Have you ever had a shock?

[AnaheimGirl]

I bet the more civilized citizens from south of the border are just horrified to read of such behavior just as I am when I hear of rude behavior of americans in other countries.

I've spent some time in Brazil and other countries in Central and South America, and have never once seen a person defecate in public. Houses and businesses have bathrooms, just like here. Perhaps out in very remote, poor areas they might do it, but anyone who could afford the trip to WDW knows better, that's for sure. It's absolutely disgusting and they ought to be ejected from the park immediately. Trouble is, inside a bathroom, or in the middle of a circle of friends, it is unlikely a CM will see them.

 

[Loves Disney]

I'm going to shift gears a little here and begin by saying that, yes, I have had a shock...though it wasn't negitive. In fact, I don't really remember ever experiencing a huge negitive "shock" like some of these posts suggest (I consider myself lucky for that lol). I think it is also important to look at how great some Disney fans are as well!

Anyway, we were eating at Pizzafari for lunch and my sister (12 or 13 years at the time) had to use the bathroom. Now, we all wear fanny packs. Anyway, my mom took her to the restroom while my dad and I ate what was left and proceeded to clean up. They returned shortly after and we made our way out into the park. After riding a couple rides and as we were walking down to another attraction, I heard my sister yelp with horror. She cried that her fanny pack was missing (which held not only her camera, but also her resort key and about $200.) We rused back to Pizzafari as we figured she had forgotten to put it back on after. We got there and into the restroom rushed my mom and sister. The coae out and my sister was in tears. My mom went to the counter and asked about a black fanny pack. The CM answers her while handing over a black fanny pack. As we exited the restaurant for a second time that day, my mom explains that a person; a guest, found the bag and brought it to the counter.

I only wish we could have known who the person was so that we could have thanked him/her greatly! Where we are, you just don't see this kind of act very often...especially with $200 involved.

This was my shock a couple years back and though it isn't negitive, I don't think everything has to be.

 

[Twinkletoesjohnson]

Find the Disney villain of the day. If you're ever misbehaving at Disney and you hear someone say "we have a contender", that's our family!

I think I've even been voted Disney villain of the day by my own family, but that was just based upon my general crankiness that day.

 

[SnwflkCts]

I like the "Find the Disney Villain" of the day. Could have been me once getting all wigged out about making our reservation to Cinderella's Royal Table. Like 20 minutes would have made a difference!!!!

I'm so glad I didn't see any of the shocking things most of you have seen!!! I'll be on the look-out next time I go-- some are funny. I think I would be giggling if I saw someone peeing in public.

P.S. My mom put wiggly, escape artist me on a leash ... say 40-some years ago. Guess what -- It didn't mar me for life ... (except for that vampire blood-sucking thing and the 40 cats but don't tell anyone about that ....) -- sorry didn't mean to unleash THAT issue again (pun intended)!

I only saw the normal shocking things like people cutting in line, and parents saying really mean things to kids -- not that shocking should EVER be normal -- but remember those 40 cats.

 

[Darian]

I could have done without that. All cultures have differences. You're lucky to be living in a country with perhaps the highest standard of living in the world. To suggest that those cultures which do not live up to your standards should be "eradicated" smacks of intolerance. Instead of suggesting that people be arrested or smeared with their own feces, perhaps they need to be taken aside and educated.

Recent studies have found that only 3 of 4 American men wash their hands after using the bathroom. Less than 1/3 of Americans wash their hands after sneezing or coughing. Clean hands is the first step in preventing transmission of infection and disease, and yet many Americans do not care enough to wash them when warranted.

Does that mean our culture is "defective" or needs to be "changed or eradicated"? No. It means we have a long way to go before we can claim we've done everything possible to live in a germless, disease-free glass house.

Oh my dear rejobako! You're killin' me!!! Heck yes I'm "intolerant" of people pooping and peeing on the floor or other non-bathroom surfaces. I'm also "intolerant" of racists, communists and homophobes. Not trying to imply here that anyone on the DIS is any of those nasty things. Well, there might be a commie or two but hey, we can all still get along.

I think we should make the public poopers wear a leash, get breast fed, smeared with their own poop, run into them with strollers, wheel chairs and get rammed by ECV's. Yeah. That should do it.

 

[Corryn]

I think we should make the public poopers wear a leash, get breast fed, smeared with their own poop, run into them with strollers, wheel chairs and get rammed by ECV's. Yeah. That should do it.

AMEN!!!

 

[rejobako]

Oh my dear rejobako! You're killin' me!!! Heck yes I'm "intolerant" of people pooping and peeing on the floor or other non-bathroom surfaces. I'm also "intolerant" of racists, communists and homophobes. Not trying to imply here that anyone on the DIS is any of those nasty things. Well, there might be a commie or two but hey, we can all still get along.

I think we should make the public poopers wear a leash, get breast fed, smeared with their own poop, run into them with strollers, wheel chairs and get rammed by ECV's. Yeah. That should do it.

I see you chose not to respond to the substantive portion of my post, and chose instead to simply put an exclamation point on your already shrill obsession with bodily excretions. I suggest counseling.

 

[shellynn24]

I finally just thought of the most shocking moment from our Oct trip. We were at MNSSHP, in Mickey's house and I was taking a picture of the back yard when I hear a horrible sound. It is the sound of my 2 yo DD projectile vomiting all over Mickey's carpet! I was stunned for a second and then sent my friend to get the nearest CM for a clean-up. The CM was a very nice and understanding lady she said it happens all the time (YUCK!) and started cleaning it up. Then a child comes walking in and looking down walks right through the yuckiness. I tell the boy not to step in the you-now-what and his mother says OMG is that really puke? Uh, yes, I wasn't lying! Then she tells her son to go wipe his feet off and he just wipes them off right there on the carpet the CM is trying to clean. My friend Amanda said to him, maybe you should wipe your feet off outside. The mother gave her a mean look and they fortunately walked off. I can't belive my DD threw up in Mickey's house! At least she is to young to remeber though.

 

[Darian]

I see you chose not to respond to the substantive portion of my post, and chose instead to simply put an exclamation point on your already shrill obsession with bodily excretions. I suggest counseling.

Well, rejobako I completely agree that after reading the entire "Shock" thread I could definitely benefit from some sort of counseling! Tales of excretions, emanations, boorish behavior, violence and all manner of inconsiderate behavior have sadly left their mark upon my scarred psyche.

If you really insist we can go point by point through your posting. Out of respect for the thread and yourself I don't wish to be disagreeable or pedantic.

Obviously there are differences between cultures. Some are simply a question of preference, such as the British obsession with "tea time." These sorts of customs are of no real consequence in terms of human rights, economic prosperity or public health. Then you have other cultures and customs, such as in India where you have the Cast system. It is a profound example of discrimination and oppression of millions of people that rivals the apartheid of old south Africa. The Cast system is an evil that should be erradicated. To my knowledge, many in India are working hard to accomplish just that goal, as we have worked over the years to erradicate racism from our culture in the US. Both countries have room for improvement but that shouldn't stop someone from pointing out that this sort of behavior is not acceptable - anywhere.

One does not have to live in a perfect culture before you can point out injustices in other cultures that need to be corrected. If we have to wait until we are "perfect" before speaking out, then no one will ever speak out against evil.

Please consider this example: In many African tribes the ritual of a young man coming of age involves the boy being publically sodomized by his father. This contributes to the spread of HIV that is currently ravaging the entire continent. Not to mention the act itself is vile. This culture too should be erradicated.

The reason many 3rd world countries are poor and backward with so much disease and suffering is because of their cultures. Cultures effect behavior and behavior creates the cultural ethos of the country. This cultural ethos drives the legal system, defines the group values and to a large extent determines the quality of life in that country including economic prosperity and public health.

Cultural change can be good. There are many aspects of the US culture that have changed for the better and our own "intolerance" of racism, sexism and poor treatment of the disabled have brought these positive changes.

As far as the percentage of men washing their hands after going to the bathroom, perhaps that depends upon what kind of excretion they made. Oops there I go again talking about those bodily excretions! Personally, I wash my hand before AND after using the restroom. Perhaps your suggestion of counseling wasn't such a bad idea after all!

Love your posts buddy! Please keep them coming. Got any shocks to report?

 

[crystalblue705]

Darian, Well Done!

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

I couldn't have said it better...............

Everyone is welcome in our country, just respect our culture. If you can't handle that, stay home.

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

Darian...have I told you today that I love you???

And U know what? I won't even go all police on ya. :O) Well spoken, well debated, and done with class. Actually both parties involved. Bravo!

And THAT in itself folks, is shocking. :O)



Ok. So, anyone else see anything shocking? Recent World travellers? Hmm? Anyone? Anyone!?

 

[Fitswimmer]

Everyone is welcome in our country, just respect our culture. If you can't handle that, stay home.

We hear all the time about the "Ugly Americans" that go overseas and behave badly. Other than here, I've never heard comments about "Ugly Brazilians" or any other country.

It is NOT intolerant to object to public urination or defecation. It is also NOT intolerant to object to rude and abusive behavior. This whole idea that any criticism of a person from another culture is intolerant has got to go. There are still things in the world that are right and wrong no matter who you are or where you're from.

I was down in Disney last week and I saw a really sad thing. My Dad and I were in line for Splash, and there were two women in front of us with two little girls that looked to be about 7 and 5. The little one cried the entire time we stood in line-they didn't speak English so I don't know if she was afraid, but I felt really bad for her. It seemed like one of those cases where 3 people wanted to go on and one didn't so they were dragging the one that didn't on anyway.

Another thing that made me a little nuts-couples of all varieties in various states of romantic bliss. I don't mean holding hands, hugging or quick kisses. I mean serious necking and fondling-doing as much as humanly possible with clothing on. I don't even have kids with me anymore and I was embarrassed. There was a couple directly in front of me in one line that had their hands all over under each others clothes, seriously heavy petting-I just didn't know where to look! I kept turning around backwards in attempt to give them some privacy-but I guess they really didn't want any or they wouldn't be doing that in a Disney line!

 

[LindsayDunn228]

We hear all the time about the "Ugly Americans" that go overseas and behave badly. Other than here, I've never heard comments about "Ugly Brazilians" or any other country.

It is NOT intolerant to object to public urination or defecation. It is also NOT intolerant to object to rude and abusive behavior. This whole idea that any criticism of a person from another culture is intolerant has got to go. There are still things in the world that are right and wrong no matter who you are or where you're from.

 

[Emmyfaye]

My shocks relate to our recent WDW vacation - where we encountered, for the first time, really snarky CM's - one, a female middle aged harpy at the Great Movie Ride who was so rude to the younger CM's working there it was unbelievable. The other, a male, heavier set and late 20's CM at Thunder Mountain who actually grabbed DH (a tall, mild individual) and practically yanked him off his feet, shouting and angry, when DH got into the wrong loading line. And heaven help us, none of the parks, but AK, were even that busy during our vacation.

No, I didn't get their names, and no, I didn't write to WDW management, but the two incidents were shocking to us - we've always experienced mostly sunny tempered CM's!

 

[ElleBelle]

Darian--- "YOU 'DA MAN!!!" BTW... are you running for the next election? LOL

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

I was down in Disney last week and I saw a really sad thing. My Dad and I were in line for Splash, and there were two women in front of us with two little girls that looked to be about 7 and 5. The little one cried the entire time we stood in line-they didn't speak English so I don't know if she was afraid, but I felt really bad for her. It seemed like one of those cases where 3 people wanted to go on and one didn't so they were dragging the one that didn't on anyway.

***I hope that wasn't it. :O( Thats the reason for baby swap! poor thing. There is no crying in Disney world!

Another thing that made me a little nuts-couples of all varieties in various states of romantic bliss. I don't mean holding hands, hugging or quick kisses. I mean serious necking and fondling-doing as much as humanly possible with clothing on. I don't even have kids with me anymore and I was embarrassed. There was a couple directly in front of me in one line that had their hands all over under each others clothes, seriously heavy petting-I just didn't know where to look! I kept turning around backwards in attempt to give them some privacy-but I guess they really didn't want any or they wouldn't be doing that in a Disney line!

***Disgusting. Yuck. I posted a loooooooooong way back about a situation that should not have been shared in public. GROSS!

 

[rejobako]

It is NOT intolerant to object to public urination or defecation. It is also NOT intolerant to object to rude and abusive behavior. This whole idea that any criticism of a person from another culture is intolerant has got to go. There are still things in the world that are right and wrong no matter who you are or where you're from.

I used the word "intolerance" at the suggestion that cultures which do not hold themselves to the same sanitary standards as ours should be "eradicated", a term which I found way over the top. And I also pointed out that whereas foreigners who would go to the bathroom in public should definitely be taken aside and educated, we Americans could also do a lot more to stop the spread of infection/disease. Urine and feces look and smell terrible, but germs on the hands of a person who sneezed and didn't wash their hands before shaking yours are just as dangerous, and studies show that over 2/3 of Americans don't bother with it.

You are absolutely correct in suggesting that the term "ugly American" isn't fair to most of us, in comparison with those who come to this country and make no effort to take our customs into consideration. That doesn't play into the discussion of whether it's intolerant to suggest other cultures should be "eradicated" because their sanitation standards aren't up to our liking.

 

[rejobako]

Well, rejobako I completely agree that after reading the entire "Shock" thread I could definitely benefit from some sort of counseling! Tales of excretions, emanations, boorish behavior, violence and all manner of inconsiderate behavior have sadly left their mark upon my scarred psyche.

If you really insist we can go point by point through your posting. Out of respect for the thread and yourself I don't wish to be disagreeable or pedantic.

Obviously there are differences between cultures. Some are simply a question of preference, such as the British obsession with "tea time." These sorts of customs are of no real consequence in terms of human rights, economic prosperity or public health. Then you have other cultures and customs, such as in India where you have the Cast system. It is a profound example of discrimination and oppression of millions of people that rivals the apartheid of old south Africa. The Cast system is an evil that should be erradicated. To my knowledge, many in India are working hard to accomplish just that goal, as we have worked over the years to erradicate racism from our culture in the US. Both countries have room for improvement but that shouldn't stop someone from pointing out that this sort of behavior is not acceptable - anywhere.

One does not have to live in a perfect culture before you can point out injustices in other cultures that need to be corrected. If we have to wait until we are "perfect" before speaking out, then no one will ever speak out against evil.

Please consider this example: In many African tribes the ritual of a young man coming of age involves the boy being publically sodomized by his father. This contributes to the spread of HIV that is currently ravaging the entire continent. Not to mention the act itself is vile. This culture too should be erradicated.

The reason many 3rd world countries are poor and backward with so much disease and suffering is because of their cultures. Cultures effect behavior and behavior creates the cultural ethos of the country. This cultural ethos drives the legal system, defines the group values and to a large extent determines the quality of life in that country including economic prosperity and public health.

Cultural change can be good. There are many aspects of the US culture that have changed for the better and our own "intolerance" of racism, sexism and poor treatment of the disabled have brought these positive changes.

As far as the percentage of men washing their hands after going to the bathroom, perhaps that depends upon what kind of excretion they made. Oops there I go again talking about those bodily excretions! Personally, I wash my hand before AND after using the restroom. Perhaps your suggestion of counseling wasn't such a bad idea after all!

Love your posts buddy! Please keep them coming. Got any shocks to report?

Good posts, and good points. Although I disagree with some of your premise. I would not defend some of the practices you described that are prevalent in other cultures. Many, however, would suggest that the United States is guility of reprehensible behavior -- capital punishment, for example, which has almost disappeared in most other Western societies, and which is viewed by many elsewhere as cruel and inhuman.

You suggested that the way to deal with those from other cultures who are not aware of our standards with respect to public urination/defacation is to have them arrested and/or to smear them with their own filth. I took offense to that, much more so than I would the sight of an unwitting foreigner peeing on the ground. That person's action is merely ignorant, while yours is unnecessarily spiteful.

But I do appreciate your response. I see your point -- I merely disagree with your methods.

 

[Mnchkn11]

Since this thread is about shocks, I think I'll post one of mine...

Last week when I was in Disney with DBF, we were surprised with Fastpasses from strangers not once, not twice, but SIX TIMES!!! We were completely shocked by how many times this happened for us. I was convinced this happened because of the good nature of so many people out there, but DBF thinks it ws because of the matching shirts we were wearing (his idea!). Needless to say, it made for a wonderful trip!!