Losing faith in humanity

[Bunch24]

OK, so we just returned from Disney World, where we spent a magical eight days (9 if you count the two half-days we spent the day we arrived and left). For the most part, it was a wonderful, glorious week. Did a lot of new things, experienced a lot of new rides/attractions, ate at lots of new places.

But I'd like to rant, if I'm allowed a second. My week there really made me lose a lot of faith in society.

There wasn't a parade or nighttime spectacular show we attended where some yahoo rushed in at the last minute and stood right in front of one or both of my kids.

I can't even count the number of times I either was hit from behind by an aggressive stroller/ECV while walking, or ran into someone who decided that that very instant would be the perfect time to stop and check their text messages.

But the coup de grace, as they say, came on our last day in the Magic Kingdom. We were in line at Main Street bakery for breakfast. It was right at park opening, so probably 9:05 to 9:10. There was already a line, and the line naturally continued to grow (after all, who can resist the wonderful smells?). Well, after about a 15-minute wait, we finally get to where we can order. By now, the line is wrapped around the queue and out the doors. I'm about to order, and this scumbag (sorry, gotta keep it PG) walks right in front of me to the counter and starts ordering. I try to keep my cool and politely say to him "Excuse me sir, the line is back there" (pointing to the line spiraling out the door). He says "I know where the line is, but I've got four hungry kids and I ain't about to wait in line." To which I respond, well my two kids are hungry also and we've already waited in line and I'm sure everyone else in line would appreciate if you waited your turn also. He just shot me a look and proceeded to order. It took all I had not to ask for WDW security to be called, but I resisted and let the guy do what he had to do. It just really bugged me that he not only had the nerve to cut a dozen or so people in line, he knew he was cutting and didn't care one bit.

While we were eating, I had a lady come to me and say she's a Disney regular and had never witnessed such a vulgar display. The good thing is that I used a lot of the rudeness we experienced in Disney to teach my two boys right from wrong. I think they were obviously paying attention, because we got several compliments on how well-mannered they were during the trip.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, but I felt like I really needed to get that off my chest. I'm sure we've all had those experiences, and luckily the good experiences are much more plentiful than the bad. It's just unfortunate that the bad experiences are the ones that leave that lingering taste.

 

[kaligal]

OK, so we just returned from Disney World, where we spent a magical eight days (9 if you count the two half-days we spent the day we arrived and left). For the most part, it was a wonderful, glorious week. Did a lot of new things, experienced a lot of new rides/attractions, ate at lots of new places.

But I'd like to rant, if I'm allowed a second. My week there really made me lose a lot of faith in society.

There wasn't a parade or nighttime spectacular show we attended where some yahoo rushed in at the last minute and stood right in front of one or both of my kids.

I can't even count the number of times I either was hit from behind by an aggressive stroller/ECV while walking, or ran into someone who decided that that very instant would be the perfect time to stop and check their text messages.

But the coup de grace, as they say, came on our last day in the Magic Kingdom. We were in line at Main Street bakery for breakfast. It was right at park opening, so probably 9:05 to 9:10. There was already a line, and the line naturally continued to grow (after all, who can resist the wonderful smells?). Well, after about a 15-minute wait, we finally get to where we can order. By now, the line is wrapped around the queue and out the doors. I'm about to order, and this scumbag (sorry, gotta keep it PG) walks right in front of me to the counter and starts ordering. I try to keep my cool and politely say to him "Excuse me sir, the line is back there" (pointing to the line spiraling out the door). He says "I know where the line is, but I've got four hungry kids and I ain't about to wait in line." To which I respond, well my two kids are hungry also and we've already waited in line and I'm sure everyone else in line would appreciate if you waited your turn also. He just shot me a look and proceeded to order. It took all I had not to ask for WDW security to be called, but I resisted and let the guy do what he had to do. It just really bugged me that he not only had the nerve to cut a dozen or so people in line, he knew he was cutting and didn't care one bit.

While we were eating, I had a lady come to me and say she's a Disney regular and had never witnessed such a vulgar display. The good thing is that I used a lot of the rudeness we experienced in Disney to teach my two boys right from wrong. I think they were obviously paying attention, because we got several compliments on how well-mannered they were during the trip.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, but I felt like I really needed to get that off my chest. I'm sure we've all had those experiences, and luckily the good experiences are much more plentiful than the bad. It's just unfortunate that the bad experiences are the ones that leave that lingering taste.

The line cutting at WDW is out of control. They do nothing about it, which is why it is out of control.

The people who cut will push, shove and do whatever they want in order to cut...and Disney lets them. The official line from Disney management is, "We cannot control guest behavior."

I keep waiting for someone to file a lawsuit.

 

[alh921]

I would have hoped that the cast member taking the order would have intervened and asked him to get in line.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

~Thanks for the review! Ugh... the level of ignorance and rudeness you experienced was just despicable. Kudos, to you for turning lemons into lemonade by using those incidents as a learning experience and teaching tool for your children. At least, your trip was magical in spite of those rude people.

 

[si-am]

Oh heck no! I wouldn't have stood for that. I would have blocked him somehow. Used elbows to "shove" him aside. I do not tolerate line cutters.

 

[kaligal]

Oh heck no! I wouldn't have stood for that. I would have blocked him somehow. Used elbows to "shove" him aside. I do not tolerate line cutters.

You kind of have to, unless you are bigger, stronger and willing to fight.

Disney management does nothing. They contend that they don't have the authority to do anything. It is up to you to hold your place in line or call the cops.

They cannot control guest behavior.

Seriously.

I have the name of the manager, the date, time, everything. I am seriously waiting for someone to file suit. And I'll happily sit and be deposed.

"We have no authority. We cannot control guest behavior."

 

[Sammie]

Disney World seems to bring out the best in some and worst in others.

As to the line cutter you can't reason with them as they would not cut in front of you if they were the type to listen to reason.

What you have to do is use a group against them. We simply say very loudly to everyone else in line, Does Everyone waiting think it fair for this yahoo to cut line and believe me when he sees the angry mob, not just you, then they seem to rethink what they are doing.

Plus Disney is more willing to intercede when many are upset instead of you against him.

 

[Bunch24]

I would have hoped that the cast member taking the order would have intervened and asked him to get in line.

I was hoping the same thing. I even told her, he just cut in front of 15 people. And she just gave me a sympathetic look and took his order anyway.

I'm guessing they'll try to avoid confrontation at all costs.

In hindsight, I felt sorry for the guy more than anything. He didn't seem to be having fun, he had two kids screaming in a stroller and a wife/girlfriend/spouse that didn't look very pleased. I said a little prayer for him and wished some pixie dust would come his way, but it still didn't change the fact that he had no regard for the others in line.

 

[pmcneff]

We will be there in a few weeks and there will not be anyone cutting in front of me without a confrontation. I am tired of the people who feel they deserve it more than you and others. It stops in 2 weeks! Haha

 

[Bunch24]

You kind of have to, unless you are bigger, stronger and willing to fight.

There's no doubt in my mind it would not have been a fair fight had he gone that route. But I'd also never do that in front of my kids, or at Disney World. Not that I haven't been tempted to knock the ever-loving stuffing out of people there.

I'm willing to let a lot of things go in my old age (LOL), especially now that I have boys watching my every move. That doesn't mean I won't confront someone cutting in line, or standing in front of my kid on the parade route.

 

[AlixaLock]

He says "I know where the line is, but I've got four hungry kids and I ain't about to wait in line." To which I respond, well my two kids are hungry also and we've already waited in line and I'm sure everyone else in line would appreciate if you waited your turn also. He just shot me a look and proceeded to order. It took all I had not to ask for WDW security to be called, but I resisted and let the guy do what he had to do. It just really bugged me that he not only had the nerve to cut a dozen or so people in line, he knew he was cutting and didn't care one bit.

Ugh, what a display! I was actually pleasantly surprised at the general "goodness" of most people, particularly given the heat, but I have to agree that there is a lot of line jumping going on. A women and her grown son boldly cut the queue literally in front of our faces on TSM, by slipping in with another group that had moved up in the in the line to meet up with their party. I was also surprised at how many people would push past us when a CM would ask us to stop and measure our daughter for the ride. I guess this isn't strictly cutting the line, but I felt like common courtesy would dictate that they wait the 10 seconds it takes to measure my kid. It was almost comical on Soarin'. The CM stopped us to measure my daughter and the mother behind us sighed loudly and muttered in frustration "What are they doing?" She then nudged her kid to move around us which he could only do by squeezing around some signage which he then almost knocked down. The whole family of four ignored all of this and stormed ahead of us. Of course, we ended up right behind them and I've never seen people so studiously avoid looking back in my life. But it all turned out alright because they ended up in row three with all the feet and we got row one center! We also had a lot of people squeeze around us on ride like Pirates (long, generally empty queue) when my 4-year-old wasn't moving fast enough for them. Again, this might not be strictly line cutting, but it is definitely the height of impatience.

These incidents were very few and far between. Honestly, with the exception of the TSM line cut, which was super-brazen, I can easily imagine that most of the time people just got caught up in the moment and didn't realize they were being rude. I, for example, stepped on a woman's foot when I tried to cut around a slow moving crowd on Main Street as I tried to catch up to my family. Of course, I apologized profusely and she accepted, but I imagine the women thought I was pretty impatient and she wasn't totally wrong.

 

[prfctlyximprfct]

That's when you rally everyone in line and make it 25 vs 1.

 

[jenrose66]

OK, so we just returned from Disney World, where we spent a magical eight days (9 if you count the two half-days we spent the day we arrived and left). For the most part, it was a wonderful, glorious week. Did a lot of new things, experienced a lot of new rides/attractions, ate at lots of new places.

But I'd like to rant, if I'm allowed a second. My week there really made me lose a lot of faith in society.

There wasn't a parade or nighttime spectacular show we attended where some yahoo rushed in at the last minute and stood right in front of one or both of my kids.

I can't even count the number of times I either was hit from behind by an aggressive stroller/ECV while walking, or ran into someone who decided that that very instant would be the perfect time to stop and check their text messages.

But the coup de grace, as they say, came on our last day in the Magic Kingdom. We were in line at Main Street bakery for breakfast. It was right at park opening, so probably 9:05 to 9:10. There was already a line, and the line naturally continued to grow (after all, who can resist the wonderful smells?). Well, after about a 15-minute wait, we finally get to where we can order. By now, the line is wrapped around the queue and out the doors. I'm about to order, and this scumbag (sorry, gotta keep it PG) walks right in front of me to the counter and starts ordering. I try to keep my cool and politely say to him "Excuse me sir, the line is back there" (pointing to the line spiraling out the door). He says "I know where the line is, but I've got four hungry kids and I ain't about to wait in line." To which I respond, well my two kids are hungry also and we've already waited in line and I'm sure everyone else in line would appreciate if you waited your turn also. He just shot me a look and proceeded to order. It took all I had not to ask for WDW security to be called, but I resisted and let the guy do what he had to do. It just really bugged me that he not only had the nerve to cut a dozen or so people in line, he knew he was cutting and didn't care one bit.

While we were eating, I had a lady come to me and say she's a Disney regular and had never witnessed such a vulgar display. The good thing is that I used a lot of the rudeness we experienced in Disney to teach my two boys right from wrong. I think they were obviously paying attention, because we got several compliments on how well-mannered they were during the trip.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, but I felt like I really needed to get that off my chest. I'm sure we've all had those experiences, and luckily the good experiences are much more plentiful than the bad. It's just unfortunate that the bad experiences are the ones that leave that lingering taste.

I've lost faith in humanity too. It started when I worked in an insurance call center, and it isn't just me, my husband does the same job and he's become jaded too.

Good for you for taking the high road and teaching your boys!

Speaking of terrible humans, I know this has nothing to do with Disney but this evening there was a mother and baby deer by the creek across from my home. I took my two youngest kids across the street to take a closer look and at the same time a neighbor from a couple doors down came in the opposite direction with his pitbull. I didn't notice him until he yelled "get em" at the top of his lungs (referring to the deer) and this dog starts running like mad.

I grab my son's arm and carry my daughter and get them across the street as quick as I can. The dog quickly lost the deer and it started coming after us and the owner was calling for the dog to return and it wasn't listening. Thank God my yard is fenced and we made it in the gate because we would have surely been mauled before I could get into the actual house. What kind of person would do such a thing? Maybe the same kind of person who cuts in line at a bakery and blocks a little kid at a parade.

 

[Disney93]

This seems to be happening more and more all the time and on every trip.

On our last trip we were at MNSSHP and our 2yo DGD got scared when the fireworks were going off. So we moved to a great spot to watch the parade away from the fireworks. We had front row seats for all 10 of us, 3 were under 3 years of age. Where we were standing was an easy place to cross the street. We would move and let people through. Shortly before the parade started I went and got water for our group. When I returned, there was a lady standing where we had been. I was told my group moved to let them through and the lady stopped and said this was a great spot. My DW said something to her, so the lady PUSHED my wife out of her way. I did something I regret now, I pushed her out of the way and got our places back. Her husband now joins the debate and the screaming started. This family was from Scotland and I was told I was the reason that American economy was so bad. The lady found security and complained to them the whole parade. Afterwards, security asked me what happened and I was honest, end of story.

The trip before we had great seats for the MSEP, been sitting over an hour. Adults standing in the rear, kids up front. Right before the parade started, a lady put her daughter right in front of our little ones. A few others and myself asked the lady to move and she said we were rude. REALLY...we are the rude ones?

We are taking some time away from Disney and don't have another trip planned until Dec 2014. I'm afraid I am getting to the point of not enjoying myself because of others.

 

[Celine]

at the same time a neighbor from a couple doors down came in the opposite direction with his pitbull. I didn't notice him until he yelled "get em" at the top of his lungs (referring to the deer) and this dog starts running like mad.

I grab my son's arm and carry my daughter and get them across the street as quick as I can. The dog quickly lost the deer and it started coming after us and the owner was calling for the dog to return and it wasn't listening. Thank God my yard is fenced and we made it in the gate because we would have surely been mauled before I could get into the actual house.

Why didn't you call the police and report that! No way would that have gone unanswered for, if it had been me and my kids!!!! Holy crap!!

 

[Disneyalltheway]

Wow, the nerve of some people! I guess it was everyone else's fault that he didn't feed his kids soon enough, geesh!

 

[Planogirl]

A friend of mine always said that she'd rather be happy than right. I never got it until I saw how people could behave. I do my best to just let it go and keep on smiling. It's hard though!

 

[jenrose66]

Why didn't you call the police and report that! No way would that have gone unanswered for, if it had been me and my kids!!!! Holy crap!!

That was my first inclination too. I didn't say anything to the owner directly because I didn't want to engage in a screaming match in front of my kids and I knew I wouldn't be able to have a calm and civil conversation at that point.

I went in the house and brought up the city website and could not find the non emergency phone number for the police and since I was no longer in danger I didn't want to dial 911.

I was however, able to find the number for animal control and I called them and left a lengthy message. I have also been researching leash laws in my area and I will follow up with this further because not only was my family threatened (which requires and investigation be opened) but it is also illegal to chase, injure, or simply worry a deer.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Did he have an East coast accent?

 

[Lucys2200]

I've lost faith in humanity too. It started when I worked in an insurance call center, and it isn't just me, my husband does the same job and he's become jaded too.

Good for you for taking the high road and teaching your boys!

Speaking of terrible humans, I know this has nothing to do with Disney but this evening there was a mother and baby deer by the creek across from my home. I took my two youngest kids across the street to take a closer look and at the same time a neighbor from a couple doors down came in the opposite direction with his pitbull. I didn't notice him until he yelled "get em" at the top of his lungs (referring to the deer) and this dog starts running like mad.

I grab my son's arm and carry my daughter and get them across the street as quick as I can. The dog quickly lost the deer and it started coming after us and the owner was calling for the dog to return and it wasn't listening. Thank God my yard is fenced and we made it in the gate because we would have surely been mauled before I could get into the actual house. What kind of person would do such a thing? Maybe the same kind of person who cuts in line at a bakery and blocks a little kid at a parade.

Again totally not Disney related but people like this get me LIVID. I am a HUGE animal lover and I love pitbulls. It angers me till no end that irresponsible owners can treat these pitbulls like killers. Like I've said and will always be saying...all dogs should be kept on a leash no matter how big or small they are.