The 5 Most Miserable Disney Lines on a Blazing Summer Day (According to Fellow Sufferers)

So I posed a question on threads that struck a nerve: “What’s the absolute worst Disney line to get stuck in on a blazing hot summer day?”

The responses poured in faster than sweat down my Loungefly-covered back during a July rope drop. Turns out, we’ve all got war stories about queue lines that made us question our life choices. After tallying up the responses and adding my own heat-induced trauma, here are the top 5 most miserable queues when the Florida sun decides to remind you who’s boss.

Rating System: Florida Suns ☀️

• 5/5 suns = Actual surface of Mercury
• 4/5 suns = Questioning your sanity
• 3/5 suns = Uncomfortable but survivable
• 2/5 suns = Not ideal but manageable
• 1/5 suns = Basically pleasant

5. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Rating: 4/5 Sweltering Florida Suns ☀️☀️☀️☀️

Here’s the cruel joke about Remy’s, the ride has a beautiful, air-conditioned indoor queue… that you won’t see for at least 30 minutes. The outdoor portion snakes around the France Pavilion with minimal shade, turning you into a human crêpe on the pavement.

The awnings they’ve added feel more like decoration than actual sun protection. You’ll spend your time shuffling forward, watching other guests wilt like week-old baguettes, all while knowing that sweet, sweet AC is just… so… close.

The only salvation: Once you finally make it inside, that first blast of air conditioning feels like being kissed by angels. You might actually tear up a little. No judgment here.

4. Haunted Mansion

Rating: 4.25/5 Sweltering Florida Suns ☀️☀️☀️☀️¼

You’d think a ride about the afterlife would have better climate control, but the Haunted Mansion queue is where souls go to slowly roast. Yes, there’s shade under the pavilion, but here’s the thing about Florida shade, it’s like standing under a wet blanket in a sauna. The air just… stops. It hangs there, thick and oppressive, while 200 of your closest friends breathe it in and out.

Several people compared it to being trapped in a sauna-swamp hybrid, which feels incredibly accurate. The 999 happy haunts inside have the right idea, at least they don’t have to deal with humidity anymore.

One commenter shared how they actually passed out from heat in this very queue as a 6-year-old. The silver lining? Cast members whisked them backstage to recover in the AC, giving them a rare glimpse of Disney’s behind-the-scenes areas. And get this, it’s still their favorite ride. Now that’s dedication!

3. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Rating: 4.5/5 Sweltering Florida Suns ☀️☀️☀️☀️½

This one’s particularly cruel because it looks like it should be better. You’re at the Chinese Theatre! There should be glamour! Air conditioning! Instead, you get what I like to call the “Hollywood Studios Heat Treatment.”

The queue backs up onto pure concrete with sparse shade umbrellas. When it’s really backed up, you’re just standing in the middle of the plaza, slowly melting into the pavement like a forgotten Mickey Premium Bar.

The fans? Let’s just say they’re giving it their best shot, bless their mechanical hearts. But moving hot air around is like being in a convection oven…technically there’s airflow, but you’re still cooking.

2. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Rating: 4.75/5 Sweltering Florida Suns ☀️☀️☀️☀️¾

This one caught me by surprise in the responses, but the community has spoken, and honestly? They’re right. Multiple people specifically called out that moment when you hit the ramp down to the loading area. It’s like descending into an airless cave where hope goes to die.

That ramp. That cursed ramp where the walls close in and somehow trap every bit of heat and humidity from the day. Several readers mentioned the special kind of hell when the queue splits and you’re funneled down into what feels like an underground sauna. The walls trap everything… heat, humidity, that unique aroma of 300 people who’ve been park-hopping since 8 AM.

One particularly passionate response described having “unadulterated loathing” for this queue. That feels like an accurate emotional response to that descent into the mines.

1. Slinky Dog Dash

Rating: 5/5 Sweltering Florida Suns ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

The undisputed champion of misery. The queue that makes you question your love of Disney, dogs, and possibly life itself.

The entire main queue is outside. Let that sink in. The fans work about as well as you’d expect from equipment that’s been slow-roasting in the Florida heat, but they’re really fighting an uphill battle.

If you’re in the regular queue, you’ll eventually reach some shade structures in the latter half. Fast Pass? You need to hope it turns out fast because you’ll be in direct sun until the very end.

But here’s where it gets truly diabolic: If the ride goes down or they’re adding an extra coaster car, you might get stuck in the first half of the fast pass line. This special circle of hell has exactly zero shade.

I still have PTSD from when this happened to us on the last trip. Thirty minutes. Direct sun. Surrounded by equally miserable humans. The only entertainment was watching people do the “Disney Shuffle”. You know, that thing where you try to position yourself in another person’s shadow for 3 seconds of relief.

Honorable Mentions

The Barnstormer

Rating: 3.5/5 Sweltering Florida Suns ☀️☀️☀️½

This one deserves recognition for sheer audacity. Zero shade. Fans that look like they were salvaged from a 1970s garage sale and sound like they’re about to take flight themselves. All for a ride that lasts approximately 30 seconds.

The only reason this isn’t ranked higher? Nobody waits in this line unless it’s walk-on. We’ve all learned that lesson.

Kilimanjaro Safaris

Rating: 3.75/5 Sweltering Florida Suns ☀️☀️☀️¾

Several readers made an excellent point about the safari queue. Yes, it’s technically shaded, but Animal Kingdom has this special talent for making shade feel like a greenhouse. The heavy vegetation that makes the park so immersive also creates an oppressive, jungle-like atmosphere in the queue.

You’re protected from direct sun while somehow still slowly steam-cooking. The educational videos about conservation play while your shirt develops its own ecosystem. By the time you board that safari truck, you’re ready to volunteer as zebra food just to feel a breeze.

Survival Strategies from the Trenches

After comparing notes with fellow heat survivors, here’s what actually helps:

• Cooling towels are non-negotiable. Invest in good ones before your trip
• Frozen water bottles. Doubles as a cooling device and hydration when it melts
• Strategic park hopping. Those resort bars I wrote about start looking real good around 2 PM
• Mini-fan. These will at least keep some air moving
• Know your limits. There’s no shame in bailing on a 70-minute outdoor queue. Your body will thank you

The Bottom Line

Look, I love Disney as much as the next person, but these queues during summer? They’re character-building experiences we could all do without.

The real magic is how we all keep coming back, armed with portable fans, cooling towels, and the misguided optimism that “maybe it won’t be that bad this time.” It will be, but at least we’re all melting together. 🫠