In the Queue

Why Queues Matter More Than Ever

“People are a lot more impatient when they’ve got entertainment that sits in their pocket, and you can access that entertainment at any point in time. People don’t want to focus on their surroundings if it’s not engaging,” said Jen. “Every time a guest pulls out their phone, they’re taken out of the experience. The goal is to keep them in the story, fully immersed, so when they reach the ride, they’re in the right mindset.”

Over the years, queues have shifted from being overlooked holding spaces to an integrated experiences. As Eric put it, “A lot of the attractions from yesteryear were based on either an IP within the park or just the ride. Now attractions are more story-driven and focus on IP’s that are already popular through the film industry. People know the story, and they come in expecting to see that story. And it becomes more complicated to produce the queue when you’re measuring up to big budget films and people’s high expectations.”Shape

Favorite Queues of All Time

Both designers shared the queues that inspire them most:

• Jen: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

“It’s overwhelming how detailed it is, and when you’re a fan of Harry Potter, walking through the Hogwarts Castle, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. And it’s everything that you’ve ever dreamt it would be. I just don’t get tired walking through it every time.”

• Eric: Avatar Flight of Passage

“It’s an incredible queue. It mixes a little bit of outdoor and indoor. Going through the bioluminescent forests of Pandora, you’ve got the rocks overhead. And then when you get into the testing labs and stuff and see a Na’vi in the tank, I mean, it’s a life-size to scale thing, and the little details within the queue as well within the lab test, it’s just so immersive. It really sets up the story for what you’re going to do on the adventure.”

The Psychology of Waiting

Psychology plays a huge role in how guests perceive time spent in line as well as their overall thoughts of the attraction as a whole.

“There’s an old adage,” Eric shared. “‘Unoccupied time feels longer than occupied time.’ If guests feel like they’re just standing there waiting, the frustration builds. Queue design is kind of a master class in psychology when you think about it. You’re taking somebody who could be like, ‘I’m waiting forever for this ride,’ and you’re preoccupying their time and distracting them with something else.”

Eric added:

It’s also setting up the narrative for what’s happening in the attraction. The queue is definitely part of the attraction nowadays; it’s not a waiting game anymore.”

“Guests want to get to the experience, and then they want to move on to the next experience,” said Jen, “One of the big key things about queues is that you don’t want to make guests regret the wait time. They will consider the weight of the queue compared to how the main show made them feel and what they got out of it. Was that 2-hour queue worth that ride? And so that’s why it’s really important to make the queues engaging and make it worth their while.”

If you want to learn more about the psychology of attractions, we’ve got a full podcast episode on this topic. Listen here.  

Cue it Up: The Role of Storytelling

The strongest queues act as the first chapter of the story.

“The queue is the intro to the experience,” explains Jen, “You know, that’s where you’re doing your world-building. That’s where you’re setting up the environment that the guests are in, you’re developing the story that is taking place in the attraction. You’re setting up the reason for guests being there. Storytelling is huge in queues.”ShapeShape