Turns out money can buy just about anything, even a better place in line. A recent article in The New York Post reveals that some wealthy Manhattan parents (among others in all likelihood) have chosen to utilize a heretofore unknown method of getting their kids on the rides and into the attractions at Disney World: They’ve hired disabled tour guides to pose as family members so their entire group can cut to the front of the line. This underground network was uncovered by social anthropologist Dr. Wednesday Martin as she researched her upcoming book, Primates of Park Avenue. Disney World offers visitors the opportunity to “line jump,” so to speak, with a VIP guide and fast passes. That would seem to be the easy solution for those who can willingly afford the cost ($310-$380 per hour). But even the wealthiest parents seem to want a deal – the “black-market Disney guides” cost $130 per hour, or $1,040 for an eight-hour day, according to the Post story.
An Unapologetic Way to Avoid the Wait
Some people will go to questionable lengths to avoid the pain of waiting. And the parents interviewed for the Post piece have no qualms about their choices: “This is how the 1 percent does Disney,” one mother said, explaining that she, her husband, and their two children were escorted through the theme park in a motorized scooter bearing a handicapped sign that automatically got them waived through to an auxiliary entrance at the start of each attraction.
Some people will go to questionable lengths to avoid the pain of waiting.
Disney has always made allowances for guests who legitimately have special needs or considerations, offering such visitors and their party a more convenient entrance. They may still experience a wait, but it’s likely to be shorter than the visitors waiting in the normal queue. Most people are respectful of VIP lines or guests with certain circumstances, but no one wants to feel like they’ve been unfairly bumped back in line or considered a less important guest because they simply chose to wait as expected. Even the most carefully planned out queues are not immune to customers who are looking to buck the system. The mothers who have employed the handicap tour guide tactic believe their trick is well worth the cost. According to the Post article, in Manhattan social circles, being in the know about this technique is yet another sign of a person or family’s importance and standing. The phone number to reach the black-market guides is considered privileged, insider information that is shared very carefully and referrals are required.
Mimicking the Happiest Place on Earth
Everyone hates to wait. Annoyance with long lines, wherever they may be, is nothing new, and neither is line jumping. It’s just never been done quite so underhandedly and proudly as this latest news bit has revealed. Here’s the irony: Disney is known for having some of the best queue management techniques around. They know the wait for Space Mountain or It’s a Small World can feel interminable, so Disney does its best to make it easier for people to stand there and give up their time in a line. Their lines are organized as such that visitors aren’t able to see just how lengthy they are, thereby making the wait feel shorter. Disney also employs various techniques to keep guests busy while they’re waiting, like showing programming on digital screens, adding video game consoles to certain waiting areas, or dispatching life-sized cartoon characters to entertain people while they’re in line. All of these methods make waits seem that much shorter. If you’ve gotta wait, Disney is one of the best places to do it. Any business can implement similar queue management techniques to make the wait less painful. Careful monitoring of lines through queuing technology is also helping enterprises pinpoint busy and slow times so they can accommodate rushes, staff service stations accordingly, and eliminate lengthy waits for their customers. Speak to a Lavi expert about how to thwart line-jumpers and make your queue tolerable, and even enjoyable.
