The Best Queues in Walt Disney World

Let’s face it- no one enjoys waiting in line. With so many attractions and experiences to be found throughout Walt Disney World, a large portion of any vacation is spent waiting in line. While there are ways to avoid lengthy waits like Lightning Lane purchases, a lot of waiting is inevitable. Thankfully, most queues throughout the four Disney Parks feature built in entertainment, interactive elements, and more to keep Guests occupied and not bored while waiting. Let’s check out some of the best themed and entertaining queues found throughout the Walt Disney World Resort.

Haunted Mansion

Kicking off the list is one of the most iconic attractions in all of Walt Disney World. The Haunted Mansion is beloved by Guests and can be found in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom. Before ever entering the stately manor home, Guests pass through an interactive graveyard with many elements to keep them entertained. Guests encounter a series of busts with riddles that piece together a murder mystery, a poet from beyond with writer’s block, a sneezy sea captain, musical tombs, and ghostly books that move on their own. With so much to touch and interact with, Guests are always surprised when they quickly find themselves at the main door into the Haunted Mansion!

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

One of the newest attractions in Walt Disney World is a perfect example of how Imagineers have learned to blend queues and pre-shows to minimize the feeling of waiting. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance can be found in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios and offers Guests the opportunity to live out their own incredible adventure. Guests enter the queue outside and soon find themselves in the heart of a secret rebel base surrounded by immersive theming and props. Before they know it, the queue brings them into a room with BB-8 and a hologram Rey, an escape transport being led by Lieutenant Bek, the inside of a Star Destroyer, and a holding cell. It may be hard to imagine, but all of this occurs before the ride even begins! The pre-show and queue elements of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance have been so seamlessly intertwined that Guests don’t even realize that they are technically waiting for the experience to start!

Avatar Flight of Passage

Avatar Flight of Passage is an extremely popular attraction that can be found in Pandora – The World of Avatar in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The attraction offers Guests the opportunity to fly on the back of a banshee by linking to an Avatar. Before ever getting into the link chamber for the ride experience, Guests move through a queue with stunning views of the floating mountains of the Valley of Mo’ara as well as exotic caves. The scenery takes a sudden shift as Guests move through industrial chambers and hallways where the beauty of Pandora can be found beginning to grow back. As Guests move further into the experience, laboratories filled with experiments and even an Avatar can be explored. The final portion of the queue of Avatar Flight of Passage features a series of pre-shows where Guests learn more about the technology they are about to experience and the attraction itself. Despite having lengthy wait times, it’s easy to see why it never feels that long waiting for Avatar Flight of Passage!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

EPCOT is home to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, a thrilling and immersive experience that ends with Guests on a mission alongside the Guardians to save the universe. While waiting for the actual attraction, Guests begin their experience on the queue in the Galaxarium where they can enjoy a sweeping ceiling and narration that compares Earth and Xandar. Guests then move through a series of displays that showcase the culture and beauty of Xandar as well as interviews with various members of the Guardians. Finally, Guests enter a special chamber where they are transported to a Xandarian ship for a demonstration of the Cosmic Generator. It’s here where things take a turn, and Guests finally move to the loading area of the attraction. With so many interesting and interactive elements of the queue, it never feels like that long of a wait for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind!

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

While some of the newer attractions of Walt Disney World feature interactive elements and multiple pre-shows, one attraction in Disney’s Hollywood Studios showcases how an immersive environment can be just as amazing. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror can be found looming at the end of Sunset Boulevard and invites Guests into the Hollywood Tower Hotel to experience their own trip into the fifth dimension. Winding paths lead Guests through foggy gardens where deteriorating fountains, paths, and more end with a beautiful lobby that has been left to rot. Though small, the lobby is filled with intricate details that make Guests feel as though they have stepped into their own episode of the series. The immersive experience continues in the library where a short pre-show film shares the story of the Hollywood Tower Hotel and the fate that awaits Guests. The level of detail in the theming and the immersive storyline are enough to make any Guest forget that they are waiting in line for an attraction at all!

Peter Pan’s Flight

One of the most beloved attractions in Walt Disney World is Peter Pan’s Flight in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. Once on board, Guests can soar high over Neverland and London with Peter and the Darling children in a quintessential Disney experience. Since so many Guests love Peter Pan’s Flight, the wait times can be very lengthy, but the queue helps to make up for that. A portion of the queue brings Guests into the Darling’s household where they can check out lots of props and items as well as follow Tinkerbell’s glow around the room as she gets into all kinds of things. There is even a portion of the queue where Guests can use their arms and hands to create shadows and music before being sprinkled by pixie dust just before the loading area. Waiting for Peter Pan’s Flight can feel frustrating, but the interactive elements in the queue make time go faster.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

The final queue on the list secures its spot thanks to hands-on interactive elements geared specifically towards children. The Many Adventures of Winne the Pooh can be found in the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland and brings Guests into the story of a blustery day in the Hundred Acre Wood. The open-air queue brings Guests through Rabbit’s garden where kids of all ages re invited to play drums, make noise, interact with simple games, and more. Closer to the loading area, there are also large screens with honey dripping down and Guests can use their hands to clear the honey away and reveal characters. While it can be a little loud at times, the interactive elements of the queue for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh are a great way to keep Guests of all ages entertained.