Pokemon GO In the Parks?

[SgtTibbs]

I must be the only grump out there thinking - "Oh, great - another reason for people to stare at their phones and not watch where they're going!!!"

I know, people having fun in a different way than you. It's a hardship.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

It's actually a very different experience than playing elsewhere due to the number of stops/gyms/pokemon in a relatively confined space.

Looking though the people who have reported (with the knowledge that this game has only been out a few days), it's locals who are playing most in the parks/making an effort to visit the parks to play.

In the many hours that I've spent playing on property over several days, I have seen 0 issues of people walking into others or hurting themselves while playing this game

I find that many of these sightings of TERRIBLE Pokerudeness are accompanied by unrelated rants about young people & smartphone usage...

I ventured into what should apparently be the heart of darkness - Nintendo World - over the weekend. Zero problems. All over Brooklyn & Manhattan - zero problems. There are many people playing & talking with each other. Not one instance of rude behavior specifically related to this game in a city with over eight million people.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I must be the only grump out there thinking - "Oh, great - another reason for people to stare at their phones and not watch where they're going!!!"

No, you're not

 

[Jobie]

See this thread: Pokemon GO In the Parks?

Thanks!

 

[Jobie]

There are TONS of pokestops in the world. So so so many pokestops and gyms and pokemon. I was on my trip when the game launched and I caught 100 different kinds of pokemon with no effort over the course of 4-5 days. A lot of the CMs play too and get really into talking to you about where they've found different pokemon. You'll also find a lot of people setting up lures at the more popular pokestops so you can easily just hang out in one of the lure areas and have pokemon come to you.

Cool! I figured that would be the case.

 

[Karin1984]

Just now a newspaper here wrote an article about a form companies can fill in to remove spots from their grounds. This because players were searching near the railroads and were creating dangerous situations.

 

[rmm7e]

I feel old. I've been doing geocaching for several years now -- physical boxes. They also have virtual geocaches where you can't place a physical box. Now with Pokemon GO they're "augmented reality". #getoffmylawn (not really, I wish I had a smartphone I'd be all over this!)

 

[GaryDis]

All over Brooklyn & Manhattan - zero problems.

That doesn't count. New Yorkers are equipped with built-in sonar to keep from walking into each other.

 

[Shadowcat70]

I wonder how much of an uptick in sales of Pokemon merchandise the Japan pavilion has seen?

Our kids are excited to catch pokemon in the parks, name them something disney-themed, and buy some pokemon merchandise in Epcot. They are also hoping to be able to leave one of their pokemon at a gym there. I am thinking disney doesn't mind the influx of locals visiting the parks because of this (spending money on food and snacks).

 

[smallworldnh]

I must be the only grump out there thinking - "Oh, great - another reason for people to stare at their phones and not watch where they're going!!!"

I'm sure you're not the only one. I don't want to be a party pooper either, but I am seriously tired of people walking around with their faces in their phones totally oblivious to their surroundings and this game sounds like another reason to not pay attention to the people around you. I recently almost drove into a young girl who decided to step out from between two cars and she didn't even look up from her phone while she did it. So yeah, I think it's going to be a problem.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

My DS is a grown up Pokemon fan. I have been in the hospital for a few days and he and his friend came up and both went around the hospital and local stores catching them. Several times I had one on the bed with me. He then thought about the Disney trip and he about lost it thinking about how fun it was going to be there, lol.

 

[CookieGVB]

I know, people having fun in a different way than you. It's a hardship.

It is when I have to avoid running over foolish players who go into the street, or side-stepping people in the parks with their faces in their phone, not paying attention to their surroundings and others. I could give less than...fill in the blank...how someone else has fun. Just don't infringe on others and all's well. Thanks for your concern, though.

 

[OKW Lover]

I wonder how this is affecting the usability of wifi in the parks

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I will love this for my DS and may even play some with him. Where I will ask him NOT to play is when we are on attractions. I'm not sure that Pokemon are showing up on Pirates or Splash, but I don't want my ride attraction interrupted by it. And I sure wouldn't want my DS to ruin someone's first trip or experience.

Are they showing up on attractions?

 

[Shadowcat70]

I will love this for my DS and may even play some with him. Where I will ask him NOT to play is when we are on attractions. I'm not sure that Pokemon are showing up on Pirates or Splash, but I don't want my ride attraction interrupted by it. And I sure wouldn't want my DS to ruin someone's first trip or experience.

Are they showing up on attractions?

I have seen a picture someone took of one on the little mermaid ride at either MK or DL. =(

I completely agree with you. We will NOT be playing on the attractions at all either. It would would ruin the magic and be rude to other guests. Unfortunately, we've been on many dark rides where people go through the entire ride checking their cell phones with their distracting screen glare.

 

[SgtTibbs]

It is when I have to avoid running over foolish players who go into the street, or side-stepping people in the parks with their faces in their phone, not paying attention to their surroundings and others. I could give less than...fill in the blank...how someone else has fun. Just don't infringe on others and all's well. Thanks for your concern, though.

It's a personal thing, but for me getting worked up over things that might happen or could happen is a waist of time. Especially when the perceived issue is as minor as having to occasionally step around someone.

 

[CookieGVB]

It's a personal thing, but for me getting worked up over things that might happen or could happen is a waist of time. Especially when the perceived issue is as minor as having to occasionally step around someone.

I congratulate you on your zen. So jealous!

 

[addiemon]

Hubs and I have been playing fairly constantly and haven't had TOO much trouble with others. The reality is that thoughtful people will be thoughtful, and the thoughtless ones will remain thoughtless, whatever they all spend time on.

 

[GaryDis]

It's a personal thing, but for me getting worked up over things that might happen or could happen is a waist of time. Especially when the perceived issue is as minor as having to occasionally step around someone.

I don't mind stepping around someone. I mind when they don't step around me.

 

[SureAsLiz]

I have seen a picture someone took of one on the little mermaid ride at either MK or DL. =(

I completely agree with you. We will NOT be playing on the attractions at all either. It would would ruin the magic and be rude to other guests. Unfortunately, we've been on many dark rides where people go through the entire ride checking their cell phones with their distracting screen glare.

That was me! Found a Magikarp on Little Mermaid in WDW. Actually, I've found several pokemon on rides, and many even have stops within the rides.

Honestly, I'm respectful about it: sound is off, brightness is turned all the way down, battery saver mode is on (which blacks out the screen), don't open it in the darkest parts of the rides, etc. My friend, who was in the shell with me, didn't realize I had been playing until the ride was over and I showed it to her. With that particular photo, I can promise I wasn't being rude to any other guests because there was no one in the shells around us.

I know not everyone will do that - people already use their phones at full brightness on rides and ignore the "no flash/video lighting" rules (which are far worse than a cell phone screen IMO)

Outside of locals, I really don't think it will be as big of an issue in the parks as everyone wants to believe. This app will kill the battery of a phone, and most guests don't want to risk their phone going dead by noon. Of the locals who are playing, most have enough respect to be able to play peacefully in the park without ruining other guest experiences.