Disney World Vacations And Cell Phone Use!!!

[Traveliz]

I am talking about the kids....they are NOT that important! I am sorry that you all cannot live without your stuff, I take a laptop with me and a cell, but I leave it in the room! or if I take it I do not answer it! I really do not want to hear your conversations at ALL!! and if you have to talk, go do it in a corner!! Instead of walking in front of me and stopping short because you need to text back! And if I hit you then you deal with it!!!

thats all! you cannot have it both ways!

My guess is most of the 20 somethings you are seeing texting and on the phone are CMs coming and going from work (out of costume) or in the park playing on their time off.

I get being annoyed when it's in your way but it is just the new reality.

Once my daughter started the college program three years ago I realized that many of the people you see in the parks who are presumably on vacation are really employees on time off and local people.

Liz

 

[StarGazer99]

Remember the days when very few people had cell phones and if they answered their cell phones in public and we all just thought it was rude... and now everyone has a cell phone.

I'm not fond of the texting and can't stand to do it myself but I am fascinated by it and find myself watching in awe as these kids do it today. I am amazed by their ability and sorry to say we are the generation going out and these kids are going to rule the world. I'm interested to know what the heck is going to aggravate them and I think I will sit back and laugh at them griping thirty yrs from now. (remember the texting era?).

My daughter is 9 and will be getting a real cell phone for our trip(old one activated). I will not do WDW with out my child having a phone. She has carried an unactivated one for some time now. I love the fact that all phones activated or not can call 911.


We do not have cable... no video games, nothing normal kids have but I'm hoping to let go and allow her to be part of her generation by high school, and I look forward to chuckling at her aggrivation 30 years from now.

Oh and sad to say with the problems this country has with it's children/parenting I put texting at the bottom of the list.

 

[AndreaDM]

We were at WDW back in June for a convention DH had. He was only able to join us for one day at the parks, so the other 3 days I took pics on my cell phone of just about everything DD was doing so I could text them to him while he was stuck in meetings and tours. I updated FB a lot too from the parks because we had family back here who liked being updated on what we were doing. Unless someone stops abruptly right in front of me causing a collision, I have no problem with it.

 

[GeorgeG]

Cell phones and texting have almost completely taken over the lives of too many people, and not just at WDW. I have a cell phone, but I only carry it when I think I might need it. I'll be at WDW at least twice in the coming weeks and I'll only have my cell phone once and only because we'll be hooking up with friends. Once we hook up, the phone goes off so I can enjoy myself. Perhaps I'm just too old to understand...

 

[Dancind]

I kind of agree with the OP that having another reason to stop dead in one's tracks in the middle of the walkway is not a good thing. I am the type to just walk around them too, but if it's rampant you do start to get annoyed after a while.

And I have a daughter who is certainly guilty of this. She's going with me in January and I've asked her if she plans to do a lot of texting while we are there. I especially hate sitting at a nice meal with someone while they text, even more if I am paying!

Sometimes being in the moment is more important than providing a play by play to everyone you know.

That said, I take my laptop and cel phone too. I get calls about sales occasionally. And I do find texting other members of your party better than calling most of the time (since you don't really hear your phone ring at WDW). I do, however, step to the side if I'm texting since I can't walk and text at the same time!

 

[MM27]

I don't care what other people do on vacation, but if someone with me was on their cell phone or texting constantly during a vacation, we'd have a big problem.

 

[TexasErin]

I find it annoying also. I think its fine to do while waiting somewhere- and the apps to check wait time sound very helpful. Now that DD is 13 and has a little more freedom in the parks, its very useful for meeting back up or making sure she is okay. It makes it so much easier to meet back up.

However, I can't stand it when someone is on a ride or in a show and uses it. I honestly try to tune it out, but it still distracts me and gets on my last nerve. I think its as rude as flash photography on dark rides, which is another pet peeve of mine. I will NOT text on my phone (or even check on a text) when I am on a ride or in a show- that's just plain rude. If we are going to be going into something, say Hall of Presidents or Universe of Energy, I will let DD know what we are doing and that I will be out of pocket for a few minutes- usually DD is with us for the longer stuff anyway.

Not related to Disney, but my stepmother used to be fun to visit with and we used to have great conversations, but now that she gets on Facebook on her phone, she is too busy doing that to have a REAL conversation. I find that very rude- and yes, I do have a Facebook page.

 

[luvmy3]

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I find it annoying also. I think its fine to do while waiting somewhere- and the apps to check wait time sound very helpful. Now that DD is 13 and has a little more freedom in the parks, its very useful for meeting back up or making sure she is okay. It makes it so much easier to meet back up.

However, I can't stand it when someone is on a ride or in a show and uses it. I honestly try to tune it out, but it still distracts me and gets on my last nerve. I think its as rude as flash photography on dark rides, which is another pet peeve of mine. I will NOT text on my phone (or even check on a text) when I am on a ride or in a show- that's just plain rude. If we are going to be going into something, say Hall of Presidents or Universe of Energy, I will let DD know what we are doing and that I will be out of pocket for a few minutes- usually DD is with us for the longer stuff anyway.

Not related to Disney, but my stepmother used to be fun to visit with and we used to have great conversations, but now that she gets on Facebook on her phone, she is too busy doing that than having a real conversation. I find that very rude- and yes, I do have a Facebook page.

If your phone is on vibrate and you aren't speaking into it, why do you think its rude that someone is texting? I'm genuinly curious because the only time I think its rude is when a person is texting while having a face to face conversation with someone else, however if they are sitting on a ride or even in a show and just sitting there txting, why would you let it bother you?

 

[monkeybug]

I am talking about the kids....they are NOT that important! I am sorry that you all cannot live without your stuff, I take a laptop with me and a cell, but I leave it in the room! or if I take it I do not answer it! I really do not want to hear your conversations at ALL!! and if you have to talk, go do it in a corner!! Instead of walking in front of me and stopping short because you need to text back! And if I hit you then you deal with it!!!

thats all! you cannot have it both ways!

So if you had a cell phone with you in the parks one day, and got separated from a member of your group, you wouldn't call them to find out where they were? And if your phone could text, you wouldn't just text them to ask where the heck they were (and thus not have "go into a corner)?
Or if you wanted to walk to the Poly and see a shuttle launch but couldn't remember what time it was scheduled, would you go around asking CM's and other guests until you found someone who knew, or would you just sit down on a bench, or better yet while standing in line, and google it on your phone?
If you were in the MK and wanted to eat at Teppan Edo if they had availability, would you take a monorail to epcot just to ask if they had a table, or would you use the dining app on your phone to call over and ask? Or if someone in your group was a picky eater would you hand the phone over so they could browse menus and decide where they wanted to eat lunch, or walk to each place until they found something that appealed to them?
If one of your family members was having an awesome character interaction, you wouldn't whip out your phone to record it, because some how using your phone on vacation takes away from the experience???

I get being annoyed with people who stand in the middle of the walkways, but you could step off to the side to use your phone, you don't have to use it in the middle of a walkway. I don't remember an epidemic of texting zombies clogging the walkways when we were there in May.

I think sometimes people view them selves as almost holier than thou because they aren't as "connected" as the rest of us, as if some how it makes them more connected with the real world, but I don't see it that way at all.
I have more time to enjoy the "real" world with my family because I have information readily at my fingertips, not the other way around.

 

[TexasErin]

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If your phone is on vibrate and you aren't speaking into it, why do you think its rude that someone is texting? I'm genuinly curious because the only time I think its rude is when a person is texting while having a face to face conversation with someone else, however if they are sitting on a ride or even in a show and just sitting there txting, why would you let it bother you?

Because it lights up and is distracting (in the dark). If its not dark, it doesn't bother me. Like on, the safari or It's a Small World, it wouldn't bother me. But on POTC or Haunted Mansion, it is distracting.

 

[luvmy3]

Because it lights up and is distracting (in the dark). If its not dark, it doesn't bother me. Like on, the safari or It's a Small World, it wouldn't bother me. But on POTC or Haunted Mansion, it is distracting.

I see, that makes sense.

 

[cinmell]

I can't imagine spending a second caring what anyone else is doing at WDW. For every stop in the middle of the sidewalk to read a text person, there are a hundred more stop in the middle of the sidewalk to read a map or block the aisle of the restaurant with your giant stroller types, and they don't bother me either.

I just stop as soon as I see a block, and go around, or wait until they are moving again, or say "Excuse me, may I get by? Thank you!" if they are really slow.

And I am far more irritated by the "I am on vacation and it must be perfect for ME and ME ALONE so get out of my way!" types, to be perfectly honest.;)

I couldn't agree more, especially with the bolded parts.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

humm, doe not take a rocket scientist to figure out that they have a cell phone addiction!! and if they have to take it to the parks..chances are they will have it at the resort or anywhere else!

And? Not everyone who visits the park is on vacation. Some people are just there for the day cause they feel like visiting the parks. Many people in the parks are locals! If they want to text or talk on the phone, either on vacation or just cause their there to hang out they're more than welcome to.

 

[hellokitty86]

It only bothers me when we are in a dark ride or theater and people text which can be very distracting. I try not to do that and turn the volume off my phone since I know how annoying it is.

Otherwise I'm like a lot of people on this thread, I love to text pictures to my family and Facebook and I love it when my friends do that too!

 

[Disney Doll]

Most people today are so busy chronicling their life on FB, Twitter etc. that they forget to actually live their life. We are so busy being electronically connected that we forget to speak with the live people standing next to us...

And vacation is to get away from work, not bring it with you.

And vacation is also to get away from the people you deal with on a daily basis...not bring them with you.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am talking about the kids....they are NOT that important! I am sorry that you all cannot live without your stuff, I take a laptop with me and a cell, but I leave it in the room! or if I take it I do not answer it! I really do not want to hear your conversations at ALL!! and if you have to talk, go do it in a corner!! Instead of walking in front of me and stopping short because you need to text back! And if I hit you then you deal with it!!!

thats all! you cannot have it both ways!

You are taking other people's habits way too personally.

 

[Lintasare]

You are taking other people's habits way too personally.

This.

 

[Kimberly]

I was just at Disney for the last 10 days of August, and I had to be in contact with several people while I was on vacation. I have my own small business, and something required immediate attention. I hate to have to interrupt my vacation for it, but my living allows me to live a comfortable lifestyle... which includes going to Disney for 10 days. To those it upsets... mind your business.

 

[mhsjax]

OP, for what it is worth I agree with you. But, it seems that most people are addicted to the electronic devices. My kids have cell phone and yes they take them to the park, in case we get separated or they want to go somewhere else.

But the minute I see them texting, the phones are mine, and won't be given back until vacation is over. I do understand that some people have to still be in the real world and not just WDW. Hubby had to bid on his schedule and vacation while we were down there one year, so he had to keep calling in to work for this. No biggie. He went off to the side out of the way and earshot of everyone there. For me I am there to forget about life, not here everyone else's life. Things that have been invented for convenience had become an addictive device.

I don't understand why people want to text and twitter each other while on vacation, I want nothing more than to get away from everyone. As long as you stay out of my way, go for it. I am also the one that thinks twitter is absolutely stupid, (yes I have an account) and Face book, what a joke, (have an account also.) I haven't posted one thing.

 

[Mimi1965]

And vacation is to get away from work, not bring it with you.

And vacation is also to get away from the people you deal with on a daily basis...not bring them with you.

Lots of people "work" means the 9-5 punch in the clock type job and can not understand that some jobs just are not like that.

Like one poster who owns a restaurant...
Another owns a small buisness...

DH is involved in construction-his cell phone starts ringing at 7am...while he has his first drink of cofeee
...or at 7:30 when he;s eating his eggs.
he works nights and weekends.

He loves our vacations-but cant tell Mr Million Dollar Project who calls him at WDW to please wait 5 days until DH gets home to solve that problem he's having.