Another observation and experiences post-My turn!

[EPCOTgrl1]

I think you had a great report. I agree with others I was with you all the way until the Adults with Characters. Everyone has paid the same amount of money to get into the park. I know it is annoying when people take up lots of time with characters but at the same time as an adult it is also fun to have those interactions. Most of the characters and their attendants are very good at keeping the line going.

 

[Vaughn4380]

The first paragraph under "Other Guests," I'm sure. People are considered rude because of their actions, not because of their country of origin or their native language, so that kind of thing doesn't really need to be mentioned.

So we are talking about this blurb:

-I know, I know. Who am I to judge but seriously people, we can all do better. We all paid the money to be there. One thing I found really startling this time was that we seemed to be in the actual minority as English speakers. I don’t have a problem with this but I will say that almost every guest that we REALLY had a problem with was someone from a different country. They pushed us, cut line, didn’t follow right of ways, and were just oblivious and pushy. Of course, many people not speaking English also were very sweet, smiled at our little girl, and tried to muddle through some interesting conversations in line. But when they are rude, look out. Also, in our visit with Crush at Turtle Talk, most of the kids he called on couldn’t speak English so a lot of the show seemed lost in translation for all parties. It was just kind of odd. At Pop, we were DEFINITELY in the minority and some of the rude behaviors seemed even more pronounced. We saw some pretty shocking things. HOWEVER, my husband loves their swimwear choices. His eyeballs were popping out.

Well let me see here, Dictionary.com defines racism as: "a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others."

I am just not seeing that in the original post. KyGirl was citing specific examples of how individuals from other cultures treated her and her family. Perhaps we are trying too hard to find racism where it is not?


ETA: Perhaps the rude individuals from other countries were the racists?

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Yikes, I leave for an hour and then this!

 

[DisneyFive]

GREAT trip report! Thanks!

Were a lot of the foreign guests from South America? We noticed this on our cruise (Oasis of the Seas) the first week of May. We also felt outnumbered by foreigners. Not anything wrong with that, but it does give a different feel to it all. Only problem we ran into were little kids (LOTS of them, unspervised up at the late hours like 1-2 am) Felt like we could never get our peace...

Just wondering if there is some sort of holiday in that area of the world this time of year, because we noticed this too. Much different than cruises we've taken in Jan, Feb and Dec.

Dan

 

[KyGirl]

Thanks for the defense. I wasn't going to respond to those posts because I REALLY REALLY do not want to start a debate or be accused of being something I'm not and I didn't want to start a back and forth on that. Race was so not a factor here anyway. I would consider most of the people I'm talking about to be the same race as my family anyway! I was mostly trying to explain how many foreign language speakers there seemed to be in the crowd this week compared to what I've noticed in the past. I thought "foreigners" sounded a little more aggressive than I meant it to so didn't even use that terminology. I guess I just couldn't think of anything better.

They have every right to be at Disney parks like everybody but you have to admit that the language barrier slows things down. We were always behind them at restaurants, in FP+ lines where they didn't understand they couldn't enter, or at the FP+ kiosks. Many of them weren't trying to be rude. They just didn't speak the language and thus slowed down the line. Not a judgement at all, just an observation of our week in the parks. I still think that's a relevant point. And not a comment on race in the slightest.

 

[NavyDad]

The key for the "hot" months is to be out of the park in the hottest part of the day. Be out of the parks from 1:30 to 5:30 and it makes a world of difference!

 

[CinderElsa]

So we are talking about this blurb:

Well let me see here, Dictionary.com defines racism as: "a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others."

I am just not seeing that in the original post. KyGirl was citing specific examples of how individuals from other cultures treated her and her family. Perhaps we are trying too hard to find racism where it is not?

ETA: Perhaps the rude individuals from other countries were the racists?

Oh, DISboards. You never fail to amuse.

 

[KyGirl]

Were a lot of the foreign guests from South America? We noticed this on our cruise (Oasis of the Seas) the first week of May. We also felt outnumbered by foreigners. Not anything wrong with that, but it does give a different feel to it all. Only problem we ran into were little kids (LOTS of them, unspervised up at the late hours like 1-2 am) Felt like we could never get our peace...

They seemed to be, although I can't always identify specifically what language I'm hearing. I didn't originally say that because I was trying to mitigate any negative response to my comments and I thought it would help if I wasn't calling out one group in particular but... that didn't work anyway.

 

[Quellman]

The point about adults in line for characters is an interesting one. And one I have not considered in great detail. Off the top of my head, for each guest, there is their view and for yours (or anyone elses view). I can see how someone could be a friend of the characters and 'visit' with them to play hide and seek because the princess rooms with them at the Disney College Program Housing. But I can also see that guest playing hide and seek having saved for a long time to come to the park to visit a character, the only character meet and greet on the trip, and share in a magical moment because they just beat cancer.

I also believe it is a characters job to spread the right amount of pixie dust so that guests all feel special but aren't inline for an hour. We had a great one outside of the harbony barber shop for a first haircut. Not only did the Main Street Transportation car stop outside and allow my son into the drivers seat, but Mary Poppins was walking past and joined in for some fun. Sure we didn't wait in line to see her, but she made magic anyway. We also have had an adults only interaction with Chip and Dale in Tomorrowland in their space suits which was a bit longer than most but was memorable.

 

[Vaughn4380]

Oh, DISboards. You never fail to amuse.

Well, if you insist that only Americans can be racist, that would actually make you a racist. Being that you have the preconceived notion "that a particular group is inferior to the others".

 

[BigAlsGal]

1. I totally would eat a pizza with chopped up hamburger.

2. PEOPLE are rude. Not just foreign people.

3. If the characters bring joy to people of all ages then let them do just that. Kids are just little people and adults are (sometimes) just grown up kids. I wouldn't begrudge them the fun of meeting a character even if my child was eagerly awaiting.

 

[Pigletpal40]

I was actually thinking that I wish they had an "express line" like at the grocery store. Like most of the kiosks could be for whoever like they are now but one or two on the end actually had a time limit. If you weren't done in a minute and a half or something like that you were shuffled to one of the kiosks surrounded by huge groups asking the CMs all the questions.

I understand that this problem probably stems from the fact that most people just aren't as familiar with the parks as repeat visitors are but it seems like it would make it fair for both parties if they would carve that out. Again, just like not expecting the people with a small basket to stand behind the huge carts at the grocery. But then you start thinking about the poor CM who would have to enforce the time limit and realize that would never fly either! Wishful thinking I guess.

Yes. Most Disney veterans know they want a fp for Splash, Thunder, Space etc. and would forgo the kiosk line to walk up, flash band for your group, put in the # of FP's for your group and have a time spit back out to you. Similar to the old days, you worked your day around the fp's pulled with shows, meals and SB lines or we would go back to the hotel for a swim or boat ride and come back to use the later fp times. If there was a clock with the return times being issued you would know whether you wanted to get a fp for that ride rather than stand in the kiosk line, go through all the attractions and times available.
I like the express idea, that with times posted, maybe even an "e-ticket" kiosk with attractions and return times posted where you could choose the ride you want with that return time. I'm sure there will be changes at some point. One can only hope.