Argument about smartphone at Carousel of Progress

[3DisneyFanz]

There are crazy people in this world. You did the right thing to avoid them when they came out. However, if I had witnessed that during the show I would have stood up and forced Disney to stop the ride and address the jerk who was shining a flashlight in someone's eyes.

I'm not sure a CM stays in the theater anymore.

 

[Robo]

I'm not sure a CM stays in the theater anymore.

They watch the theaters via closed circuit video.

 

[DisneyOma]

I typically am very avoidant, but was bothered my a family having their infant play with a smartphone during the Carousel of Progress. It was a very bright screen right in front of us. I told them to please turn it off. The father refused and instead turned the phone towards me and my husband during the entire show and said - "this is what you get". I moved seats and tried to ignore him but he then turned his flashlight on me.
I noticed other people on their phones as well. Maybe I am just getting old, but was I rude to ask him to turn off his phone? I noticed many other phones in use during the Tiki room as well.
Shouldn't people turn off their phones at a performance? Not just to enjoy the show, but to not be rude to other guests.

Lots of people turn off their common sense when they turn on their phones, it seems.

(As opposed to a ride-through attraction.)

Let's ask that question too. What about bright cell phones during dark rides like POTC or HM?

That's a no-no too. I think there's a warning about flash photography and lighting?

It is 100% rude to use your phone in an attraction, especially when the room or ride is dark because that light can be blinding. You are bothering other people and ruining their enjoyment. If you MUST use it for whatever reason, then sit in the very very back and turn the brightness down.

Very smart advice, thank you for posting Unfortunately, I'm guessing the rude people don't read disboards.

I doubt this would ever fly here, but I'd like to see a sticky thread called, "WDW Guest Hall of Shame," where Disers could post pictures of guests behaving badly.

OP -- Sorry you had a bad experience with a jerk. You did the right thing avoiding him once you realized he was unrepentant and aggressive.

I have a photo for that Hall of Shame! Rude couple at AK thought they had to be up front at rope drop and pushed through the crowd. So I took a photo of them. Then I laughed at them when they realized they didn't know where they were going and stopped in the middle of the stampede to EE.

 

[kittyab]

And NOTHING would of happened!

You are probably right. Very sad.

 

[kandb]

You are probably right. Very sad.

The more I read these day, the more people say that if they complain about a patron, the CM's really do nothing. If you have an obvious physical injury, I think that is the only time they would intervene. Sad.

 

[Dentam]

You are correct, but thuggish behavior needed to be addressed by Disney management. This man did this to a woman. For me, as a man, this would be like doing this to a child. How would you feel if this man had done this to your child?

The guy was immature, plain and simple. Comparing a woman to a child is pretty crazy - what, a woman is helpless? Please.

 

[kandb]

What could of Disney done to this "thuggish" guy? Asked him if he shined the light into the woman's eyes? Please, the CM probably would of said nothing. The guy was a schmuck but the CM is not going to get in the middle of "he says, she says". And if the CM questioned him, he probably would of said the OP threatened his little child. Some people suck and are morons, not gonna change that.

 

[mrbghd]

Op I noticed you said you told him to turn the phone off not asked him. I'm not blaming anyone but in my prior life I was police officer is an extremely violent urban city. One of the things I learned is that people perceive things the way they want- telling him to turn the phone off could have been seen as an act of aggression. I'm not saying the guy was right and in fact he sounds like a jerk but who are you to tell another adult to do anything- why not ask? The other thing to think about for those saying they would have fought the jerk- never assume that someone is not armed in a Disney park. Bag check/ security would not detect someone carrying a gun if they knew what they were doing. I'm all for respect and defending yourself but sometimes it's best to just move on and relax.

 

[Planogirl]

This whole thread is disturbing. You've got people making excuses for this guy and others thinking that it's best to just let him behave in this manner. I find his behavior threatening and would have treated it that way.

OP, you did nothing wrong. Way too many people are awful nowadays.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I don't think there was anything wrong with saying something, it's your right, but I also definitely try to avoid these types of situations and take a look at the possible outcomes.

What is the likelihood the person will take your request well? Many people, when confronted, are embarrassed and bite back harder because of this embarrassment.

If the infant had the phone, right or wrong, the family may have been diffusing a meltdown situation. When my infant grabs my cell phone, when I take it away, it's a one way ticket to meltdown town, because she's only an infant and doesn't know better yet. This family may have seen the phone as the lesser of two evils - screaming infant or phone light. I don't support giving an infant a phone to quiet them or entertain them, but they may have thought they were actually doing people in there a favor.

I am not defending his response or saying you were wrong for stepping in, but if you do step in, you should expect this type of response to possibly happen - or worse. It is so hard to see where people are coming from. Who knows what type of person this, what kind of day they've had. WDW is a stressful place for many people - especially the many people who do not go there all the time and don't know the ins and outs. It really can set people off.

I try to just let these trivial things go and move on. A cell phone light is certainly distracting and annoying but it's really not the end of the world.

 

[kandb]

I know the theater to the COP is rather large. How about if you moved far away or saw a few rows in front of the loser? Then he would not of been able to shine the light at you. I would of never sat there while he shone it in my eyes, I would never give him the pleasure it was probably giving him.

 

[Aurora0427]

Every time I confront someone who is being a douche, I regret it. At a baseball game yesterday this guy kept standing through the entire game. A man behind us very nicely asked if he could please sit down, as he was the only person standing. Guess what? Guy standing acted like a tool and a shouting match ensued. I find that 99% of the time when I have asked someone who is being inconsiderate to please stop, they in return act like an even bigger douche and I get pissed and the situation devolves, which then affects my day. That's because inconsiderate people know they are acting like jerks, and they don't care. So since I now have children, I typically ignore and move on or if it's possible tell someone "in charge".

OP: you did nothing wrong and that guy is a total tool. But for me personally I would've just moved. Im over confrontation unless it's absolutely necessary- mainly a safety issue. And trust me, I'm pretty confrontational. I've had to let that go a bit.

 

[DisneyOma]

I hate bubble guns and misters, but one of those might have come in handy - cellphones and water don't mix well, do they?

 

[JJZMgailey]

They watch the theaters via closed circuit video.

I'm actually shocked that the man was able to keep his phone out so long even with a baby holding it. Some friends of ours were on CoP and one of them took their phone out to look at it. The minute she turned it on, a Cast Member came in and said it had to be put away.

I think it's like everything else; just depends on the Cast Member and how they decide to handle it. Maybe the one who saw it chose not to address it because they saw a baby holding it. Who knows?

 

[ArwenMarie]

I agree with the previous suggestion about sitting in the front row if you really want to enjoy the show without the distractions. It does seem CoP is kind of a place for people to regroup now while enjoying some AC, so seeing people using their phones isn't uncommon.

 

[nilla]

Yeah, my first thought was that they gave it to the child to entertain him...

They could have always used the Disney-provided entertainment option on the stage right in front of them

 

[xiphoid76]

Thanks for all of the feedback . This is the original poster. I have to say I have seen some bad behavior on this trip - one woman at Epcot threw her empty cup into the cranberry bog. I was just shocked as there are trash cans everywhere. Someone else picked it up and threw it away. I have also seen lots more cell phone use in dark attractions like Tiki room and country Bear. And I listened carefully to the instructions from the cast member before Carousel and Tiki - you are not to use flash photography, but they do not make mention of specifically not using your phone like they do for Hall of presidents or the American attraction. So I guess they are within their right to use their phones - although personally I wish they wouldn't .
However, I think most people I have met this vacation have been very nice. We are staying at the Wilderness and love it. Also can't wait to go to the Halloween party tonight! If you see 2 Guys dressed up as Donald Duck tonight that is us - tomorrow we will be 2 Princes - my husband made the costumes - say hi! It is our anniversary 8 'ears as the pin says.
Thanks for the comments everyone - have a magical day!!!

 

[Nancyg56]

Thanks for all of the feedback . This is the original poster. I have to say I have seen some bad behavior on this trip - one woman at Epcot threw her empty cup into the cranberry bog. I was just shocked as there are trash cans everywhere. Someone else picked it up and threw it away. I have also seen lots more cell phone use in dark attractions like Tiki room and country Bear. And I listened carefully to the instructions from the cast member before Carousel and Tiki - you are not to use flash photography, but they do not make mention of specifically not using your phone like they do for Hall of presidents or the American attraction. So I guess they are within their right to use their phones - although personally I wish they wouldn't .
However, I think most people I have met this vacation have been very nice. We are staying at the Wilderness and love it. Also can't wait to go to the Halloween party tonight! If you see 2 Guys dressed up as Donald Duck tonight that is us - tomorrow we will be 2 Princes - my husband made the costumes - say hi! It is our anniversary 8 'ears as the pin says.
Thanks for the comments everyone - have a magical day!!!

Have a great time! We also noticed behaviors that were inconsiderate, but I see that every trip. I tend to ignore as much as possible, but will make sure I sit close to the front of CoP next trip to avoid what you encountered.

I think cm's are really between a rock and hard place when it comes to managing guests behavior. I would not want that job, as you experiences many times asking for courtesy escalates into a tirade

 

[xiphoid76]

Op I noticed you said you told him to turn the phone off not asked him. I'm not blaming anyone but in my prior life I was police officer is an extremely violent urban city. One of the things I learned is that people perceive things the way they want- telling him to turn the phone off could have been seen as an act of aggression. I'm not saying the guy was right and in fact he sounds like a jerk but who are you to tell another adult to do anything- why not ask? The other thing to think about for those saying they would have fought the jerk- never assume that someone is not armed in a Disney park. Bag check/ security would not detect someone carrying a gun if they knew what they were doing. I'm all for respect and defending yourself but sometimes it's best to just move on and relax.

Thinking back - I honestly can not remember exactly what I said - I am sure I asked him, not told him. But can not be 100% sure. As a gay man confronting another man I am usually very timid by nature. Been called many derogatory names - but as I am now in my 40s I feel more confident - and less afraid of voicing my opinion. I think I was nice, but he obviously did not agree . I am also a law enforcement officer and I do hear you about the guns / something that I always think about - not just at Disney, but everywhere. You do have to be very careful! Thanks for the post!

 

[ldymcbth]

How frustrating - I am sorry you had to deal with that. Isn't there typically a CM in the theatre with you? Not that they would do anything! I can't count the number of times PoC has been ruining by people taking selfies with flash, etc and no one ever says a word.