers are both Merlin too and they have signs saying that constitutes queue jumping.

Daffodilwoman · 14/04/2023 18:12

I agree with you op.
I once made a group of teenagers go back. Hell would freeze over before they got on the ride before me. I told them in no uncertain terms that they would not be getting on the ride before me. They begrudgingly walked to the back of the queue where another women continued bollocking them for their selfish twattish behaviour.
The other weekend whilst queing for a taxi some bloke tried pushing in in front of me and my friend saying to the operator that he was fed up waiting. “Aren’t we all?” Was my response and I told him that he would not be pushing in in front of me. He looked totally bewildered when I got in the next taxi. The operator did let him push in in front of the couple behind us.

CraftyGin · 14/04/2023 18:14

I was at Legoland with my foster child this week, having spent around £250 for annual passes.

What annoyed me was that you could spend an extra £35 per person on the day to get to the head of the queue.

Toebrushtoe · 14/04/2023 18:20

We were at EuroDisney years ago waiting in a long queue for Haunted Mansion.
A group of French teenagers sauntered up and just pushed their way in ahead of us, my friends husband who looks very intimidating (but irl is an absolute sweetheart) tapped one of them on the shoulder and told them in perfect French to get (FO)to the back of the queue.
They duly obliged.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 14/04/2023 18:23

I thought this was going to be about a special jumper to wear at theme parks.

A bit disappointed that it isn't.

StrongCoffeeAvalanche · 14/04/2023 18:35

YANBU OP.

I would not have done the same as I don't like to make a scene and I hate confrontation. But well done you for sticking up for yourself!

SchoolTripDrama · 14/04/2023 18:37

My DD has autism and so when we visit theme parks, she's given a wristband which enables her to queue jump and get on rides before anyone else.

The SHITE we get for this is unbelievable. Obviously the staff do try to explain to anyone who complains but I've been grabbed and pulled a few times.

You don't know what their situation was

Original poster
Luckycatyellowsky · 14/04/2023 18:40

@SchoolTripDrama
i hope that they let you use the disabled/ fast track pass entrance though? Surely they don’t expect you to push past the long queue do they? Sounds awful!

OP posts:
Shakespeareandi · 14/04/2023 18:43

Chill. Like someone said you are not the queue police. I can't see the reason why the three women walked past the queue to join family but they did. I just wouldn't let it upset me to the extent I'm trying to block somebody. We all do things at times I'm sure, that other people will judge or misconstrue. Sounds a bit annoying but there might have been a legitimate reason and she doesn't have to explain anything to you.

SchoolTripDrama · 14/04/2023 18:43

Luckycatyellowsky · 14/04/2023 18:40

@SchoolTripDrama
i hope that they let you use the disabled/ fast track pass entrance though? Surely they don’t expect you to push past the long queue do they? Sounds awful!

Yeah 9 times out of 10 they do. I mean they're supposed to every time but there's always that one new person who totally ignores you at the disabled entry point (which usually doubles up as the ride exit) and tells you to move out of the way because that's the exit 😳

KittyAlfred · 14/04/2023 18:44

And this sums up perfectly the point I was making on a previous thread about the assistance dog.

If people with disabilities are to have allowances made with no obligation to prove their entitlement, others will get angry. Self ID of disability just causes angst.

If I see an apparently able bodied teen pushing past me to the front then I’d be annoyed. If I see they have a wrist band then I know it’s fine. I’m not interested in what their reason is, the wrist band is enough.

Aphrathestorm · 14/04/2023 18:44

I get really annoyed at this. Staff should be more vigilant and chuck tyrm out the park.

SchoolTripDrama · 14/04/2023 18:45

KittyAlfred · 14/04/2023 18:44

And this sums up perfectly the point I was making on a previous thread about the assistance dog.

If people with disabilities are to have allowances made with no obligation to prove their entitlement, others will get angry. Self ID of disability just causes angst.

If I see an apparently able bodied teen pushing past me to the front then I’d be annoyed. If I see they have a wrist band then I know it’s fine. I’m not interested in what their reason is, the wrist band is enough.

I think you'll find that we have to PROVE DD's disability at the Theme Park office on every visit with her Diagnosis Report HmmHmmHmm

Violetcrush · 14/04/2023 18:45

If you report them to staff they’ll kick them out of the queue line/park!

StrongCoffeeAvalanche · 14/04/2023 18:46

KittyAlfred · 14/04/2023 18:44

And this sums up perfectly the point I was making on a previous thread about the assistance dog.

If people with disabilities are to have allowances made with no obligation to prove their entitlement, others will get angry. Self ID of disability just causes angst.

If I see an apparently able bodied teen pushing past me to the front then I’d be annoyed. If I see they have a wrist band then I know it’s fine. I’m not interested in what their reason is, the wrist band is enough.

My son has a disability. He qualifies for automatic fast track. So he wouldn't need to push through the normal queue. There is no need for anyone to push through the normal regular queue. Disabilities would make this even more problematic

KittyAlfred · 14/04/2023 18:48

SchoolTripDrama · 14/04/2023 18:45

I think you'll find that we have to PROVE DD's disability at the Theme Park office on every visit with her Diagnosis Report HmmHmmHmm

Show quote history

That’s my point. You have a wrist band, as my cousin does for her disabled children. But on a previous thread it was argued to that people with hidden disabilities shouldn’t have to prove anything. They should just be able to say they’re disabled, without the humiliation of providing proof. But it is clear from this thread that that just annoys people, who see it as pushing in.

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