For those going soon...they're baaaack...tour groups

[disneyseniors]

For me as a mom with 2 kids, it really scares me to think my kids could get knocked down and harmed because a bunch of teens are doing the human chain thing or knocking people out of their way. I can safely move my kids out of the way if one or two people trying to push their way past us in line, but not a group pf 20 or more.

I adore kids and teens - but a large group of unsupervised teens can go in a bad direction. Any tour guide that allows or encourages this human chain / cutting / pushing past and trampling others is not a chaperone in my book. Clearly Disney needs to restructure this experience so ALL guests in the park have a safe, enjoyable time. At over $100. a day for park admission, I don't want to have to worry that my kids are going to get trampled because Disney does not want to upset these touring groups by enforcing simple rules that are all about civility - no pushing / shoving / cutting in line / stepping on others. Doesn't seem unreasonable for me to expect Disney to enforce these rules that should apply to anyone who enters their parks.

I get that these tour groups make a lot of revenue for Disney..... but then again don't we???? Hell, I'm paying $ 6781. for a week stay - and that's without airfare!!

All I'm saying is that if Disney is taking money from all of us, they need to provide a SAFE experience for all of their guests. People who travel to WDW when there are teen tour groups should not have to worry about themselves or their kids getting mowed down in a line by a group of teens. I have been reading about this issue for years (here as well as other boards) so clearly it's an issue that Disney has not addressed.

Great post, OM: I think you should forward it to customer service (or wherever is recommended at Disney) as you say it very well, and I feel Disney needs to see more of these posts! thanks!

 

[kittyab]

What would you like Disney to do about unruly guests?

They certainly can't take any action based purely on random complaints posted to message board.

I don't expect Disney to read a Message Board board to deal with issues, what I do expect is when a CM sees a guest break a rule to deal with it and not to ignore it.

 

[Koz]

Say what you will about them, but they provided my family and I with ample shade before the first Fantasmic show last July.

 

[jknc]

I don't expect Disney to read a Message Board board to deal with issues, what I do expect is when a CM sees a guest break a rule to deal with it and not to ignore it.

What rules are they breaking? I understand line jumping is a rule and needs to be enforced appropriately but is holding hands in groups against the "rules".

 

[yulilin3]

Say what you will about them, but they provided my family and I with ample shade before the first Fantasmic show last July.View attachment 179775

ole ole ole ole

 

[jknc]

Listen I'd love to ban ECV's from being used at all the parks but just like removing tour groups, it ain't gonna happen.

 

[Bullseye]

Say what you will about them, but they provided my family and I with ample shade before the first Fantasmic show last July.

If I was in the general vicinity of that it would just annoy the heck out of me . That's just making your thing everyone's thing.

 

[yulilin3]

If I was in the general vicinity of that it would just annoy the heck out of me . That's just making your thing everyone's thing.

This pic is not from fantasmic

 

[MariMama]

If I was in the general vicinity of that it would just annoy the heck out of me . That's just making your thing everyone's thing.

It's from a soccer game.

 

[Bullseye]

This pic is not from fantasmic

It's from a soccer game.

Oh ...I thought Koz said it was from Fantasmic. In that case if it was a sporting event, different story .

But if it was Fantasmic, then

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

Oh ...I thought Koz said it was from Fantasmic. In that case if it was a sporting event, different story .

But if it was Fantasmic, then

It was a joke.

 

[kittyab]

What rules are they breaking? I understand line jumping is a rule and needs to be enforced appropriately but is holding hands in groups against the "rules".

I am speaking in general CM's do not deal with guests who break the rules.

 

[Skywise]

Having encountered them this trip and nearly getting trampled by them as the chaperone ran past me with the flag leading a group of 50+ mostly teenaged girls to grab a block of seats - I've gotta say I was pretty annoyed (normally I think I'd like being trampled by teenage girls in shorts but I digress... )

The kids themselves weren't a problem except for the chaperones leading chants and screaming contests while videoing them to show "how much fun" they were having back home.

Doing this every 10 minutes for an hour long wait for Fantasmic in sweltering heat goes from cute to annoying to aggravating as even the four year olds start standing on the bleachers to scream and jump as well with parents trying hard to keep their kids in line already (y'know... Or not)

Plus you had a block of 50+ in fastpass seating (I'm guessing - they took up 5 rows in a section) and another block of 50 in standby that would counter chant each other with the chaperones running back and forth between each group videoing them. Tell me that's not coordinated with Disney.

I think if you broke the groups up to no more than 10 kids per group and don't coordinate their activities it'd go a long way to allay the problems - at least in the parks. There's not much you can do at the resorts but that goes for all teen groups blocked en masse.

 

[kittyab]

apparently you didn't read all the posts. we were unindated with a tour group at our resort.. refused to get off the walkway so we could get bywith our luggage. if we leftour loungers to go to the DSA they took our lougners. the chaperone's yelled at us and tried to start a figtht cause we were smoking in the DSA,which was near the touchdown field where they were [practicing soccr.
ok none of the was in the previous posts. but the kids AND the chaperones screamed, chanted and yelled on EVERY bus ride, giving us expterem headaches.
\\
now I don't mind kids using the pool till all hours of the night.. we love a quiet night swim ourselves. they were yelling screaming, still at 1 AM after manycalls to the front desk and a WALK TO the actuall front desk (not a call center);
and the soccer balls bounce twice against aour window.


FINALLY they were toldto shut down about 2 am (we had tobe up at 6 am/) and they were still upset.. a snooty CM on a segway informed us that "july is Latin month at Disney and THEY are OUR guests" what are we? staying for free?
andI over heard a "chaperone" talking to a security guard who told her "I can see both points of view" HOW is there 2 points of view???? with a pool view room I expect to hear a bit of talk, splashing, night swims. not screaming yelling chanting balls bouncing on windows. et.c

they shut it down but dsiney was veyr condescending about it.. they expected US to "welcome" our "guests"..... heck with that.. I AM a guest.

sorry lugnut, these are NOT just young people having fun.. not even close.

Wow, I am speechless.

 

[yulilin3]

Having encountered them this trip and nearly getting trampled by them as the chaperone ran past me with the flag leading a group of 50+ mostly teenaged girls to grab a block of seats - I've gotta say I was pretty annoyed (normally I think I'd like being trampled by teenage girls in shorts but I digress... )

The kids themselves weren't a problem except for the chaperones leading chants and screaming contests while videoing them to show "how much fun" they were having back home.

Doing this every 10 minutes for an hour long wait for Fantasmic in sweltering heat goes from cute to annoying to aggravating as even the four year olds start standing on the bleachers to scream and jump as well with parents trying hard to keep their kids in line already (y'know... Or not)

Plus you had a block of 50+ in fastpass seating (I'm guessing - they took up 5 rows in a section) and another block of 50 in standby that would counter chant each other with the chaperones running back and forth between each group videoing them. Tell me that's not coordinated with Disney.

I think if you broke the groups up to no more than 10 kids per group and don't coordinate their activities it'd go a long way to allay the problems - at least in the parks. There's not much you can do at the resorts but that goes for all teen groups blocked en masse.

Splitting the group up would be the best solution but then they wouldn't get the "look at all of us having fun " footage.
I was at Universal Studios for 4th of July and there was a large group of quinceañeras from Argentina, the group leader got great footage of them screaming and having fun rocking out to my son's band that was playing on the mainstage by rip ride rockit.
My son and the guys from the band didn't have a problem with the girls running toward them at the end of their set for a meet and greet

 

[Skywise]

Splitting the group up would be the best solution but then they wouldn't get the "look at all of us having fun " footage.
I was at Universal Studios for 4th of July and there was a large group of quinceañeras from Argentina, the group leader got great footage of them screaming and having fun rocking out to my son's band that was playing on the mainstage by rip ride rockit.
My son and the guys from the band didn't have a problem with the girls running toward them at the end of their set for a meet and greet

It wasn't a big deal for me but my parents are a little frail but don't do the scooter thang (fortunately) and they were getting swarmed too and I was worried about one little bump sending my mom down.

I'd have the same problem with any group being chaperoned that way. I've been there!
(I was with a large band group that was playing for the president of the United States at a local convention center/mall that got stopped by security for trying to bring in a can of fart spray they had just bought at the spencer gifts at the nearby mall! That was a fun lecture by our band director!)

 

[smidgy]

What would you like Disney to do about unruly guests?

They certainly can't take any action based purely on random complaints posted to message board.

I'
m not just complaining on a message board. it's called a discussion and I'm sharing our horrible experience.

we DID complain while we were there numerous times. finally after numerous phone calls and a couple trips to the frontdesk, they sent the groups to their rooms. they wouldn't listen to warnings from CMs and keep it down, so they lost. you don't have to cower and let them get away with it. even though the one manager (in the white shirt and tie, on a segway) informed us that it was latin month and they" are "our" guests, I managed to get disney to get them to keep it down, one way or the other.
and we did get that night comped. no we didn't ask for it. but certainly didn't turn it down.

Rules are rules. and teens break rules(,but the chaperones allowed it. participated in it. )we broke rules. did. our teens did. but then there are consequences (or should be) my sons and their friends would get 2 warnings. I come down in the basement a 3rd time? everyone goes home party over.

 

[skullsplitter]

We normally stay at POFQ or Coronado and haven't seen these groups at those resorts. Staying at AoA this time. Can we expect them to be there or do they mainly stay at the All Stars?

 

[smidgy]

mainly all stars, but sometimes carribbean beach or riverside. I doubt they will be at AOA since that is mostly suites. (ps you'll love the theming! and the food court!)

 

[Klayfish]

We don't stay on property, so I have no first hand experience with them at hotels (though I've heard Disney charges them in advance for damages and stolen towels). However, in the parks we've had issues with them. As I've said before, I have no problem in theory with a large tour group being there. I think it's wonderful...in theory. I also don't think the vast majority of the groups walk around the park with the intent to knock little kids down and push people out of the way. They're 15 year old kids who think like most 15 year olds...which means thinking only of themselves and the friends they're with. I have seen them be nice to other people, even our own kids. But far too many times I see them just locking arms, chanting, clapping and paying no attention and having no respect for others in their path. Their chaperones don't do anything to show them the right behavior.

Personally, I don't cower to them or get out of their way either. On the occasions when they try to get past my family in their locked arms, I keep my family behind me and am the battering ram to push through.