new blog: A Theme Park Pet Peeve

[DisneyFoodieFan]

I always sort of roll my eyes at people complaining about others on their phones while at Disney. I was using my phone yesterday while in line and I heard a comment from behind me about how people shouldn't be on them while on vacation. I was in the middle of changing out fast passes on MDE. I figured doing it while waiting in line seemed like a good time, but some people just feel like judging others around them nonstop I guess!

My husband and I both run our own businesses and unfortunately, even on vacation, we do have to check in a few times a day. This takes up maybe 5-10 minutes total? How do you know the person you see on their phone hasn't touched it all day and was just checking something for a minute or using MDE? Do you follow these same people around all day and observe their phone usage?

 

[DisneyFoodieFan]

I can't call this a pet peeve but I love those parents who threaten there children that if they don't start behaving that they are going back to the hotel. I really wish they would follow through with there threats it would make the parks less crowded.

This was us today...where are we now? At the hotel, haha!

 

[ratlenhum]

When people stop right in the middle of a crowded walkway to look at a map or whatever! Step to the side people! Are you not aware of the throngs of folks behind you???

Agree!! Pull off to the side! Pretend you're a car. What happens if you stop short in traffic? You would get rear ended.

This is one if my biggest peeves too!

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

I always sort of roll my eyes at people complaining about others on their phones while at Disney. I was using my phone yesterday while in line and I heard a comment from behind me about how people shouldn't be on them while on vacation. I was in the middle of changing out fast passes on MDE. I figured doing it while waiting in line seemed like a good time, but some people just feel like judging others around them nonstop I guess!

My husband and I both run our own businesses and unfortunately, even on vacation, we do have to check in a few times a day. This takes up maybe 5-10 minutes total? How do you know the person you see on their phone hasn't touched it all day and was just checking something for a minute or using MDE? Do you follow these same people around all day and observe their phone usage?

I feel the same way, the people who get annoyed about other people being on their cell phones, it is like, why, how is this affecting you? Other pet peeves like people blocking road/line, or blocking peoples view, etc... actually effect other people, but cell phone use as long as you are not walking along with your head buried in it and bumping in to people does effect anyone.

Our group was on a cell phone even more this time than our last time to Disney and we were normally checking on our My Magic App, by looking at the map, fp, adr, etc.... Also my cell phone is my camera, so while I am waiting in line, I might as well delete bad pics, edit pics that need it etc.... Basically use my time wisely. So lets keep the pet peeves to things that actually effect you

 

[ratlenhum]

I totally agree with the kid on dad's shoulder thing, but even worse for me is when I am stuck behind someone on a ride who thinks it is necessary to use their Ipad to record the whole ride and completely blocks my view.

I let them know it. I've told people "I'm sorry but I didn't pay thousands for this vacation to see the (rides/shows/fireworks) on your iPad screen"

Come on people. There are tons of videos on YouTube. Watch those!

 

[PSUGuy]

I think all of us, from newbies to grizzled vets have times when something in WDW just grabs our attention to the extent that we stop in our tracks. I liken foot traffic to car traffic, it's the responsibility of the car/person behind to control their speed so as not to collide from behind in case of a sudden stop.

That said, my pet peeve in WDW is a family or group of 4 or more, heading towards you from the front, spread out to occupy the whole pathway, studiously ignoring you on the assumption you will move aside for them. I haven't needed a park map for years now but I keep one with me for this occasion. When I see such a convoy of louts on a head-on collision course with me I stop, get into 'my' lane, right side of center, open a map and pretend to be absorbed with it. So far, no collisions and if ever I get a snide comment from anyone my reply will be, 'How much of this sidewalk do you precious folks need?'

Bill From PA

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I feel the same way, the people who get annoyed about other people being on their cell phones, it is like, why, how is this affecting you? Other pet peeves like people blocking road/line, or blocking peoples view, etc... actually effect other people, but cell phone use as long as you are not walking along with your head buried in it and bumping in to people does effect anyone.

Our group was on a cell phone even more this time than our last time to Disney and we were normally checking on our My Magic App, by looking at the map, fp, adr, etc.... Also my cell phone is my camera, so while I am waiting in line, I might as well delete bad pics, edit pics that need it etc.... Basically use my time wisely. So lets keep the pet peeves to things that actually effect you

I honestly have no problem with folks being on their phone. I know I'm absorbed in mine. But I hate (and yes I know that is a strong word) when volumes are on for each keystroke. I probably have some vitamin deficiency or something but the sound of "ping ping click click" every time a key is punched is worse the nails on a chalkboard.

 

[fbb]

Come on people. There are tons of videos on YouTube. Watch those!

I don't understand videoing stuff like that, either.

 

[Julylady]

I'll chime in. I agree with the OP. My biggest pet peeve is people who wait in a 10 minute food line and then when they get right up front look at the menu for the first time and "discuss" what they are going to order with their family. This happens to me almost every visit! If you can't see the menu, then have one person go up and scope it out for your entire group.

Another big peeve are people who try to stay in the parks for a hard ticketed event like MNNSHP. I tend to try to find a seat early for the shows and parades and people watch. These people are fairly easy to spot. Sometimes CMs confront them and they have lots of reasons why they can't leave the park right then. They are waiting for other family members to join them or they don't plan to go on any rides but just want to stay for a while. CMs usually patiently explain they have to leave and they turn and go. However, on several locations I have watched them go about 30 feet, stop, and disappear back into the crowd. I really wonder how many non-ticket holders are in the parks during these events. I personally think there are a ton of them.

My third peeve are the people in those same counter service lines who don't realize that the CM working the cash register is taking orders from both sides. There may be people 4 deep on the right side and no one on the left side. If I (or someone else) walks up to be next on the left side, they go ballistic. Same issue when you use FP line and get "comments" from those in the standby line. They also make comments when you "fill in all available space" and walk around them. Pay attention, people!!

Regarding little kids on your shoulders. My rule is that we will only lift the kid up to my height (or who ever is holding the child). The people who get in line behind me do so knowing that they will need to see over my head. So I won't put a kid higher than my head.

Last minute parade jumpers are annoying, but I am pretty good at blocking them.

Lastly, I don't believe anyone has to give up their seat for another person on the bus or the monorail. But I also don't think its right to take up extra room for your bags or your legs. One person/one seat. Or if your kids are really small, you should hold them on your lap. On our last visit, we entered a packed monorail. On one side was a Mom/Dad and 3 other people smashed next to them. On the other side, were two kids sitting sideways on the bench with their feet on the seat. When I asked them if they would make room for us, the Mom said "Oh their feet are sore." I just stared at them and they slowly put their feet on the ground and I and others sat down. I could tell the Mom was really annoyed with me. Having a teacher voice really works!

Enough peeves for now. I feel better.

 

[TLSnell1981]

That is not MY biggest pet peeve at the parks.

Mine is kids on Dad's shoulders, blocking the view of anyone under 8-9 feet tall behind them. (Those kids pop up there too late to find a better viewing spot, too).

Yes, this in spades! I'm only 5'2"...even shorter on a scooter. Why do rude people insist on blocking MY view? Is it because I'm small and have mobility issues?

Oh, another PP is folks dashing in front of me. Hello, I have NO brakes!!!

 

[Dismoo]

Last minute parade jumpers are annoying, but I am pretty good at blocking them.

Although this could be a thread in itself, can you share your strategies on blocking them?

 

[MarciaBrady]

(These are general theme park pet peeves, not just at Disney)
~Line jumping. Come on, pay for QuickQueue or whatever the express pass is called at that specific park, or wait with everyone else.
~People walking at snail's pace through the park...with 4 other people, all in a straight line across the whole path. This isn't a Red Rover game!
~People asking if a ride goes upside down when it's 100% obvious just from looking at it.
~People pulling out cell phones on roller coasters. The sign says "no loose articles"; did you think a phone didn't count? Oh I forgot, it must be glued to your hand. And it BETTER be glued, 'cause I don't want you dropping it on me!
~People talking during shows. Be quiet so everyone around you can hear!

Ok, that's it for now.

 

[glamdring269]

Kids on shoulders:

If I'm scoping out a spot and then sit/stand there for an hour+ my expectation is based on what's going on around me leading up to the show. What I don't expect, and obviously do not plan for, is that the 6' tall person in front of me will suddenly become 9' tall once the fireworks start. I do agree that kids need to be able to see the fireworks too but that doesn't mean you should just put them on your shoulders without worrying about what that means to everyone behind you. Be considerate of others.

And then you have the ones who get upset when you say something to them... that's a whole different level of pet peeve.

 

[twinz]

I think all of us, from newbies to grizzled vets have times when something in WDW just grabs our attention to the extent that we stop in our tracks. I liken foot traffic to car traffic, it's the responsibility of the car/person behind to control their speed so as not to collide from behind in case of a sudden stop.

That said, my pet peeve in WDW is a family or group of 4 or more, heading towards you from the front, spread out to occupy the whole pathway, studiously ignoring you on the assumption you will move aside for them. I haven't needed a park map for years now but I keep one with me for this occasion. When I see such a convoy of louts on a head-on collision course with me I stop, get into 'my' lane, right side of center, open a map and pretend to be absorbed with it. So far, no collisions and if ever I get a snide comment from anyone my reply will be, 'How much of this sidewalk do you precious folks need?'

Bill From PA

We call those "Wall families"...

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

Sorry, but this is one of my DH's TOP peeves. Yes, it happens everywhere but it is practically endemic at WDW. We have actually timed this once or twice when it was particularly bad. Once was a family with 4 kids, mom, dad & grandparents. First - I'm not sure why you drag 8 people through the line, but then when they got to the podium, they looked at the menu for the very first time. One of them was reading it out-loud to the smallest kid. There were debates about who was having what. The whole mess took over 7 minutes AFTER I started timing it! It was unreal.

I think what is so annoying about this one, is that the people who do this are just standing there, in line, waiting and it would be so very easy for them to just decide what they want to eat during that time. Many of the other annoyances (stopping suddenly in the middle of the walkway, taking photos with the ipad, etc.) are instant decisions - BAD decisions, but probably made at the spur of the moment and not thought out. Standing in line for 10-15 minutes and not bothering to decide what you want to order is a totally different level of stupid & annoying.

~I totally agree with you. You are preaching to the choir -- as I also find this to be very rude and inconsiderate of others -- and so annoying.

~I usually purchase tickets in advance for the movies but the theater's online system was glitchy that day -- so, we had to purchase tickets in person. Anyway, there was a huge group ahead of us who were just chatting us up in line, when they got to the counter they had no idea what they wanted to see and took forever to pick something. They split up their group to see different films because no one could agree.

~I was just saying that this happens to me all the time not just at the themeparks. I guess it happens so much to where I am indifferent about it.

 

[shepd]

And if you spoke to me like a gentlemen before the show started and told me your situation, I would be respectful. However, in the case of my "disagreement" was because the guy behind us physically punched my friend in the back to get him to sit down. You really want to see rude? As that ###### what rude looked like.

I'm not interested in punching anyone over it, honestly. But if you can't afford or don't get the right tickets, then that doesn't mean it's respectful of you to stand the entire time in the seating area.

It's like the tall dad with a son who gets to the parade at the last minute and sits his son on his shoulders. Without a shirt emblazoned with how "entitled" they are to do that I'd be nice and ask them to be a bit more reasonable. With the shirt? My words will be less pleasant.

 

[rosebery]

My pet peeves also include people who block the queue entry/kiosk when they're being indecisive. Most blatant offender I've ever seen was a woman who was just standing at a kiosk, blocking it, and after about a minute or two, her husband finally wanders over and they start using it. Really, if you're not ready, let someone who is ready and standing in line behind you go ahead!

And I'm another who's annoyed by aggressively-driven strollers and scooters, especially on crowded walkways. If it would be rude for ambulatory me to run in a given dense-crowd situation, it's also rude to try to drive your scooter at that speed and yell at people for not moving out of your way.

But I really don't understand why some people won't let little kids get in a position where they can see, especially if it doesn't inconvenience them. Whether I'm at Disney or the zoo or wherever, I always take a step back so shorter people can get in front of me and have a good view. Last time we watched a parade, we happened across it at a place where there was a pack of about several adults aggressively standing tightly shoulder to shoulder about three feet back from the curb where their 2 little kids were sitting. There was lots of available curb space for my 2 little kids. But the adults refused to let my kids go sit beside theirs. WTH?

 

[CAS239]

Another thing is people cutting over into another row on a crowded tram. If you have a family of 10, don't line up in one tram row and think you're all getting on the same tram. I see this all the time. Soon as the tram stops they'll try to beat you to the door and start piling in multiple rows from 1 waiting line. That annoys me a lot even though it's never personally happened to me.

Or the ones who have a family of 10 and want to all get on, so they get mad when others don't cram closer together so there last two family members can't fit in.

You have courtesy and line up in multiple rows to accommodate the rule of 5 people per row

 

[LBIJim]

That said, my pet peeve in WDW is a family or group of 4 or more, heading towards you from the front, spread out to occupy the whole pathway, studiously ignoring you on the assumption you will move aside for them. I haven't needed a park map for years now but I keep one with me for this occasion. When I see such a convoy of louts on a head-on collision course with me I stop, get into 'my' lane, right side of center, open a map and pretend to be absorbed with it. So far, no collisions and if ever I get a snide comment from anyone my reply will be, 'How much of this sidewalk do you precious folks need?'

Bill From PA

Several years ago at AK, DW and I were sitting on one the benches on the side of a walkway. A group of about 6 or 7 high school aged girls came down the path side by side with arms entwined. They were shouting things like "coming through" and "move it over", expecting everyone to get out of their way. These two women, probably in their 60s, were heading in the other direction, toward the girls. THEY entwined their arms and stood their ground. The girls crashed right into the women. BOOM!!! Three of the girls fell like a ton of bricks. Those women must have been made of concrete. As far as I can tell, the women didn't push the girls or stick out their elbows or anything like that. Just 90 pound weaklings walking into solid steel. One of the women said something like, "sorry, girls, you got to learn how to share the road" and they calmly went on their way. A few people shouted out "All Right!" or" Way to Go!" to the women. Nobody gave the slightest damn about the fallen girls.

I'll chime in. I agree with the OP. My biggest pet peeve is people who wait in a 10 minute food line and then when they get right up front look at the menu for the first time and "discuss" what they are going to order with their family. This happens to me almost every visit! If you can't see the menu, then have one person go up and scope it out for your entire group.
.

And even when they finally decide on the main item, there's stuff like:
"Suzy, go find Billy and ask if he want fries or apple slices."
(a minute later)
"Fries"
"Now go see if Dad want Coke or Diet Coke"
(a minute later)
"Coke"
"Large or Small?" (another minute to get the answer)



Jim

 

[luvthemouse71]

When people stop right in the middle of a crowded walkway to look at a map or whatever! Step to the side people! Are you not aware of the throngs of folks behind you???

This annoys me too. Some people are just clueless. Also the people who aren't paying attention coming towards you, then they finally notice you and expect you to dodge out of their way. No. I stand my ground now. If we slam into each other, so be it.

Posted by LBIJim...

"Several years ago at AK, DW and I were sitting on one the benches on the side of a walkway. A group of about 6 or 7 high school aged girls came down the path side by side with arms entwined. They were shouting things like "coming through" and "move it over", expecting everyone to get out of their way. These two women, probably in their 60s, were heading in the other direction, toward the girls. THEY entwined their arms and stood their ground. The girls crashed right into the women. BOOM!!! Three of the girls fell like a ton of bricks. Those women must have been made of concrete. As far as I can tell, the women didn't push the girls or stick out their elbows or anything like that. Just 90 pound weaklings walking into solid steel. One of the women said something like, "sorry, girls, you got to learn how to share the road" and they calmly went on their way. A few people shouted out "All Right!" or" Way to Go!" to the women. Nobody gave the slightest damn about the fallen girls."

Love this! Coolest older ladies ever!