#1 rule to remember while at WDW

[TigrLvsPooh]

The #1 rule to remember while visiting the parks at WDW is......

1.) Don't walk backwards!

You wouldn't believe how many times people walk backward into our stroller. Usually it's someone taking a picture and just blindly walking backwards into a surge of moving people.

The #2 rule is:

2.) Don't suddenly stop walking in the middle of a walkway.

You wouldn't believe how many people's heels I hit today when they suddenly stopped walking and I couldn't stop my very large double stroller in time. Especially on ramps!

Another one...........

3.) Don't get in the fast pass return line until it's actually your time!!!

If I had a nickel for everytime today a big group of people were blocking off the fast pass return line holding up tickets that still have another 5 more minutes to go. They aren't going to let you in!!!!! It's so insane because they stand there arguing with the CM while other people with valid passes can't get in.


Feel free to add more rules to this thread. Maybe we can make the parks better for everyone.

 

[DebbieB]

Those are my pet peeves too. I love it when a group will walk 4 or 5 across and then suddenly stop in the middle of a crowded walkway.

Here's one of mine - people with big backpacks. They are standing in line behind you and then turn around quick to talk to the person behind them and whap you with it.

 

[KNWVIKING]

4: After spending five minutes in a fast food restaurant, when the cashier finally asks you what you want to order, have the answer ready. Don't decide then to look up and stare at the menu like it's writen in Greek.

5: FLUSH

 

[SuzyQue]

6.) When you're visiting the parks during peak periods, and the CM tells you to go all the way to the end of the row.....go all the way to the end of the row! ~~

 

[funhouse8]

I love the backpack story, that has happened one too many times. I don't like when you are waiting for a parade to start for one hour and people push your children over so they can squeeze themselves in next to you. I wish my children would learn to stand their ground but they always let someone push their way in.

 

[jimmybop]

the most impoartant rule ever at WDW is to HAVE FUN! relax, enjoy yourself, your on vacation.

next rule, Be nice to the Cast Members, if it wasnt for all their hard work, and commitment to the company, Disney World wouldnt be around (or atleast it would be the place it is today). They could just show up to work, not smile, yell and scream at you (if they do ever yell at you 99% of the time its for a very good reason, more then likely your safety), leave the trash on the ground, "droped your soda, too bad".

ANDDDDD Be nice to each other (Family and no family). There dosent need to be fighting at all at the most magical place in the world, everyone is there for the same reason (see my first rule).

 

[gonga]

A stroller is not a weapon...........please do not use it to make your way through the crowd.

Thank You

 

[barbeml]

gonga--Amen! I love the parents who push their strollers one way while they are looking in another direction. (I see many people driving that way in NJ!) My toes have been run over more times than I can count.

 

[anne60]

Try not to yell at your kids in front of others, at disney or anywhere else!

 

[jaysue]

Smile, enjoy the trip, do not try and see everything - stop and listen to the music!!

Thanks
jaysue

 

[seashoreCM]

Once (not at WDW) someone ran over my foot with a stroller and I reached into the stroller and patted the child's head.

>>> stopping suddenly with people behind you

The first time I heard that was many years ago. I was working in a department store and a co-worker commented, "I wish people wouldn't stop and stand still just after getting off the escalator"

Back then I was thinking that the person just behind the sudden stopper(s) should call out "quit pushing back there" as he rear-ends the sudden stopper(s).

Then a few years later I remember asking a salesclerk (different department store) to move away from an escalator as she offered perfume samples from a sprayer. I told her that she should not obstruct the flow of people coming off the escalator. I didn't have time to wait around to see if she complied.

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[Debbart]

IMO people who rent and ride ECVs in the park (especially when they have never used them before) are more dangerous than people with strollers. I've seen people accidently throw them in reverse, stop short in the middle of a crowded midway, and practice some pretty "dangerous driving"

 

[Daxx]

If the kids are whiney and tired, take a break!!! I see these parents who are on a mission to squeeze every single thing into three hours at the Kingdom ... and it's not going to work! I can hear the kid whining "Daddy, I'm tiiiiiiired" and Dad screaming "We only have 3 hours to see everything, ride everything and do everything before we have to go!" Ummm ... that's just not the way to do Disney w/ kids!

 

[Beth]

I can relate to the ECV thing...

My mother had surgery on her foot in October, 2000. I took her to WDW in December, and she wanted to rent one of those.

But I knew how she drove a car... There was no WAY I was letting her maneuver one of those things in the parks!!

I got a lot of good exercise that trip pushing her around WDW in a wheelchair!!

 

[MelissathePooh]

Remember that this is always someone elses (around you) first trip and try keep with the surprizes. I hate to get on the aquilators at the Living Seas to have someone pop off that - these aren't really moving and then see some poor kids face suddenly drop!

I love to watch the first timers - you can always spot 'em!

Also remembering that we're not the only ones on vacation!

 

[SnackyStacky]

Never, EVER say: "WE PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THIS TRIP, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE FUN!" to your children, or to anyone else in your travel party.

 

[mkutch]

If your kids are sceaming and they don't want to stand with the characters don't make them-- It's not a great photo op. Wait till they are older and want to hug the characters not run away from them. I'm sure the characters aren't thrilled about it either.

Have an appointed person in your group that can make a decision so you're all not standing around saying- "I don't care- what do you want to do?"

 

[kevind65]

try to be aware and courteous of others all around you. this applies to the walkers as well as the strollers/wheelchairs. don't stop suddenly in the middle of a path and please; when stroller/wheelchair meets ankle or foot, please stop pushing; it's not gonna go through my ankle.(dont flame me on this one stroller/wheelchair folks; I know it's hard for you guys to get around in the crowds)

dont' be in such a hurry and rudely squeez in front of other guest in lines for attractions. many of the attractions ques are designed to where it doesn't really matter where you are in line. at one turn you're in front of someone and at the next you're behind someone.

if the cm's say: "fill in all available space" or "continue all the way across the row" do it.

at the entrance gates: have your tickets out and ready to put them through the turnstiles please.

don't yell at your kids too much because YOU think they have to hurry to get to the next attraction and they want to look at one of the million souveniers disney bombards them with.

please, I beg of you, you know who you are, please learn to walk straight. it's one of my biggest pet peeves: the drifting walker!

the backpack thing is a good one.

If you're not willing to arrive early to stake out a good place for a parade or show; don't show up last minute and try to squeeze the people who were out.

If you drive your own car; don't drive like a maniac, putting yourself, your children, and others in danger because you got a few minutes late start this morning; the parks will still be there when you get there.

in the attractions ques: if one member of your party of 15 gets ahead of the others in your group; have that 1 person come back to the rest of the group instead of the other way around.

this one has a little grey area, but, along the same lines: don't have grandma sittin on main street for two hours "holding" spots for 10 or 15 people who are gonna come running up a minute before the parade. It just leads to problems. also, I have heard alot of people *****ing about this lately: if you're an adult and a small child weezles their way in along side you at the parade: make room for them!! after all, disney is all about the children. that child is not going to dtract from your view.

this is one we all should have learned when we were small children: "down in front" it's a good concept and we should all adhere to it.

I could probably go on and on, but, by now everyone should have the point of my post: everything that I have talked about above comes down to common courtesy. which leads to my #1 rule:
we should all be aware of and courteous to the other guests around us so that we all may have the opportunity to enjoy the magic to the fullest.

just my .02 ....sorry so long.

 

[jk1]

1. Do not go up the exit of Dumbo and think you are going to get on the ride.

2. Do not attempt to let your children under 7 years old ride the attractions without someone over the age of 10. You will hold up the operation of the ride while the ride operator tells you they can't ride alone.

3. Do not try to get in the ride car BEFORE it comes to a full and complete stop. If more people observed this rule, maybe Pooh would not be down for a 2 month rehab.

4. Do NOT cut in front of strollers or wheelchairs/ECVs.

5. Do not complain about how Fast Pass people are holding up the standby line. Go get a FastPass yourself!

6. Do not yell at the ride operators. They do not make up the rules. They are simply following operator guidelines in order to keep their jobs.

7. Do not argue with the ride operator when Junior is two inches too short to ride. Disney's first rule is safety first.

8. Be nice to CMs. You will get further than if you are yelling at them.

9. Do not yell or complain to the food service CMs. They don't set the prices nor control the length of time you wait for a table. Everybody there has hungry kids to feed.

10. Do not make your kids ride a ride if they are scared or insistent they do not want to ride. Do not ask the CM to make up a story in order to make your child ride.

 

[grinningghost]

These are all excellent rules. I think together, we on the DIS, should write out own guidebook. We'd do a million times better than Birnbaum!

Melissa, I think you had the best one of all. Do NOT, no matter how much you know about WDW, do NOT recite the secrets out loud. Disney is to be enjoyed, and some people just don't want to know how things work. Especially young kids. Let them believe it's really magic. Even I, at age 38, don't want to know everything - I've avoided the Keys to the Kingdom tour for that very reason.

Oh yes, and I can't stress enough - please be careful with those strollers. I know the little ones need them, but I also need my toes.