Don't stand so close to me...

[Quest4fun]

Let's talk about courtesy at Disneyland. There are many things that people do that ruin the trip for everybody. Among these things are swearing loudly, smoking outisde of the designated areas, talking on your cell phone loudly while on a ride, crowding people in line, and taking flash photos on dark rides.

Has anybody else noticed that a lot of people like to crowd while standing in line. You know the types. You're in line for Space Mountain and it feels more like Space Mountin'.

I know Disneyland defines personal space as room for 10 more but you can leave a few feet in between you and the person ahead of you. It's not like you're going to get to on the ride any faster.

Here's a few good pointers for determining if you're standing too close.
1. The person in front of you cannot turn around without their shoulder bumping into you.
2. You can smell the shampoo of the person in front of you.
3. You can hear them whispering, "This guy is really close to me."
4. You bump into them every time the line advances.
5. You cannot lift your arms to scratch your head.

I'm not trying to step on anybody's toes here. That's actually my reason for posting this. I feel bad when I step on people who are standing under my feet. There is plenty of room for everybody. Leave an extra couple of feet and make sure your kids do the same. It's the nice thing to do and makes the day more pleasant for everybody.

 

[Corpsebride]

Yes. I have experienced these things too!! We were there last week. On POTC, a group that filled the boat except for us took flash pictures, talked on the phone"DUDE!! Im totally on POTC right now yeah!! yeah its awesome blah blah blah!!!"
I got flashed in the face about 7 times from the picture taking. Not once did anyone apologize. It kind of bummed me out. On the other hand, I didnt want to say anything because most of them were having SUCH a great time on the ride with all the ooohs and ahhs I just loved that they were enjoying it all for the first time.
As far as personal space. Yeah, that can be a problem sometimes. so here is what I do:
If someone getsreally really close over and over and over, I usuallyturn around, stick out my hand to shake thiers and introduce myself. Then I tell them I thought since we were being so intimately close, I thought we should at least be on a first name basis. It usually gets the point across and gets a laugh. If it doenst I just tell them it is my "funny" way of saying they need to back up a bit, they are crowding me. That doesnt really ever happen. If its little kids, I dont really say anything because they are little and excited. And usually the parents apologize and reel them back in.
But, yeah it happens. Good post!!

 

[DoomBugger]

You're in line for Space Mountain and it feels more like Space Mounting.

Scary. Don't drop the space soap.

It is hard to avoid atleast a couple people who have no regard for courtesy or space but I just try to not let it bother me too much.

In spite of the space invaders one thing I really love about DL is the overall happy mood of everybody. It is a rare experience to have so many people in such a good mood all in the same place!

 

[Mrs. Bee]

I won't tell you what I do to the people that crowd me in line for Space Mountain....hahaha. (Not all of them...just the super annoying ones.)

I can usually handle ONE flash photo taken on Pirates or the Haunted Mansion. But when it's a lot of photos in a row....no way. That is awful.

Not listed...but what about the necklaces with all the flashing lights? Those things are bright and should be turned off on dark rides. At the beginning of Pirates, we once had a group of a few people that each had those on. I was in the back of the boat so I just kind of yelled to the front "can you please turn the necklaces off??" I tried to sound nice...haha. Then a bunch of other people started going, "turn the necklaces off." It was kind of funny. They did turn them off and everyone clapped.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Scary. Don't drop the space soap.

AHAHAHAHAHA!! That is awesome.

 

[DangerMouse]

Can I play?

Flashers! Ugh, don't get me started. The worst was when someone on Soarin felt the need to take a flash photo of each and every scene. Completely ruined the experience.

Space invaders (I'll borrow that term, thanks!). Worst experience in GRR line where a young kid (about 7 or 8) with his older teenage siblings intentionally was running into the back of dh. Kept doing it over and over again. Dh politely asked him to stop and when after 3 times being ignored asked the teens to help out with the situation, they went postal on my dh and started verbally assaulting my entire family, using profanities and everything. Once we got off the ride, they went and found their father who then confronted my dh with much machismo, profanity and threatened violence. Once my dh calmly explained the situation, the father apologized for his son's rude behavior and backed off. But ugh, what a non-Disney-like experience.

 

[ACDSNY]

Don't forget to bath and use deodorant...POTC can be a very long ride when the group of three guys in the row in front of you forgets what soap, water and deodorant are for! And of course they were wearing tank tops with their arms up along the back of the seat.

 

[Dobie]

Flashers and space invaders get on my nerves, too. Space invading hair flippers are the worst, however.

High school teacher that I am, I have been known to gently reprimand strange teenagers who get into my personal space. It usually works (they can smell my teacher-karma!)

 

[DangerMouse]

Don't forget to bath and use deodorant...POTC can be a very long ride when the group of three guys in the row in front of you forgets what soap, water and deodorant are for! And of course they were wearing tank tops with their arms up along the back of the seat.

Amen! Same experience, different ride. And the flatulence in small spaces (Nemo subs, Star Tours cruiser, Space Mountain que), really not appreciated.

 

[Spokker]

Some of it may have to do with culture more than courtesy or rudeness. In other cultures it's not unheard of to stand very close to others.

To be honest it never seemed like a huge deal to me. I can only recall one instance where someone was standing too close to me for my own comfort. I simply asked them to give me my space and they did so and I thanked them.

When someone is doing something that is bothering you at Disneyland don't act so passive aggressive about it. Politely talk to them about the situation. If they act rude or defensive then you know you're in the right.

 

[MommyWithDreams]

Amen! Same experience, different ride. And the flatulence in small spaces (Nemo subs, Star Tours cruiser, Space Mountain que), really not appreciated.

LOL I was thinking the same thing but glad someone beat me to it.
The space invaders....I despise that as well. I didn't realize though that in some nationalities though, that's part of what they do. Especially in places like China and Japan. I learned about this in a diversity class at my job. It was interesting to hear a girl explain it. As she talked I thought "wow, you've been behind me at Disneyland haven't you"? Take a deep breath and then turn around and let it out.....maybe they'll back up if you've eaten something "potent" that day.

 

[MommyWithDreams]

Some of it may have to do with culture more than courtesy or rudeness. In other cultures it's not unheard of to stand very close to others.

To be honest it never seemed like a huge deal to me. I can only recall one instance where someone was standing too close to me for my own comfort. I simply asked them to give me my space and they did so and I thanked them.

When someone is doing something that is bothering you at Disneyland don't act so passive aggressive about it. Politely talk to them about the situation. If they act rude or defensive then you know you're in the right.

we must have been posting at the same time.

 

[kiwitravel]

If someone getsreally really close over and over and over, I usuallyturn around, stick out my hand to shake thiers and introduce myself. Then I tell them I thought since we were being so intimately close, I thought we should at least be on a first name basis. It usually gets the point across and gets a laugh. If it doenst I just tell them it is my "funny" way of saying they need to back up a bit, they are crowding me. !!

You crack me up.... Wish I could do it in such a fun manner, instead I just turn and look at the people crowding and with one look they seem to get the message. My kids tell me I have this wild kinda unstable look that says don't mess with me kinda of thing. Its all a bluff I have just found staring people in the eye can unsettle them.... Try it some time you could still shake their hand etc if it doesn't work out.

 

[DoomBugger]

the flatulence in small spaces (Nemo subs, Star Tours cruiser, Space Mountain que), really not appreciated.

LOL! By the particular spots you mentioned it sounds as if they were all the site of incidents to your dismay!

Let's face it; if you spend a day at DL you might as well bring along a Hazmat crew with all the gas bombs, bathrooms and general B.O.!

I find that "toursists" from a certain country will be the most consistent space invaders. Loud talking in lines and kids running into you over and over and the parents seeing no problem with it. Honestly, and I see this more and more. Better "modify" more of those ride spiels.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

haha my dd who is 21, hates for people she doesnt know to touch her and when we are in line I have to remember to have her stand in front of me because if I dont she will yell "get out of my personal space" at first I got mad at her for yelling it like that but after awhile Im just like whatever works....

 

[Dobie]

Amen! Same experience, different ride. And the flatulence in small spaces (Nemo subs, Star Tours cruiser, Space Mountain que), really not appreciated.

LOL! I think flatulence is worse at Disney than most places--people eat richer than usual food, whizz their bodies around at unnatural speeds, walk all day, which accelerates gut transit time, and drink carbonated beverages, which deserve their own special place in hell. . .

 

[Mrs. Bee]

I'm a little more lenient if I see that the space invader is a foriegn tourist or a small child. American teenagers?...not so much!

Not exactly the same thing...but my husband and I were walking through the park and all the sudden this teen boy and his girlfriend (sister?) decided to be "funny" and follow us. They walked directly behind us...stepping on our heels and everything!! I stopped and they were pressed up against my back!! At first I ignored it but they continued. So my husband stopped, turned around and said something along the lines of "you wanna back off!" The kid had a little ****eating (fill in the blank...haha) grin and said something like "I'm not doing anything." So I chimed in and pretty much yelled at him (hey...I'm a redhead...I have a temper.) I knew they wanted to continue bothering us....so we decided to just stand there until they walked away. Teenagers like that are the worst. I'm sure we weren't the only people they did that to that day.

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh this drives me insane!!!! I will always turn around and either say "Back off" or give the Mom look. LOL I've been known to quell grown men with the Mom look. LOL It's pretty effective, or so I've been told. Luckily I've never had issues any adults but if I did you bet I would march right over to a CM and complain about it. All the while keeping MY mouth shut so they would be the ones to get into trouble. LOL

 

[sftnslky]

It never fails that on the long lines I will get some HORNY teenagers who NEED TO GET A ROOM. .. and trust me i'm not against pda but my goodness ...

 

[Quest4fun]

Flashers and space invaders get on my nerves, too. Space invading hair flippers are the worst, however.

Hair flippers can die in a fire. Serously.

Can I play?

Flashers! Ugh, don't get me started. The worst was when someone on Soarin felt the need to take a flash photo of each and every scene. Completely ruined the experience.

Once we got off the ride, they went and found their father who then confronted my dh with much machismo, profanity and threatened violence. Once my dh calmly explained the situation, the father apologized for his son's rude behavior and backed off. But ugh, what a non-Disney-like experience.

You most certainly can of course. Great story. I love people that get all up in your face then eventually have to eat crow. I'm rarely fortunate to get the apology though. It's probably because I have such an endearing personality. I have to find satisfaction in ruining their ride photo if it's so equipped.

My wife and I are pros at stretching out on Space Mountain to hide whoever is behind us. "Take that!" We say. A little mean spirited but it's what they get. If they don't want to be hidden by us then they should back off a little bit.

There's always that person that turns the subs into a Dutch oven. Do they think nobody will notice??? I've also encountered the "scented" guests and while it's unfortunate that they smell like a Carl's Jr. Famous Star I tend to keep it to myself because they might not be able to help it. My wife got stuck on Indiana Jones with a group that insisted on raising their arms over and over. PHEW!

This is kind of like an extension of the "Grossest" thread on the Disney World boards. It's nice to be able to vent about such things. Who knows. Maybe some of the hair flippers and "space invaders" might read this and knock it off.