Just wondering about Brazilian tour groups

[KidAtHeart1]

My wife and I just returned from our honeymoon WDW trip last week. The Brazilian tour group were out in full force! Just wondering what the deal is about the Brazilian groups. Why is the "BTG" so prominent in WDW. While we saw a few other tour groups of different nationalities probably 95% were from Brazil. Just wondering whats the big deal with Brazil and their tour groups and why all of the people in the groups seemed to be about 15 years old and a majority were female. The way one lady explained it to us is that it is some sort of "right of passage" in Brazil to go to WDW when you reach a certain age. Just wondering. And thanks for the replys.

 

[mking624]

There's an entire thread discussing the Brazilian Tour Groups here:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520684

 

[AJKMOM]

There's an entire thread discussing the Brazilian Tour Groups here:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520684

If you use the search, there are probably 10 threads about the obnoxious Brazilian teens.

 

[mking624]

If you use the search, there are probably 10 threads about the obnoxious Brazilian teens.

Oh I'm sure there's WAY more than 10. I was just pointing out the most current (and quite long) thread.

 

[AJKMOM]

Just for my own curiousity, I found 56 threads according to the search. Guess this ranks up there with pool-hopping and refillable mugs!

 

[mickeymyfavorite]

i was there last week as well, and there were so many of those groups, my DS12 was callng them a sea of people

 

[mommyoftwinfants]

when we went in february they were everywhere, couldn't even get my stroller down the streets because they would walk arm in arm in groups of 20 or so. very frustrating.

 

[talfonso]

The last time I saw a BTG was last month, during ESPN: The Weekend in DHS - and they were wearing lavender (yes, lavender) tees as opposed to the usual Day-Glo highlighter-colored ones we usually associate them with and they were like, calm! Seems like a change from the stereotypes of the loud-colored masses who chant in Portugese!

 

[MelanieC]

I didn't see any when we were there the end of March -thought it was a summer only thing - see it's not.

They are full force in the summer -YIKES. And they are definately rude. My kids were pushed when going through the door of Test Track.

 

[TillyMarigold]

The gist of it is, in Latin America it's the 15th (rather than 13th or 16th) birthday that's a really big deal and is celebrated. It's a bigger deal for girls than boys (just like the US 'Sweet 16' party is done almost exclusively for girls).

Instead of a party which would be the norm in most of Latin America, rich Brazilians (and rich Argentineans, but not as many) allow their kids to celebrate by going on really big, long trips with other kids their own age. Hence, the proliferation of Brazilian (and Argentinean) tour groups of hundreds of 15-year-olds at Disney World.

When I was CM I could do my whole spiel in Portuguese. (BTW, the above is the gospel truth as told to me by a friend of mine, a Brazilian woman who worked at All Star Sports, where the Brazilian Tour Groups mostly stayed.)

 

[suzanna1066@comcast.]

Question: how does Disney handle the line-cutting by these groups? Is it tolerated?

 

[mickaholic4077]

Unfortunately,most of the time it is,although it is getting somewhat better.

 

[Shelton123]

The gist of it is, in Latin America it's the 15th (rather than 13th or 16th) birthday that's a really big deal and is celebrated. It's a bigger deal for girls than boys (just like the US 'Sweet 16' party is done almost exclusively for girls).

Instead of a party which would be the norm in most of Latin America, rich Brazilians (and rich Argentineans, but not as many) allow their kids to celebrate by going on really big, long trips with other kids their own age. Hence, the proliferation of Brazilian (and Argentinean) tour groups of hundreds of 15-year-olds at Disney World.

When I was CM I could do my whole spiel in Portuguese. (BTW, the above is the gospel truth as told to me by a friend of mine, a Brazilian woman who worked at All Star Sports, where the Brazilian Tour Groups mostly stayed.)

And I can confirm this. Some of my 13 year old friends are already inviting me to their Quincenearas It's kind of like a Latin American version of a Sweet Sixteen, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, etc.

 

[ntsammy5]

A fun thing to do with them is grab the flag from th eleader and run through the park while they all chase you. It's truly magical!

 

[NurseW2Kiddies]

A fun thing to do with them is grab the flag from th eleader and run through the park while they all chase you. It's truly magical!

 

[jenniferhouston2]

A Brazillian Tour Guide friend asked me about some issue that hopefully some of you could clear up?

1. Is it ok to save places in line?
2. Can you save them if someone needs to go to the bathroom?
3. Is it ok to use a refillable mug from 1978?
4. If they see cheerleaders, can they join forces and learn chants/cheers from each other?
5. The pool at the Pop Century (where they are staying) is not big enough for them, is it ok to use the pools at the Contemporary and Polynesian, since they are all disney guests?
6. Where is the best place to park the Brazilian Tour Bus in the Contemporary parking lot, so they can all ride the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom each day?
7. Some of the Brazilian Tour Group are a little hyper...what is the best way to get a Guest Services Card so the whole group can jump to the front of the lines?

Thanks. I will forward your responses back to my friend.

 

[selina4disney]

A Brazillian Tour Guide friend asked me about some issue that hopefully some of you could clear up?

1. Is it ok to save places in line?
2. Can you save them if someone needs to go to the bathroom?
3. Is it ok to use a refillable mug from 1978?
4. If they see cheerleaders, can they join forces and learn chants/cheers from each other?
5. The pool at the Pop Century (where they are staying) is not big enough for them, is it ok to use the pools at the Contemporary and Polynesian, since they are all disney guests?
6. Where is the best place to park the Brazilian Tour Bus in the Contemporary parking lot, so they can all ride the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom each day?
7. Some of the Brazilian Tour Group are a little hyper...what is the best way to get a Guest Services Card so the whole group can jump to the front of the lines?

Thanks. I will forward your responses back to my friend.

You forgot one. 8. Is it OK to climb over wheelchairs and ECVs and put your foot on the machine or the people in them to get ahead of them in line?

 

[peemagg]

A Brazillian Tour Guide friend asked me about some issue that hopefully some of you could clear up?

1. Is it ok to save places in line?
2. Can you save them if someone needs to go to the bathroom?
3. Is it ok to use a refillable mug from 1978?
4. If they see cheerleaders, can they join forces and learn chants/cheers from each other?
5. The pool at the Pop Century (where they are staying) is not big enough for them, is it ok to use the pools at the Contemporary and Polynesian, since they are all disney guests?
6. Where is the best place to park the Brazilian Tour Bus in the Contemporary parking lot, so they can all ride the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom each day?
7. Some of the Brazilian Tour Group are a little hyper...what is the best way to get a Guest Services Card so the whole group can jump to the front of the lines?

Thanks. I will forward your responses back to my friend.

Are you being serious?

If so then the answers that I know are

1. No!!!!
2. No!!! Go before you get in line. You are not new to using the toilet. Hold it if you don't go before getting on or wear a diaper.
3. No!!!
4. No!!!
5. No!!!
6. At the resort you are staying.
7. Just because they are sugar loaded teens, that does not qualify for use of the GAC card in my book. That is abusing the system. Also you don't get to the front of the line with that card. It is only a way to help with accessibility for those who truly need it.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Oh! Don't even get me started about the BTGs!!! We run into them EVERY year in July when we go for our anniversary and we (after our experiences last summer) have chosen to go earlier in the summer this year and miss our anniversary being there on the actual date because of them. The final straw was 15-20 of them splashing around barefoot in the fountain in front of Spaceship Earth and then jumping out, throwing water at each other (and passersby,) and then trampling through the flowers and bushes to try to get away from each other while about 3-4 CMs just stood by laughing.

 

[Px4]

We have ran into these groups every June too! We only had them one weekend this past June and let me tell you... you notice the vibe change when they are not there. EVERYONE complains about them.