At Disneyland, a rope barrier can turn 20 metres of waiting space into one winding line.
The shape looks slower than a straight queue, but the bends hide the line's true length. Serpentine queues let one entrance feed several service points, so the next person reaches whichever counter opens first.
That single line also removes the race between separate queues, where a neighboring checkout suddenly looks faster.
Airport security uses the same geometry when stanchions fold passengers through a narrow floor plan. The winding queue feels fair because nobody has to choose the lucky line.