There is a lot of waiting that goes on at Disney. Waiting in line for characters, rides, food- or even waiting for the parade to come by because you scored a sweet, sweet spot along the route. That can be a lot of time spent waiting and kids, as you have may have noticed, are not the best at waiting.
1.) Stickers: You can collect stickers from Cast Members! My daughter always racks up, then we spend at least one or two line waits looking at all the fun sticker designs she’s been given, choosing our favorites, watching her decorate her stroller, her Dad, herself, me… We also bring some stickers from home that I dole out to her. This is a great way for my little girl to play Tinkerbell for the kids around us too- you’d be surprised at how you can help out a fellow mom or dad dealing with a melt down just by handing the little one a sticker or two! It’s a great way to make a line buddy- or worst case scenario, the two kiddos stare at each other. Whatever it takes to keep them occupied, am I right?
2.) Bubbles: Bubbles are a great way not only to keep your child entertained, but to grab the attention of every child in line! You don’t need one of those expensive bubble blowers either, you can easily bring in a small bottle of bubbles in a plastic baggy (in case of leaks). When we brought them along, we made sure our daughter was aware that there was to be no blowing bubbles at people! You also may want to consider asking the folks around you if anyone minds if the child blows bubbles. Some folks do have a soap allergy and we want to make sure everyone is comfortable. We had a great experience and even the teens had a great time watching the littles play with bubbles.
3.) Scavenger Hunt: You can prep this ahead of time and hand out cards to your kiddos, or just keep a master list for the family! Look for someone wearing Minnie Ears, a Star Wars tee, a family with one kid, a family with 3 or more kids, etc. The great thing is you can use this in various different ride lines without having to change it, as the people around you and the sights around you will always change! Check out this Scavenger Hunt for Magic Kingdom!
4.) I Spy: If you forgot your scavenger hunt, or just didn’t feel like hauling something else around, get a rousing game of I Spy going! If you aren’t familiar with I Spy, one person chooses an object within sight and then says “I spy, with my little eye, something”…….Red! Or whatever color you choose. Family members take turns guessing until they figure out the object the first person chose. This is a game to rotate into the waiting because again- everything around you changes, depending on where you are or what line you are in!
5.) Hunt Hidden Mickeys: Did you know there are literally hundreds of hidden Mickeys around Disney World and Disneyland? I’m going to cheat a little and show you ten hidden Mickeys, then challenge you and your family to find a few hundred more! You can do it- you can find them all. I believe in you! Be sure to keep an eye out while you’re waiting in line, you never know where one of these guys will pop up!
6.) Jokes: A good waiting experience is mostly making time fly. Bring along this handy dandy (and family friendly) 131 Disney jokes post and make your kids giggle- or at least roll their eyes! For some bonus fun, see if you guys can make up your own jokes!
7.) Snack: Waiting in a long line for for a show/parade is the best time to recharge with a snack! You can munch along at a leisurely pace and it gives you something to think about other than how the people behind you won’t stop bumping you and the people ahead of you won’t pay attention and move up with the rest of the line! This is especially great for the littles who need some help with their snacks. You can give your attention to helping them without trying to dodge folks as you race to the next attraction. Plus, now that they’ve had their snack, they’ll be in a better mood (we all get a little hangry sometimes). We love giving the kiddo her snacks in line so we can concentrate on fun and getting where we are going outside the queues. It definitely helps you make the most of your time!
What are some other ways you help pass the time in line?