Waiting in ride lines are better than the actual ride

The rush of adrenaline and the heart-dropping feeling attracts people to ride roller coasters. For instance, eagerness starts to build as you wait in line with your friends. You get on, ride it, and get off. It all happens so quickly and now those feelings you felt beforehand are gone. The excitement is no longer there. You then start to realize you actually had more fun in the line. Why? It’s all because roller coasters don’t come close to being as thrilling as waiting in long lines. 

I think standing in ride lines is enjoyable because of the company. From the people you’ve just met to the people you’ve known for years, there is always someone to interact with. In a way, it forces people to converse with each other because what else is there to do? It’s not like they don’t have little time on their hands. 

Depending on who you stand with, the experience differentiates. You can have minutes worth of reliving funny memories with old friends, laughing until strangers weirdly stare. You can have minutes worth of catching up with family members or even getting to know someone new. It’s a matter of surrounding yourself with good company that turns something boring into something worth cherishing. 

When it comes to my family, passing time somehow ends with us playing games like “heads up” (an app) or chopsticks (the hand game). Time flies by so quickly, making 45 minutes feel like 15. We almost even forget about the ride. I don’t think I’ve ever said the highlight of my day was because of a ride. It was always the moments before getting on that were most memorable. 

People do anything to avoid the dreadful minutes of waiting. Most even skip some rides just to save time. But, I see no point in that. By the end of your day—when you actually can reflect on what you’ve done that day—it’s the quality time in those lines that you remember. All the connections you made are something you can’t get out of a minute-long ride. 

The next time you’re at an amusement park, make use of those minutes in lines. Laugh with your friends. Play games with your family. Meet strangers that could potentially be new friends. Whatever it may be, there’s always value in appreciating the things others find boring or would take advantage of.