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It’s had a few for years – but, as of January 2026, some very popular rides have also joined the Single Rider club. Here’s what you need to know.
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
What is Single Rider?
It’s a system where people travelling solo, or at least who don’t mind riding rides solo, are used to fill up extra seats in the cars on rides.
So, if a ride is three seats across – and a couple travelling together enter the ride, or it’s four across and mum, dad and one child get in, the ride operator can choose to fill the empty seat with someone from the single rider queue.
It’s basically a way for Tokyo Disney to load faster – and, a sneaky way for those willing to use it to get onto rides a bit faster, as the Single Rider queue is generally much shorter than the general admission queue.
What Rides Have Single Rider Queues?
At Tokyo Disneyland
So far, it’s just one ride – but it’s a big one. The Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast now has a Single Rider queue.
Queues for BATB, as I type this, are at 90 minutes – which is actually pretty short; they are normally two hours at least.
At Tokyo DisneySea
There are now four rides at Tokyo DisneySea that offer single rider lines…
- Raging Spirits,
- Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull
- Peter Pan’s Neverland Adventure
- Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey.
This last one is a huge announcement, as this ride can have queues of up to three hours (it’s currently at 140 minutes as I type this), and the Priority Access Passes regularly sell out before 9 am. So, adding an extra option to the queuing system for this is fantastic.
How Much Time Will it Save?
We don’t have a lot of data on this yet, but here’s what we do know…
I have used Single Rider for Indiana Jones every time I’ve been to the park, and I have never waited more than 20 minutes to get on the ride. However, while Indiana Jones is popular, it’s not one of the rides with ridiculous queues – so, how are they stacking up?
Right now, one of the members of my TDR Facebook group is in Tokyo Disney, and she used Single Rider for Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey and the Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, and the time savings were pretty big.
BATB: The posted time for the normal queue was 100 minutes. She joined the queue at 11.45 and was through the pre-show and into the loading area within 30 minutes. She was off the ride by 12.30.
Frozen: The posted time for the normal queue was 160 minutes. She joined the Single Rider queue at 11.44 am and finished the ride within 26 minutes.
Right now, the option to use Single Rider is very new, and a lot of people probably don’t know it’s there, so you can expect those timings to increase a bit as word gets out – but, most people, and particularly most local guests, don’t like to ride alone, and so not everyone will use the queue anyway.
They do not post the line time for Single Rider on the app, or outside of the ride.
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How Do You Use Single Rider?
- First up, look for the Single Rider sign. It can be a bit hidden, so you can also go up to the Priority Entrance and wave one finger, and they’ll show you where to go! If you want to show off, ‘hitori’ is the word for one person in Japanese.
- You can join the queue as a pair or group, but remember, you may not ride together, so don’t use this lane if you don’t want to be separated. Children under 7 years of age must be accompanied by someone over 16 to ride so even brave kids younger than this can’t use Single Rider.
- The Cast Member will then show you to the Single Rider queue. They might give you a pass to show that you’re a Single Rider, or just let you walk in. Normally, your walk through this goes really fast, as not many people use single rider – I’ve been the only one in it more than once. It’s kind of weird just walking and walking with no-one in front of you!
- Once you reach the ride loading area, you’ll then stop and wait your turn. Remember, you are basically there to fill seats, so your turn to ride will come when there’s an empty seat in the car.
Need Extra Planning Help?
Our Japan trip planners can help. You might like our First-Timers Japan Planner, which will help you plan your trip to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka step-by-step, including tips on everything from picking hotels to sightseeing and dining. Or our super-duper Tokyo Disney Planner makes arranging your park trip MUCH easier. Find them in our Planners store – printable and digital versions are available.
How Does it Compare to DPA?
Up until now, the rides that had Single Rider lines didn’t also offer Disney Premier Access passes, only Priority Pass, which I don’t like to use at DisneySea as you can’t pick your times, so it’s been a bit hard to compare – but the time I have waited on Indiana Jones was comparable to the time it normally takes to get through the line with a DPA.
Related Read: Disney’s Queue-Skipping System Explained.
I think the wait times my group member experienced were also comparable to DPA wait times, so it will make a great alternative – especially if DPAs have run out by the time you arrive.
As I said, though, the lines might get longer as word gets out. In my experience at USJ, which has had Single Rider for some of its most popular rides for a long time, I’ve seen Single Rider queues advertised as up to an hour long on busy days. If that also happens at Disney, you’ll wait for less time with a DPA or Priority Pass.
Who Writes This Blog?
My name is Helen Foster, and I’m a journalist and author. My travel articles have appeared in publications including The Australian, Escape, RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more.
I’ve traveled to Japan eight times before – solo and with my partner and visited over 25 towns and cities. My last visit was November 2024 so, everything here is pretty up to date.
