Hate crowds? Read this before you travel

How to reduce your time spent waiting in lines

If you like to avoid crowds when you travel, this probably is your least favorite time of the year.

Long lines greet you at the airport, in the hotel lobby and at your favorite restaurant. The beach is so crowded that you can’t even find a place to drop a towel. Everyone’s on vacation.

That’s not your imagination, by the way. Almost half of all summer vacations happen this month, according to Ask Your Target Market, a market research firm. But let’s be honest – you want to avoid the crowds, no matter when you’re traveling.

And you can. Experts on how to avoid crowds when you travel – yes, there are experts on that – say a little planning, a few shortcuts and preparing for the inevitable can help you make it through.

❚ Timing is everything: “There are many ways to avoid the crowds this summer,” says Michael Herber, founder of Whentobewhere.com, a guide for travelers who time their vacations.

He says if you have to take a vacation during the frenetic vacation period, you can still choose less busy times to be out and about, which will help you avoid the worst of the lines. For example, if you’re trying to find a table at a favorite restaurant, try scheduling a late lunch or an early dinner. Same thing for your trip to the beach. Think early morning or sunset. You might also avoid a sunburn.

A little planning can prevent a lot of stress, says Sanam Hafeez, a New York neuropsychologist and teaching faculty member at Columbia University.

“It’s important to be very real with yourself and avoid putting yourself in situations where there will be crowds,” she says. “Timing is everything.”

For instance, if you’re headed to famously crowded Manhattan this summer, a little research can reveal the most efficient mass transit options for you. It’s better than languishing in a taxi, in the heat. Also, avoid rush hour when local commuters are hurrying to work.

“Instead, enjoy a nice breakfast and ease into the day between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m,” Hafeez says.

❚ Look for shortcuts: Another way to stay away – or at least, ahead, of the mob – is to take a shortcut.

If you’re headed to a museum with your family, consider a membership, which not only will save money but can sometimes offer early admission. That’s the advice of Louise Sattler, an education consultant and frequent traveler.

That strategy works with theme parks, too. When I lived in Orlando, Florida, one of my best investments was an annual pass to its theme parks. They allowed me to come and go whenever I wanted. Stay at one of the on-property hotels at Disney or Universal, and you get early admission, too.

My family enjoyed all of Orlando’s theme parks, even during peak periods. I’m talking Thanksgiving, Christmas and most of July. We arrived early when all of the other tourists were still asleep and left before 11 a.m., just as they were arriving. You’d be surprised at how many rides you can do in two hours.

For some attractions, you have to plan far ahead. Disney’s most popular restaurants, such as Cinderella’s Royal Table or Be Our Guest, can serve maybe 5 percent of the people who visit the Magic Kingdom on any given day, says Len Testa, an expert on Disney lines at website Touringplans.com.

“The easiest way to get a reservation is to get up at 6 a.m. exactly 180 days before your trip and book online,” says Testa, who wrote his master’s thesis on lines. (See, I told you there were experts.)

❚ If you don’t know how to avoid crowds, try this: Getting stuck in a line is frustrating, but it can also be inevitable this summer. When you find yourself trapped in one, your mind plays tricks on you, says Jacob Kountz, a mental health blogger and therapist from Bakersfield, California.

His advice? Prepare yourself for the queue. Download apps on your phone that don’t use much data since that will burn your phone’s battery while you’re waiting. Find games to play that both you and your friends enjoy.

“Time seems to go by faster,” he says. “Think about it: Have you ever sat in your favorite comedy show that felt like forever? Heck no!”

To his advice, I’d add one more thing: Carry a deck of playing cards. It will keep your family entertained for hours. Magic tricks, anyone?

Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate. Contact him at chris@ elliott.org or visit elliott.org.

If you’re headed to a museum with your family, consider a membership, which not only will save money but can sometimes offer early admission. GETTY IMAGES