Put Down Your Phones!

[shyjade]

I was disappointed in the number of CM's playing on iPads on our trip last May. We saw several of them at the entrances to rides with iPads in hand, looking down and playing on them. Call me crazy, but I found it a bit offensive and definitely not magical. It's the little things, like being greeted with a smile and hello by a CM as you enter a line, that makes Disney special. CM's playing on an iPad and ignoring guests as they walk by...not so much.

 

[Magpie]

I see both sides, I have seen an overwhelming trend of overuse of technology, parents being "checked out" and this can be especially dangerous if they are driving their children not paying attention to the road or walking across the street texting while you and your baby in the stroller can be hit by a car. While in WDW, I have experienced people talking on their cellphone during an attraction or at dinner, and to me this just is not proper etiquette, if you are on the bus or walking and need to talk to someone that is different and I know myself I am guilty of texting too much and I think the OP point is maybe not judging per se but just observing that we have become a tech-reliable society and that human connection is getting lost in the mix. Technology is a great thing but it has it's cons just like everything else.

But at the same time, there's massive human connection that's being gained.

Right now, we're connecting. Thanks to a magic box in your home, you can reach out to any human being on the planet, any time you like.

I am SO grateful for the technology that's given us this amazing ability to connect with other human beings. I believe we've gained more human connection than we've ever lost. "Shut-ins" can reach out and be heard. Women are no longer trapped in pretty suburban boxes reaching for the bottle of "Mother's Little Helper". Business people and soldiers on the road can talk to their families every night, and their children won't forget what their voices sound like.

We're living in a golden age of human connection! I wouldn't want to live in any other time.

Besides, whenever I go to breakfast with my husband, I see always old couples sitting across from each other silently reading different sections of the newspaper. What's the difference between reading the paper or reading the news on a device?

I do think it's rude for one person to be on a device ignoring another person who isn't, but it'd also be rude if that one person was reading the paper. However if both people are happy with it, then it's none of my business.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Joining this conversation a little late. When I first had my son I happened to read an article by a long time daycare provider who had noticed this same trend and had also coincidentally noticed the effect it has had on children. Something that I still remember from the article and that I took to heart was that she said, everytime you look at your phone instead of your child, or talk on your phone while picking your child up you are saying, "you are not important, you are not important, you are not important". I think there is some truth to that, and we make an effort to never use our electronic devices while we could be engaged with our son.

When I observe other parents like the OP has I feel a little sorry for those kids, because to me the parents are saying "you are not important", and that should make any parent sad.

Sent from my phone using DISBoards Ap, please excuse any typos and autocorrect mistakes.

 

[Magpie]

I was disappointed in the number of CM's playing on iPads on our trip last May. We saw several of them at the entrances to rides with iPads in hand, looking down and playing on them. Call me crazy, but I found it a bit offensive and definitely not magical. It's the little things, like being greeted with a smile and hello by a CM as you enter a line, that makes Disney special. CM's playing on an iPad and ignoring guests as they walk by...not so much.

Pretty sure they're not "playing". They're working!

Disney probably has them doing guest surveys, or other important work, and constantly greeting every one of the thousands of guests streaming by would be impossible.

Would you expect the fellow sweeping up garbage to put his broom down and stand there waving and smiling at all the guests? When would the garbage ever get swept, if he did that? I'm sure if you actually SPOKE to the CM working on their iPad, they'd smile and say hi, and be very pleasant. But otherwise, they have a job to do.

 

[HippieChickadee]

Who made you judge and jury as to what cell phone activity is acceptable and what isn't?

The point is, you don't know why they are on their phones, how long they have been,who they are, etc.

And because you don't, coming to judgments about what they should or shouldn't be doing is completely irrational.

That's NOT "noticing".

Is the lady next to you that is "thumbing" franticly in the middle of hall of presidents responding to a facebook message from a family member in another country? Or just updating her status? YOU HAVE NO IDEA! If you do know (and are not just assuming), you are paying wayyyyy too much attention.

Alot of people who visit other countries (even Canada) to not activate their phones for cellular use, but when on wi-fi, can access facebook and texting apps to communicate with friends or family members (possibly someone just on the other side of the park).

The fact that you, or anyone else here feels they can set a standard as to what is an acceptable amount of time and or topic matter to discuss electronically is just way off base.

Whether you admit it or not, talking about something negatively or saying others need to stop (as the OP says) is more than noticing, it's judging. Often times, prematurely without the appropriate information to do so.

Sorry you took offense to what I said.

That lady in hall of presidents was being extremely rude because people were trying to watch a show and her bright screen was distracting. But if she was typing to someone overseas then by all means! Then and there is definitely the time and place to do it.

And I am judge and jury over my opinions on any topic- until I post rules for you to follow- I'm entitled to my opinions. As are you.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I wonder what the cell phone haters think of Spaceship Earth?

Maybe they're the ones using flash photography the entire time?

 

[Magpie]

When I observe other parents like the OP has I feel a little sorry for those kids, because to me the parents are saying "you are not important", and that should make any parent sad.

Sent from my phone using DISBoards Ap, please excuse any typos and autocorrect mistakes.

Sometimes I really wonder how my kids ever turned out as well as they did.

(I'll let someone else have fun with the "Sent from my phone" bit... )

 

[luvmy3]

Nobody said you shouldn't notice it.

Bringing it publicly, to an open forum, in a negative connotation is more than noticing. People defending behavior that is WIDELY considered acceptable and even encouraged in many, MANY instances should only be accepted.

Why, because you are one of those people who do it and feel you need to be doing something acceptable?
You are free to feel that ignoring your (generally speaking) family because you cant pry yourself away from your phone is acceptable, and I am free to feel it isnt. And yes when I am sitting at a restaurant for 2 hours and notice those around me are doing just that for the entire time, I will have an opinion on it, and I will even *gasp* talk about it on the internet.
Why do you care what some strangers say about what you are doing anyway? If you are okay with what you are doing, it shouldnt matter

 

[Magpie]

Sorry you took offense to what I said.

That lady in hall of presidents was being extremely rude because people were trying to watch a show and her bright screen was distracting. But if she was typing to someone overseas then by all means! Then and there is definitely the time and place to do it.

And I am judge and jury over my opinions on any topic- until I post rules for you to follow- I'm entitled to my opinions. As are you.

Actually, while I have no issues with the family on their devices while waiting for dinner and really don't think you can judge a person's parenting by whether or not they use an iPhone, I do agree with you that the phone in the Hall of Presidents was rude. I actually turn mine off when we go into a show, because I don't want it to ring and bother people.

If she had a crisis, she should have excused herself from the room and dealt with it outside. It's the polite thing to do.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Sorry you took offense to what I said.

That lady in hall of presidents was being extremely rude because people were trying to watch a show and her bright screen was distracting. But if she was typing to someone overseas then by all means! Then and there is definitely the time and place to do it.

And I am judge and jury over my opinions on any topic- until I post rules for you to follow- I'm entitled to my opinions. As are you.

It is never acceptable for anyone to diminish your attraction experience because of their cell phone, camera, iPad use....we agree.

If you don't want a cell phone, fine....don't use one. Ban them from your home and vacation. If someone isn't paying attention and they're on their phone....they should have been paying attention, agree. But, accidents and bumps didn't just start happening in the digital and electronic age.

And yes, you are entitled to your opinion. BUT, when you believe your opinion should start dictating other people's behavior, you're going too far.

 

[LaurenT]

Why, because you are one of those people who do it and feel you need to be doing something acceptable?
You are free to feel that ignoring your family is acceptable, and I am free to feel it isnt. And yes when I am sitting at a restaurant for 2 hours and notice those around me are doing just that for the entire time, I will have an opinion on it, and I will even *gasp* talk about it on the internet.
Why do you care what some strangers say about what you are doing anyway? If you are okay with what you are doing, it shouldnt matter

This is somewhat hypocritical.
If it's ok for you to comment on others using their smart phones in public, and even assuming that it means they are ignoring their family, then why isn't it ok for others to comment on you being so opinionated about it that you feel you need to go to a message board to criticize them?

 

[kaytieeldr]

I know! Isn't it awful when parents stick a BOOK in front of their child in a restaurant?

Oh wait, that wasn't the device you meant? Were you perhaps talking about a colouring placemat and crayons?

Even when I was a child in the 70's, my mother didn't believe in making me sit in silence at a restaurant table without anything to entertain myself while the adults talked.

When the restaurant provided entertaining placemats, fine; but growing up in the same era, when our family went to a restaurant, the family conversed during the meal. Same as at home. No books, no toys, no distractions needed or allowed.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Why, because you are one of those people who do it and feel you need to be doing something acceptable?

Actually, I mistyped. I meant to say "expected" not "accepted".

What I meant to say was that if you bring this type of complaint to an open forum and peak of it with such negativity, you should expect people to defend it.

 

[LSUfan4444]

If it's ok for you to comment on others using their smart phones in public, and even assuming that it means they are ignoring their family, then why isn't it ok for others to comment on you being so opinionated about it that you feel you need to go to a message board to criticize them?

Thats exactly the point.

We aren't talking about people washing their feet in a restaurants sink...we're talking about smart phone/technology use. In high schools around the country, kids are required to have smart tablets or laptops.....like it or not, we are in the technological age and many peoples worlds are becoming more wide open, not closed.

I understand the ignorance of that to alot of people. Alot of people simply are refuting those changes...I get it. BUT, when you think you're preferences should somehow start being adopted for others (especially when they are even in contrast with the new age of Disney ticketing, reservations, fast passes, etc), you're taking it too far.

I hate crocs. I hate them. I think they are terribly ugly, (physiologically speaking) horrible for peoples feet and the only thing worse than crocs are socks with crocs, but if I start a thread saying crocs need to be banned, I am going to expect a backlash and for people to defend their deep heartened love for the foamy shoe. Instead, I actually posted a thread not too long ago alerting people of a huge online crocs sale since I know so many people here like them.

 

[LSUfan4444]

When the restaurant provided entertaining placemats, fine; but growing up in the same era, when our family went to a restaurant, the family conversed during the meal. Same as at home. No books, no toys, no distractions needed or allowed.

While I don't disagree in theory, and this is what we typically do as well (or try to), it's probably much safer to eliminate the use of those devices while walking through the parks and use them while sitting, BUT I get your point.

On a normal day at home, no tv, iPads or phones during dinner...but in Disney, I'd much rather my wife upload pics to facebook while we're sitting and resting rather than pushing a stroller.

Thing is, every situation is different and because we don't know, we shouldn't judge.

 

[Magpie]

When the restaurant provided entertaining placemats, fine; but growing up in the same era, when our family went to a restaurant, the family conversed during the meal. Same as at home. No books, no toys, no distractions needed or allowed.

Different families do things differently. Allowing a child to read or play on a device before their food arrives in no way impacts on any other guest's enjoyment of their meals.

And I will just point out that both you and I know how to have a conversation. We're both in (I assume) happy, secure, long-lasting marriages. We have good relationships with our teenage children. We get along well with our relatives. We're physically fit, healthy, contented people.

So regardless of whether our families did things differently at restaurants when we were growing up, it clearly worked. Our mums both did a good job raising us!

 

[squirrel4569]

When on vacation we do our best to limit our usage of our phones and other devices to enjoy the moment, but we do still use them from time to time to get information for our trip. We brought the kid's iPods on the last trip to help keep them preoccupied when waiting in long lines and we couldn't entertain them anymore, but we didn't even use them.

At home we also limit phones and such at dinner, regardless of if we are at home or out at a restaurant, but there are exceptions to every rule and it's not to say that we won't answer the phone or let the kids play on an iPod when they are done coloring while waiting for their food. Each situation is different and we treat it as such.

And have times really changed that much? When I was a teen I had a Walkman (remember those?) and listened to music pretty much all the time. I took it off at the dinner table but tuning out parents isn't much new.

With various companies embracing social media and smart devices it's no surprise to also see people using their phones while on vacation. We found the Disney app to be very useful when we were there last year and will use it again on this upcoming trip. We'll probably stay off of facebook, email and all of that for the week without issue but we're also flexible so it's possible that we may use them if we feel the need.

 

[luvmy3]

This is somewhat hypocritical.
If it's ok for you to comment on others using their smart phones in public, and even assuming that it means they are ignoring their family, then why isn't it ok for others to comment on you being so opinionated about it that you feel you need to go to a message board to criticize them?

No, its not hypocritical, I never said anyone here can't or shouldnt comment on anything someone else says. We are all sharing our opinions on this discussion board, we are all opinionated.
I do wonder though why some are getting so defensive over it. Do you guys really care what some stranger in a restaurant or on the internet thinks?

Actually, I mistyped. I meant to say "expected" not "accepted".

What I meant to say was that if you bring this type of complaint to an open forum and peak of it with such negativity, you should expect people to defend it.

Okay, that makes more sense. But still, why would you get so defensive about something a stranger notices or says about you?

 

[surferdave]

I'm gonna Facetime my daughter from across the table next time I'm in a WDW restaurant! Maybe that will make everybody happy.

 

[Magpie]

Okay, that makes more sense. But still, why would you get so defensive about something a stranger notices or says about you?

I can't imagine why people would get cranky about being criticized.

For what it's worth, you wouldn't see my family all on their devices at dinner.

I encouraged books and devices when the kids were small, but as they got older they outgrew the need for entertainment at the table, and now when we go out we all just chat with each other. Sometimes my husband has to respond to a work text, which he does as quickly as possible. Sometimes one of us will look something up online, with regards to a discussion we're having. I've been known to pass the camera around the table so everyone can see the pictures we've taken during the day. But other than that, no.

However, despite not needing to defend my own actions, I'm still happy to take the "mind your own beeswax" side of this debate. I dislike the judgmental mindset that says, "I SAW you on your iPad at the dinner table and you make me sad. Clearly your children are neglected, you terrible parent."