Surviving Lines at Disney World

Viewing the Waiting as the Reward

My family and I go to Disney World a lot. I mean, A LOT, a lot! As someone who doesn't like crowds, I'm actually shocked by how often I've been.

Why do we go so much? Well, my wife likes Disney the most; my kids love the roller coasters, snacks, and characters; as for me, I like the audacity of the company. I like the man who got it all started. He set out to do something that hadn't been done and inspired people to do it.

But this post isn't about that. This post is about the lines and, specifically, how to wait in them without losing your mind. In fact, I'm waiting in line right now while writing this. My goal is to finish and have it posted before getting on Test Track.

Here we go.

The problem with the line setup is that it forces those waiting to view the line as the drudgery before the reward—the ride. The effect this has is to slow time down because of the increase in negative thoughts and feelings. Think of the child crying, "Are we there yet?!" 15 minutes into an 8-hour road trip.

The same is also true for other things. Those who view healthy eating as drudgery and cake as the reward are bound for suffering.

What's the solution?

The solution is gratitude. You must learn to find joy in the thing you're tempted to view as drudgery. So, healthy eating is the reward—you get to put good nutrients into your body; so is writing the paper—you get to exercise your brain.

You can also view waiting in line this way—the waiting can be the reward even before the ride. It provides so many opportunities to do simple things. I've seen some families playing "Guess It," the Ellen DeGeneres game. Some little kids play patty cake (is that what it's called?). One weird guy even wrote a blog post.

I've also seen adults looking miserable! Sometimes I've been that adult because I've forgotten to be grateful and look for the opportunities waiting provided. But when I remember to be grateful, time flies!

Ok. It's our turn! Seriously!

Please forgive any grammatical errors. I was short on time.