OFFICIAL JULY 2009 THREAD!!! (Part 2) It's here!!

[Grandma4ever]

Yep, Brad called it the Week of a Bazilion Brazilians!! Started to title that in my TR, but knew some flaming would start!

I agree, Tom, start on those shirts, and Mindy can make us a flag! Viva Disboards! At one point, DH Brad, held up the scarf I had tied on Sophie's stroller for visibility and yelled "Just started my own tour group, anyone that wants to jump to the front of the line, push behind me" That was while we were waiting for Fantasmic gates to open. I was SOOOOO embarassed, but hey, he made it until Thursday!

They would be a big part of the reason I will never go back in July!!! I confronted one of them when he cut in front in line and he looked at me and said "my group is up there" I said then you should have got in line with your group. He stood there for a bit and cut in line. They were loud and very rude!!!

Disney are you listening???

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

They would be a big part of the reason I will never go back in July!!! I confronted one of them when he cut in front in line and he looked at me and said "my group is up there" I said then you should have got in line with your group. He stood there for a bit and cut in line. They were loud and very rude!!!

Disney are you listening???

They weren't the only people that were loud and rude! On the day we got off the cruise, we went back to Epcot for the day before our flight home. We ate at the counter service in Mexico and there was a group ouf about 5-8 guys and 1 girl talking so loudly about getting drunk and cursing A LOT, I mean like F-word...and LOUD. It was so hard for me to enjoy my nachos! And then, when they got up to leave, they all got on motorized scooters!!! Now normally, I avoid confrontation at all costs but I don't know what came over and I said, "Why are you guys riding those?" I KNEW why. They wanted to get drunk and didn't want to walk. They just lauged it off but the girl got all snotty with me, "Why do you care?" "Because some people actually NEED them!"

I couldn't even have another bit of nachos after that. And there were a few groups we encountered in WS that day that weren't as bad, but similar. I have never been to food and wine but it made me nervous that we might encounter some more of that behavior when we go in October.

 

[disneybarbie]

I went last Oct for Food&Wine, Nikki, and I didn't see anything like that!!

Definitely go, it's amazing!! don't eat any breakfast the day you go to epcot.. then head to World Showcase at 11am and eat your way around the world!!
WSC actually looked a bit 'empty' to DBF and I in July, as last trip there were all the lovely extra stalls around with the International food!

I didn't find the tour groups to be rude.. just maybe a bit ... intimidating? especially while waiting for Fantasmic and they were chanting & bouncing... why be soo loud?!? they should be respectful to other guests there, everyone should... it's the most magical place on earth after all!

Emma x x

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

The tour groups never really bothered us. We noticed them occasionally (how can you miss bright yellow skintight shorts), but were never inconvenienced by them.

 

[flipflopmom]

The week Lois and I were there must have been the killer week. The biggest part is that they travel in huge packs, chant in huge packs, get in line in huge packs, and get FP's in huge packs. The sheer number of them got to us. I kept telling myself they paid to be here just like we did, but if a group got in front of you, the wait time SKYROCKETED!

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Highlights of Day 5:

Hoop Dee Doo Revue

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Highlights of Day 6:

Lunch at Coral Reef

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Highlights of Day 7:

"It's a small world after all...."

Balcony at California Grill

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Highlights of Day 8:

The collection is complete

This is his "scared" look

 

[PopArtGal]

AWe.. Nice pics. I met this Ariel too

And I love the last pic!

 

[Grandma4ever]

I was told by a CM that the tour groups were there for only about six weeks running tours for 10 nights then starting with a new group. They start the middle of June so by the end of July the numbers begin to drop.

When we were there we had group members push pass us in line at almost every ride every day. It got very old. We had the guide to stand in line to get fastpasses for hundreds of people at once. If you were behind them in line you would have to wait almost as long to get a fasspass as you would wait for the ride. Then they would all go to use the fast passes together making your wait that much longer at the ride.

We would have to go around them to get into the bathroom as they loved to meet up right outside the doors both at the parks and at the resort. By the way most of the groups were at the Allstars.

They were so loud we could not talk with each other while we waited in line because we could not hear each other.

Tom, be happy because they were some of the worse behaved folks. Now in their defence, they were all young and had very little supervision or adults to give direction when they got out of line. There had to be at least 30 kids or more to each adult and the adults did not look to be that much older.

In general be happy there were fewer because it was a mess. Lois

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

AWe.. Nice pics. I met this Ariel too

And I love the last pic!

Um....what do you mean "this Ariel"???

That reminds me of a story (that I will eventually put in my Trip Report). We had just arrived at the Magic Kingdom for our first full day. The show in front of the castle was going on with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, etc.

We made a left into Frontierland, and who do we see.....Donald wearing his coonskin cap. As if a 5-year-old boy isn't asking enough questions already?!?!!?

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

The tour groups were noticably less prominent when we went back to Epcot for one day after the cruise. I think July is the month and then they start to become fewer. But I couldn't believe how many of them were together in one group!!! When I used to go with my parents, we had a hard enough time keeping the four of us together! Don't these people know how to SPLIT UP!

 

[flipflopmom]

I don't really blame the kids, I blame the system. As a teacher and a mom, I know kids will do whatever kids are allowed to do. Heck, if I was a teenager at WDW without my parents and very little supervision, I would have been loud, too. When I take kids on a field trip, most places we go specify 5 to 1 kid to adult ratios. I know my kids are kindergarteners, but I think Disney could enforce some sort of policy for ALL tour groups similar to that, maybe 10-15 to one adult, with all groups needing to split up. This would take care of the pack problems with rides, fastpasses, etc.

 

[PopArtGal]

Um....what do you mean "this Ariel"???

That reminds me of a story (that I will eventually put in my Trip Report). We had just arrived at the Magic Kingdom for our first full day. The show in front of the castle was going on with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, etc.

We made a left into Frontierland, and who do we see.....Donald wearing his coonskin cap. As if a 5-year-old boy isn't asking enough questions already?!?!!?

Of course, I meant THE Ariel.

 

[PopArtGal]

I don't really blame the kids, I blame the system. As a teacher and a mom, I know kids will do whatever kids are allowed to do. Heck, if I was a teenager at WDW without my parents and very little supervision, I would have been loud, too. When I take kids on a field trip, most places we go specify 5 to 1 kid to adult ratios. I know my kids are kindergarteners, but I think Disney could enforce some sort of policy for ALL tour groups similar to that, maybe 10-15 to one adult, with all groups needing to split up. This would take care of the pack problems with rides, fastpasses, etc.

I went to WDW with a school group when I was a senior. And our chaperones let us slip up during the day. Made for less problems. And we had fun without causing problems.

So I don't see why they can't do that.

 

[PopArtGal]

I was told by a CM that the tour groups were there for only about six weeks running tours for 10 nights then starting with a new group. They start the middle of June so by the end of July the numbers begin to drop.

When we were there we had group members push pass us in line at almost every ride every day. It got very old. We had the guide to stand in line to get fastpasses for hundreds of people at once. If you were behind them in line you would have to wait almost as long to get a fasspass as you would wait for the ride. Then they would all go to use the fast passes together making your wait that much longer at the ride.

We would have to go around them to get into the bathroom as they loved to meet up right outside the doors both at the parks and at the resort. By the way most of the groups were at the Allstars.

They were so loud we could not talk with each other while we waited in line because we could not hear each other.

Tom, be happy because they were some of the worse behaved folks. Now in their defence, they were all young and had very little supervision or adults to give direction when they got out of line. There had to be at least 30 kids or more to each adult and the adults did not look to be that much older.

In general be happy there were fewer because it was a mess. Lois

We had them stay in rooms besides ours last July at a moderate: POR. One night I had to call the front desk 3 times!

They were so loud and chanting at midnight! I wanted to sleep. They were jumping on doors, and were with the chaperones, who's room was directly next to ours.

Apparently we were the only ones who complained. Wel we were the only ones not part of the group in that area.

This year, we found them lying around on the asphalt in huge groups. Entire walkways were blocked by them.

And they tried to push me out of my spot for the parade. Mind you I'm 1 small person. But I was there way before they were.

It's upsetting, but you have to stand your ground with them.

 

[Grandma4ever]

I don't really blame the kids, I blame the system. As a teacher and a mom, I know kids will do whatever kids are allowed to do. Heck, if I was a teenager at WDW without my parents and very little supervision, I would have been loud, too. When I take kids on a field trip, most places we go specify 5 to 1 kid to adult ratios. I know my kids are kindergarteners, but I think Disney could enforce some sort of policy for ALL tour groups similar to that, maybe 10-15 to one adult, with all groups needing to split up. This would take care of the pack problems with rides, fastpasses, etc.

I am in no way blaming the kids. Kids will be kids and I would have done the same as they. I blame the fact that their parents turn them over to tour guides and that the tour guides seem to take no responsibity for the kids behaviors. I also agree that maybe WDW needs to enforce an Adult to minor staff radio. It would really help.

 

[Mindy5767]

I went last Oct for Food&Wine, Nikki, and I didn't see anything like that!!

Definitely go, it's amazing!! don't eat any breakfast the day you go to epcot.. then head to World Showcase at 11am and eat your way around the world!!
WSC actually looked a bit 'empty' to DBF and I in July, as last trip there were all the lovely extra stalls around with the International food!

I didn't find the tour groups to be rude.. just maybe a bit ... intimidating? especially while waiting for Fantasmic and they were chanting & bouncing... why be soo loud?!? they should be respectful to other guests there, everyone should... it's the most magical place on earth after all!

Emma x x

We also were at Food & Wine last October. We also did not encounter any rude or drunk guests. We had a great time. I was actually a little disappointed with the portion sizes of the "snack" items at the little booths. For instance, in the Sommerfest QS, they have apple strudel for $3.59. At the Food & Wine station, the apple strudel was much much smaller and was about $4.00. It wasn't even as good as sommerfest's. I also had a glass of sangria. It was pretty small for the price, compared with what was available in the Mexico pavilion's regular places. They did have booths for countries that aren't normally there, like Greece.

We too will not go back in July again. I can deal with the heat, and I've had crowds during spring break before, although not as bad as this July, but the Bazillion Brazilian tour groups... they've got to go. We ate dinner at Planet Hollywood only to find that the entire top floor was taken by the tour groups. Not only were they chanting and shouting at each other, but they were stomping their feet!! It was so loud we couldn't have a conversation. We ended up leaving instead of ordering drinks and dessert. Apparently, Brazil and Argentina try to out shout each other. I also encountered a rude teen who wacked me in the face with his backpack... 4 times. I asked him to remove his pack and carry it. We were in the crowd of people just after you get into Haunted Mansion. When they herd everyone together! He refused to remove it from his back and wacked me a few more times with it!!

We're planning to go back during Spring Break. We bought annual passes for me, DH and DD7 because we knew we'd go back before July. We didn't get one for DS17 because he got a plus ticket and the plus AP was too expensive on the chance that he'd not come back. He's coming back with us, and we're bringing his twin best friends when they all earn their Eagle Scout rank in February. Good luck boys!!

 

[jmskinner]

We didn't have any issues with the tour groups. A little chanting, but that didn't bother us. Being in a restaurant like that would be annoying, but probably why they picked a loud restaurant like Planet Hollywood. We had a Bachelorette party a year ago in there that was loud.

We were just at MK this past Sunday and not one tour group was there, so maybe August is a good time to go.