Seated With Stranger's Children

[kylenne]

I've sat with others on Navi over the past 2 years. I don't ride it often but the CMs have always asked me if I'm willing to share with another party on Navi.

When do you go on it? Maybe I never get sat with people because I’m always rope dropping it first thing while the hordes are off at FoP and there’s hardly ever anyone else there.

 

[musicguy856]

When do you go on it? Maybe I never get sat with people because I’m always rope dropping it first thing while the hordes are off at FoP and there’s hardly ever anyone else there.

The last time I rode it was later in the afternoon.

 

[ttintagel]

This has never happened to me on a ride that didn't have a single rider line, and I've never witnessed it happening to anyone else. I'm very surprised to hear about it happening to so many people here.

 

[imbelle]

I've had the experience more than once on Na'vi where the cast members seated us in the same row with another party and we were literally thigh to sweaty thigh crammed in. I could maybe understand if there was a long line but this happens even when it's a walk on. We've started politely requesting our own row.

 

[TikiRob]

I get coasters (and other rides) that people have their own seat and restraint. Now if someone is with me on Big Thunder, they are gonna get squished!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I get coasters (and other rides) that people have their own seat and restraint. Now if someone is with me on Big Thunder, they are gonna get squished!

Unavoidable!!

 

[Smugpugmug]

This is definitely new. In all my solo trips I’ve never once shared a row on Na’vi River Journey. Even with my partner we always get a row to ourselves. In Sept I rode in my own row same as usual.

The Allears video where this was stated was posted 12 days ago but judging from a few posters this happens often. The rows on Navi are a pretty tight squeeze. In the video they theorize it's to help with capacity since that ride has a fairly slow load/unload process.

 

[Chuckers]

When I lived in California, Disneyland had a single rider line for Toy Story Mania. I used it all the time. I went back to find they got rid of it. I asked why and was told parents weren't happy that their kids could be seated with an adult stranger.
As an adult gay man, I am VERY concerned when a child is seated with me. I know that *I* would never do anything, but I know that people are lawsuit happy and it would be very easy to "claim" a false charge.
To me, if the ride has seperated seats then I am more comfortable with being seated with strangers. If there is a bench seat, then I would definitely refuse to be seated with a child.

 

[han22735]

As a family of 3 we are very used to this. It happens on all rides that kinda have their own seat...TT, SDD, Everest, ToT, RR etc...Never has it happened to us on "bench" style seats(big thunder, spinners, navi, etc).

 

[robinb]

The only ride that I see issues is Test Track. I use the single rider line 99% of the time and I've had experiences where the family doesn't slide down and let me in. Then when they do after a CM tells them to and I sit down, the parent gives me a death stare. Other than that it's usually fine.

We often ride single rider on Test Track and Everest. I introduce myself to the people I’m riding with when I am assigned their row. I say, “Hi! I’m a single rider assigned to ride with you!” Sometimes parents rearrange their family to have a different kid ride with me. That’s ok, I’m not offended.

You might avoid the “death stare” if the parents know you’re supposed to ride with them before they sit down.

 

[loves to dive]

For those of you who have never had it happen, you got lucky. As I said before, it almost always happens to me. I think the only times I've not been sat with other people/kids is during the trying times and sometimes during slower times. I'll never forget while riding GMR (rip) and being sat with a family of not small people. I am a small person and was sat on the end near the door. I had to squeeze myself in, do a shimmy to fit and had there not been a door, part of me would have been hanging out. As it was, my arms were folded in front of me and there was a pinch in the hips. The larger gentleman next to me felt even in those tight quarters he needed to do the man spread so we got to know each other from my shoulder to my knee.

 

[soniam]

When I lived in California, Disneyland had a single rider line for Toy Story Mania. I used it all the time. I went back to find they got rid of it. I asked why and was told parents weren't happy that their kids could be seated with an adult stranger.
As an adult gay man, I am VERY concerned when a child is seated with me. I know that *I* would never do anything, but I know that people are lawsuit happy and it would be very easy to "claim" a false charge.
To me, if the ride has seperated seats then I am more comfortable with being seated with strangers. If there is a bench seat, then I would definitely refuse to be seated with a child.

That sucks that people have to worry about this.

 

[kylenne]

The Allears video where this was stated was posted 12 days ago but judging from a few posters this happens often. The rows on Navi are a pretty tight squeeze. In the video they theorize it's to help with capacity since that ride has a fairly slow load/unload process.

This is so bizarre to me because it’s just never happened in the dozens of times I’ve been on it. But I’ve never once ridden it after rope drop and I’m certain that’s the factor. In the before times I used to always get a FP+ for FoP and head straight to Navi. Nowadays I do the same just with ILL. That early there’s never anybody over there so capacity’s not an issue, they don’t need to squeeze people in like that

Every coaster besides Space though I have always been sat in the same row with other guests though regardless.

 

[jeneric997]

We were a party of 5 on Navi and were told to take 2 rows. When we boarded my dd and her friend made the mistake of moving across the boat. The next thing we know, 2 more people get on. We were confused and said I think you are supposed to wait. They didn't understand, but it was pretty clear they got on the wrong boat because no one was left in the row in the queue, every other row had people. The CM wasn't paying attention and when she heard us question, she yelled that the rows fit 4 so it's fine. Ok, then. Our reward was having them turn their phone light on the entire ride.

 

[Disneyhanna]

On my solo and trips as a party of 2, we have been told we would likely be sitting with another group on NRJ the past couple years. Same goes for Safari, sometimes we get the whole row but often we are seated with others. And most definitely on Runaway Railway we get seated with others (and told ahead of time).

Living with the land and Frozen, as far as I can recall, I do not remember having to share with another party when I've been a group of 1-2. Interestingly enough, when I travel solo, I think I have ALWAYS gotten the front row on Frozen. Weight distribution or luck, ha?!

Slinky is the only ride I sometimes feel a bit awkward sharing my row on, as I almost always end up with an odd numbered party with kids.

Never have I ever had to share with strangers on rides like Haunted Mansion, Toy Story Mania, Little Mermaid...

Which of course, reminds me of the time I traveled with my mom and sent her off to ride Winnie the Pooh with a spare multiexperience pass while I rode a coaster. She got in the front row, and two adults followed in after her! The CM did nothing to stop them. Three grown adult strangers sitting in the front row of a honey pot, I thought it was much funnier than she did

 

[mickeyluv'r]

This has never happened to me on a ride that didn't have a single rider line, and I've never witnessed it happening to anyone else. I'm very surprised to hear about it happening to so many people here.

Not on Slinky? Kali River Rapids? Jungle Cruise?
Universe of Energy? Great Movie Ride?

Not WDW, but it also happens on Universal's Hogwart's Express. It is very common for strangers to be seated in the same car together. Generally, I don't give much thought to the idea of being seated next to strangers in a theme park, but on Hogwart's Express it is sometimes a bit odd.

(I never paid much attention, but fifteen current Universal rides offer single rider, in case anyone was wondering.)

 

[GoingSince1990]

Not on Slinky? Kali River Rapids? Jungle Cruise?
Universe of Energy? Great Movie Ride?

Not WDW, but it also happens on Universal's Hogwart's Express. It is very common for strangers to be seated in the same car together. Generally, I don't give much thought to the idea of being seated next to strangers in a theme park, but on Hogwart's Express it is sometimes a bit odd.

(I never paid much attention, but fifteen current Universal rides offer single rider, in case anyone was wondering.)

Growing up in the UK, I travelled on actual trains that had the same kind of seating configurations as the Hogwarts Express carriages, so it doesn’t feel odd to me!

 

[Chuckers]

Not on Slinky? Kali River Rapids? Jungle Cruise?
Universe of Energy? Great Movie Ride?

Not WDW, but it also happens on Universal's Hogwart's Express. It is very common for strangers to be seated in the same car together. Generally, I don't give much thought to the idea of being seated next to strangers in a theme park, but on Hogwart's Express it is sometimes a bit odd.

(I never paid much attention, but fifteen current Universal rides offer single rider, in case anyone was wondering.)

As a single rider, I was always placed with strangers on the Express and it never bothered me. There's always been plenty of room and I was never crammed in with strangers. However, if it was just kids they sat me with, I would leave the car.

 

[ttintagel]

Not on Slinky? Kali River Rapids? Jungle Cruise?
Universe of Energy? Great Movie Ride?

Jungle Cruise is a completely different setup, with the two communal benches going down each side of the boat. Yes, the last person in one party is seated next to the first person in the next party, but that's not the kind of thing the rest of the thread was discussing.
And the Great Movie Ride? Yes, multiple parties go into a single large vehicle, but I've never seen people from different parties crammed into the same row with no space in between. Same as Universe of Energy. I never saw them pack people in to fill all empty spaces. I'm not saying it never happens; clearly other people have had different experiences than I have. I'm just expressing surprise, because I've only ever witnessed it at attractions with single rider queues or the latest super-headliners. The majority of attractions have always seemed to be okay with leaving an empty space or two for the comfort of guests.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Jungle Cruise is a completely different setup, with the two communal benches going down each side of the boat. Yes, the last person in one party is seated next to the first person in the next party, but that's not the kind of thing the rest of the thread was discussing.

Visiting a theme park = close proximity to strangers all day. I don't draw a distinction between EE, the stretching room, or Jungle Cruise. We almost always shared a row on GMR and now MM:RR (if in a small group), and it is/was often fairly tight on busy days.

Come to think of it, the last time we ate at Connections, we were just inches away from the people at the next table over on a quiet Jan day. We sat at one of the tables with a bench-style seat.

On our most recent RNRC visit the CM's kept yelling at everyone in the holding pen (before the preshow) that we all needed to be TOUCHING the people next to us. Everyone looked confused because we were already packed together to the point of touching strangers' sleeves and bags. We were up against the front line. The only open space was over the line.

Shows like Muppets, Tough to be a Bug, CBJ, and Philarmagic also come to mind. TtbaB has bench seating to boot. I was just there a few weeks ago. I was directly next to a child.

We were sat pretty close to strangers the last time we rode the train to the Conservation Station in AK, and that is a rather long ride. We stayed for the last animation class, and our return train was the last scheduled train. Everyone had to move close so everyone could fit. The CM's had to tell people multiple times to make more room.

Then there are the WDW buses/monorails filled to full standing capacity. On a hot/rainy day, some folks leave puddles on the seats; that's always fun.