Just a few months after Walt Disney World first opened to guests, my family hopped in the wood panel station wagon and took the endless journey down from Connecticut. The trip took many, many hours. I had my ipod and PSP to keep me entertained, except back then they were called “Coloring Book” and “Crayons.” That trip was long and boring, but it was the line of cars from the highway from the Magic Kingdom gate that really tried my patience. After a couple hours we finally passed through the gate into the parking lot. In the family wagon, surrounded by stale sandwiches, a game of “Chutes and Ladders,” as well as quarreling brother and sisters, I had my first experience of waiting in a line at Walt Disney World. I’ve been waiting in those Disney lines ever since.

Waiting in line is as much a part of any Disney vacation as Mickey Mouse. Sure, the Disney folk would rather we refer to the line as a queue. But since this is my blabbering, we’ll just call them simply “Q.”

Over the years, Disney has done great stuff with the Q. From traffic flow improvements to information and entertainment, a creative Q helps put the Disney attraction at the front of the line. So what can we do in the Q? How can we get through the wait in as harmless a way as possible? There are many things that can be done, some of them designed by the Imagineers and some are solely the responsibility of those Q’d. First, let’s look at the environment.

Early attractions featured a simple weave back and forth pattern. Most of the Fantasyland rides feature this Q. In these cases, the ride vehicles are usually within sight, encouraging Q-ers to be patient. One advantage to this form of Q: you get to see the faces of the people moving in the opposite direction. The disadvantages include seeing the faces of the people moving in the opposite direction. And worse is the inevitable control game called “Who has first dibs to the handrail?” This is not a happy game. It brings out the worst in us as you plan, scheme and manipulate to outsmart a stranger.

As the rides progressed with technology and scope, the Q became an opportunity to enhance the attraction’s story. By the time you reach the ride vehicles, you have been immersed in the theme and have an understanding of what is yet to come. Pirates of the Caribbean, Test Track and Space Mountain are good examples of this. In extreme cases, these Qs can be so immersive and interactive that they are practically part of the ride. Touring the Dino Institute before boarding Dinosaur or your village pass-through to Expedition Everest fills you with information about the science and legends needed to get the most out of your ride.

An additional opportunity while in the Q is to take the time to notice the details up, down and all around. Treasures in the Q are yours to be discovered. Many of these are obvious but offerings like the Walt Disney World Trivia Books or the Audio Guide to Walt Disney World can draw attention to things that may be missed.

With all that knowledge and “know how,” it brings us right to our next Q opportunity: an opportunity for us to work the Q, sharing what we know. At its simplest, a Q is a diverse gathering of guests. Odds are great that many of them are unaware of the magic around them or even possibly they are on their first visit. Sharing a bit of back story or the location of a hidden Mickey can make a moment – a Disney moment created by us. Sharing information or giving away a sticker can turn an upset child into a happy one.

It is important to know your audience. Not everyone wants a stranger to come up and break into their personal space, but still they may be interested in what you have to say. Consider telling your story to someone else in the line that does seem receptive, making it loud enough for it to be overheard by others. It’s also important to keep things positive. Someone experiencing an attraction for the first time should not be told that the ride used to be better before they changed it. Those people will feel slighted, like they have missed an opportunity. That is a bummer. Rather, use your knowledge to encourage further experiences. They will be happy for it… and so will you.

Eventually, the Q ends and you are on the ride. That wasn’t so bad, especially with a bit of work on your part. So, to answer the question “Whose line is it anyway?” The answer is…

“Ours.”