Never had a problem with SA Tour groups until...

[chicagoshannon]

I'm surprised to hear about all of these groups. We got back on Monday and encountered 1 group of only about 20 people. I wonder if it really does have to do with EMH. We did not go to ANY EMH parks while there.

 

[tony67]

Personally I'm not a fan of any large tour group be they American, Brazilian or Martian.

Those little green guys with ray guns and Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulators are really annoying

Large groups are a problem, but they bring a lot of money to Disney as others have said.
In a time when they need the business they are not going to tell a group of 100, no you can't come in.
And if they did then would they be sued for discrimination?
If they stopped one tour group would it be on the news in Brazil and hit all tourism from that country possibly?

In addition IMO there is a general love\hate towards America by many people from this hemisphere. We are not as nice as we think we are.
What do American tourists do in Brazil exactly?
Where does the rude American stereotype in Europe come from?
I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe and people expect you to be a rude American until you prove differently.

Does this excuse the bad behavior, not at all. But our hands are tied IMO.

Considering what goes on in line at a place like Great Adventure (what line?), I'll deal with rowdy Brazilians any day.

 

[tony67]

I am amazed that I finished 2 boxes of popcorn and it took 71 posts before the first "I'm embarrassed to be an American" post hit the thread

Seriously though...OP, at least no one got hurt and you probably got some good pictures from it, even though it wasn't a 100% perfect experience.

Too Funny.

BTW, OP I have seen someone hurt by these groups. Not on purpose, but it happened in the mayhem so consider yourself lucky.

 

[Howls_with_Wolves]

I think I read somewhere that it is common to take a holiday at a certain age and tour groups to Disney are very popular. Hence, you don't see Asian groups etc so much. They are there, you just don't see them as much, also the Asian or German, or whatever, don't generally go around chanting or acting like out of control teenagers (which most of the SA groups are).

I seem to recall reading somewhere that what is happening with a lot of the SA groups is that some company gets a group of people together and pays for their trip to WDW, and in return they transport merchandise back and forth between the US and Brazil or whatever country they're from. It seems like it would be horribly expensive, but by doing it this way they don't pay import/export taxes on the merchandise and so it is actually very cost effective for them. Things we wouldn't think twice about buying in the US can be very expensive in other countries where they are not readily available, especially in some of the Latin American countries. I lived in Mexico for two and a half years, and I had a number of different people ask me to send them things from the US once I got back because they were either totally unavailable or rare enough that they were very expensive...for example, one man wanted me to regulary send him brown shoe polish, as he used it for his business, but couldn't get it very easily in Mexico. As for WDW, as others are saying, they are earning their money off of these groups, so financially they want them to keep coming.

 

[princessmom29]

wow. This thread is making me embarrassed to be an American. But then, I've heard all too many times, that 'people in France, esp. Paris are rude.' 'People in New York are rude.' I've heard about rude Japanese tourists that take WAY too many photos (as in they just keep taking them and block access that way). And now SA tour groups.

Honestly the most rude behavior I've ever encountered was Americans outside of America.(and sometimes even inside America) Indeed, it was well known in college that 'you could go up to Canada and act like a boor,' or a deliquent and 'get away with it,' becasue you were in a foreign country and unlike America the drinking age was 18. The prevailing attitude was, "they want our money and they will put up with almost anything we do."

Oh, and don't get me started on the legendary conduct allowable in the Netherlands, especially Amsterdam. Ft. Lauderdale more or less outlawed spring breakers because they would trash the town every year. One year I even withnessed a bunch of guys peeing in the intercoastal in front of everyone at my resort pool - including kids, just because they could. Oh, that was classy. And, though it's technically not South America, what about the hordes of Spring Breakers that have been trashing Mexico every spring for many years. Do you really think spring breakers are models of exemplary conduct? Or are we forgetting about that because it's just 'what we do'?

Yes, Americans have FAR more of a bad reputation around the world than anything I've ever seen from a SA tour group.

If there is any group that goes around the world with an attitude of entitlement, it's Americans. All too often Americans just expect everyone around the world to speak English and get all upset when they honestly can't. And in spite of that...I've seen LOTS of people outside this country do their best to be helpful- even whenthey clearly only speak a few words of English. So maybe, just maybe....we should remember the old adage about treating guests the way they want to be treated. I'm not saying guests are never rude. Probaly op's example is good case in point...I'm just saying sometimes what we assume to be rude is about cultural differences. Sometimes the way to fix rudeness is with kindness. Taking the misconduct of one group, as posted on an internet forum as 'proof' that all tour groups are going to be rude is horrible.

If we are automatically rude to all travelers, just because they are foreign or from a certain region of the world how bad does that make us Americans?

Rude is rude no matter where you are from. I dn't care if they are from Mars they don't get a free pass to act if they please, and i refuse to apologize for being an American because some of us act like idiots on vacation anymore that I would expect someone from Brazil to apologize for the bahavior of those groups. Bottom line is that they are out of line, and what Americans tend to do or not do abroad has nothing to do with that.

 

[bod diddy]

I hate these people too, but I hate mostly everyone in WDW...

Fat people in those motor things that get on the buses first. People with actual disabilities, fine, knock yourself out. You can tell who really needs them though, can't you?

People with the aforementioned liars who also get on the bus first, stealing seats from the people that have been waiting. Most won't even offer their seats to those that my be standing with children in their arms.

Parents with children that are screaming, who do nothing about it. I'll gladly find some way to quieten them if you don't.

All Hispanic "non english speaking" families in general show the same characteristics as the large groups.

Not annoying, more cringeworthy are fellow British families. Sends shivers up my spine hearing those accents.

Loud inane conversation.

There's probably more, but I'll quit while I'm ahead.

 

[SafetyPinndSally]

OP, that is absolutely horrible and I would have been terrified had it been me. But I'm glad you saw the silver lining in the whole situation and didn't let it phase you or your children's experience.

Those groups...I have only seen traces of them, but that's mostly because I avoid them like the plague. I'm completely cool with someone's culture being different than my own, but it's like the saying goes "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". So maybe it isn't too much to ask of these groups if they could maybe tone things down and realize that not everyone around them is part of their group and we are all trying to make our own memories happen.

 

[ogreenlee]

How 'bout we all join forces, and when these folks start to cut, we stand in front of them and start screaming at them in some made up language, loud enough for the entire area to hear it?

I can't imagine just letting a whole schlew of folks walk right by me in line without pitching a major fit outloud. I don't embarrass easily. I will act like a lunatic just for the pleasure of it.

 

[palavra]

OP, that is absolutely horrible and I would have been terrified had it been me. But I'm glad you saw the silver lining in the whole situation and didn't let it phase you or your children's experience.

Those groups...I have only seen traces of them, but that's mostly because I avoid them like the plague. I'm completely cool with someone's culture being different than my own, but it's like the saying goes "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". So maybe it isn't too much to ask of these groups if they could maybe tone things down and realize that not everyone around them is part of their group and we are all trying to make our own memories happen.

The saying you quoted here is an American saying. Other cultures don't think, speak or act like we do. And, they make memories in different ways. Whether we like it or not, WDW is an international tourist destination. It is not there just for the enjoyment of Americans.

 

[mousefan215]

I hate these people too, but I hate mostly everyone in WDW...

Fat people in those motor things that get on the buses first. People with actual disabilities, fine, knock yourself out. You can tell who really needs them though, can't you?

People with the aforementioned liars who also get on the bus first, stealing seats from the people that have been waiting. Most won't even offer their seats to those that my be standing with children in their arms.

Parents with children that are screaming, who do nothing about it. I'll gladly find some way to quieten them if you don't.

All Hispanic "non english speaking" families in general show the same characteristics as the large groups.

Not annoying, more cringeworthy are fellow British families. Sends shivers up my spine hearing those accents.

Loud inane conversation.

There's probably more, but I'll quit while I'm ahead.

Are you being sarcastic or are you serious?!?

 

[maxiesmom]

Are you being sarcastic or are you serious?!?

I'm hoping it is sarcasm. Otherwise, this person is to scary for words!

 

[SafetyPinndSally]

The saying you quoted here is an American saying. Other cultures don't think, speak or act like we do. And, they make memories in different ways. Whether we like it or not, WDW is an international tourist destination. It is not there just for the enjoyment of Americans.

What I really meant to say was that these people should be more aware of their surroundings and see that some people might be bothered by their loud behavior, especially during a parade, ride or show that others are trying to watch. It's just a matter of respect for other's, and these groups don't seem to really show any. Sure, they are more than welcome to make their own memories, but what about the memories of the OP and her children? Should those memories be marred just because a group of people felt that they were entitled to some just because they are from another country?

Not trying to disrespect anyone, just trying to voice my opinion.

 

[TLinden16]

I think this thread has run it's course (as threads on this topic tend to do), so I'm going to close it now.