The big mistake theme park guests make when wanting to avoid the long ride queues
THEME park guests are making mistakes that mean they end up queueing much more on visits to their favourite attractions than they need to.
Standing around in lines can really ruin a trip to a theme park, but there are ways guests can minimise how much time they spend waiting.
Mark Forrest, who visits theme parks across the UK on his TikTok account (@DisneyMark) offered a clever tip for those wanting to go on the big rides sooner.
He teamed up with Blackpool Pleasure Beach and said that lunch time shouldn’t be used for eating, but heading to the rollercoasters to avoid the queues.
He said: “If you didn’t manage to get to the park when the doors open, then consider saving the biggest rides for lunchtime.
“Most guests visit eateries during the hours of 12 and 2pm, so this is a good time to head to some of the bigger rides on the park.”
He added that the average queue time at Blackpool Pleasure Beach decreases between 12pm and 1pm as well, so visitors should always use those hours to their advantage.
Oliver Brendon, CEO of AttractionTickets.com agreed that this was the best way to avoid queues.
He said: “Come lunchtime, there’s likely to be a bigger queue for your food than there is for the rides.
“If you can plan an early lunch, or bring snacks and take a later break, this is the perfect time to head to some of the most popular rides which tend to have queues all day long.”
Oliver also recommended another method for spending less time in queues for guests who arrive earlier in the day.
He added: “Most people start at the front of the park and work their way around.
“However, flipping your route and starting with the rides at the back of the park could mean you avoid those pesky queue times – especially if the park has only been open for a couple of hours.”
There are other helpful things for theme park guests to help them spend more time on rides and less time in queues.
Alexandria Adamson became an official theme park ride tester after beating more than 63,000 applicants to get the job.
Alexandria suggests downloading the theme park apps to your phone, as this could help save valuable time waiting in line for rides or attractions.
She said: “Before you head to a park, check what apps you may need. Most of the parks have their own apps to help you navigate during your time there and make the most of it!
“You can find useful information like wait times and maps, as well as the entertainment and food on offer.”
Meanwhile, Alton Towers has offered guests a first look at its new ride, opening later this month.
And the designer of Nemesis explained why the tallest and fastest rollercoasters aren’t always the best.