If you’re going on a solo trip to Disney World — or just don’t mind riding an attraction with a few strangers — you might be able to save some time in line by using the Single Rider queue. But how does the Single Rider Line work at Disney World? Does it cost anything? And are there any downsides to using it? We’ll explain all you need to know.
Most attractions at Disney World have two lines. First, there’s a regular Standby Queue (or Virtual Queue instead). Second, there’s a separate line for guests with Lightning Lane reservations.
But there are a few attractions with a third option: a Single Rider line.
Disney uses the Single Rider line to fill seats that would otherwise go empty. For example, if a ride vehicle holds six people and they just boarded a family of five, Disney would pull one person from the Single Rider line to fill that sixth seat.
You get a (theoretically) shorter wait, and Disney gets to operate its rides more efficiently.
Do Single Riders Get to Ride Alone?
No, you will not get an entire ride vehicle to yourself.
The Single Rider queue is designed to fill the one empty seat in a vehicle that’s already full of other people.
Single Rider Lines are relatively rare at Disney World. There are usually more rides with Single Rider Lines than rides which offer Virtual Queues, but fewer Single Rider Lines than Lightning Lanes.
Single Rider availability is always subject to change. Even rides with dedicated Single Rider queues may not have them in operation on a particular day (or even a particular time of day). You won’t find much, if any, info on these via the My Disney Experience app, so check with Cast Members at the ride entrance for the latest status.
Depending on when you visit, you may find the Single Rider line in operation at the following rides:
Park/Location: Asia section at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Single Rider Entrance: To the left of the Serka Zong Bazaar gift shop and ride exit (a fair distance to the right of the main ride entrance)
Single Rider Line Status: Consistent, long-term offering which is typically available and has been in operation for many years
Potential Downsides: You’ll miss virtually the entire themed queue, including the lovely “museum” section that includes some real artifacts and really sets the story for the ride.
Concept Art | Image © Disney
Park/Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Single Rider Entrance: Usually on the left side of the main ride entrance, but easily-changeable digital signage means it could be moved at any time
Single Rider Line Status: Consistent, long-term offering which is typically available
Double Rider Testing: There are sporadic reports of Disney testing a “double rider” option which allows parties of two to use the Single Rider Line and not be split at boarding. This is considered to be an experimental, occasional offering; don’t rely upon it being available during your visit.
Potential Downsides: You’ll miss significant portions of the richly-themed queue and pre-show. You’re also much more likely to be “stuck” in the role of engineer onboard the ride, which is the least interactive of all the roles onboard.
Park/Location: France Pavilion in World Showcase at EPCOT
Single Rider Entrance: Left side of the main ride entrance
Single Rider Line Status: Officially only in the “testing” phase, but they did actually build the ride with a separate Single Rider queue so it’s extremely likely to continue
Potential Downsides: You’ll miss part of the main queue, but your experience will generally be similar to those who used Lightning Lane.
Park/Location: Sunset Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Single Rider Entrance: Right side of the main ride entrance
Single Rider Line Status: Consistent, long-term offering which is typically available and has been in operation for many years
Potential Downsides: Anecdotally, this one seems to have the highest risk of not saving you any time. Due to some unknown quirk of the ride layout, loading system, or typical Guest mix, you might actually end up waiting as long (or even longer!) than the regular queue on some particularly busy days. To be clear, this isn’t always the case — I’ve never personally had a bad experience with it. And since you’ll still get to experience almost the entire themed queue (including the pre-show) it doesn’t really hurt to try.
Park/Location: Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Single Rider Entrance: Near the ride exit, far to the right of the main ride entrance. Look for Cast Members with handheld signs rather than a permanently-marked entrance.
Single Rider Line Status: Officially being called a “test” only, so its longterm future is uncertain. There’s currently no permanent infrastructure for it, meaning it could disappear with little warning. All they really need to do to stop offering it is tell two Cast Members to stop holding signs.
Potential Downsides: Because this is still officially just “testing,” there have been various versions of the Single Rider experience. You will certainly miss at least some of the pre-show elements and theming — and you could miss almost all of them. For a period in late 2024, they did restore Single Rider access to some of the important pre-show elements — but at other times Guests have just been routed through various backstage hallways, missing many of the impressive/immersive moments that set the story for the ride. Even on days when those elements are still part of the Single Ride experience, there can be a bottleneck as they (ironically) group together several Single Riders for a dedicated pre-show viewing before returning them to their “single” status.
Concept Art | Image © Disney
Park/Location: World Discovery at EPCOT
Single Rider Entrance: Left side of the main ride entrance
Single Rider Line Status: Historically it has been a consistent, long-term offering, but Test Track is currently closed for major refurbishment. Single Rider availability for late 2025 and beyond is TBD once the ride reopens in late summer.
Potential Downsides: In the pre-2025 version, you missed a good portion of the queue including the ability to completely customize your “test vehicle” (which was really just a computerized “avatar” that would occasionally pop up on screen during the ride). It’s unclear what the 2025 version of the ride will include and whether there are any new downsides to consider.
Some other Disney World rides occasionally offer a brief detour for solo travelers, such as:
- Avatar Flight of Passage (Animal Kingdom)
- Kilimanjaro Safaris (Animal Kingdom)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (Magic Kingdom)
- Slinky Dog Dash (Hollywood Studios)
- Soarin’ (EPCOT)
- Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom)
- And more…
For rides such as these, there’s no dedicated Single Rider line but you might still be able to skip the very last part of the wait.
That’s because Cast Members assigned to the “grouper” role (matching Guests with seats on the ride) will sometimes walk the last few segments of the Standby Queue asking “is anyone here riding solo?” as they try to fill in the remaining spots.
Even if they walk by asking for a party of two or three, I usually just hold up a single index finger to indicate that I’m a party of one; sometimes they’ll still pick me to round out another smaller group they’ve found.
I’ve even occasionally seen them post a temporary sign directing Single Riders to a separate part of the loading zone.
If you’re lucky enough to score one of these Single Rider spots, it’s a nice bonus. But it will probably only save you a few minutes at best — you’ll already have waited through most of the Standby Queue at that point.
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The Single Rider line often has a wait time that’s one-quarter to one-half the wait time of the regular Standby Line. But please understand that this can vary widely and you could end up saving little or no time at all.
After all, Single Rider is not a priority line. Disney will always load people from the Standby Queue and Lightning Lane entrances first, and then fill in any remaining space with Single Riders.
Even if they’ve posted an estimated wait time for Single Riders, you should not be too surprised if your actual wait time is different from what was indicated on the sign.
Why is the Wait Time so Unpredictable?
How long you have to wait in the Single Rider line isn’t just a function of how many people are in front of you. It also depends on how many empty seats there are once everyone else boards.
Say a ride vehicle holds eight people and there are several groups of four waiting to board. It’s going to be quite some time before they need to call someone from the Single Rider line to fill a spot. But a long string of 3-person groups means they’ll be pulling Single Riders constantly.
Even the configuration of rows or seats on a ride vehicle can influence how quickly the Single Rider line moves.
Of course, not every group is made up of the same number of people. I don’t think I’ve ever seen more than, say, five groups be loaded before they had to bring on a Single Rider to fill an empty seat.
Besides the obvious (being separated from the rest of your group), there are a few other considerations before you decide to enter the Single Rider line.
Missing Some of the Story
Disney’s Imagineers sometimes refer to their queues as “Scene Zero” of the ride; lately, more and more of the ride’s story takes place before you even get onboard.
Depending on the ride, you could be rerouted past some (or all) of the main queue and miss some neatly-themed story elements and plot points. Some Single Rider queues may even go through backstage areas or ride exits.
For further details on what you’ll miss in each Single Rider line, see the “Potential Downsides” notes for each ride listed above on this page.
If all you’re really concerned about is the ride itself, this may be fine for you. But if you want the full storytelling experience that sets Disney apart from other theme parks (and especially if it’s your first time visiting Disney World), you might want to skip Single Rider line and opt for either the Standby Queue or Lightning Lane.
You can always use Single Rider to ride something a second time with a shorter wait.
Personal Comfort
The Single Rider line requires you to be at least basically comfortable around strangers.
If you have social anxiety or are otherwise nervous in close quarters with other people you don’t know (such as elevators or airline seats), the Single Rider experience could make you a little uneasy.
Of course, this is a relatively short time frame. I’ve rarely said more than a quick hello to the person I’m seated next to as I’m loading and it’s been perfectly fine. I’ve never felt the need to make small talk — after all, we’re all there for the ride, not an in-depth conversation.
On-Ride Photo/Video
Some rides offer on-ride photos/videos — with the Single Rider line, you won’t be able to get everyone in the same picture.
If you’re planning to buy your on-ride photos (and have not purchased Memory Maker), you’ll need to buy multiple photos at upwards of $15-20 each.
There’s no rule preventing groups from entering the Single Rider queue.
As a matter of fact, this is one of our top tips to avoid lines at Disney World… but only if you understand three very important considerations:
First, know that your group will be split up one-by-one to fill empty seats. Period. Do not expect to ride with anyone you know. And please don’t nag the Cast Member at the boarding area to let you ride with your buddy — odds are your options will be to ride separately or go to the very back of the Standby Queue.
Also, everyone in the group must meet the boarding requirements to ride alone; this includes not just including any height requirements, but also any age restrictions and companion rider rules. For example, most rides require anyone under age 7 to ride with someone age 14+ — that’s not possible when using the single rider line.
Finally, everyone involved should be comfortable riding with people they don’t know. This also means parents need to be willing to let their tweens/teens out of their sight for the ride. Make sure everyone is crystal clear on how to regroup after the ride is over. It might even make sense to have one responsible adult get in line just a bit earlier than the rest of the group so they can station themselves at the ride exit and wrangle other group members as they finish riding. A second adult at the back of the pack is a good idea, too, just to make sure everyone gets onboard.
If any of these considerations don’t sit well with you, Lightning Lane is probably a better option for your group.
Single Rider FAQs
Final Thoughts
Single Rider is a great way to avoid some of the wait at Disney World, if you don’t mind the trade offs. If your main focus is riding, you can potentially save some significant time. But you’ll be giving up those shared experiences that are an important part of spending time together with family and friends on vacation.
It’s best for those who already see each other often, or those on a repeat visit to Disney World (or a repeat ride on something everyone’s already ridden together). Those who are first-time visitors or are really focusing on togetherness may wish to use the regular Standby Queue or Lightning Lane.
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