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

[think-like-tink]

Our first trip was summer of 2009 and we ended up right smack in the middle of a large tour group wearing red shirts. DD3 (AT THE TIME) Flipped her lid when they started the loud chanting. Seriosly scared the tar out of her.

 

[TexasKiwiPrincess]

I have to admit, I did some pretty stupid things as part of group of teens.

Example: In Houston for a track meet, we all started a water balloon fight around the motel. We were hiding around the bushes by the pool, trying to ambush each other. Stalking each other from the second floor railings of the motel. That sort of thing. Not an all out loud noisy affair where other guests would be accidentally caught up in it, and we certainly thought we were being considerate by watching out for others. I had the perfect water balloon and was saving it for the captain of the boys team, my crush at the time. I looked over the edge of the railing and there he was! Standing just underneath my position, casually talking to someone that I couldn't see. This was my chance! I dropped the balloon over the side. It landed right on his feet, and splashed the police officer he was talking with. ::sigh::
We were all restricted to our rooms for the rest of the meet.

The locking arms could be dangerous, but otherwise I'm more likely to give them considerable latitude.

 

[mister morrow]

I read a post on a different forum where someone said that they went to the adult of the group and they pretended not to speak English. But after complaining to Guest Relations, they suddenly spoke English. I still don't understand why Disney tolerates this behavior.

 

[JeninTexas]

We just got back yesterday and saw three distinct tour groups while we were there. All appeared to be South American. We saw two groups in MK. One was a group of older teenage boys and they were well supervised and caused no problems at all. Another group in MK appeared to be a large family tour group (also South American). There were probably 100 of them in matching shirts. They also were polite and causing no problems. A couple of times we ran into a group of 15s in pink and white shirts. We ran into them at both Epcot and AK. They were all trying to stay together and making it hard to walk around them. They were also chanting at Epcot right before Illuminations. They were around Norway/Mexico and they were so loud we could hear them as we walked to Futureworld.

 

[oceanmarina]

Will these groups still be there the 2nd week of August ? we are due there August 9th and it scares me to think of my kids getting trampled / knocked down by a large group.

 

[2009CAN]

So ... these large groups walk arms linked and just go full-force? If they encounter any person in front of them they just keep walking at their same pace and just plow through? That sounds awful!
How are they in line?

 

[mister morrow]

So ... these large groups walk arms linked and just go full-force? If they encounter any person in front of them they just keep walking at their same pace and just plow through? That sounds awful!
How are they in line?

they usually chant, sing, and are really loud in general.

 

[pigletgirl]

What times of the year do they usually arrive?

 

[smidgy]

usually january and july. we were at all star sports in july one year with a very unruly group. the kids AND the chaperones were unruly. loud at the pool till 1a, kicking the soccer ball against our window.
of course we complaoned . while they were eventually made to leave the pool area since they wouldn't' be quiet, a smug Cm informed us that "July is Latin month in Disney. they are our guests."

 

[njmousefest]

My first encounters with tour groups the week. Let's just say an empty stroller came in handy to break up their long human chain that wouldn't let anyone through.

 

[pigletgirl]

How frustrating!

 

[Polybound]

What times of the year do they usually arrive?

Usually February and July, but July is the big month. I can remember being surrounded in several queues by a couple hundred or more, with multiple groups of 20 kids or so, with each group wearing a different color T-shirts and each group chanting/screaming, different songs/sayings, trying to drown out the other groups. I can remember groups of 10 or so breaking in line all saying we need to catch up with our friends. I can remember a huge group, of a couple of hundred or so, who had obviously waited several hours to get their spot around the hub, because when the electrical parade was over and everyone was leaving, I have never seen as much trash and garbage left on the street where they were all sitting, in my entire life. We said never ever again, during July, or even the summer period

 

[pookybean]

A generally dont mind the tour groups, yes they are large, but most of our encounters have been pretty good....a couple of them helped get the stroller off the bus for me. My daughter sat in the back with them on the way back to the resort. But one night, I was so glad it was our last!

It was July 3rd, MK was PACKED....more so than I have seen it at Christmas. They pushed back the second night parade because the crowds on Main St just could not be cleared. It was honestly a little scary, had I not been in Disney I would have been really worried. Anyways the street is so packed people can hardly move. The tour group was sitting on the curb chanting Viva La Brazil (or something similar). It was annoying but also making others mad, it was America's 4th of July! We made it down to the ice cream parlor, sat down waited it out for an hour or so. It went on the whole time.

 

[Accident]

Tour groups lock arms? Seriously?

It's a theme park people. Not escaping from a hostage situation.

you should see the family with the crazy mom that thinks this method is how you get on a ride faster than everyone else..

 

[Jennasis]

I was there one year and the chanting was particularly bad...until the rest of the queue we were in drowned them out with a rousing rendition of America the Beautiful.

 

[oceanmarina]

Are they usually gone by August? (start of the second week?) We usually go at the end of August and I have never seen these groups. We are coming the 9th this year, which is earlier for us.

 

[Accident]

Are they usually gone by August? (start of the second week?) We usually go at the end of August and I have never seen these groups. We are coming the 9th this year, which is earlier for us.

they are never gone but there is a lot of negative economy turns this year outside of the us so they haven't been very prominent. I wouldn't worry about the groups, they can be annoying but it's only if you let it bother you that it takes away from disney. Just stop and look around for a few minutes getting some water and they will be pushy around others and then you can get back to your pace..

 

[castlegazer]

I was there this week, saw tons of large groups but all were well mannered and few if any were from South America ... The rudest people I ran in to were from right here in the US and individuals or groups of 2s.

I really enjoyed watching the creative shirts of the groups! Some were really cool! And I LOVED the idea of having a pole with a Mickey hand on the end of it to keep your group together.

 

[CookieGVB]

In general, we see families do this as well. They walk 4 - 6 wide. I don't think this is limited to tour groups.

Seriously! Ever been to Times Square and try to walk somewhere after work? UGH!!!

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Not all of them are ill mannered. I simply go elsewhere if I encounter a group I can tell will annoy me. I do this with any situation - the mom with 5 unruly kids in the grocery store, the children crying and screaming the whole time I'm in Walmart, etc.