A single rider line at Disney World is supposed to be one of the best hacks in the park: a faster way to get on popular attractions if you’re willing to ride without your party and fill in empty seats left by odd-numbered groups. But according to a growing number of guests, that system might not be working as intended — and some are wondering if Cast Members are deliberately slowing it down.
A recent thread on Reddit lit up with complaints from Disney parkgoers who experienced painfully long waits in single rider lines — in some cases even longer than the standard standby line. One post, which has gained serious traction among Disney fans, described a 90-minute wait in the single rider line for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, despite the posted standby time being just 50 minutes.
“When I reached the front of the line I discovered why,” the original poster wrote. “When an odd party approached, the cast members would walk through the entire standby line asking for a party of one, and only usher a single rider in when there were no single parties in the standby line. That coupled with leaving 4 or 5 random seats empty per ride vehicle made things excruciatingly slow. Do the cast members just have a grudge against single riders?”
Wait — What Is the Single Rider Line?
For those unfamiliar, single rider lines are offered on select Disney World attractions. The idea is simple: if you’re willing to ride solo, you can fill in the extra seats left open on ride vehicles. It’s a win-win — guests skip a longer wait, and the ride runs at full capacity.
At Walt Disney World, only a few attractions currently offer single rider queues:
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Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (Hollywood Studios)
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Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (Hollywood Studios)
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Test Track (EPCOT)
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Expedition Everest (Animal Kingdom)
But lately, guests say the “quick” option hasn’t been living up to its name.
“They Did It On Purpose”
In the same Reddit thread, multiple commenters echoed the original complaint, with one user revealing, “I had this happen to me the last time I went to Disney. The CM admitted they did it on purpose and said it was because groups got into the single rider line to ‘skip’ the line. I waited an hour and a half for a ride that only had a 40-minute wait time.”
That sentiment — that Cast Members are intentionally slowing down the single rider line to discourage groups from abusing it — was a common thread among replies.
Another guest added, “It was probably one of those groups that gets up to the front of single rider and begs, pleads, and bargains to try to ride together. Otherwise, yeah, they have no right to say anything — it’s very common for groups to go through single rider together and meet up at the end of the ride.”
But not everyone agreed with punishing all single riders for the actions of a few. “If the group is willing to be split up as singles, then what does it matter?” one Redditor asked. “Single rider should be a win-win-win. Single riders get on faster. Standby line moves faster. Ride vehicles go out full. Everyone benefits.”
“Hundreds Went By — We Just Stood There”
Another poster shared a frustratingly familiar experience from Test Track at EPCOT: “Sometimes it definitely feels that way. I went as a single rider and watched what felt like hundreds of people go by as myself and a few other single riders stood there for over 10 minutes. The CM didn’t even glance at us in all that time and there were plenty of what looked like odd-numbered groups.”
They added a fair-minded take: “Never know what’s actually going on though. They probably have instructions at times to move the main queue through in priority or something, so I just shrug that stuff off most of the time.”
“Probably a Brand New Rule”
Several current and former Cast Members chimed in to offer insight from behind the scenes. One user suggested the cause may not be personal at all — but a result of inconsistent leadership direction.
“Unfortunately, it was probably a brand new rule given to the CM that morning. Sometimes Leaders will give us a brand new way to do something CM’s have done correctly for ages,” one user wrote. “It doesn’t work, and within the following few days, the new rule magically goes away. No idea what that new strategy would have been in this instance, but that is probably what happened.”
They went on to describe the unpredictable nature of working in theme parks: “You can tell it’s always from someone who never leaves the office, pops by, says ‘let’s try this!’ and then doesn’t stick around to see the aftermath.”
Should You Still Use Single Rider?
So, what’s the takeaway here? The single rider line can still be a valuable tool — but it comes with a risk. When it works, it works beautifully. But when Cast Members are given different instructions (or are dealing with difficult guests trying to game the system), it can backfire.
The general consensus? Single rider lines are not guaranteed to be faster — especially when operational policies shift from day to day. If you’re riding solo or are okay with being split up from your group, it might still be worth the gamble. Just don’t assume it’ll be a walk-on.
And if you find yourself stuck in a 90-minute single rider line while watching the standby guests fly by? You’re not alone — and you may be part of what Disney fans are starting to call the “single rider slowdown.”
