My Disney Rant

[Lynne M]

Moving this to the Community Board.

 

[Claudia1]

I agree with a lot of the above. I really think it boils down to the attitude, "I paid a lot of money for this vacation, and I am entitled to do what I want!". I think the higher costs of Disney are a big part of it.

Add to that the time, blood, sweat, and tears you invested getting ADRs and FPs plus the packed-to-the-rafters parks, and these behaviors are amplified. Just my opinion

 

[pryncess527]

I think a combination of things are going on.

I do think the high cost of WDW is a huge factor -- people pay luxury vacation prices and have high expectation
More and more people are being admitted daily, leading to larger crowds and more chances to see rudeness

I also think part of it is changing ideas of what constitutes rude in the first place. We can all agree (I hope) that line cutting and shoving a person is rude -- but some of the behaviors people on here think of as rude, are defended by others on here as acceptable behavior. Many customs of polite society come from our regional habits and expectations, and with people from so many different areas converging, there are bound to be examples of perceived rudeness due to those differences. If this board has taught me anything, it is that what is perceived as rude can vary widely from location to location.

 

[DiannaVM]

Many customs of polite society come from our regional habits and expectations, and with people from so many different areas converging, there are bound to be examples of perceived rudeness due to those differences. If this board has taught me anything, it is that what is perceived as rude can vary widely from location to location.

This. Where I live, locals will consider it rude if you don't acknowledge people by saying good morning/afternoon/evening when walking into a place or even just walking past them. Growing up that was not something I was used to, so sometimes it still feels awkward to walk into a room full of strangers and greet them. So, for me it doesn't take anything from me when people don't do that. I DO have a problem if you don't know how to ask me for something without using manners or not say thank you when I grant you your request.

That said, I hadn't been to WDW in about 6 years before my last trip, so its hard to compare however, I will say that I found myself getting ticked off by a whole more people than I should have. Not to say that we don't have inconsiderate and rude people here (for example, although against the law, you will often find a handicap parking spot being used up by a fully able-bodied person with no disabled passengers ), but I guess when you travel it seems more apparent, whereas at home you are kind of used to it so you become semi-blind to it.

That said, it also became quickly apparent to me on our WDW trip that most of the overly rude people were actually foreigners and not Americans. I found it quite interesting actually, but it got to the point where I dreaded seeing a foreign family nearby because out off all the line-cutters we experienced, 99% where foreigners (usually from a specific region that I wish to leave out to avoid drama). And again, line-cutting is rude in itself, but they also could care less if they knocked you in the process.

Don't get me started on entitled people though. I could gripe and groan about that for days. I deal with plenty of them on a regular basis and it irritates me to see that so many little kids are already displaying these traits. I hate to think what will happen to them the day real life hits them. It makes me kinda sad for them actually.

 

[sam_gordon]

As others have said, it's not just Disney, or even vacations. DD graduated HS last weekend. A class of 420. They made the announcement at the start of calling the names "please hold all applause until every name is called." There were probably 25 (if not more) students who's family couldn't resist yelling, clapping, or even blowing air horns (I think there were 4-5 air horns). They were calling names about every 4 seconds. I felt bad for those families who couldn't hear their children's name called because someone couldn't resist yelling.

 

[lorimay]

Some people's mentality sadly:

This is their world and we are all just living in it.

 

[BrianL]

Sadly this has been the case for many, many years now, and it's only getting worse. My recent visit to Tokyo Disneyland sure was a breath of fresh air! The people there are so polite and respectful, even in heavily crowded conditions (trains and buses). It was such a difference from the types of people you run into stateside. Granted, not all of us Americans are rude, inconsiderate louts, but the small percentage who are stand in sharp contrast to a society that has 0% of them.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

As aggravating as it is to be rammed by a stroller, ECV, or wheelchair because of carelessness, I'm often stunned that some folks think they can force their way to the front of any line by using these deliberately as battering rams. On more than one occasion, my wife or kids have been hit twice or more. Unreal. Last time, I explained to the offending party in great detail exactly where in their anatomy that stroller was likely to end up if they didn't knock it off. I know I embarrassed my wife, but the problem went away.

 

[TechieRose]

As a parent of a teacher...I hear her horror stories every week. Personally, the baby boomers had it right. We didn't grow up on internet, cell phones, etc and entertainment meant playing outside with others...and we had Mom's that worked at home. School was a place to learn not a fight club. WDW has been just one more place that parents (not all) ignore their kids thinking the CMs will look after their snowflakes while they chat away on cell phones.

I call nonsense on this idea. Every generation has said the generation after them was the worst and the adults who are being referenced in the comments here are in their 30s/40s which means they likely had one parent at home. The concept that electronics and having people work outside the home is responsible for rudeness seems like an HUGE assumption with no fact backing.

 

[New England Mickey]

My husband calls the strollers and auto wheelchairs assault weapons, don't know how many time we have been run over with them...

I know right! standing taking a picture and once i'm done I turn around and Wham! A stroller knocks into me. Person looked at me and said,"Hey, watch where you're going." Like it's my fault! The level of rudeness is unbearable in some cases. Also, once I was getting into a line for an attraction and an ECV comes speeding up and runs over my foot, person doesn't even acknowledge me. I agree that sometimes they are used as a deliberate force over people trying to get in line or to a table.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

I can't imagine having the guts to say it either, but it sounds like that lady made it obvious that she rented the ECV to cut lines and she was unbelievably rude to the older couple.

That was how I interpreted it too - and I was there! I think, even though the choice of words was unfortunate and rude, it was an attempt to stand up for the elderly couple who clearly were being mistreated. And I agree with all the comments about people pushing and shoving there way through with no regards to others -- there are some advantages to being a large/fit male -- most stop short and try to slide past me, the unfortunate few that "accidently" bump me either with their person, stroller or bags - usually bounce off me.

Tom

 

[CPanther95]

Why can't people wait for those on busses and elevators to get OFF before they try to push their way in?

That's a huge pet peeve of mine on elevators. It's not just common courtesy, it's basic common sense. And it's not just kids with their idiotic parents standing by watching their kids plow into the elevator, there are plenty of brain dead adults doing the same thing.

Thank God for Grandchildren. Now that I'm typically wielding a stroller on an elevator, there's a means to take out the knees of anyone rude enough to try and force into the elevator as I'm trying to exit.

 

[New England Mickey]

That's a huge pet peeve of mine on elevators. It's not just common courtesy, it's basic common sense. And it's not just kids with their idiotic parents standing by watching their kids plow into the elevator, there are plenty of brain dead adults doing the same thing.

Thank God for Grandchildren. Now that I'm typically wielding a stroller on an elevator, there's a means to take out the knees of anyone rude enough to try and force into the elevator as I'm trying to exit.

Though I hate people who rush their way on elevators and busses I hate people even more for using strollers and ECV as weapons. I understand that in your case it would be OK to do that, but in general using strollers as weapons ticks me off. When it comes to me and elevators I am very courteous to others. When I was on my latest cruise in April I always let people off first and let those with disabilities or children go before me, which sometimes resulted in me not getting a spot, and that's good thing. But sadly some people don't think or act like that which is saddening.

 

[CPanther95]

Though I hate people who rush their way on elevators and busses I hate people even more for using strollers and ECV as weapons. I understand that in your case it would be OK to do that, but in general using strollers as weapons ticks me off. When it comes to me and elevators I am very courteous to others. When I was on my latest cruise in April I always let people off first and let those with disabilities or children go before me, which sometimes resulted in me not getting a spot.

Yeah, I'm typically against the practice. Navigating through parks, we typically have one of us in front of the stroller because it's easier to avoid accidents. In all fairness to those on foot, the front of a stroller can escape the peripheral vision of people walking around.

But you see plenty of people using the stroller like it's a means of establishing a beachhead on a plot of ground in the middle of your personal space. Then of course they must follow the stroller, because they have no choice. I generally try not to put the stroller any closer to someone than I'd be willing to stand.

... exiting an elevator, I'm putting the stroller exactly where I'd like to stand. Immediately in front of their shins.

 

[New England Mickey]

Yeah, I'm typically against the practice. Navigating through parks, we typically have one of us in front of the stroller because it's easier to avoid accidents. In all fairness to those on foot, the front of a stroller can escape the peripheral vision of people walking around.

But you see plenty of people using the stroller like it's a means of establishing a beachhead on a plot of ground in the middle of your personal space. Then of course they must follow the stroller, because they have no choice. I generally try not to put the stroller any closer to someone than I'd be willing to stand.

I 100% agree and love the concept bolded in this quote. I wish more people thought and acted like that.

 

[prprincess]

I agree with a lot of the above. I really think it boils down to the attitude, "I paid a lot of money for this vacation, and I am entitled to do what I want!". I think the higher costs of Disney are a big part of it.
And I absolutely agree with accident about the mega-backpacks! I have been hit with them so many times, I can't count. Don't they realize the those things add width to themselves, and swinging it around might, just might, hit someone! Really!

I think you hit the nail on the head. My coworker just got back from WDW last week and I was floored at the story she proudly told me.

She and her family had lunch at BOG and couldn't find a table for eight. Instead of asking a CM for help or waiting a bit, she said she ripped a RESERVED sign off of one of the tables and sat her family down. A CM came over and told her the table was reserved, and she told me that she yelled at the CM and said, "I'm paying what everyone else here is paying so we will sit where we want!"

I can't imagine ever doing anything like that (especially in front of my kids, perpetuating the entitlement) and really didn't know how to respond. Like I said, she seemed proud of her story but I was appalled and simply said, "Oh, so you're one of those types of people at Disney!" EEK!

 

[New England Mickey]

I think you hit the nail on the head. My coworker just got back from WDW last week and I was floored at the story she proudly told me.

She and her family had lunch at BOG and couldn't find a table for eight. Instead of asking a CM for help or waiting a bit, she said she ripped a RESERVED sign off of one of the tables and sat her family down. A CM came over and told her the table was reserved, and she told me that she yelled at the CM and said, "I'm paying what everyone else here is paying so we will sit where we want!"

I can't imagine ever doing anything like that (especially in front of my kids, perpetuating the entitlement) and really didn't know how to respond. Like I said, she seemed proud of her story but I was appalled and simply said, "Oh, so you're one of those types of people at Disney!" EEK!

Those are the people that just make me shake my head in disappointment.

 

[joannamet]

I'm in my happy place when I'm at Disney so I guess I don't notice things like this. Its common anywhere to see kids and adults misbehaving but throw in the heat, exhaustion, hunger and unreasonable expectations of a Disney vacation and you have a recipe for disaster. And you can multiply that recipe by how ever many thousands of people are crowded into the park.

SIL said she was sitting in a Disney restaurant on the verge of a breakdown so BIL gave her one of her little pills. Pretty soon the rest of the chaos melted away and she could focus on enjoying her family in the happiest place on Earth. Apparently more people need to take their medication before they enter the park.

 

[goofy4prez]

I'm in my happy place when I'm at Disney so I guess I don't notice things like this. Its common anywhere to see kids and adults misbehaving but throw in the heat, exhaustion, hunger and unreasonable expectations of a Disney vacation and you have a recipe for disaster. And you can multiply that recipe by how ever many thousands of people are crowded into the park.

SIL said she was sitting in a Disney restaurant on the verge of a breakdown so BIL gave her one of her little pills. Pretty soon the rest of the chaos melted away and she could focus on enjoying her family in the happiest place on Earth. Apparently more people need to take their medication before they enter the park.

I agree there are many who go to WDW with unreasonable expectations, but Disney helps to create this as well to a degree with their marketing promising these very expectations.

 

[justgrace]

That's where the world is headed. We're turning into an entitlement society where it's all about me, me, me. I'm young and I already feel like a grumpy old woman. I'm tired of people of all ages being self centered and rude. I've actually had worse encounters outside of Disney than in, knock on wood. Usually people are friendly and nice with only the occasional rude person.

Some kids these days have lost all respect for authority. Officers in our town frequently have to go on domestic calls dealing with unruly children. If the kids are mouthing off to their parents and are out of control, the parents will call the cops to have officers come deal with their bratty kids. These kids are as young as 6. Sometimes, the kids are bad enough where it's hard for officers to get them under control. When I was a kid, if I would have started mouthing off to my mom or tearing up the house, I would have gotten my butt beat. If an officer showed up at our door because I was acting like a little brat, I would have been so embarrassed and wouldn't have dared be disrespectful to them. It looks pretty bad when parents can't even control their own kids. Don't the parents think that the officers have other more important things to do with their time than to come to their house and try and get their 6 year old who is tearing the house up under control? We barely have enough officers to deal with all the other crap that's happening in our town. Shoplifting calls even get pushed to the end of the line because there's just too much else going on. And we live in a nice, small, middle-class town!

Adults are just as bad, though. It ticks me off when people don't say thank you when you hold the door for them. My brother was trying to be helpful and polite by holding a door for two middle-aged ladies as they were walking up to a restaurant we went to yesterday. Neither one of them acknowledged him holding the door for them or even said thank you. When my brother came and joined up with us in front of the two women, I said "Thank you so much __________ (brother)! You were so kind to hold the door for those ladies! Always so polite! Such a gentleman!!" with some shade thrown at the direction of the two women, hoping that they would pick up the hint that I dropped. Nope.... just went on talking. I used to not say anything when people wouldn't say "Thank You" or acknowledge when I held the door for them, but it's gotten to the point where I'm tired of people being rude and just expecting everyone to hold doors for them. So now I say "Your Welcome!" loudly in a "Bless your heart!" sort of tone after they walk through the door. I'm not sure if they get the hint, but it makes me feel better! lol

I try and be kind to others and non confrontational, but eventually people being rude and nasty just weighs me down. Why should I try and go out of my way to be kind if people are just going to be rude?

*Rant over... that felt really good to get out! lol