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View Full Version : I'm not crazy, am I?



Captain Josh
08-18-2003, 04:32 PM
Despite the fact that there are fastpasses, I still prefer to stick it out, and wait in line, seeing as I usually go to Disneyland flying solo. Does this make me insane? (take note, I usually just hang around Adventureland, occaisionally going to PotC and HM, unless I'm with a friend)

I guess I'm too "old-school", I try to force my friends to wait in line. I bring up the old "Hey, when we were young, we'd wait three hours for Indy, just to have it break down". Nowadays, Indy rarely waits longer than double digits, usually peaking at 80 mins on a heavy day. I mean, I feel like that efforts of the Imagineers to went to the trouble to design one of the finest ride queues ever, has gone to waste. I mean, hardly anyone knows about the Spike Trap, and just about NO ONE knows you can pull the rope in the well to mess with the "archaeologist" trapped inside. And no one even notices the Marabic inscriptions, much less even care to translate them. Am I just living in some weird 1995 alternate reality? If so, care to join me? I've been reading up so much about the Temple of Mara, I could give you a full tour of everything in the ride queue...but who has the patience for that....*sigh* :(

Ghoulish Delight
08-18-2003, 04:49 PM
I go back and forth on this one, depending on my mood. Sometimes I just want to get on the rides and am not in the mood for lines at all (think hot, crowded day). But I do like to make sure that I get in the queues for certain rides every once in a while.

But if I were going with someone who hadn't been before, hadn't seen the Indy or Roger Rabbit queues, I would totally suggest that they wait in the standby of those kinds of rides.

stinkerbell
08-18-2003, 04:49 PM
Ride cues are cool and when done right are sometimes the best part of a ride (Roger Rabbit comes to mind.......), but I have three kiddos and it's hard to NOT take advantage of switch passes and fast passes. (I'm also claustrophobic, so standing in line for Indy and Splash are occasionally hellacious experiences for me, too)

Also, I'm the sort who likes to go on a ride again and again and again. And so are my children, and so is my husband. So if I can somehow jump on Indy three times in one hour? You bet I'm going to try! :D

And then all the time I could have spent in line? I'll spend sitting on a bench people watching with my daughter, or in the Disney Gallery, or a hidden courtyard, or some other "off the beaten path" kind of place that I really enjoy. Standing in line is a huge irritant to me.....but I appreciate that the Disney folks made it as pleasant an experience as it can be.

Captain Josh
08-18-2003, 04:54 PM
Well, it's not like I wait in line every single time...I know all the tricks, single rider, child switch, disabled, heck, I even buckle down for a fastpass every now and again. It's not like it makes me feel guilty...

...but I do honestly feel like something is missing sometimes. Do you know about the "earthly riches" sacrificial buddha in the temple? I always feel compelled to leave some change behind for luck.

It doesn't bother me so much that there are fastpasses, but rather that since they've been implemented, the rides have lost some of their "mythology". Entire generations are walking right through Roger Rabbit, and Indy, not knowing there's an entire universe of back story to be had. At least in the HM, it sort of still integrated into the ride experience. But for Roger and Indy, people are just tied off outside, and breeze right past all the backstory once the ropes are unhooked... No one realizes Roger's in trouble. No one realizes that there is "treasure" to be had in the temple. Well, maybe they do, but who's watching the film reels in Indy? Who cares that Jessica Rabbit's on the phone in her dressing room? It just feels like such a waste...

But, speaking of sitting around....ever go up to the Disney Gallery courtyard? As of right now, it has the statue of from the Black Pearl. I love going up there to 'take a break' from walking so I can go back to translating Marabic.

...sadly, Indy is quite an obsession for me.

stinkerbell
08-18-2003, 05:12 PM
Disney Gallery courtyard is one of my favorites....as is the Courtyard of the Angels or whatever it's called. I can sit in either and sip coffee for hours. Those are my happy places.

I appreciate your appreciation of ride cues. If people didn't truly appreciate them.....my fear is that they'd fade away. Then, you can be sure I'd miss them.

Captain Josh
08-18-2003, 05:55 PM
Thank you. I mean, what if the suits decided to just build walls around the parts of the queues that are used, to make hallways, because parts of the Indy queue are rarely utilized? Imagine never seeing the rotunda again, or the spikes in the spike chamber, because it was easier to wall them off, rather than maintain them. Of course, something that ridiculous isn't going to happen.

Someone has to appreciate these sorts of little things. Those repair droids in Star Tours aren't talking to themselves, keeping secret thoughts about the "good ol' days", when they were part of America Sings!...although admittedly, Threepio and Artoo-Detoo ARE keeping to themselves...looks like being in all those movies got to their heads, because they don't talk to the people in line...or maybe they just realized that most people don't care anymore. :p

I'm really just wondering right now if there are other die-hards like myself on these boards. To me, a Disneyland native, er...an ORANGE COUNTY native, I've been to Disneyland enough times to have seen all the big things, so it's all the little details that keep me coming back...who wants to play checkers!? ;)

ralfrick
08-18-2003, 07:18 PM
Unless things have changed, it's my memory that the standby and fastpass lines for Indy and RR merge before you get to all the good stuff in the queue. So it's hard for me to see any advantage to standing outside barely moving for a long period of time before you get to them. And use others' ignorance to your advantage. I was behind a family that had a kid that knew there was "something" about the bamboo poles, but not what it was exactly. He kind of grabbed at a few, but not the right one. Then I came along behind them, set it off, and he caught the wrath of his mom for my actions-it was hard not to laugh my fool head off.

Since the standby lines tend to be heavy on the stand, I do think they need to come up with a next generation of queue entertainment for people there. Once I'm going through the real entertainment, if I'm in the mood to check everything out closely, I just let others pass on by.

Jewels
08-18-2003, 07:25 PM
some of the best times can be had in the lines waiting for rides. Fastpass is great sometimes but I love having the chance to meet new people who love DL just as much as I do. One of my best memories is standing in a long ling for Peter Pan exchanging DL trivia with the CM's running the ride.

Captain Josh
08-18-2003, 07:27 PM
Originally posted by ralfrick
Since the standby lines tend to be heavy on the stand, I do think they need to come up with a next generation of queue entertainment for people there. Once I'm going through the real entertainment, if I'm in the mood to check everything out closely, I just let others pass on by.

Actually, I've been sort of working on that! I call it "Guerilla Entertainment", because I'm embedded in the lines, when I do my thing. I've been trying to organize the "Adventureland Expeditonary Force", an improv group, composed of myself, and my friends. Our ultimate goal is to dress in 1930's period garb, totally submersing ourselves in the atmosphere and backstory of the ride. We wait in line, telling exciting stories and rumors we've heard about the temple, (have you heard? People are disappearing! The eyes are cursed! etc.) and interacting with the other guests, to try and make the standing around much more fun. Once inside, we point out "landmarks" in the temple, and have little "skits" where characters discuss them. That's about as far as I've gotten. I've been working with having spiels in the ride itself, but I'm trying to balance between "entertaining" and "intrusive/spoiler". It's always fun to show the other people in my jeep how they should NOT be looking at the idol, by staring at it, screaming "don't be like me!", and apoligizing after it screams "INFIDELS! YOU LOOKED INTO MY EYES"....

Cadaverous Pallor
08-18-2003, 07:30 PM
Originally posted by G-Hawk
....I've been to Disneyland enough times to have seen all the big things, so it's all the little details that keep me coming back...Right on, brother! :)

Ralfrick is right, though - standing in the standby line isn't going to show you any more of the Indy or Roger Rabbit queues. Everyone goes through the same way. It's the fact that we don't get to stand around in the queue that's heartbreaking.

So go ahead and get a fastpass....then dawdle your way slowly towards the loading area. Whenever I go with tourists I make sure that they notice the wonderful queues.

I'm sure new rides that are built with fastpass in mind will have a better setup (if they actually decide to give a new ride a cool queue, that is).

Captain Josh
08-18-2003, 07:32 PM
My point exactly. I'm sure there's a good reason to keep us all outside, but wouldn't you rather be roped off to wait INSIDE? :D

Lashbear
08-18-2003, 08:28 PM
I think I've mentioned this before, but in the Indy queue, I took Greg 'off the beaten path', so to speak, and demonstrated the chap hanging from the rope - Greg was aghast that Disney would add so much interactivity to a queue and then not use it !

(He was really sad about the sealed-up diamond-shaped stone in the descending block hallway path too !)

cujosr
08-18-2003, 11:57 PM
Originally posted by G-Hawk
Our ultimate goal is to dress in 1930's period garb, totally submersing ourselves in the atmosphere and backstory of the ride. Sorry to burst your bubble but DL has a Strict No Costume Policy. You won't even get through the door. If you sneak in your stuff and re-dress inside Scurity will happily walk you out.

Ghoulish Delight
08-19-2003, 10:32 AM
Originally posted by cujosr
Sorry to burst your bubble but DL has a Strict No Costume Policy. You won't even get through the door. If you sneak in your stuff and re-dress inside Scurity will happily walk you out. Some odd clothing doesn't get security's ire up. As long as you're not wearing a mask or something completley outrageous. they don't care. Considering what we've worn to Mouse Adventures in the past, security will have no problem with this if you do it. Go for it!

LLevy
08-19-2003, 12:51 PM
Originally posted by Lashbear
I think I've mentioned this before, but in the Indy queue, I took Greg 'off the beaten path', so to speak, and demonstrated the chap hanging from the rope - Greg was aghast that Disney would add so much interactivity to a queue and then not use it !

(He was really sad about the sealed-up diamond-shaped stone in the descending block hallway path too !)


OK- I was in the line a couple of week ago- broke thru the ropes to demo the well for a friend- and nothing happened when I pulled on the rope.. did they disconnect it?

LL

Captain Josh
08-19-2003, 03:38 PM
Originally posted by cujosr
Sorry to burst your bubble but DL has a Strict No Costume Policy. You won't even get through the door. If you sneak in your stuff and re-dress inside Scurity will happily walk you out.

I can't speak for my other members....actually, I'm the only one right now, and I've pretty much walked in the place in my costume. I mean, it's not supposed to be anything FANCY, we're trying to blend in, after all. Unless they have problems with me wearing a leather flying cap, and goggles, because my undershirt-cargo pants and suspenders went by just fine...

When their policy says costume, they probably mean Halloween-ish/really elaborate stuff. Basically, we're just really poorly dressed "actor"-wannabes who get their wardrobe from the stores in Old Towne Orange. :~D

Captain Josh
08-19-2003, 03:47 PM
Originally posted by LLevy
OK- I was in the line a couple of week ago- broke thru the ropes to demo the well for a friend- and nothing happened when I pulled on the rope.. did they disconnect it?

LL

you have to give it a few more tugs....unless you did do it more than once....then I don't know what to say.

Tigertail777
08-19-2003, 06:02 PM
I love fastpass because I only get to the parks every 5-10 years and want to do it all, and I can with fastpass.
BUT I ALWAYS take my time going through ques looking at the details, setting the story up... love that! I watched the entire movie loop for Indy, the bamboo pole was broken you could only hear sound the spikes didnt move... and never found the well.. but I did find the eeyore sign! People were running through the que past me I just wanted to soak in all the cool atmosphere. I never got to ride roger rabbit toontown was jam packed, so I still have yet to see toontown. Can you get a fastpass and still walk through and see the details of the que on roger?
I love the tiki room que... a bit cheesy yeah, but lots of fun. Surprised how many dont even pay attention to it, or dont know about it.

Captain Josh
08-19-2003, 06:12 PM
The "Rope" is in the large rotunda room, before the movie theatre. It's pretty far roped off from the main queue usually is. It's actually easier to find on the way out, after leaving the stairs from the exit. Just jump the rail, and listen for scraping noises.

And, if the costume thing fails, I could always show you my "Expedition Diary"....(remember the Holy Grail Journal from The Last Crusade? Kinda like that...)

cujosr
08-21-2003, 08:23 PM
I got yelled at the last time i went off the beaten path to mess with the guy in the well. not pleasant at all.