Visiting amusement parks and theme parks: how to avoid long lines with simple preparation

Amusement parks and theme parks have continually entertained visitors for centuries. They take people out of the real world and immerse them in a fantasy setting filled with thrill rides, entertainment attractions, and plenty of dining offerings. A lot of walking is required due to the generally large areas that the rides are spread over. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on how you feel walking. You can reasonably expect to walk three to ten miles a day in a large park. The biggest complaint most people have is the long lines at the wrinkle and food counters. The good news is that you can greatly reduce the amount of time you spend queuing. All you need is a basic understanding of crowd flow and park layout combined with a little preparation before you leave home. Commit to arriving early.

The world’s first amusement park reportedly opened in 1583 in a community north of Copenhagen, Denmark. As you can imagine, their offerings were primitive compared to the high-tech attractions common in parks today. Most parks in the United States evolved from the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. The first real “theme park” in the country was Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Conceptualized by Walt Disney, it was designed over the years by Walt and his “imagineers”. So what is the difference between amusement parks and theme parks? There are points in common: walks, entertainment and food. However, theme parks add a dimension by creating an environment centered around a theme or a variety of themes, such as space travel, movies, sports, cartoon characters, or music, to name a few. Most theme parks are divided into several individual themed sections. Disneyland originally had five themed areas, each unique and rich in detail.

Successful theme parks draw huge crowds every day. Popularity breeds long lines, which start at the booth and lead to the parking lot. Go early to avoid the line of cars that line up to get in. This will also put you in front at the entry point. Avoid waiting in long lines all day inside the park by learning the lay of the grounds before you leave home. The easiest way is to simply visit the park’s website and check the map. Some parks are designed in a “loop” or large circle pattern. Guests move around the circuit going from one ride to the next. Other parks use a “hub and spoke” setup, similar to the one introduced at Disneyland. The hub and spoke design is used in most of the Disney parks. Guests enter and head down a street or path towards an icon in the middle of the park. From there, guests can choose from several “spokes,” each leading to a separate themed area. There are other designs, but the two mentioned here are the most common. Most parks offer two or three “top rides” or “top attractions.” These draw large crowds immediately after the park opens its doors. Crowd favorites are usually on opposite sides of the park or in different areas and are rarely situated next to or near each other. Most of the big parks also offer shows, concerts, parades or fireworks. Learn about show times and major attraction locations ahead of time so you can prepare your route and walking schedule.

Maximize your family’s fun with a plan and remember these important points:

  • Buying tickets online, by mail or by phone is your first time saver because you won’t have to wait in line at the box office on the day of your visit. Have your ticket in hand and get in fast!
  • Special events like shows and parades draw crowds away from attractions, reducing wait times.
  • Be sure to allow plenty of time to park and move to the gate. You want to be at the gate at least twenty minutes before the official opening of the park. This will help you get a jump on things. Most people will arrive at the park between 10am and noon. Get there early and beat the crowds!
  • On busy days of peak season, some parks open earlier than their posted opening time for crowd control purposes. Sometimes they open early out of season. Always show up early.
  • If your chosen park is designed in the form of a loop, turn left and move clockwise because most people will do the opposite.
  • At the opening, move quickly, but don’t run, to the most popular attractions. Take your first ride and quickly move on to the next big one. You may have to cross the park and walk further, but you will save time waiting in line.
  • After reaching the most popular attractions, you can relax the pace.
  • Most people eat lunch between 11:45 am and 1 pm, which means waits are longer if you join the crowd. Why not plan to eat during free times? Less time in the lunch line means more time for wrinkling.
  • Generally, after 3:00 pm, the number of people leaving the park will exceed the number of people entering by a ratio of 3:1. If you book an extended stay, you can apply this knowledge to future visits to the same park within your vacation package.
  • Crowds are heaviest around major holidays and in high season. Avoid these times when possible.
  • Find out ahead of time when the park has specials geared toward “locals.” Avoid those days when possible.
  • Many popular parks will shut down between noon and 3 pm Use this time block to visit less popular attractions, exhibits, interactive exhibits, navigation and exploration.

Do your research and plan before you go! It’s fun to do and will help you save time in lines once inside the park.

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