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Queue line annoyances

Towseriv said:
Noonie99 said:
We had some fun in the Rita Queue a week or so back. What looked like a father and 2 daughters (real attitude) and possibly a young wife or girlfriend to the father, decided to spark up and all smoke in front of us. I said loud enough for them to hear to my boyfriend "I love it when people smoke in the queue lines and dont realise there are camera's watching them" he played along and said "I know.." I continued to say "especially when you get to the front of the queue and they send you back.. ha ha" He then said "I know remember when we saw that ride opp do that to those people that time"
Well you should have seen their faces??! they were clearly scared, and the funniest thing they got stopped at a section of the queue to wait for the fast track people or something, and they were really worried, kept looking at eachother!! Made the queueing go a bit faster for us!
Thing is if they make the rules about designated smoking areas, why cant they let people queue up and then get rid of them at the front?! I would if I worked there!
Rules are rules.. I dont get why these people think it doesn't apply!?
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I was really annoyed today, first ride of the day for my kids was going to be the tractors, I had to detour them off it when there was a women who would have been right in forn of us in the queue smoking. Went on the boats instead, I can almost tell all the rymes in my head now :)
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You shouldn't really have to do that, if you want to, politely ask them to stop and use your park map (smoking rule on the back cover) to back you up, or just ask a member of staff to tell them to stop or move to a designated area. :)
 
Your right I shouldn't have to ahve done it, its a bit bad to say too but I didn't feel comfortable saying anything since I was on my own with my kids and didnt want to cause a scene
 
Pixie-Ro said:
People who invade your personal space. Obviously I know that you have to stand pretty close to each other, but we were in the queue for Sonic a few weeks ago and there was a group of young lads behind us. We were getting towards the front and they started pulling leaves off the trees and throwing them at each other...and us in the process. Then they started 'play fighting' and of course during all the shoving and pushing they kept 'falling' into us. Had the end not been in sight, I think my husband would have had words, but I was very impressed at his restraint! It's sad but now I look at who I will be behind in a queue before I get in it, and if a big gang of lairy looking peeps join after me I will leave the line. Life's too short to waste an hour of it next to some complete numpties!
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Apologies for dredging up an old thread!

This really struck with me - I hate it as well.

Not even the bad behaviour, just the people behind you in a queue repeatedly bumping into the back of you. FFS! Bunching up isn't going to make the queue move more quickly!

The only time I've reacted was one wet day a good few years ago. In the Rita queue with my eldest and, like about half the people in the queue, had an umbrella up. The umbrella kept getting knocked by a group of about 6 girls and a couple of lads, all mid-teens, who were immediately behind. All standing far too close to us. Then the loud comments kicked off, gently at first with things like "I keep banging my head on that brolly" and giggles. Then onto "I hate dickheads who brings brollies, dead dangerous". Then deliberate pushing of my brolly away and one lad said "He hits me with it again and I'll rip it off him".

That was the 'snap' for me. I wheeled round, got right in their faces (holding the brolly high above which, with hindsight, must have made look daft 🤣 ) and told them to move back and stay back because if any of them touched my ****ing brolly again, ANY of them, I'd follow them to a quiet area and kick the sh** out of them.

It worked for about 5 minutes then it started again - I think because we were nearly at the steps and more AT employees were around. We ended up on the same ride and, afterwards, they scurried off before I could catch up.

I mean, just leave a couple of foot between you and the group in front - we always do.
 
Yes 100%, people need to leave a small gap behind. I always try to leave space between me and the person infront but it's never reciprocated behind.

Sooo annnoying. I'm with you on that one.

Two others:

1. If you are using a fence to steady a camera and a kid wobbles it just as the trains goes past.

2. The queues themselves if the queue extensions are all open and not needed. Was like this on Sunday for Nemesis, in the afternoon / evening, the second extension was in use and it's a complete pain!
 
For me, it's this.
  • People holding up the queue when it moves forwards
  • The Swarm's free for all batching system. It's an absolute shambles.
  • People having the audacity to cut the single rider (or main) queue to meet with their friends further up the queue.
  • People behind you getting really close to you.
  • People vaping in queues.
  • Stealth's batching area - they send so many people that you wait multiple cycles. The risk of bags being taken is higher on this ride.
  • Single Seats being left empty as a result of batching by staff or the general public.
 
Vaping is out of control at Thorpe, particularly in the Hyperia queue. Unbelievable how many people think it's acceptable to blow their bubblegum/tropical/popcorn/rainbow lung exhale all over people around them.

I vape myself, they're ridiculously addictive but come on at least do it discreetly if you really need to.

Or on Hyperia opening day when the ride broke down for 10 minutes and a youtuber sat on the floor of the single rider queue and smoked an actual cigarette.
 
RicketyCricket said:
Vaping is out of control at Thorpe, particularly in the Hyperia queue. Unbelievable how many people think it's acceptable to blow their bubblegum/tropical/popcorn/rainbow lung exhale all over people around them.

I vape myself, they're ridiculously addictive but come on at least do it discreetly if you really need to.

Or on Hyperia opening day when the ride broke down for 10 minutes and a youtuber sat on the floor of the single rider queue and smoked an actual cigarette.
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I'm obviously biased, but I find all-natural cig smoke far more acceptable than huge clouds of cherry-scented stranger-breath.
 
Bowser said:
Very symbolic of Merlin’s approach to staffing.
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I'd honestly like to see Merlin replicate the batching process for Mandrill Mayhem on Swarm. I think it'd be so much more organised than the chaos they have now.

RicketyCricket said:
Vaping is out of control at Thorpe, particularly in the Hyperia queue. Unbelievable how many people think it's acceptable to blow their bubblegum/tropical/popcorn/rainbow lung exhale all over people around them.

I vape myself, they're ridiculously addictive but come on at least do it discreetly if you really need to.

Or on Hyperia opening day when the ride broke down for 10 minutes and a youtuber sat on the floor of the single rider queue and smoked an actual cigarette.
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It honestly drives me nuts - on the last day of the season, the two groups immediately in front of me and the group immediately behind me vaped at regular intervals in the Colossus (aka Washing Machine: the Ride) queue line.

A load of annoyances for the single rider queue including loads of odd number groups using the queue (when we rely on odd number groups to be batched) and groups trying to get batched together which includes them asking you to swap at the airgates or asking staff to batch you together.

A lot of this defeats the object of the single rider queue especially if they want to ride together in the end.
 
Sometimes you'll get a group of teenage lads near you in a queue and especially on a hot day one of them might be a bit whiffy with B.O. There's nothing you can do about it but just put up with the odour for however long you are stuck in the queue with them for. I think sometimes young guys get a bit carried away with wearing the same clothes for days without realising they need to change and be freshened up if they are going to be in a public space in close proximity to people.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
I'm obviously biased, but I find all-natural cig smoke far more acceptable than huge clouds of cherry-scented stranger-breath.
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I agree, especially when said vape smoke is closer to something produced by a professional grade touring smoke machine.
 
I've had 2 different one's in the Hyperia single rider queue one where a girl asked me if her friend could take my place whilst i was with her in row 9 i said no but it made me feel like a right arse.
The other one again was in the single rider queue where i had this lad about 15 right against me could feel him right against my back the when at the top he was squeezed right at the side of me and the man who tells you which row to go to let him go first and the lad got row 1 and i got row 4 wish i had said something but i'm abit shy.
I do use the single rider que on Hyperia because my wife won't go on it i've been on it 6 times and every time i have been the only one on my own where everyone else is together having a laugh and talking i just stand there waiting like billy no mates
 
owenstreet7 said:
A load of annoyances for the single rider queue including loads of odd number groups using the queue (when we rely on odd number groups to be batched) and groups trying to get batched together which includes them asking you to swap at the airgates or asking staff to batch you together
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When I did Hyperia FT I got batched with a girl and her friend evidently got batched a few rows back. I noticed her talking to her friend at the gates and I offered to swap so they could sit together. They were reluctant at first as they thought they’d get in trouble which was very sweet!

Then my only other ride I got given the exact same row and seat, that’ll teach me.
 
I used the single rider line last month and for 80 mins(!) (single train service), two maybe 15-16 year old lads were vaping, invading personal space, and screaming racist and homophobic remarks the entire line because they saw a guy with blue hair. I’m talking death threats, violent remarks, and general disdain. It was so uncomfortable, especially as I’m gay myself but I wasn’t offended, just plain annoyed!

They both also didn’t understand how the SRQ works and constantly complained that the ride hosts batched the main queue and other lines more frequently than ours.

Although they did make me laugh when one of them interpreted the ‘reduced capacity’ announcement as the ride being on reduced speed 😂 it went something like this:

*Announcement*
Boy 1: nah that’s mental, they said the ride is on reduced speed, it looks so fast already tho innit”
Boy 2: *Complains that they won’t get to experience hyperia on boost mode*
 
As others have said, smoking, vaping and not respecting others personally space is a common occurrence at all the Merlin parks.

I used to smoke. I used to vape. But would always respect others who didn't and make sure that I smoked and vape away from others, not just in the parks, but everyone. To me, it just seems the decent thing to do.

But having packed both in, it really irritates me how disrespectful vapers at the parks are. They just don't seem to give a sh*t about anyone around them. But if they get away with it, why would they stop? I've raised this with guests services multiple times and all they ever say is 'we take it seriously' blah blah blah. Yeah, alright 🤣

Personal space is the one and only thing I miss about covid times. I think I just need to start pretending I've got it and start coughing on those around me. That'll hopefully sort it! 👍🏻
 
ThemeScream said:
As others have said, smoking, vaping and not respecting others personally space is a common occurrence at all the Merlin parks.

I used to smoke. I used to vape. But would always respect others who didn't and make sure that I smoked and vape away from others, not just in the parks, but everyone. To me, it just seems the decent thing to do.

But having packed both in, it really irritates me how disrespectful vapers at the parks are. They just don't seem to give a sh*t about anyone around them. But if they get away with it, why would they stop? I've raised this with guests services multiple times and all they ever say is 'we take it seriously' blah blah blah. Yeah, alright 🤣

Personal space is the one and only thing I miss about covid times. I think I just need to start pretending I've got it and start coughing on those around me. That'll hopefully sort it! 👍🏻
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To be fair when I went to thorpe last month they actually did send two security guards into the hyperia queue to remove someone who kept vaping and wouldn’t listen to the announcements on the tannoy
 
Smoking in the queue lines was honestly one of the reasons why I stopped going to theme parks between 2009 and 2024 (vaping wasn't really a thing back then) - specifically, when Colossus broke down whilst I was stuck in one of the queue-line tunnels beneath the ride, and everybody began lighting up :(

People still do it, but I tend to go on off-peak days now, when the queues generally aren't as long and so there is less likelihood of it happening (although it was a problem when I went to Blackpool during one of their busy late-night events earlier this year).

To be fair when I went to thorpe last month they actually did send two security guards into the hyperia queue to remove someone who kept vaping and wouldn’t listen to the announcements on the tannoy
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I remember hearing a staff member meekly tell somebody in the Rush queue line earlier this year that smoking was forbidden - but the guy carried on regardless, and I got the feeling that the staff member didn't want to push it as the guy looked a bit threatening and he was about to board the ride shortly anyway.
 
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