Since when did being a jerk become a theme park strategy?

[GaryDis]

I love this sentence. Just want to say thanks, you made my morning.

You're quite welcome. Replies like yours make my day.

 

[jillgunter]

Last year I was walking with my daughter to Jedi training to sign up. Everyone was running, even with CMs yelling at them. But I told her we were not gonna run, and guess what we still got a spot.

So sorry for your son, my DD is same age. I would have been very upset. Hope he had a better day after that.

 

[DisneyFive]

Must be due to the peak season, and the heat. In our four weeklong+ trips in late Sept I can only remember seeing a person run one time.

Sorry to hear about your crappy experience .

Dan

 

[asbyrneva]

I remember on my Dream cruise earlier this year that we had gone up to the top deck early and staked out a good spot on the good side to watch the fireworks on Pirates Night. Some lady with a little boy tried to wedge in but there really was no space. She resorted to try to pressure me to give up my space by smushing me against the rail with her giant boobs. No personal space at all and it was super uncomfortable to feel her boobs on my back but I wasn't going to budge. She finally gave up after trying for about 5 minutes. I may be a tiny woman but you aren't going to push me around especially with your boobs! I do imagine a guy might've liked the experience lol.

That's when you turn around and say "Sorry you aren't really my type".

OP As others have said its becoming a thing we see everywhere. I literally was stepped on as a woman ran in front of me to get through the door to starbucks, really?!! Like they are going to run out of lattes?? Her friend she was with was mortified and held the door open for me, I thanked her and told her to go ahead and join her friend. She turned beet red as did the sprinter.
Maybe its my age but I do say things when I see this happen. It's not nasty and confrontational but I do say something. When I hold open a door and somebody doesn't acknowledge it or say thank you I firmly say "you are welcome". In Disney I witnessed a grown woman running with no regard for people in her path. She knocked down a small child. I walked right in her path and asked if she had an emergency or needed assistance as she knocked down a small child in her evident emergency, she sheepishly turned and apologized to the little girl and her grandmother.

And to the poster saying we can't change behavior we can, we hold each other and ourselves accountable. Not saying get in a fight but model what it means to have manners and be polite as PPs have said.

 

[sersee05]

We were in the very back row for fantasmic..so we were one of the first ones out. So many people were riding that everyone caught up to us. Lots of running. I really think they were all trying to make it to the frozen fireworks.
My son is ok..thanks for the kind thoughts.

It could be the heat melting peoples brains.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

there are always going to be people who are jerks. And in every large crowd of people, there are going to be more jerks. It's not the heat, the crowds, the alcohol or the venue. It's just jerks.

 

[Sparkly]

"I spent all this money and I DESERVE to have a better time then anyone else!"

 

[anniemae]

Yeah, I think it is becoming more and more common unfortunately. People spend a lot of money to go to Disney, lets face it, it's a very expensive vacation. Given the crowds, the months of planning, the wait times etc. I think people have the mindset of "getting their moneys worth" and want to do as much as possible and see as much as possible. hurry hurry hurry go go go has become the way.

 

[eliza61]

there are always going to be people who are jerks. And in every large crowd of people, there are going to be more jerks. It's not the heat, the crowds, the alcohol or the venue. It's just jerks.

lol, very true.

I think one of the issues is that we expect Disney to be "magical" and that all the visitors will also be "magical".
I saw a fight (well more like a shoving match) in Mk about 4 years ago at the end of the night. I call that the "running of the bulls" time, everyone makes a mad dash to the boats and monorail. well two dads got into a shoving match. I remember it so clearly because one of the dad's had his kid on his shoulders. I told my dh if he ever put my kid in danger like that, it would take a whole lot of pixie dust to put him back together. lol.

anyhoo, I do think it's a combination

1) heat
2) people feeling they have to run or they'll miss something
3) expense of the trip and feeling like you have to do it all because you've sacrificed so much to be there.
4) already waited a long time for some stuff.

 

[GaryDis]

When I hold open a door and somebody doesn't acknowledge it or say thank you I firmly say "you are welcome".

I don't sweat that particular sort of thing for two reasons: First, I've been told more than once that I didn't say something like that when I know I did, but sometimes my voice comes out much softer than I realize so people can't hear me.

Second, particularly now that I'm at an age where my doctor prefers to keep me off my ADD meds, my brain just doesn't switch gears as smoothly as I'd like. There are times when I'm 30 feet into the store before I realize I forgot to say thank you, by which time it's too late.

So now, when I'm on the other side and holding the door for someone, I'll hold it automatically without worrying about the acknowledgement. I'm doing it because that's the way I was taught, not because I was hoping for the reply. And sometimes I can see people who are just so focused on dealing with a problematic youngster, that I don't even want them to lose their focus.

 

[BobC]

I remember on my Dream cruise earlier this year that we had gone up to the top deck early and staked out a good spot on the good side to watch the fireworks on Pirates Night. Some lady with a little boy tried to wedge in but there really was no space. She resorted to try to pressure me to give up my space by smushing me against the rail with her giant boobs. No personal space at all and it was super uncomfortable to feel her boobs on my back but I wasn't going to budge. She finally gave up after trying for about 5 minutes. I may be a tiny woman but you aren't going to push me around especially with your boobs! I do imagine a guy might've liked the experience lol.

LOL this happened to my ex all the time in crowded places! She was very very very well endowed and always had guys 'accidently' bumping into them! Or, she was the one accidently bumping them into people! She just learned to ignore it.

 

[GaryDis]

1) heat
2) people feeling they have to run or they'll miss something
3) expense of the trip and feeling like you have to do it all because you've sacrificed so much to be there.
4) already waited a long time for some stuff.

5) At the end of the day, people are desperate to beat the traffic exiting the park, or avoid having to watch two or three trams pass them up before even getting to their cars.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I wonder how much the food plays into some people's rudeness at WDW, all of that high-sodium and high-sugar food. After a couple of days of that it's easy to start feeling crazy and bloated lol.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

And I'm 44. I grew up listening to people talk about how my generation were all self-involved, spoiled brats with no ambition. Not like the boomers, who actually had some drive and self-discipline. You bet everyone in my generation got a trophy! I have quite the collection of "participation" awards, thank you.

My take on all this? The world is not going to heck in a handbasket. People are no ruder than they used to be. In a lot of ways, thanks to social media, we're more connected and more aware of each other than ever before. And we police each other! The wrath of the mob now descends on people's heads for transgressions that never would have got any notice in the past.

A recent example: A middle aged businessman tears a strip off a cabbie, insulting his race and religion. The cabbie takes his video of the incident to the cops and gets brushed off. Eventually he puts it on YouTube, the media gets hold of it, and all heck breaks loose on the head of the businessman. Suddenly he's fired from his job and the cops, embarrassed, are now reopening the file and charging him with a hate crime.

I still tell my kids "suck it up, buttercup" and "life's not fair". The parents of my students today say the same thing. Their children will someday give their own kids the same message. And we'll all complain that this generation isn't as noble as the last.

Maybe it's a regional thing or something. I am 43 and I never got a trophy for participating...we kept score in t-ball...in little league there were winners and losers and not everyone made the all star team. Kids that couldn't afford field trips had study hall that day and if you flunked a grade you got to go to summer school or do it again. Those of us that went to college went to college and those that didn't got jobs but we all moved out of our parents houses and the vast majority of us never moved back.

 

[BobC]

I'm a changed man at Disney. Yes, I'm guilty of moderate road rage or scoffing at the person in the self checkout lines at stores with 12 items when it says 10 or less items, or using foul language...

However, at Disney I'm a distinguished gentleman for some reason. I always give up my seat on a crowded bus/mono to a woman or child, hold doors open, talk to strangers, don't swear, tip better than usual, if someone is running I let them through...you never know if it's a child about to puke or has to poop.

 

[lbmiller77]

I see an appalling example set by many parents today of the 35-45 age crowd. So many were raised by parents who told them they were so super special and no one should be telling them what to do that they bought into their own press. They need to learn that you don't always get to be, or have to be first. It's not a contest and there is no prize at the end, not even a trophy or a certificate.

That's a strange observation. I'm pretty sure this attitude is prolific in all age groups.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

LOL this happened to my ex all the time in crowded places! She was very very very well endowed and always had guys 'accidently' bumping into them! Or, she was the one accidently bumping them into people! She just learned to ignore it.

Lol bumping into people with my well endowed chest would be one problem I would never have! This lady however was using her chest as an intimidation tool as there was no crowd or even people behind her!

 

[BobC]

Lol bumping into people with my well endowed chest would be one problem I would never have! This lady however was using her chest as an intimidation tool as there was no crowd or even people behind her!

lol yeah that's a different story then

 

[BobC]

5) At the end of the day, people are desperate to beat the traffic exiting the park, or avoid having to watch two or three trams pass them up before even getting to their cars.

I have been that person doing the mad dash to a bus from the park exit just to ensure I don't miss it and have to wait another 15-20 mins.

Other than that, I don't run. Too tired and too full of DIS food lol

 

[Kathryn777]

My take on all this? The world is not going to heck in a handbasket. People are no ruder than they used to be. In a lot of ways, thanks to social media, we're more connected and more aware of each other than ever before. And we police each other! The wrath of the mob now descends on people's heads for transgressions that never would have got any notice in the past.

Yes. THIS! Totally agree. I'm 38 and I have a ton of participation awards and trophies. My kids hear life isn't fair and because I said so every single day. And they totally know the difference between a gold medal for winning a tournament and a participation trophy. Past the age of 4, participation awards don't mean a darn thing to most of them.

That's a strange observation. I'm pretty sure this attitude is prolific in all age groups.

Yes!! As is the belief that "our" generation is the best one. So tired of hearing how rude / self centered / selfish/ you pick a certain generation is.