Respect for other guests

[101disneyfan]

I know that I am not alone (here on the DIS) when I say that I try my best to respect other guests while at the Disney theme parks. I'm talking specifically as far as taking video or pictures while I am riding through an attraction, especially an indoor attraction like Small World, Figment, etc.

However, we took our most recent trip to Walt Disney World in the last week of June 2013. Aside from the constant guest complaints about crowds and the heat, as if they had no idea that there would be other people or that it would be warmer than 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the last week of June, people are gladly taking as many flash snapshots of the Great Movie Ride or the heaven room in It's a Small World as they wish. And here I am, with my camcorder, looking through the viewfinder at a black and white image of what I am recording, and I have a whole boat of people in the Small World with their iPhones and iPads and iPods and everything else, with spotlights on each other's faces, using these touchscreens, with the volume up so we can all hear the shutter sound effect.

Now, personally I'm not completely upset to the point where I won't be returning, but if Disney can make a perfectly "blend-in" Fastpass + Entrance sign for the queue lines, can't they make a sign that says (at the very least) "No Flash Photography?"

There is no need to have a $7,000 removable flash on your camera going off in everyone's face so that you can get a shot of the Alien on the Great movie Ride, just so that you can take your memory card to Walmart when returning home, and say "Oh, man. There's a glare on the wall! Maybe I should have take a non flash photo, instead."?

Let me say that I think it's perfectly fine if you want to take out your iPad to take pictures of the Backlot Tour, Living with the Land, the Castle Forecourt performance, or Kilomanjaro Safaris, but why do we need to take a back burner to you getting a 'perfect' shot of London on Peter Pan's Flight?

When did people lose respect for each other's happiness in THE MAGIC KINGDOM? More importantly, why am I being so careful that I don't want to ruin a child's first experience seeing the Main Street Electrical Parade by having a big lit up screen block their view of a magical experience? When did people start taking the hard work of the Walt Disney Imagineers for granted?

 

[d1gitman]

I don't think its peiple losing respect at Walt Disney World for others. I think its people losing respect for others in general. Our society has Become a self entitled society. Everyone has te right to do what they deem to be important to them without regard for others.

What i wonder us if Walt Disney World will at some point ever come up with a way to address things like flash photography on rides. I'd be willing to bet its been discussed by disney brass before but it likely is a difficult solution One that likely is not worth the hassle

 

[PoohLover78]

I always thought the dark attractions had a "no flash photography" sign? And a "please no videotaping", too? Just wondering cause I took a camcorder to WDW a few years back and I always snuck it onto the ride in my bag and then got it out ready to shoot once we had left the boarding platform. I swear there were those signs, otherwise I wouldn't have been so paranoid

I confess, I also take pictures on rides and used to film. But, I always try to respect those around me. My flash is *always* off, especially since a regular flash will do you no good on dark rides anyways. Example - I was at a bird show Monday. My mom gave me her point and shoot to take pics. I was so embarrassed with the camera because I every time I took a pic it would quack. Every time I had to turn it back on after it had turned itself off, it would ding. I tried to turn the sound off but could just not figure it out (I did figure it out later on, but I was in a such rush and embarrassed I could not find the right setting). I didn't get any glares from people around me but it annoyed *me* to no end that the camera was making such sounds!

I totally agree though that people in general have become less respectfull of those around them. It starts with little things like when you have lined up your family to take a quick shot. In the past, I was used to people waiting for a few seconds or walking around me. Nowadays, they don't care, they just walk right through. This is the same people who get aggrevated when you do the same to them and walk through their shots.

It's mostly got to do with the availablility of picture-taking equipment for everyone. In the past, cameras and pictures were expensive, so not everyone was walking around holding up their devices to take pictures. On 2 week vacations, I usually went by with about 10 rolls of film - which was ~360 photos. Nowadays, I usually take that amount of pictures per day. In the past, we'd sit down after a trip and watch photos again. We'd also have a trip night were we'd sit down after dinner and just watch pictures from past trips. Honestly - nowadays a lot of people don't even look at their pictures anymore after they come back from their trip. Which makes me think why did you take them in the first place then? They take them because they can! If they didn't have their spiffy iPhone or iPad, I doubt these people would even take a camera. They do it just because it's available.

I'm honest when I say that time I took a camcorder to WDW to film the rides? It was a waste of time. There is only two ride videos that we have watched since (Figment and IASW). Everything else has been sitting on the DVR for 4 years and that's that. Having said that, why do I still take a camera and take pics? Because I *love* taking pictures and making collages afterwards. But I'm not hellbent on getting every shot I want if it's gonna impose on those around me. There've been times when I didn't even get my camera out of the bag to begin with because people were glaring at everyone with a camera, thinking they'll ruin their vacation and make the photographer's time as miserable as they could (which is a whole other side, too).

So now, I am just doing my thing, but always trying to be respectful to those around me. I was raised according to "if there's something you don't want done to you, don't do it to others either".

 

[mistysue]

On our August trip somebody was filming the "under the sea with nemo" ride at the seas from two shells away from us... their flash was on like a spot light for almost the entire ride. NONE of the special effects worked because of the light, so we could see a bunch of screen and strings everywhere. Toward the end I tried yelling out "turn the light off" but they didnt care.
Im just glad we rode it again, it would have been sad if that was our only experience. Apparently they wanted a video that takes all of the magic out of the ride?

 

[robinb]

I think it's a more of a matter of being thoughtless than anything else. They don't know how annoying they are with their giant light-up screens and flashes.

 

[smallworldnh]

On our August trip somebody was filming the "under the sea with nemo" ride at the seas from two shells away from us... their flash was on like a spot light for almost the entire ride. NONE of the special effects worked because of the light, so we could see a bunch of screen and strings everywhere. Toward the end I tried yelling out "turn the light off" but they didnt care.
Im just glad we rode it again, it would have been sad if that was our only experience. Apparently they wanted a video that takes all of the magic out of the ride?

Something like this happened on Spaceship Earth the last time we went. There was a mother with her 7-8ish year old daughter two rows behind us and the little girl had a flashlight which she kept on throughout the entire ride with her mom encouraging her to shine it at all the displays. It was very irritating and she kept it up despite MANY people shouting at them to turn it off. Needless to say it distracted us throughout the ride and we ended up riding it again as well so that we could enjoy it. That was incredibly rude and we mentioned it to the CM after we got off, but what could she do about it?

 

[jnoble82]

Here now and I know I won't be going to see the lion king show on our ak day. Not because I didn't like it but because people, despite announcement after announcement, took flash photos. I get migraines from flashing lights and not to mention it distracted the heck out of me. And it is not safe for the actors too. I saw flashes in everything they said no flash photography but due to the layout of lion king, it really cold have an effect on me so I will have to pass. I'll never understand people who can't learn how to turn their flash off. And if you can't bother to learn then dont use your camera.

 

[2Tiggies]

I always thought the dark attractions had a "no flash photography" sign? And a "please no videotaping", too? Just wondering cause I took a camcorder to WDW a few years back and I always snuck it onto the ride in my bag and then got it out ready to shoot once we had left the boarding platform. I swear there were those signs, otherwise I wouldn't have been so paranoid

Yes there are signs and usually, a CM will make an announcement requesting no flash photography or video lights. But you can use a loud speaker and put up billboards to this effect and people will selectively see or not see, and interpret, to suit

They don't have any problems with photography and videos on the ride; all they ask is that you switch of any flashes and lights so as not to spoil the experience for other guests.

As a PP said, it's not Disney, it's just general decline of consideration and it's world wide. Sad, but true

 

[mchelle77]

What I don't get is why anyone would want to spend all that money on a vacation and then watch it happen from behind a camera or phone, etc. My first Disney vacation I took TWENTY ONE rolls of film (I know, I know ... hey, it was 1997!) and I barely remember any of it. You know what parts I DO remember? Universal Studios, where I HAD no more film left and didn't take any pictures.

Not to say taking pictures shouldn't occur, but it's so much better to EXPERIENCE it when it's happeneing. Too many people care more about how those pictures are going to look when they get home. Take some pictures, but don't go to the point where you're ruining your - or other people's - vacation.

A PP said it best, though - entitlement. We live in a world where people think the rules don't apply to them and don't CARE if they ruin the experience for someone else as long as they got what they wanted.

 

[patzor]

People think they are the only ones in the park, and screw everyone else. As long as it doesn't affect them, they don't care. Like someone else said, people will walk through your setup of a picture, then turn around and yell at you if you do it to them.

My favorite is when you take the time to find a great spot for a parade, or fireworks show, and then at the last min, someone walks up and stands directly in front of you. I had that happen one year after I setup my tripod. Luckily the nice people next to me let me move over in front of them.

 

[Sandy Fisher]

It's a real sore spot with me. DH won't let me say anything, even a catty little remark. And it's definitely gotten worse over the years. It used to be that people really didn't know. Or they didn't realize what a pain it was to be flashing in everyone else's experience.
Now I think it's much that me-me-me and what I-I-I want to do. And it is a loss of respect for the people around you. Some of us were taught to be aware of what's going on around you. And that we aren't the only people in the world. Or the World.
Announcements aren't always made, even though they should be. Even the ones that are "themed" to the ride, like the one on Haunted Mansion go unnoticed.
I don't like someone stepping on or runniing over my feet. And I don't like someone flashing in my field of vision. Some of them really don't get it.

 

[emsmommy323]

I don't understand why anyone would want to lug around an iPad and worry about that while in the parks, period!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Signs won't do any good. They used to announce before every ride whenever you got on Pirates that flash photography was prohibited and it didn't do any good at all.

On threads like this, there is always a poster who comes in at some point and declares that they are going to continue to "make memories" no matter what the effect on other guests might be.

 

[mrssam]

People are far too concerned with recording moments than living memories. It is really sad.

There was a picture on here not to long ago of like 50 people glued to their cell phones during Wishes. I get wanting a picture or two or heck even two-hundred to have as a souvenir of your trip; but to be in the glow of a screen 24/7 is kill-joy for everyone around you and I wish people would put their electronics down and look around to see what they are missing.

People that take pictures with an iPad are IMO ridiculous. I cannot imagine hauling an iPad around as my main source to capture pictures. It's just silly to me.

I hate people with their flashes/flood lights on durning any rides and have actually asked CM's to let us ride again because we couldn't enjoy the ride due to the other guests behavior. At DL on PPF the boat two in front of us was taking what seemed to be hundreds of pictures. When we flew over London their flash was so bright and constant we could see the storage behind the "buildings" below. The CM at the exit had us exit the ship and then re-board to go again. He also sent someone to speak to the people who were in front of us (I pointed them out) because he said it was noticed on the rolling-video recording during the ride. He said their use was excessive and could be a safety hazard, but really there was nothing they could do, but mention it to the guest since there are no postings restricting the use of camera equipment.

At DL I have also been on HM when they stopped the doom-buggies and requested over the speaker for someone to turn off their flash, I forget exactly what was said, but because they stopped us they let us go around again without us even requesting it. I've been on HM several times when it has paused or stopped, but obviously whomever was using their flash the CM's deemed their behavior could have potentially ruined someone's experience even though we weren't effected.

 

[mrssam]

i don't understand why anyone would want to lug around an ipad and worry about that while in the parks, period!

amen!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Disney has done their part...signs, CM announcements, photopass. Social media is to blame. Everyone wants to post photos on Instagram or sign in at Four Square. It's funny how most of their family or friends could care less that they are eating a turkey leg in front of HM or they are "stuck" on POC!

We realized long ago that cameras/phones took us out of the experience. We wish more guests felt the same way. This isn't a Disney problem though...go to any school performance and find everyone in the audience behind a screen. It's sad.

 

[wiigirl]

I don't understand why anyone would want to lug around an iPad and worry about that while in the parks, period!

 

[PoohLover78]

Yes there are signs and usually, a CM will make an announcement requesting no flash photography or video lights. But you can use a loud speaker and put up billboards to this effect and people will selectively see or not see, and interpret, to suit

They don't have any problems with photography and videos on the ride; all they ask is that you switch of any flashes and lights so as not to spoil the experience for other guests.

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. I knew there were signs about no flash! LOL

One thing I just wanna throw in - and this is in no way supposed to be an excuse for using any kind of light or flash on any ride - but there are a lot of foreign tourists at WDW who simply do not understand any of the rules because their English isn't good enough. Again, I do not think this is an excuse as you should familiarize yourself with customs, laws and policies of the place your visiting beforehand. Pulling the "I didn't know it" or "I didn't understand it" isn't an excuse. And being a foreigner in the US as well whose mother language isn't English, it always aggravates me to no end seeing foreigners pull that card!

 

[grimley1968]

I have noticed the lack of consideration for fellow guests increasing over the years, not just in the use of flash photography at inappropriate times, but in other ways as well. Just about every negative moment I've had at WDW has been due to this lack of consideration by other guests than by anything a Cast Member has ever done.

It's not just at WDW that it happens, though. I was at the Cincinnati Zoo a couple years ago, touring a "bat house". Bats, of course, are extremely sensitive to light, and there were signs galore, and zoo staffers galore, requesting people not use flashes or external video lighting. Nevertheless, a woman with a high end camera with a massive external flash went to each and every window that had different types of bats in them and took multiple photos. After having been told to keep quiet by the staffers due to sound sensitivity by the bats as well, I had to stifle an urge to loudly tell the woman to stow the flash. I did ask her in a quiet voice to stow it, but she ignored me and kept on flashing. Others made the same request and were also ignored. I've seen other acts of wanton rudeness to others, but this combined with the cruelty to animal aspect involved, was unbelievable to me.

There really are people who believe rules and general common sense politeness don't apply to them. And it seems there are more of those people all the time.

 

[PEC]

I think next time I will go with Photpass+. Why? Because like one person mentioned earlier you quickly find you cannot enjoy your trip because it is behind a camera. Probably my best trip was one the we really didn't take any pictures outside of Kilo Safaris. Even that ride I think is experienced well without taking pictures. With Fastpass+ you can get a professional to take pictures of your experience while you just enjoy the experience.