Petition to Disney - Re: Large Tour Groups

[sb682]

We were there at the beginning of the month and also visited last July. The tour groups were much more subdued and less annoying than last year. Just a big bunch of teenagers in one place, oh the horror. The only chanting we witnessed was in an outdoor area in Adventureland. The groups we encountered in line were no more obnoxious than American teenagers, and I know some people's experiences may differ, but that was mine. The most annoying group on our trip was the Florida FFA convention at our offsite hotel for most of the week. Taking over the pool, slamming doors, running up and down the hall, etc. The Brazilian kids in our building were downright calm in comparison.

 

[bookgirl]

Hey guys, I just came across this on Facebook. It appears that someone (a DVC member) has created a petition to Disney regarding large tour groups, and the safety of other guests. What do you guys think?

http://chn.ge/1rItAGz

um....good luck with that.

Was just there two weeks ago, didn't see any large groups except for the gazillion sports teams. AAU basketball, softball, baseball, and the Disney World Cup Soccer. All in all it was crowded but everyone behaved themselves.

My first visit was in Jan 2009 and there were a number of large tour groups, South American but don't know which country, they were pretty well behaved as well.

They bring in tons of money to WDW and god only knows how much they spend at the outlet malls.

Florida loves them.

 

[Luvchefmic]

What a load of nonsense and the scary thing is she has 500 signatures. Maybe she should start a go fund me account so she can rent out the parks for herself and everyone else that is supporting her.

 

[stky6]

The tour groups are not any kind of a safety threat...if they were, they'd be dealt with. They're a nuisance sometimes (but so are tantruming children LOL).

AND some of their tantruming parents

 

[anniemae]

Many of the comments say they are concerned for the safety of the children etc. What are the safety issues? As far as I can tell they are an annoyance to some degree, but not sure about safety being an issue.

 

[SRUAlmn]

We were there at the beginning of the month and also visited last July. The tour groups were much more subdued and less annoying than last year. Just a big bunch of teenagers in one place, oh the horror. The only chanting we witnessed was in an outdoor area in Adventureland. The groups we encountered in line were no more obnoxious than American teenagers, and I know some people's experiences may differ, but that was mine. The most annoying group on our trip was the Florida FFA convention at our offsite hotel for most of the week. Taking over the pool, slamming doors, running up and down the hall, etc. The Brazilian kids in our building were downright calm in comparison.

Agreed! I have to say, I've actually written to Disney about the groups. I agree with many parts of the petition. We were just there last week and it was often very difficult to shop because they'd all sit in the shops all over the floor in front of merchandise and you couldn't get to it. I'd say excuse me, they'd stay put.

They do get FPs in large quantities. My sister and husband had two occurrences in which they walked into the FP queue right as a group was entering, thus extending their wait time substantially (after the second time we learned to start scoping out the vicinity before getting in line )

The main thing that really bothers me is the chanting and sitting in the streets of MK over an hour before MSEP begins. It's difficult to get by them, and to be honest, my absolute favorite part of going to Disney is walking down Main St and hearing the sounds and smelling the smells and being totally immersed in the magic. Having to step over teenagers and listen to loud screaming and chanting doesn't feel very 'turn of the century' to me!

However, all that being said....

I agree with the poster I quoted because this trip last week was FAR less obtrusive than previous trips have been and the groups did seem to be traveling in slightly smaller groups.

 

[jcvalenti]

I certainly think it's a safety hazard. I've posted before about the time I almost punched the lights out of a tour group kid as they stampeded around us rushing into Fantasmic and one of them literally knocked my son's stroller over while he was in it. It's not the only such encounter I've had with tour group people.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think that the people Disney are least likely to listen to are the people who have already forked over their accommodations money for the next fifty years and are under a contract to continue to pay maintenance fees as well.

 

[SRUAlmn]

I certainly think it's a safety hazard. I've posted before about the time I almost punched the lights out of a tour group kid as they stampeded around us rushing into Fantasmic and one of them literally knocked my son's stroller over while he was in it. It's not the only such encounter I've had with tour group people.

Yes! We saw a similar occurrence after Wishes one night with the tipping over of a wheelchair. Luckily, my sister and I were right there and we (along with one of their family members) were able to tip it back upright before the person inside fully 'fell.'

We've also witnessed a group of teenagers in the fountain at the entrance to EPCOT (by Leave a Legacy.) They were splashing around in very little clothing and throwing water on passer bys and laughing hysterically. A few CMs were standing over to the side watching. Not sure if they were waiting to step in if needed since it wasn't necessarily 'dangerous?'

 

[pogopossum]

,,,,,,,,,I was there July 13-18' saw many South American tour groups, I thought they were remarkably well behaved. I was actually surprised but pleased as well.

It was as if disney finally laid down the law to these groups. In past trips, 2008 and 2011 they were horrible!!!!

We were there during that time frame as well. We didn't see the groups as a nuisance, but more as a source of amusement. We joked about starting chants for world cup rivals around them. We decided that they had been given an agenda to fulfill each day:

1. Use their fast passes.
2. Take photos and selfies.
3. Chant.
4. Sit.

I don't know how a group of that size could do more than three attractions a day, even with fast passes. We did see ride operators in action when a group got to dinosaur as we did. The cm at the entrance after the circular queue room called downstairs to cm loading the ride to see if it was moving well enough to send them down and they were sent into the next room as one. We were sent to the other room. So each room went to a different loading area and kept apart.

But with every group we saw there were two chaperones in charge, so we never saw a group get unruly or appear to put anyone in harm's way. My FIL who was cm in security told us that Disney lays out very strict rules to the travel organizers and violations will get the group kicked out and come back badly for the organizers. As far as noise in the resorts goes, he had told us that the value resorts get more complaint calls than all the other resorts combined and not just when the south Americans are in town.

 

[To the honeypots]

Now if only someone would start a petition against standby+.

 

[BelleKer]

I would agree with the other posters who say this absurd, it is more of a nuisance versus a safety concern. I find the groups of cheerleaders obnoxious just as much as the BTG who chant. I think Disney could prohibit the chanting as it is annoying, but they haven't so I'll deal. Also, if they are groups of teenagers they should require a better ratio of chaperones to teenagers. I take about 80-100 5th graders each year to Disney, but we break them into groups of 4-6 and a chaperone with each. We all don't move around the park in a herd, sure some groups might merge together but again it's still not 100 kids all in one place. We also set clear rules and expectations, no chanting is number 1. Lol

I will say the BTG do not understand personal space or how to say excuse me, but half the other adults there don't either

 

[Sharpdisney]

Is there a certain time of year that the tour groups are more prevelant? Some here mention "go at a different time of year," but I wouldn't even know what time to avoid if this was a concern?

 

[SDSorority]

Now if only someone would start a petition against standby+.

 

[crazymomof4]

Obviously there are groups who cause trouble for other guests, but then it is THEIR responsibility to report that to a CM if it hasn't already been seen.

Unless a BTG has ganged up on you to beat the crap out of you, I doubt there is a 'safety risk'.

#1. Based on personal experience, reporting to a CM is a waste of time. Most of them are young persons themselves and think this sort of behavior is funny + they are not paid to be park security.

#2- So anything LESS THAN getting "beat up" at WDW is considered frivolous whining? IMO large groups (30-50) of young persons pushing and shoving through the mixed crowds who frequent WDW... consisting of older persons, persons with disabilities both in and out of wheelchairs, young children and babies in strollers IS most definitely a safety issue. You may be able to quickly go in another direction when you see such a group but what about the parents with strollers and those pushing w/c who very suddenly find such a mob approaching? I've done WDW with pushing both w/c and strollers many times and a quick exit through a crowd to avoid being shoved is just NOT possible! Can't be done.

 

[lovin'fl]

Is there a certain time of year that the tour groups are more prevelant? Some here mention "go at a different time of year," but I wouldn't even know what time to avoid if this was a concern?

I found them there in January and July. Their summers are Dec to end of January or early Feb and their winter break is July. Late March to early April is an autumn break for some as well.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

Okay, my tuppence worth. I have contacted Disney because of the Tour groups, particularly in the days of the FP machine and being stuck behind tour group leaders with dozens of tickets, feeding them into the machine (helped by CMs) and watching the return time go later and later and later, then they all return to the FP for the ride at the same time, I went to go one Buzz Lightyear FP just a tour group arrived, a small number were ahead of me and the CM allowed the entire group (easily 30 or 40) to go past me, I said I was one person and he told me they wanted to stay together. They go around in these large groups with the group leader holding up his little flag and they think this gives them the right of way or they all stop at once and block entrances, pavements etc...
As for rowdy parties, I went in 2012 in March when the school parties arrive, mainly for day visits, I was on the ferry from TTC with several bus loads and they spent the entire trip singing and chanting very loudly, no one was happy, but, you can't say anything, they have teachers with them who seem to forget they are there to supervise (the same happened in May at Universal and these were even worse, they were an absolute nuisance in City Walk, especially at the Starbucks and I came so close to giving one teacher with them what for as she almost encouraged their disgusting behaviour by being their pal rather than chaperone)
The Mayor of Orlando, Buddy Dyer is encouraging these groups to visit the are as he thinks it'll bring money in, but, he is mistaken, the people adding to the economy are families and overseas visitors who spend money once there, many of the tour groups pay at the time of booking for things like meals that are subsidised by the numbers. The issue,for Brazilians, is visas, they aren't as easy to get as for Europeans, they tend to have to wait a minimum of 3 months from applying to get it, if they could get Estas then maybe they would come as family groups doing packages the way we do rather than booking through tour companies who do all that for them as it is such a palaver.

 

[SydneyFalco]

Man, there are a bunch of "groups" of people I'd like to see Disney ban but it won't ever happen! Basically, they should ban everyone w/o a screen name on Dis of "JoeA".

Rest of you...banned!

"No, no. I mean everyone. You're all bothering me. I want to be left alone. Clearly, the only way that's gonna happen is to be alone. So I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to let you all go. [pause] Except the Yankees and the Knicks... and the Yankees and the Knicks are gonna need someone to play, so keep the Red Sox and the Lakers... and the Laker girls, and The Palm ... and we'll need to keep the people who work at The Palm. That's it though: the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Knicks, the Lakers, the Laker girls, and anyone who works at The Palm. Sports, Laker girls, and a well-prepared steak. That's all I need... Sometimes, I like to mix it up with Italian... and Chinese. All right, you can all stay, but don't bug me. You're on probation. Don't forget. I was this close to banishing you."

 

[alvernon90]

I can understand the concern but I doubt an internet petition will change anything. It would be far more effective to learn a few curse words in Portuguese.

 

[itsthatdisneygirl]

While I am not a fan of the tour groups and especially not of the chanting, god do I hate the chanting! I think that both Disney and the tour group leaders are doing their jobs at handling these large amounts of teens in the best way possible for everybody involved. I can say this because of the following experience I recently had.

Picture if you will the festival center during the World Cup final between Argentina and Germany. I was there and at the beginning it was very peaceful then horrors upon horrors not 1 not 2 but 3 Argentia groups arrive full with ear piercing chanting

Once disney security realized they were creating a safety hazard by all standing in the zone where the FW demos go on which already had tables in it for parties to watch the game they instructed the group leaders to make sure that not only did the kids sit at all times but also leave space should an emergency happen and they enforced through out the game. Not only did they do this but they also put a cabosh on the never ending chanting with the understanding that should their team score they are of course allowed to celebrate within reason.

The group leaders were VERY responsible for making sure the kids followed the rules. I did end up moving to the more German friendly side but not becuase I was afraid for my safety but because it was more fun being around people rooting for my team.

TLDR: they seem to have already cracked down on the bad behavior of the groups and are going a good job of it