A few weird things we saw people do on our trip

[kimberh]

Am I truly the only one who occasionally pops in on this (holding my breath & saying a quick little prayer, no less) just to make sure our family didn't do something to make an appearance in this thread?

Oh, & so far, so good from a quick skim or two.

No, you are not the only family to do something wierd at Disney... Why else would I check the Thread?? I'm not telling!!! It didn't involve anyone else, just us! You know how it is when a large group travels together?

 

[GoldieSaysMeep]

This entire thread is hilarious.

I would probably be too busy laughing at the fountain people to get too upset.

As far as giving up my seat, nope, sorry. Not going to do so if I don't feel like it. If I am tired, and don't want to stand, I'll wait for another bus, or travel at non peak times to & from the parks and I expect others to do the same. To me THAT is common sense.

You all will just love this one:

I ride the T in Boston every day and there was this one day a few weeks ago where the T was packed around 4:30 PM and so I waited for two trains to go by and finally got a seat. The next stop, this INCREDIBLY obnoxious woman got on, toting two kids (they appeared to be around 7 & 10) and they were standing and she kept loudly complaining (and I mean loudly) to her kids and everyone else about "all the rude, horrible people" who "were too selfish and lazy to give the children their seats".

My guy friend that was with me and always gives up his seat to women and elderly men etc. remained sitting because of this lady's entitlement attitude and actually, not a single person got up for her. I think probably someone would have gotten up had she not been such an apparent loon. Many of us (complete strangers) shared the look.

She continued to whine, loudly, and at one point said to her kid "go ahead and cry and make them feel bad" (the kid seemed perfectly fine, btw, and did not cry). But I mean...nice lesson to teach your kids about waiting your turn if you want a train with empty seats.

FYI for non Bostonians, the subway trains run about every 6-8 minutes during peak hours.

 

[fall08CP]

When is cheerleader week? I have always heard that it was a crazy time to go, but don't know when to stay away!

We usually go in early Feb (before Pres day) and the cheerleaders are always there. I there are several different competitions that go for many weeks in Jan-Feb. They seem to stay out of the parks during the day (in our experience) but mid-afternoon/night/weekends they are everywhere.

 

[Aardvarks]

Heh, I have loved reading this.

Well, us brits come to Disney during late August and early september right at the end of our kids school holidays. We normally pick the last two weeks before school starts again.

Often there are consessions to be had when booking such as the dining plan being included for 7 nights or more stay at a mid level hotel or above ( POR etc)

The worst thing we find is the number of people who smoke all over Typhoon Lagoon, not just in Castaway Quay ( the designated smoking area). We also find peeps smoking in the streets in the parks and cupping the cig in a hidden hand. Sadly these peeps are either brits or eastern europeans.

I hate second hand smoke

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

When DH and I started going to WDW, we (not knowing any better) found a good spot on Main Street over an hour before the Christmas Parade. About 3 minutes before the parade started, a woman with an ECV parked directly in front of us, and motioned her large entourage of people to join her. This, of course put DH and myself about 5 rows back.

We very politely mentioned that we had been waiting in that spot for over an hour, and would at least like to be in front of some of this ladies large group. The woman then began ranting that she was not able to get to the MK any earlier because of her disability, and that we were out of line.

Not to look like complete jerks, we quietly stayed 5 rows back. That has been 14 years, and I still haven't seen the Christmas parade.

Before anybody gets upset, the ECV wasn't the problem, the woman in the ECV was the problem.

 

[stemikger]

I feel bad for all the CMs that have to deal with these dysfunctional, difficult people.

I have seen my share of these people on all my visits and my blood boils when I see this stuff. There was one family we kept on running into and this guy was complaining everytime we saw them.

I don't know why but we had the misfortune of constantly running into them. One night he was trying to rally up the other guests to complain about the bus service and everyone was ignoring him. On another occassion I saw him yelling at the hostess at Planet Hollywood and everytime I saw him on the bus you could hear him complaining loudly about the service, etc.

The thing is to look at this guy he looked like a character from revenge of the nerds, but was acting like a bully. My guess is that he was picked on a lot in his life and now felt it necessary to be extra assertive and difficult.

 

[Shmily1]

PP, you may have been there when we were... On our first day, of our April visit, we ran into this group with a man in a wheelchair that was older and had a whistle. He was so obnoxious with that whistle!! We were on the train to Rafiki's and he was blowing the whistle loudly!! He was hollering at people, running over people with his wheelchair, and cursing (even with small children right there!). He would just laugh at his own rudeness!!! On the way back to main part of AK, he was in line for the train and I refused to get on that train and waited until the next one!!!

Then, much to our surprise and disappointment, he must have been on the same schedule as us, because he was at the same parks as us the next two days. He was sooooo annoying!!!!! If I saw him, I turned and went the other direction!!

 

[herewego1971]

I think the wierdest thing we have seen was last year. We were sitting down to ear our Mickey Ice cream and a nice looking family sat on a bench near us. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the dad take out a pack of hot dogs, a bagette and a jar of mayo. They had a nice lunch of uncooked hot dogs, with mayo which I don't think was refrigerated. Yech.

 

[paintnolish]

No matter where you are, you can find people who want something for nothing or who think they are entitled to special treatment. I have been to WDW tons of times, and only a few instances stick out in my mind (a man was complaining about having to wait to get on ISM-they were loading on a little girl who was obviously very physically disabled. Sad!). However, the nice people I have met and talked to over the years far outweighs the obnoxious ones!

 

[goofyernmost]

Or as I like to say "Some people just lack that basic understanding or common sense".

You think "survival of the fittest" would have taken care of alot of this stuff but at last, it has failed.

Yea, but government programs and social advocates prevent them from dying off. If you are the lest fit in todays society it is a free ride all the way. Rude and crude go uncorrected and violence goes unchallenged and we as a wimp filled group of whiners just moan and let it go. Did I tell you folks about the situation a few weeks back where an eight year old held 50 adults hostage in a building armed only with rocks? "Well, he had rocks and we didn't want to upset him". We deserve what we get don't we!

I know this was about 6 pages ago, but I thought I should share...

The finger scanners are cleaned throughout the day. I still wouldn't call them clean, but they're not as gross as many people think. That being said, my hand sanitizer bottle and I are best friends, whether I'm at the parks or not!

Since the entire world and every object on it is covered with some sort of bacteria it is laughable to even mention the finger scan. That is why we were born with an immune system. The less we expose it to germs the more likely we are to be affected by them. Common sense people, common sense. But, I guess that a society that is afraid of an 8 year old with a rock is going to be completely taken over by a microscopic germ. Kind of makes one shake their head in disbelief.

 

[WDSearcher]

I turned to her and said "excuse me?" and she said "no speeeek eeengleeesh" and I said "no speeeeek spaneeeesh" and the crowd got no further - so sorry the 2 at the top of the line had to go on safari by themselves...

Just a note for next time. They speak Portuguese in Brazil. Chances are, the woman you were talking to didn't speak Spanish either.

 

[Wildflowerz]

PP, you may have been there when we were... On our first day, of our April visit, we ran into this group with a man in a wheelchair that was older and had a whistle. He was so obnoxious with that whistle!! We were on the train to Rafiki's and he was blowing the whistle loudly!! He was hollering at people, running over people with his wheelchair, and cursing (even with small children right there!). He would just laugh at his own rudeness!!! On the way back to main part of AK, he was in line for the train and I refused to get on that train and waited until the next one!!!

Then, much to our surprise and disappointment, he must have been on the same schedule as us, because he was at the same parks as us the next two days. He was sooooo annoying!!!!! If I saw him, I turned and went the other direction!!

Do y'all know who Anne McCaffery is? She writes a book series called Pern...it's a YA series with dragons and such? She's TOTALLY just like that. Except she has handlers who yell at people to get out her way for now reason at all. She's surly and rude and disruptive and yet people fawn all over her. It's quite an annoying and astounding site to see, actually! She and her handlers will yell at you and shove you aside and she'll not think twice about running over you with her scooter.

 

[emmabemmainc]

Just a note for next time. They speak Portuguese in Brazil. Chances are, the woman you were talking to didn't speak Spanish either.

LOL! Classic.

 

[stemikger]

I was thinking about not posting this, but then I said, hey it will help if I finally let it out.

On the last day of my trip last year I saw a man by himself. He looked like he was in his mid 70s. He was very well dressed and very distinquished looking. I felt there was a deep sadness about him and when I looked at him he looked back at me and was staring directly in my eyes.

I kept on seeing him in the oddest places. I realized he was alone becaue everytime I ran into him he was by himself.

Finally, I was getting freaked out that I kept on seeing him and the sadness I felt became stronger. I asked my wife if she felt the same thing and she said who are you talking about. I said the good looking older man with the white hair and beard. She said I don't see a man like that.

I then walked her over to him and said look this is the gentlemen I'm talking about. She said that the sun must have gotten to me because there was no one there. He smiled and told me he was just checking on things and vanished right before my eyes.

 

[Bethy Lou]

We saw a family changing a babies diaper on one of the outdoor tables at Epcot. People around them were eating and about three adults were holding down the screaming baby. The crazy thing was, they were right near a bathroom!

 

[mama2twins]

The stories about the tour groups reminded me of one encounter I had with them at WDW about 12 years ago. I was leaving a shop and was holding the door open for a woman pushing her daughter in a wheelchair. Out of nowhere, a tour comes along and pushes right in front of the wheelchair - and expects me to hold the door open for them to boot! So I stepped in front and said, "excuse me, I was holding the door open for THEM (pointing to the mother and daughter), not for you." The mother and daughter went through and I closed the door on the tour group.

p.s. I don't know if they were Brazilian or not, but they certainly understood what I was saying!

 

[Disney1976]

I was thinking about not posting this, but then I said, hey it will help if I finally let it out.

On the last day of my trip last year I saw a man by himself. He looked like he was in his mid 70s. He was very well dressed and very distinquished looking. I felt there was a deep sadness about him and when I looked at him he looked back at me and was staring directly in my eyes.

I kept on seeing him in the oddest places. I realized he was alone becaue everytime I ran into him he was by himself.

Finally, I was getting freaked out that I kept on seeing him and the sadness I felt became stronger. I asked my wife if she felt the same thing and she said who are you talking about. I said the good looking older man with the white hair and beard. She said I don't see a man like that.

I then walked her over to him and said look this is the gentlemen I'm talking about. She said that the sun must have gotten to me because there was no one there. He smiled and told me he was just checking on things and vanished right before my eyes.

Whoa. You just gave me goosebumps.

 

[emmabemmainc]

I was thinking about not posting this, but then I said, hey it will help if I finally let it out.

On the last day of my trip last year I saw a man by himself. He looked like he was in his mid 70s. He was very well dressed and very distinquished looking. I felt there was a deep sadness about him and when I looked at him he looked back at me and was staring directly in my eyes.

I kept on seeing him in the oddest places. I realized he was alone becaue everytime I ran into him he was by himself.

Finally, I was getting freaked out that I kept on seeing him and the sadness I felt became stronger. I asked my wife if she felt the same thing and she said who are you talking about. I said the good looking older man with the white hair and beard. She said I don't see a man like that.

I then walked her over to him and said look this is the gentlemen I'm talking about. She said that the sun must have gotten to me because there was no one there. He smiled and told me he was just checking on things and vanished right before my eyes.

No offense, but I think I'd have my eyes examined after that experience!!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Or maybe that was the last bus from the grocery to her home, and she'd just spent the day traveling by bus to do her errands.....she can't call a cab or rent a car, or drive her own, because her husband works 10 hour days making minimum wage so they don't have a car or the extra money for a cab or rental just because she did the grocery shopping.

No, I don't think that someone on the bus was required to get up for her....that's a courtesy not a law. But just think how YOU may have spread a little sunshine her way by giving her a seat and you standing. Hmmmm....isn't that what we expect every CM to do? Yes, they get (barely) paid for that and courtesy is considered their job.....but gosh, wouldn't it be nice to spread some of that magical moments OFF property?

I thank my lucky stars that I have never had to take a bus.....anywhere...not to get to school as a youngster, not to get to work or do errands. I've ridden probably less than a dozen bus rides in my entire life, and never once was it because I didn't have a car! But I am blessed. Because it's just possible that woman and her children will never ever step foot onto WDW property. Ever. And my girls and I will be going for a whole month!

Yep....I'm blessed. And now a small part of me wants to go ride a bus so I can give up my seat to someone who needs it.

Ok, I'm over that idea, lol.....but I do try to find other ways to show courtesy to those having a bad day...or life.

Maybe the next time you are sitting on a bus dreaming about your last/next visit to WDW you could spread a little of that magical moment pixie dust on someone. Who knows, maybe as you get off that bus some of it might spill onto your shoulder. Just don't brush it off!

Or not.

You're quite fortunate that mass transit is not a daily occurrence for you. I, however, take two trains to work each day, or in the alternative, a bus. I have been commuting for 20+ years. I agree that you should get up for those who are more in need, especially on vacation, but when you commute everyday on mass transit, there's ALWAYS someone more needy than yourself. After a while you do become more selfish. I have had bad days, and I want to sit. Sorry if I'm not willing to get up every time, but I think commuters come to understand that.

 

[Todd&Copper]

Maybe this isn't the best place for this question, but I've been wondering what is the deal with the Brazilian tour groups? Have they just recently started coming in droves because I haven't ever noticed them before. Are they around all year or just during certain times? From what everybody says, it would be best if I didn't encounter some of these groups. I would be one of those crazy women who confronted them also, much to my husband's embarrassment!

I remember those [blankety-blank] groups from back inthe 80's, so it is not a new phenomenon. We didn't run into them every trip, but I think we may have in January and in July? We went to WDW so many times in the 80's that it all kind of blurs together.