This post is all about how to pass time while waiting in line at theme parks.
Don’t you just hate standing in long lines? You could be in a long line at a grocery store, restaurant, or theme park.
We all know the theme park lines are the absolute worst. (The longest line I ever stood in was 2-2.5 hours. I’m never making that mistake again.)
Standing in a long line is kind of awkward too if you think about it.
Imagine how many times you made eye contact with the same stranger. Yeah, it’s awkward (I have a solution for this by the way).
But anyway, I have so much experience in long lines that I decided to share my time passing activities with you.
You don’t have to limit this advice to theme parks only though. You can most definitely use this advice for any long line in general.
So, here are 5 ways I pass my time while I’m waiting in long lines at a theme park (aka Universal’s Orlando Resort because that’s the only place I’ve been going to lately.
This post is all about how to pass time while waiting in line at theme parks.
Disclaimer
I cannot guarantee that these ideas will pass the time for you while you wait in long lines. This post will be read by you at your own risk. This post is meant to be read for informational purposes only and should not be used to make any important decisions.
I am not an expert in waiting in long lines but I have done it enough to know what I can do to make the time go by faster. I am not affiliated with any companies, cellular applications, or locations. Everything in this post is me speaking from my experiences and opinions. If you’re about to go on a big ride, for the love of sushi, do not bring your phone with you. I will not be held responsible for that.
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Let’s begin.
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How To Pass The Time While Waiting In Line At Theme Parks
Use Your Phone (duh)
Having a phone nowadays is very common.
Lol, what am I talking about? I’m pretty sure everyone has a phone.
A phone is not only good for communicating but it’s a great device for passing time while waiting in long lines too.
You could call a friend or a family member and talk about what’s going on in your life and their life.
You could also just text them if you don’t want the strangers around you listening in on your conversation.
If you’re not a talker or texter, then you have other ways to use your phone too.
There are plenty of apps to choose from like social media apps (Instagram and Snapchat), and you have gaming apps (Plants vs. Zombies and Subway surfers).
Obviously, there are more apps but these are the ones I could think of at the moment.
You could also listen to music (assuming you remembered to bring your headphones.)
If you aren’t able to have your phone with you in general, say you’re about to go on a big ride, then you have other technology-free options too.
You might also like: The Best Rides Universal Orlando Rides You Need To Know About
Bring Someone Else With You
Okay, but don’t force someone in line with you just so you aren’t alone. If they don’t want to wait in line with you, then respect their choices.
Having someone else is a great way to pass the time while waiting in line at theme parks because you can have fun conversations or play mental games with each other.
The last time I went to Universal’s Orlando with friends, we played a guessing game where we give hints of a movie character and everyone else had to guess who the character is.
If you have your phone, you could download a group game. A popular example is Heads Up.
In Heads Up, the people not holding the phone would describe the word showing on the phone without giving it away, and the person holding the phone guesses what the word is.
You could also talk about what you’re excited about in the future or about what you think the ride is going to be like with your friend(s).
My boyfriend and I are at a point where we are able to stand in line in silence and still feel comfortable with each other.
Talking to someone else passes the time well because:
- You’re not alone while in line.
- You have two brains to think of ways to pass the time.
Also, if you do bring a friend, try to refrain from using your phone and being independent on it. Only use your phone if you are both actively using it together.
Get quality time with your friend and enjoy each other’s company.
You might also like: Why You Need To Delete Social Media Right Now
Self Reflect
So, self-reflecting is mainly for when you’re standing in line by yourself. Or even if you and your friends are standing in silence.
Maybe you can think about how grateful you are to have the opportunity to be at a theme park at this point in your life and what you did to get here.
You could also think about what you could’ve done differently in any situations that you were in before. I don’t know.
Honestly, self-reflection can go in so many directions.
I personally like to do some self-reflecting in conversations I’ve had with people in the past or about the times I excessively worried about results and realized I worried for nothing.
You’d be surprised how much “quiet” time you have while waiting in lines.
I guess I can also say that waiting in long lines is a great time to have alone time.
This is especially true if your life is one that always has people around such as family, friends, and co-workers.
Being alone with your mind is a good time. There is so much room for self-reflection for sure.
You might also like: 5 Best Ways To Have More Self Peace
Mental Planning
I love love love planning and have mentioned that in a couple of my previous posts. You should’ve known I would add mental planning to my list of ways to pass the time while waiting in line.
I normally spend the time planning the next few hours at the park, potential places for meals, blog post ideas, and what I’m doing the next day.
You know, all things related to planning the events that are going to happen in my future.
Even when I’m not in long lines, I’ve noticed that planning my future makes time go by a lot faster than I would like. So, I might as well take advantage of that for waiting in long lines too.
For example, filling out my planner for the week could easily last a good 30 minutes. I am very thorough with my future planning.
The only thing that sucks about mental planning while you’re in line though is that you are very likely to forget everything that you planned.
But at least you killed time while you were in line, right?
You might also like: 21+ Ideas To Create Your Ideal Morning Routine
Talk To Strangers
Remember how I mentioned how awkward it is to make eye contact with the same stranger while you’re waiting in long lines and that I had a solution for that? (I said it in the introduction.)
Well, you could just talk to that stranger (duh).
I’m sure you know that almost everyone at this theme park is a tourist which means that everyone around you is most likely not from wherever that theme park is.
For example, you might strike up a conversation with a stranger, ask them where they’re from, and learn that they actually live on the opposite side of the country.
You might even learn that they’re from a different country (good for them for also knowing how to speak English, because how else would you communicate with them, right?)
I’m just saying, you could learn a lot from strangers whether it be knowledgeable or just plain interesting.
Take advantage of the opportunity to meet new people! You’re going to be in line with them for the next 20-30 minutes at least anyway so you might as well get to know them.
You might also like: This Is What Happens When You Say Yes More Often
Ending Note
I know that waiting in long lines is one of the worst ways to spend your time.
But if you think outside of the box and make use of what you have, standing in line isn’t so bad anymore.
It can even become a really fun time (especially if you use some of my tips above).
I hope my suggestions help you enjoy standing in those long lines (or at least enjoy them more than before).
Let me know how you pass the time while waiting in lines at a theme park.
Do you do anything that I didn’t mention to pass the time? Have a good day!
This post is all about how to pass time while waiting in line at theme parks.
petshooded says
This was so interesting to read
petshooded
https://www.petshooded.com
Lily-Anne says
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for reading!
Jenny in Neverland says
The best way my ex-boyfriend and I passed the time whilst waiting in line at Disneyland Paris a few years ago was playing games. We played 20 questions for ages!
Lily-Anne says
I’ve never been to Disneyland Paris. I’ve only ever passed by it when I was in Paris. Going is definitely on my bucketlist!
Alexis says
Neat list idea! I always talk to the people with me and play on my phone. Sometimes I’ll bring a portable charger because I end up using all my battery waiting in line for hours. It’s also a good time to snack if you don’t have anything too messy! Thanks for sharing x
Alexis| http://cafe-beauty.com
Lily-Anne says
Thank you! And thank you for reading!
I used to bring a portable charger but the one I have is kind of heavy so I stopped bringing it. We like our backpack to be heavy because of water, not a portable charger ?