Grumpy Old Man Rant

[k3chantal]

I was in a studio there once with the people next door so loud it was ridiculous. But I let it go, until someone started throwing a ball against the door. You know, like a kid using the door to play catch by himself.

So I went next door and the family was amazed that I could hear anything - they said they didn't hear ME. Of course not - I was by myself, just there to run the marathon and sleep.

But there was the boy holding a ball in his hands, so I pointed to him. They still denied than i could hear anything from their room.

Then I related all the conversations I had overheard through the door - where they had been, what they each liked and didn't like, the visit tomorrow to see Grandma.

THAT got their attention. They finally realized if I could hear normal conversations then probably a ball clunking off the adjoining door w/b problematic.

Things quieted down after that, but I was gone the next day so someone else who got my studio probably owed me a thank you if they had it more quiet than I did.

It's amazing how dense people are about the noise they make. I had neighbors who played very loud music. With my doors and windows and my air conditioning unit on, I could still hear not only the bass but the lyrics and these houses were at least 40 feet away from each other.

When I asked them to turn it down, they said they didn't believe I could hear the music.

Even when they received police citations, they were confused over what the issue was.

I think though, in the case of the resorts, most people don't realize how poorly noise proof they are. However, I thought that the last time I stayed at Kidani in a dedicated two bedroom, it was really quiet. My luck I guess!

 

[Kwaschitz]

At OKW we were awoken from a dead sleep super early by a neighbor Mother yelling, "A capital letter goes at the beginning of a sentence and with proper nouns. Now do you want to fix it or do you want to argue?" We didn't hear a response and didn't hear anything else but this one phrase our entire stay.

SotS

We're homeschoolers, so I could completely see this happening to us - and probably has when we've accompanied my husband on business trips and taken work along - though I've made it a point thus far not to have to take work with us to Disney. I don't want to do it there any more than the munchkin does!

 

[luckyman_apd]

I have to say, I missed this thread before, and then we were away for the week. We did just stay in a studio at OKW for the first time. We have NEVER had an issue with noise at Disney until now. We stayed for 2 nights, and the second night we needed to be up early and head out to Miami. Well, sure enough at 11:30 (thank god my wife and kids were already asleep) our neighbors in the one bedroom must have returned from a park and MY GOODNESS was it loud! I understand you lose track of time at Disney, and everyone has fun, but by the time 12:30 hit and I was still being kept awake by their conversation, I got up and banged on the conjoining door to let them know they were not alone. It quieted down after that.

Not sure I what I did was correct, but after an hour of being kept awake by them, I felt they needed a reminder that they were not the only ones in the hotel. As far as the little ones behavior, it's amazing what people will let their children do. I keep mine in line as best I can and try to teach them to respect others.

 

[csharpwv]

One great thing to remember about staying in a lock-off is this - just ask for an extra pillow - or take the pillows of the couch, and close them between the two doors. It won't remove ALL of the sound, but it definitely will eliminate some of the sound!

I agree about the remodel at OKW - we stayed there once before the remodel and once after - and the different without the carpet was VERY dramatic in terms of sound bouncing around.

A perfect nightmare would be removing the carpet at HHI! UGH! That would be deafening!

When we were there in January we had a room in the Live Oak Lodge, our room was right above the patio area outside of Big Murgies. The staff had set up cornhole boards on the patio - and some family thought it was a great idea to play a game of cornhole at 11:00pm one night! The friends that were staying with us had JUST put their toddler to bed (after much fuss from him and not wanting to go to bed). You wouldn't believe how rude the family was when I asked them to please quiet down if they INSISTED on playing right below our room at 11:00pm. I was shocked at how rude they were! Absolutely no consideration for WHERE they were playing, how loud they were being, and the time of night they were playing! It was so frustrating!

People really have to be more considerate about what they do in and around the resort and how it may effect other guests!

 

[C&Apriputin]

Sadly, common courtesy is no longer common...

 

[cwdefouw]

This just made me think of that and empathize with how clueless people can be sometimes!

It seems that a lot of other people just are not very courteous, it's like they don't think anyone else is there.

Sadly, common courtesy is no longer common...

These three points are really the root of the problem. I have one brother that fits all three points, it is usually embarrassing to travel with him and his family. My other brother is just the opposite, his kids barely even speak in private, let alone in public, and they are always quietly made aware of their impact on their surroundings. If we all just have respect for the property and others, then this topic wouldn't have to exist.

Of course it also wouldn't have to exist if Disney would properly soundproof their buildings, but we all know that is not going to happen.

 

[dianeschlicht]

These three points are really the root of the problem. I have one brother that fits all three points, it is usually embarrassing to travel with him and his family. My other brother is just the opposite, his kids barely even speak in private, let alone in public, and they are always quietly made aware of their impact on their surroundings. If we all just have respect for the property and others, then this topic wouldn't have to exist.

Of course it also wouldn't have to exist if Disney would properly soundproof their buildings, but we all know that is not going to happen.

You are absolutely right about that! I recall the first time we stayed in the Club level at AKV. I was awakened very early one morning by what seemed to be yelling in the main lobby. I poked my nose out the door to see if there was an emergency, to find the lobby area and the Club lounge empty except for the attendant who was also looking down to the lobby to see what the commotion was. This was 6:30 AM and there were two young boys I'd say in the 5-7 year old range. They were playing Pirates complete with swords and toy guns, and they were running across the "bridge" that goes across on one of the floors below. One kid was on one level, and the other on another level. They were running and playing and making "gun" noises with no one else anywhere in sight. The Club attendant said it had been going on for quite awhile already, and they had no idea where these kids belonged. My guess is Mom and Dad wanted some "alone" time, so they sent the kids out to play. That's not the kid's fault...They haven't been taught how to behave in public and likely will never learn that lesson with the lack of parenting they were experiencing.

 

[delilah]

We usually stay in a 1 bedroom at AKV Kidani, and, as I recall, the kitchen wall is adjacent to the wall of the master bathroom, and the other adjacent to the wall of the second bathroom, and neither is adjacent to the door for a lock off. The washer/dryer closet is adjacent to the wall where the studio for a lock off would be. Unfortunately for the people in the studio next to mine, I do laundry the last evening of the trip, so I don't have to bring home a suitcase of dirty clothes. As a matter of fact, we probably do a load of laundry every other evening, so we don't need to bring as many clothes. I can see where the washer/dryer might be "noisy". Perhaps, the original poster heard a washer/dryer, and thought it was the dishwasher. But, the one of the perks of having spent $15,000 or so for DVC, and staying in the 1BR unit, instead of the studio, is having the in-room laundry. And, I'm probably not going to stay in my room all day on vacation and do laundry (sorry). So, I put the load in the washer before I go to bed, and into the dryer when I wake up, and we're off. If the sound of doing laundry is too much for other people in the next room, I suppose they also have the option of renting a 1BR unit, and spend about twice any points. Or, maybe learn to be a little more tolerant.

 

[MARY-IN-OH]

A couple of years ago, my daughter and I were in a studio at BCV. A couple of days we took mid day breaks during some stormy afternoons...at the same time that the little boy in the adjacent room was taking his mid day breaks.

he tried so hard each day to get into our room! And he would be at it for a long time. A couple of times I thought he was about to succeed. Later, I wished I would have opened our door, that would've freaked the little guy out! Maybe he would have stopped if solved the mystery of what was on the other side of the door

I was very surprised though, that he parents didn't care one bit that he was trying to "break into" our room! Crazy!
-mary

 

[ToddyLu]

I find these days I have more aggrevation with parents looking at their cell phones than watching the kids or enjoying their children....usually it is both parents. My issue with noise is at the signature restaurants. We were comped dessert at Cali Grill a couple of years ago due to the awful table of adults and children next to us...the manager apologized twice but I realized there was nothing they could do. All I asked was how much longer they would be and our waiter stated their waiter was hurrying with the check.

Then there was the night DH and I were riding on a bus with another older couple...and a family who was extremely loud and screaming on the bus...the older gentleman had to have been in the military and knew how to call everyone to attention...which he did..and reminded them we were on a bus not in a playground.... It was awesome!!

 

[keys2kingdom]

Then there was the night DH and I were riding on a bus with another older couple...and a family who was extremely loud and screaming on the bus...the older gentleman had to have been in the military and knew how to call everyone to attention...which he did..and reminded them we were on a bus not in a playground.... It was awesome!!

I often think perhaps I should speak up more instead of quietly seething. If people can't behave properly then they deserve to be reminded, not in a nasty way but just something like this that brings them to their senses. A little well placed shaming might not be a bad thing.

 

[luckyman_apd]

I often think perhaps I should speak up more instead of quietly seething. If people can't behave properly then they deserve to be reminded, not in a nasty way but just something like this that brings them to their senses. A little well placed shaming might not be a bad thing.

I honestly think people don't know HOW to parent anymore. It's like...people actually need to be taught. I have found a comment here and there actually does make a difference.

And as far as the cellphone thing....I can honestly say that I am guilty, but my kids are very good most of the time. I will put the phone away if they start getting antsy, but my nephew is a terror and my brother's face is CONSTANTLY planted in his phone. To make it worse is if I step up to discipline him, my brother gets mad at me! Pull your face away from your phone and watch your kid!!!!!

 

[gritzel4]

Then there was the night DH and I were riding on a bus with another older couple...and a family who was extremely loud and screaming on the bus...the older gentleman had to have been in the military and knew how to call everyone to attention...which he did..and reminded them we were on a bus not in a playground.... It was awesome!!

My DH gets upset with me when I say things to other people's children when the children are acting unsafe. In February we were on a bus from DTD late one evening when two girls (about 7 & 9) decided to use the back of the bus like a circus ring - they were swinging from the hand rails, jumping on the seats from one side of the bus to the other, standing in the aisle spinning etc - I was quietly seething and my DH was saying "if the parents were concerned they would be up here watching". So I just calmly look at my children and say "I know that my children would not be swinging around where they could hurt themselves or others." "Is that the way we act in public?" Funny how quickly the girls sat down. When we get to the resort they were staying at and the lights come on, we found the parents sitting together being all lovey/dovey!

 

[AmyB2006]

Unfortunately I think some people apply the "oh we're on vacation" mode to everything. Eat what you want, stay up late, and unfortunately let your children run wild.

 

[Donna M]

Last year when we stayed at OKW we requested the first floor for the "active" family with 4 kids, and the top floor for us. It worked out well for us since we got the top floor so we didn't hear anything, and luckily the family was placed on the ground floor.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Last year when we stayed at OKW we requested the first floor for the "active" family with 4 kids, and the top floor for us. It worked out well for us since we got the top floor so we didn't hear anything, and luckily the family was placed on the ground floor.

I like that idea!

 

[Peepster]

I can understand that any lodging with multitudes of people is going to have a fair share of noise but I, too, am saddened by the lack of parenting I see nowdays. I would give anything to be younger again and enjoying my children, not ignoring them. They grow up too fast, and unfortuntely, just like the parents.

An example of the lack of parenting hit home a couple of trips back as we were walking down the hallway to our room and there was a family, dad and two boys behind us, whooping and hollering like crazy until I finally turned and put my finger to my lips and whispered "some people may be sleeping, maybe we should be quiet"...well, the dad replied "f... you". Guess I'm glad he didn't have a gun, eh? One less grandmother at WDW. Nice, eh?

And then in February at VWL we came in one night through the lobby to find a father letting his 3-4 year old daughter play in the beautiful (and fragile) bird cage that has rested on the center table for years. Guess that gave him time to read his emails.

For all of you parents, and there are a LOT of you, who teach your children to be kind and caring and have manners I just want to take a moment to say thanks. I'm really not a crabby old lady. Just saddened.

Auntie Peep

 

[brertoad]

We always take earplugs with us, it helps cut down the noise while we sleep.
Although, I don't think I've ever had a GOOD night's sleep at any WDW Resort.
I'd get no sleep at all without earplugs.

Most parents these days don't say anything to their misbehaving kids, they don't watch them or if they know they are doing something - they don't tell them to stop or why it's not appropriate. We've got a whole new generation of horrible people to add to the ones already have.

I am shocked everytime we see little boys chasing and kicking at ducks, and the parents DO NOTHING. Recently we saw a girl do this at Epcot, first time ever that we've seen a young girl chase a duck. We were SHOCKED. And I thought it was only little boys who were sociopathic. When I was little, we fed the ducks, were kind and nice to animals, I don't know how everything has changed in such a short amount of time. The people from my generation should be raising kids better than that. Anytime I see very bad behavior from kids, I think the family is just trashy - sorry, but I do. It doesn't cost anything to watch your kids properly.

 

[Sammie]

A couple of years ago, my daughter and I were in a studio at BCV. A couple of days we took mid day breaks during some stormy afternoons...at the same time that the little boy in the adjacent room was taking his mid day breaks.

he tried so hard each day to get into our room! And he would be at it for a long time. A couple of times I thought he was about to succeed. Later, I wished I would have opened our door, that would've freaked the little guy out! Maybe he would have stopped if solved the mystery of what was on the other side of the door

I was very surprised though, that he parents didn't care one bit that he was trying to "break into" our room! Crazy!
-mary

I would have quickly opened the door and said very loudly for all in the room to hear, "Geez is there a fire and you are trying to break down my door to save me? If not please leave it alone"

 

[fishermouse]

Am I the only one that loves the sound of children playing