Brazil Tour Groups!!

[mellvswdw1]

I admit we have been spoiled for many years because we always go when they are not at WDW. My very first trip to the happy place was in 1989 and it was late July/early August. They were bad then! I swore I would never go back in July/August and I as 12 years old!

Well now I am 35 and we are going the last week of August, so my question is are we going to miss the biggest crowds of the lovely tour groups?! I hope so, I am already going to have a very hot and grumpy DH, and the last thing I need is a group of chanting brats!

 

[Selket]

We just finished a week there and there are definitely lots of tour groups of kids. They were mostly fine and no big deal. Biggest downside I found was trying to dine at any QS place at a usual meal time as most had a big group or 3 and they can't help but fill up the place due to their size. We had better luck eating early or later than usual and/or going to small food stands.

 

[excited4dis]

For those of you staying at the ASMo, I can give our experience last summer mid july as an example of NOT keeping things to yourself. Get the management involved and they WILL do something. We had our first "warning" totally unprompted at time of check in. CM told us about the groups and to be sure and let them know if there was any issues.sure enough, the first night noise, singing, doors slamming, general chaos as we were in bed--and we don't go to bed until after midight anyway . A quick phone call to the desk with details and either get it under control immediately or we need to be comped to move. Mgt and security or whomever had it under control in a matter of an hour. the groups did all the entry/exit of the resort from a back parking lot by the Love Bug, so no sign of them at the bus stops. there were other issues with them causing problems around the pool area; again--we immediately told the desk and they took care so that if the group kids weren't swimming, they couldn't use the pool area to house a "squatter's camp" and sleep, eat, trash, etc. Even with all that said, I don't think we'll ever go again at that time frame because the resort cannot really control anything in the food court. the sheer number of the groups literally takes over everything in there until they leave for the parks. Rude, seemingly unable to understand English when spoken by the cashier and serversno common courtesy. It would be a good idea for them to have their own resort. It would seem Disney would have no problem keeping it filled year round.

Thanks for the advice. Do you know what section of ASMo they mostly stayed in? Preferred, standard, or both? We are staying (hopefully) preferred in one of the Dalmation buildings.

At least it sounds like they have their own bussing.

 

[Gustavo Castanheira]

Hi all

I've been visiting this message board for some time, but this is my first post. Being Brazilian, I thought this would be a good opportunity.

Someone here asked when Brazilian tour groups are found more often in WDW. Here's my tip if you would like to avoid them:

The dates when BTG are more present in Orlando are July, December and January (when school's out here), the week before Easter ("Semana Santa" holiday) and the week of October 12th ("Dia da Criança", many schools have no classes during this week).

 

[macraven]

last year they must of came early.

i saw them, lots of them, from oct 2nd on until i left disneyworld on oct 5th.

 

[humboldthny]

last year they must of came early.

i saw them, lots of them, from oct 2nd on until i left disneyworld on oct 5th.

Really, really hope this doesn't hold true this year as that is the week we will be there....with my parents...and particularly my step-dad who will NOT be amused. We once ended up in line with a BTG full of teenage girls who were screaming chants in the cave-like part of the Splash Mountain line - total misery...had we waited too much longer I think we would have walked out of the line.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

Hi all

I've been visiting this message board for some time, but this is my first post. Being Brazilian, I thought this would be a good opportunity.

Someone here asked when Brazilian tour groups are found more often in WDW. Here's my tip if you would like to avoid them:

The dates when BTG are more present in Orlando are July, December and January (when school's out here), the week before Easter ("Semana Santa" holiday) and the week of October 12th ("Dia da Criança", many schools have no classes during this week).

I appreciate your input, however, avoiding them wouldn't be necessary if they would adhere to social norms - appropriate noise level, respectful of others, sharing the space, etc.

Do you have any thoughts, perhaps, on why this seems to be impossible for these groups?

 

[dzneelvr]

Excited: we've found them mostly in the Dalmations and Fantasia sections where they literally cluster all over the walkways smoking and causing chaos after dark when they return from the parks, so be aware it can be very imtimidating for younger guests The years we stayed in the Mighty Ducks section, we'd walk through them but none really in that area of the resort. I can't speak for Toy Story because we've never been in there. Keep positive, but be firm in getting the resort involved. Others have no right or entitlement to spoil your/our very well-deserved and expensive vacation and I REFUSE to plan vacations around when they will not be there! Summer and December are the months to avoid going....come on, that's not realistic

 

[OThopeful35]

I think it's terrible that these groups are causing people to have bad vacation experiences. People pay a lot of money to visit Disneyworld and to have it ruined due to bad behavior is sad IMHO

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I am already going to have a very hot and grumpy DH, and the last thing I need is a group of chanting brats!

We are together on this one!

 

[jcemom]

Hi all

I've been visiting this message board for some time, but this is my first post. Being Brazilian, I thought this would be a good opportunity.

Someone here asked when Brazilian tour groups are found more often in WDW. Here's my tip if you would like to avoid them:

The dates when BTG are more present in Orlando are July, December and January (when school's out here), the week before Easter ("Semana Santa" holiday) and the week of October 12th ("Dia da Criança", many schools have no classes during this week).

Welcome to the DIS!

Thank you for the information!

 

[special ed teacher]

I am going to Disney August 1st. Will these tour groups still be in force?

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I REFUSE to plan vacations around when they will not be there!

I should be able to visit any time that I please and expect acceptable behavior. In the even that there is not, it is the responsibility of Disney to deal with it.

 

[excited4dis]

Excited: we've found them mostly in the Dalmations and Fantasia sections where they literally cluster all over the walkways smoking and causing chaos after dark when they return from the parks, so be aware it can be very imtimidating for younger guests

Oh great! And I just requested the Dalmation section! (Mainly because I like how it's closer to ASMu and they just redid the rooms) I was reconsidering doing online check-in, but I think I will just wait until I get there to check-in. If I find out they are all in that section, I may just request to move. I want to relax after a long day when I get back to our room. I don't want to put up with smoke and noise.

 

[DianeV]

We ran into so many Happy Tours kids end of June/into July that we were getting super frustrated. First, huge groups and one chaperone for each group? AND many times the chaperones are not much older and dont do anything about them. Secondly, in line for Harry Potter at IOA the ones behind us in line were practically on our backs so my husband kept taking our bag that was on his shoulder and banging it back into them to give them the message. It worked but geez, no idea of personal space?

As far as how they are able to come I am pretty sure they come from the wealthy priviliged families there...

 

[stitch34]

Thanks for the advice. Do you know what section of ASMo they mostly stayed in? Preferred, standard, or both? We are staying (hopefully) preferred in one of the Dalmation buildings.

At least it sounds like they have their own bussing.

We were at ASmovies the night of July 7th.... Toy Story section was totally invaded by them! So assumed, wrongly, they were all only in that section. Till we walked aruond.... seemed there pretty much wasn't any building that there weren't tour groups staying in. But Toy Story was insane the amount!

Buses.... well, let's just say we stood in the rain at DHS waiting for a cab for a half hour..... as the All Star bus line was HUGGGGEEEE... and yes, you guessed it, filled with tour groups also. Even waiting a half hour for cab in rain, well, it proved to be the better option as we would have been standing there a lot longer than that if waited for the bus. When we got in the cab I looked back at the line and saw yeah, probably another two buses would need to arrive to have gotten us on where we would have gotten in line.

Stayed at Pop for part of the trip.... saw a couple SMALL groups, nothing major. CBR had some groups there also (yeah, we switch resorts a bit when we go to WDW!) But nothing compared to what we saw at Movies! Not sure about Sports or Music, but would have to think they were filled too.

 

[mrbghd]

I appreciate your input, however, avoiding them wouldn't be necessary if they would adhere to social norms - appropriate noise level, respectful of others, sharing the space, etc.

What if they are adhering to social norms? What if the way they are acting is perfectly acceptable in Brazil? How is this any different that complaining about "fat" or "lazy" people who look "perfectly fine" using ECV's and not knowing how to drive them? I am not sure why, but threads about these tour groups seem to be some of the most blatantly racist threads on these boards.

Here are some simple truths:
(1) any large group of people traveling together can cause issues within a theme park (lines, waits, etc.
(2) take ANY group of teenagers and put them together away from home and they are going to act obnoxious to some degree
(3) chanting in a line is far less annoying that people talking through rides or taking flash pictures during dark rides.
(4) anyone that has issues with large numbers of people may find that WDW is not the most magical place to vacation.

A good plan and some flexibilty is all that is needed to avoid drama associated with any tour group.

 

[FLChell]

My kids and I will be there toward the end of next week. If I knew about these groups, I would have waiting until the end of August to go.

We are staying at ASMo and I am scared that they are going to be loud and hog up the busses.

My DS10 is sensitive to people making a lot of noise. He tends to get headaches from it. I guess I better pack lots of tyenol!

Go get him the foam ear plugs, they work great to dull the sound but still hear what is going on. I keep a cleaned out mini M&M tube with 4 pairs in my purse at all times. My youngest daughter has problems with loud noises and enviroments with lots of noise, so I use them A LOT for her including at Disney.

 

[excited4dis]

Thanks Stitch! I guess there is really no way to tell exactly where they will be. I guess there is no sense stressing over it too much, since my vacation is already planned and not much I can do about it now. I just have to keep my focus elsewhere, like being in the most magical place on earth.

To the above poster who mentioned racism, I sure hope you were not referring to me. Not once, did I mention anything about where these groups come from. They could be from US for all I care, but the bottom fact is, they are large groups of teenagers who will be teenagers. They have every right to be there just like everyone else, I just wish something could be done with them touring in such large clusters. I wish they were in smaller groups so they weren't so loud or hogging up the buses. I worked hard to save up for this vacation and I want to make sure we are going to enjoy it.

FLChell, thanks! I think he will be ok, but I did pack earplugs just in case. It's the yelling that gets him. When his own school bus gets loud, he gets off the bus all stressed out and gets a headache. Hopefully, we can avoid the chanting.

 

[dairyqueenmom]

We Disneymooned this very week 16 years ago and I swore then to never return in July because of the tour groups from the south(being PC). We now go in early to mid August and they are all back home in school.