Rudeness of Strangers

[Poly Pal]

Has anyone experienced the overly agressive, video camera toting guest who uses your shoulder as a tripod during parades or fireworks shows? This happened to me once during Illuminations at EPCOT. Another time, my visibly pregnant wife, 4 year old son and I staked out our spot on Main Street an hour before SpectroMagic only to have some guy shove his way from behind between my wife and son to video tape the entire night time parade! I asked him several times to stop pushing my family to no avail. As the last float in the parade made its way past our spot and his camera was rubbing against my right ear, I raised my hand to block his lens and blocked his precious shot of Mickey. Well, to hear him tell it, all Americans are horrible (can't print the word he really used - but I guess he did not read the prohibition on profanity in the parks printed in the park map/brochure), and how dare I ruin his entire vacation since he was spending so much money in the United States!

Does anyone have advice on how to avoid these situations? I believe there are some preferred viewing areas for the parades which are open to those who book packages through American Express (which I've never found to be a good deal.)

 

[ChisJo]

But I know what my DH would have done, and I can guarantee, they would both have been kicked out of the park!!! After politely asking the man to stay in his own space several times, and think I just would have placed my hand over the lens "accidentally" by stretching in front of it, and if that didn't work, I would have decided I wanted to stand up right in front of him, and still if that didn't work, my DH would have steped in.
There is nothing more rude than someone in this world thinking that the money they spent on their trip is worth more than the money you spent on yours. I can't believe how anyone could be so arrogant.

Joline

"Mean people suck"

 

[zurgswife]

Unfortunately I have many times come across pushy people in WDW. I regret to sound like a racist but they always have been foriegners...They push through lines like there isn't anyone around, the parades have been the worst. We have actually had them come sit infront of our kids who are at the designated taped off area. With a firm tone and not taking no for an answer I have in most instances been able to have them move without out any confrontations.

The way I see it is the routines of "manners and politeness" vary from country to country. So, even though we may see it as rude and deplorable conduct they might not even realize it is offensive. So, I try my best to stand my ground and hope not to instigate an international incident.

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[JB4KIDS]

WDW attracts all kinds of folks 99% are nice folks like yourselves the other 1% can ruin it for everybody.Four years ago my daughter (4) was run over waiting to see Minnie luckily I didn't see thisc or I would be using the prison computer right now.The CM had to rush the Costumed CM to safety and security was called to restore order.Thankfully my daughter was just shaken and bruised but she got a private meeting with both Mickey and Minnie!My point is try and be polite if that doesn't work notify a CM or security to solve the problem

 

[mummajea]

Last year at DL we were at the designated roped off area. A CM came and asked us to move back a littel so we did. As the crowd grew peple came and started sitting in front of us. We TOLD them they couldn't sit there and they basically snubbed us. Well just before the parade started the same CM came by and told these people that WE WERE the front row and that they needed to move behind us!!! They grumbled and complained but the CM kept her ground, and after they left she said "if any one else tries to sit in front of you I 'll come by and move them along." We weren't in any special seating area just on the curb.

The next night a similar thing happened we were very close to the "crossing area" and people kept literally climbing over us and using us as balance to avoid having to wait for a CM to allow them to cross the parade route. At one point a very large teenager tripped over us and trampled our DD who was scraped up and bruised. A Cm was there instantly, delayed the teenager from his destination and ensured that we were OK. I don't know if it was just coincidnece that they saw it or if they heard my DD crying or what, but the Cm called on her radio and soon there was a CM stationed by us redirecting people who can't follow directions to the crossing area.
At the end of the parade they made sure DD was OK and offered us more assistance. Luckily we were OK and really didn't need anything else. The frozen drink they got DD soothed her scrapes and bruises as well as drying her tears.

 

[sneetch]

The one thing I can't stand is when I'm walking through one of the parks, and some obnoxious person with a stroller gets behind me and starts ramming me with it to make their way through the crowd. I have had this happen to me several times. One time this guy with a stoller repeatedly hit me in the back of the legs and I ended up with scrapes and bruises all over my leggs because of it. The guy was such a jerk about it too. My boyfriend had asked him several times to back off, but the guy kept doing it anyways.

 

[TSI_Fan]

I've had the problem of "personal space" whenver I go to Disney or any other theme park. To me it seems my version of personal space is maybe about an arm's length away. What I've noticed is someone else's definition is about 2 inches. It bugs me because I feel they are invading my area and to have someone you don't know that close to you just bugs the heck out of me.

TSI_Fan

I miss my Christi-bear.

 

[Kymack]

I just had to speak up, because not all stroller people are rude. We always have a stroller and are very careful not to bump people. We sometimes have the opposite problem - strollerless people cutting us off. I think rude people are rude people...regardless of whether or not they push a stroller.

Michele...a polite stroller pusher

 

[Officer tigger]

This past year my family was at Epcot watching the tapestry of nations parade.
As you may know they have ropes up to keep people out of the center of the walkway.
Well, this lady decided to park her stroller next to a both and put her daughter on the ground on the other side of the rope. Then a Disney employee came over to tell the lady she needed to move, and the lady turned around and started hitting the employee!
I was completley shocked over her behavior.

 

[Kymack]

Did the lady hit the CM with her stroller? Just kidding...

 

[lisapooh]

Last August I was at the Mulan Parade in the handicapped area and had moved to let a child in a wheelchair have the space closest to the parade coming at us. I was at the very edge of the area and the controller of my wheelchair was on the side closest to the open seating. Well, about 5 minutes prior to the parade this man and his kids came up behind me and he starts shoving his kids in on the the side where my controller is located. Next thing I know one of his kids is using my controller to swing on. I asked him to stop, and the man told me he could do as he pleased. At teh point I turned my head and told him that if his kid ended up with a broken foot because he moved the chair swinging on the controller I would not be libel and would he remove his kids to another area because I was asking the castmember on the other side of the street to get security and remove them if he didn't.
I've also had people use the back of my power chair to balance their kid on during a parade or as a resting place for their junk.
Some people are just plain rude.

Pooh Bear

 

[Poly Pal]

Gosh Sneetch, I hope it wasn't me who bumped you with the stroller. If I did, I would have at least apologized and not done it again!

Anyway, I still have not figured out how to handle the whole rudeness / personal space issue. The guy at Spectromagic followed my family after the parade and continued shouting obscenities at us (explain that to a 4 year old) I felt threatened right there on Main Street. No CM magically appeared to set things right - that would be hard to expect in the mass of people leaving the park in the dark.

We always use to say that the price of admission kept the riff raff out of the parks (not like Disneyland. Sadly that is no longer the case, despite the increase in price of the PH's.

 

[Whitegloves]

2 things were mentioned earlier that I have to comment on...
First, I have heard people say that manners are different in different countries and that foreigners may not know they are being rude; I'm sorry, but rude is rude , no matter where you are or where you are from.
Second, someone commented on keeping the riff-raff out with higher prices; in my experience, having or not having money doesn't make you rude or polite, people behave the way they see fit. Unfortunately, it isn't always the correct way to behave.
I truly mean to offend no one with this post, I just felt the need to "speak out". =0)

 

[Debi]

Hi, Poly Pal! This is a great topic for the Community Board, so I transferred it over there. To view further replies, click here.

Debi, co-moderator of the
<a href="http://wdwinfo.infopop.net/OpenTopic/page?q=Y&s=40009993&a=corfrm&cf=87009194">Disney Tips Board</a>

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