Oh no! Not the Selfie-Sticks...

[WDWChloe]

Just watched Wishes on Monday night from the hub area (not my preference, usually new fantasyland) and I could not believe all of the phone/camera sticks up in the air. I could barely see the castle. Mind you no one holds the camera perfectly still, so it's a constant distraction and I can't imagine they are actually recording a good quality video (that are already on youtube from countless users) I was so close from going to guest relations about this, because it's only going to get worse from here on out. I'm surprised they don't already have some kind of rule :/

 

[PirateD]

Lol yes, those darn sticks are everywhere! We got here on Wednesday and I have seen people with them everywhere. That being said I haven't experienced any ill side effects from them (well one person using one to record themselves walking, ran into a garbage can. I laughed/spit out part of my beverage so I guess that is like 15 cents wasted) but I definitely think they make the users of them look ridiculous (not that they care what I think of them).

Thanks for the laugh today!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Oh puh lease. My daughter is 4. I'm not worried about HER becoming a narcissist. I think you read way more into my post than you should- nowhere did I say I was worried about my daughter becoming a narcissist and nowhere did I say I blamed gadgetry.

Taking constant photos of yourself making duck faces and what not and plastering them all over the Internet all day long is stupid and narcissistic. Oh look, I have new sungalsses, oh look, I'm posing in a bikini,oh look at me look at me blah blah blah. Seriously. People are so in love with themselves. It's not healthy. And I have 35 year old friends who do it, so it's not just young people. I was mostly being tongue and cheek when I said I fear for my daughter's generation. But I do think the selfies have gotten a bit ridiculous.

I'm claiming you as my best friend, here and now.

I did notice A LOT of selfie sticks all over Disney in December, but also again when we went to Las Vegas in January (probably even moreso, actually). I think they're just par for the course when you're anyplace with a lot of tourists. I do think they should be banned on rides, but how can you enforce that? Do an e-Stop every time someone whips one out? They don't really do anything to enforce the flash photography rule, though IMO, selfie sticks are much more of a safety issue on rides.

 

[tinkerhon]

They were EVERYWHERE when we we there earlier this month. It was like a crazy epidemic. So, so, so, so annyoying. You know what's a great idea in a crowded place? Using a stick that allows you to hold your stupid cell phone four feet out from your body.

They were all over the place when we went in November !!! We were walking in DD, and this couple had one that seemed to be around 10 feet long !!! Nobody could get by them !! Was so annoying !

 

[YawningDodo]

I never understood taking iPads to the parks. My phone takes much better pics than my iPad. And even carrying a phone can be a bother when you go on water rides or it starts pouring rain. I'd be constantly worried about my iPad getting wet, dropping it, having it stolen,... Plus, every item you take into the parks is just one more thing to carry, store during thrill rides, etc.

I considered it during early planning for my upcoming trip. I don't have a smart phone but I do have an iPad, so bringing it to the park would allow me to access MDE at the park, skip using the kiosks for FP+, etc. Ultimately I don't think it'll be worth the fuss of carrying it, as it sounds like the kiosk lines are doable and it turns out I'm going with someone who does have a smart phone anyway, but that was the train of thought that might have led me to bring my iPad on at least my first day at the parks when I thought I was going to go solo this fall.

 

[CAL2]

Well, I'll change the "cheap" in my comment, but I can't change your quote.

Why do some DISer's take everything so personally?

I didn't say take it personal, I said make it personal, you made it personal by calling me cheap.

so you said you'll change the "cheap" in your comment, so what is it you want to call me now ?

 

[bwang123]

i remember that rise in MDMA on the chart. sort of.

 

[CAS239]

I'm curious what you think makes them so much better with a gopro?

The GoPro has a wide array of accessories, one being the GoPole/extension pole. I view the "selfie sticks" to be knock offs of a GoPro accessory and find it pointless to clamp your phone into a selfie stick, take a pic, then unclamp. At least with a GoPro you keep it on there and use it throughout the park and outside the park. What do people want next? A chest piece to hold their phone or a helmet attachment?

And seeing the selfie sticks at Disney, it seems to be mainly young teen girls that don't watch out for others and are taking pics every 10 feet. When it comes to the GoPro users, they mainly seem to all be older and use it respectfully.

I personally would never use a selfie stick. I think it makes the user look incredibly idiotic. Either hold the phone out far enough in front of you or just have someone else take the pic. I wouldn't use one with a GoPro either though imo. I however really like the chest piece, helmet piece, and car clamp accessory they have.

Or simply get a GoPro which is built for that and don't risk your phone by using a cheap stick with a universal clamp. I always notice how majority of them seem like their barely holding the phone on

 

[minniemous]

I overheard two CM's having a laugh with another saying..."last year it was iPads everywhere...this year, Cameras on sticks". I think it is all too much.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

I considered it during early planning for my upcoming trip. I don't have a smart phone but I do have an iPad, so bringing it to the park would allow me to access MDE at the park, skip using the kiosks for FP+, etc. Ultimately I don't think it'll be worth the fuss of carrying it, as it sounds like the kiosk lines are doable and it turns out I'm going with someone who does have a smart phone anyway, but that was the train of thought that might have led me to bring my iPad on at least my first day at the parks when I thought I was going to go solo this fall.

I guess I can see using it for MDE if you don't have a smartphone. Although, last time we were at WDW was before FP+ and we saw plenty of iPads. (Which really doesn't make sense to me, bc those early iPads especially don't take good pics at all.) We usually go to WDW every year, but have skipped the past couple years bc of moving, having a baby, etc, so this will be our first trip using FP+. I'm open to the concept, but am not looking forward to potentially having my nose in my phone when I should be enjoying the parks!

The selfie stick thing also confounds me. But I also don't take selfies, and we use the photopass photographers for family pics.

 

[OZMom]

My favorite was waiting in line for a Disney photographer at the entrance to Epcot only to have people with a selfie stick jump into the spot as soon as it was our turn, take their photo, check it, take it again, check it, take it again....you get the point.

Honestly, I don't even notice them until people are inconsiderate about using them. I had more people run into me or my kids with their bodies then selfie sticks.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

what great timing for this post. We are down here now and today we were talking about the selfie sticks. I didn't even know that was a term but DH did.

I can't believe how many people have them. But fear not those who enjoy laughing at people using the ipads - they are still out there. We had one on a safari who spent the whole time recording the foliage - hoping no doubt that an animal would show up where she was pointing her ipad.

I've tried to use our ipad to access MDE in the parks - it rarely seems to be able to connect - at the resort no problem.

 

[Magpie]

The '70s were the Me Decade, not the '80s :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_%22Me%22_Decade_and_the_Third_Great_Awakening

Hey, today I learned something!

You see, growing up in the 80's, all I ever heard non-stop, was how selfish my generation was. How all we cared about was making money, going to clubs and doing drugs. They'd point at Pet Rocks as evidence of our stunning superficiality. "You're too self absorbed to even take care of a REAL pet!"

I suppose somehow I conflated all that with the "Me Generation" talk... but what they were talking about was the Me Generation a decade on, in their penthouses with lines of coke on the mirrors.

Thanks for the link - it was cool reading!

Oh puh lease. My daughter is 4. I'm not worried about HER becoming a narcissist. I think you read way more into my post than you should- nowhere did I say I was worried about my daughter becoming a narcissist and nowhere did I say I blamed gadgetry.

Taking constant photos of yourself making duck faces and what not and plastering them all over the Internet all day long is stupid and narcissistic. Oh look, I have new sungalsses, oh look, I'm posing in a bikini,oh look at me look at me blah blah blah. Seriously. People are so in love with themselves. It's not healthy. And I have 35 year old friends who do it, so it's not just young people. I was mostly being tongue and cheek when I said I fear for my daughter's generation. But I do think the selfies have gotten a bit ridiculous.

Hey, what you SAID was, "The selfie and the selfie stick are breeding an entire generation of super narcissists."

Yes, that's right. It's the selfie stick manufacturer's fault if anyone actually ends up a "super narcissist".

And you also said that bit about fearing for your daughter's generation, but I totally accept that you didn't actually mean it. And I don't think you think that selfie sticks create narcissism in people, either.

As for SOME people being in love with themselves, yes that's always been true. And it's annoying. I don't much care to hang out with those people. On the other hand, my 70ish mother in law has finally got onto Facebook (I don't even have a page, but she does!), and she loves it. For the first time in decades, she's able to keep in regular contact with her brothers and swap photos with distant friends and relatives. It's really awesome to see!

I think this is a wonderful time to be alive, and my kids are lucky to have grown up in this era and this place.

Oh... and 4 is an awesome age at which to introduce volunteering to your kids. They LOVE it at that age. My kids used to canvass door to door with me, and it was great fun.

i remember that rise in MDMA on the chart. sort of.

Well, you know... MDMA doesn't really enhance memory...

 

[ArwenMarie]

Just watched Wishes on Monday night from the hub area (not my preference, usually new fantasyland) and I could not believe all of the phone/camera sticks up in the air. I could barely see the castle. Mind you no one holds the camera perfectly still, so it's a constant distraction and I can't imagine they are actually recording a good quality video (that are already on youtube from countless users) I was so close from going to guest relations about this, because it's only going to get worse from here on out. I'm surprised they don't already have some kind of rule :/

I don't understand why people record something like Wishes instead of just experiencing it. So baffling to me. Plus you can watch everything on Youtube anyway.

I think they will get banned soon. Or as soon as someone gets seriously hurt.

 

[tinkerpea]

Well, I'll change the "cheap" in my comment, but I can't change your quote.

Why do some DISer's take everything so personally?

Maybe because you made it personal with your un called for comment!!

 

[tinkerpea]

I for one will be bringing my selfie stick with me when I come in may,
I will also have memory maker,however there isn't always a mm photographer when you want one.
I like grabbing a fun pic of me and dh when I can, and why not it doesn't hurt anyone if I take 1 picture of myself or 100....I want those memories to look back on,and recording my day has made for fantastic pic me ups when I've been down,or in hospital and want to look back on my time,
Yes I could also watch youtube video of the fireworks,but there is something about watching a show that you actually seen for yourself,plus I always video the smiles of my family whilst the fireworks are going on,and capture the ambience of the surroundings somebody else's video of their time isn't going to give me that.
I don't plan on hitting anyone with my stick, or blocking people's views!
I also won't use it on any rides where I'm at risk of losing it,due to the fact my hands are perfectly capable of holding my video camera,and a stick won't make capturing the ride any better while being shaken around on thunder mountain
I've managed to capture some fantastic selfies of dh myself and mickey etc .
We've also come up with great pics when trying to fit us and the 3 kids in with us.
There are many pros and fun to be had with them,and I look forward to capturing more of my self centred person with my stick to plaster all over my fbook. lol

 

[bumbershoot]

Ah...the good old days...when you just asked a stranger to take your photo.

On our recent trip (Universal and Disney cruise, along with 3 rundisney events) we kept offering to take pictures of people who were doing the awkward selfie thing.

We got a relieved, astonished, "oh yeah, forgot that was an option" YES every single time, with big huge smiles at the end. But that in between moment of realization on their faces, each time, was amazing. It's as though everyone has forgotten that there are, in fact, other people in the world, MANY of whom would be absolutely happy to take a picture of you.

And the picture will actually show where you are, no one has to strain to hold the camera, and it will probably look nicer.

Plus, as DH says, the camera on the iphone on the non-screen part is a great camera, but the camera on the screen part, the part you use when taking a selfie, is NOT that great of a camera. DH kept saying "why are people using the junky camera to do that"? Which is why he kept offering to take pictures for others.

The reason I will be taking one is so all our family can all be in a photo together, I don't think that its selfish...

I'm sure that there will be other humans there that will be happy to take a good group photo whenever you think of it. Truly. Try asking.

I so agree about the selfie sticks! But Disneys policy on tripods is that they are allowed. I've brought mine many times into the parks. I wouldn't mind seeing the sticks be banned though.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/parks/restricted-personal-items/

You may not bring the following types of items into the theme parks:

Tripod stands or monopod stands that cannot fit inside a standard backpack

Hey, today I learned something!

You see, growing up in the 80's, all I ever heard non-stop, was how selfish my generation was. How all we cared about was making money, going to clubs and doing drugs.

You are incredibly gracious. I could learn some huge lessons from you. Wow.

I always thought that the 80s generation being talked about was those who were adults in the 80s. After all, it wasn't the preteens and teens doing all those naughty things. (I'm assuming we're about the same age...I graduated HS in '87) The adult actors in St Elmo's Fire, not the actual teens who were in Breakfast Club, LOL.

I think they will get banned soon. Or as soon as someone gets seriously hurt.

Over at Universal on Hulk and Rip Ride Rockit they are cracking down tremendously If they notice a phone in your pocket, you are sent to the lockers. They'll allow a lanyard and your eyeglasses, and that's pretty much it. Not even the 3 prong waistpacks/bumbags that they allow on the other "big" rides.

 

[huhwhat]

More annoying than selfie sticks are people holding up their phones or tablets to record the fireworks....great....my view is of your ipad ......have a magical day !

 

[larryz]

what is it you want to call me now?

Right now, I'd say you're sleepy. Sorry I offended you. Have a nice trip.

 

[Laketravis]

Hey, today I learned something!

You see, growing up in the 80's, all I ever heard non-stop, was how selfish my generation was. How all we cared about was making money, going to clubs and doing drugs. They'd point at Pet Rocks as evidence of our stunning superficiality. "You're too self absorbed to even take care of a REAL pet!"

The "Pet Rock" debuted in 1975 and was pretty much gone by 1976.