So irritated on Splash the other night. Vent.

[Mickey Fliers]

So, Friday, March 31st I was at the MK with my 3 boys, my friend and her 3 kids. Before Spectro, we head over to Splash for another ride. B/c one my friends kids is only 1 and one of mine is sleeping, I end up taking the other 4 kids (8,7,6,6) on Splash by myself.

We get into a log/ride vehicle with 4 teenage boys (all with shaved heads, btw. What's that about? Sorry, OT). The teenage boys are in the first two rows, Me and two 6 year olds next and 8 and 7 y/o in last row.

These teenage boys were beyond obnoxious!!! First, they screamed throughout the entire ride and kept looking behind them to see what we were doing. They had some sort of big plan that they thought was hilarious. On every drop they would yell louder and put up their arms, and here is the kicker....

They were holding up a disgusting hand gesture. There was a huge thread about it awhile back. It is called The Shocker and evidently it must be simply hilarious to teenage boys.

Their behavior was so offensive and rude. Do these kids have no idea how to behave in public, especially when there are young children around? Obviously, the kids I was with have no idea what the Shocker is, but they recognized the actions of the boys was infantile at best.

Their big plan was for the picture on the big drop. Luckily for all of us...
THEY GOT A WASHOUT!!.

Sorry, vent over. I just hate when I see young kids act like this around my children.

 

[SnackyStacky]

So, Friday, March 31st I was at the MK with my 3 boys, my friend and her 3 kids. Before Spectro, we head over to Splash for another ride. B/c one my friends kids is only 1 and one of mine is sleeping, I end up taking the other 4 kids (8,7,6,6) on Splash by myself.

We get into a log/ride vehicle with 4 teenage boys (all with shaved heads, btw. What's that about? Sorry, OT). The teenage boys are in the first two rows, Me and two 6 year olds next and 8 and 7 y/o in last row.

These teenage boys were beyond obnoxious!!! First, they screamed throughout the entire ride and kept looking behind them to see what we were doing. They had some sort of big plan that they thought was hilarious. On every drop they would yell louder and put up their arms, and here is the kicker....

They were holding up a disgusting hand gesture. There was a huge thread about it awhile back. It is called The Shocker and evidently it must be simply hilarious to teenage boys.

Their behavior was so offensive and rude. Do these kids have no idea how to behave in public, especially when there are young children around? Obviously, the kids I was with have no idea what the Shocker is, but they recognized the actions of the boys was infantile at best.

Their big plan was for the picture on the big drop. Luckily for all of us...
THEY GOT A WASHOUT!!.

Sorry, vent over. I just hate when I see young kids act like this around my children.

I know this doesn't help now - but sometimes if you explain what happened to the cast member, they may let you take another ride without waiting in line. (Or, if you mention you'd like to buy the picture, they'll DEFINITELY let you go again, but you do need to buy the picture! )

Hope everything else went well for you on your trip.

 

[bleeps]

I feel your pain -- it's horrifying when this stuff happens, and it does seem 10x worse when it happens at WDW, when you and your kids have the expectation (and the right to expect) that it's going to be good clean fun.

What can we as parents as fellow citizens of the world do? I know for me it seems difficult or impossible in the moment to say anything to the teens (I worry, don't you, that they'll just get worse?) -- is there any point in letting CMs know? Well, maybe all we can respectfully ask is that the parents of teens who allow (understandably) their kids to do some touring alone talk to their kids about appropriate behavior....

Does anyone have any other ideas?

 

[Slapster]

It's happened to me a few times on rides (obnoxious teens, not the shocker )

 

[Robo]

I just hate when I see young kids act like this around my children.

I don't want it around ME, either.

That's the total loss of "shame" and civility in the world.

People are not really any "different", its that society no long teaches or enforces any boundaries for uncivil behavior.

It can tarnish any public gathering, and ruin the good feelings that are associated with the fun at a place like WDW.

And, sadly, I have no reason to believe it will improve.
Most likely it will get worse.

 

[Stitch65]

See, I would have said something to them... But then again, I'm a high school teacher, so I get to see this behavior from teens all the time. When I see teens being so rude and obnoxious the teacher in me kicks in and I can't help it. Now, that being said if I see teens acting this way and there aren't younger kids around, my teacher-senses don't go off as much. It just annoys the crap out of me when it happens around my kids who are 5 and 6. I often embarass my DH since I can't keep my mouth shut, I always tell them what immautre snots they are being.

 

[tjmw2727]

Yea that stinks, I travel as the solo adult with my dd's alot and we have run into a few issues at the world. Luckily they are pretty much few and far between

We have asked for a re-ride due to that type of behavior on Splash Mtn and also on Test Track and were happily granted one.

I will mention you can't you can't tell what your experience is going to be like based on appearances alone. My worst issue was with a group of clean cut kids who were very respectful and kind through the queue and with the CM's so I had no idea what I was in for.

Sorr it dosen't help the OP now but for others reading if another guest really ruins your ride experience ask the CM for a re-ride. Most of the time they will be happy to accomodate.

TJ

 

[nliedel]

Grr. I feel your pain. Next time and for anyone reading this thread this happens to, talk to a CM. Teens are great! Teens in a pack? Maybe not so much, but that goes for most people in packs I have to say.

 

[lindym]

We were there last week also, and unfortunately saw a few of obnoxious teens or early 20's, hard to tell because they look older but act so childish.. WE had our 18 year old son with us and he was very disgusted by them also. One insisted on smoking a cigarette while waiting outside of the door to get into Haunted Mansion. I guess he thought he was cool, looked like an idiot in my opinion. You know how crowded it is right there by the headstones right before you go in. Someone told him to put it out but he just laughed. WE also did see many Teens really enjoying themselves and very well behaved. Some day these obnoxious ones will grow up, hopefully. You just have to ignore them and report them if it is really bad and just have a great time. WE did!!!!

 

[jann1033]

sorry to say i don't know that telling a cm would do much good. we saw some teen-aged brats ( what else can you call them) who were making a guest very uncomfortable at the GF bus stop and the cms just moved away from them and ignored it. i don't know what had happened before we got there, they were just lewd( one older boy inappropriately touching a 14 yr old girl for one thing) and obnoxiously loud when we were there but it was obvious lone woman guest was really upset by it and kept moving farther away from them. and it was obvious the cms saw it and were choosing to ignore it.

truthfully thought i feel a little sorry for the kids like them as you know they probably don't get much attention from their parents or they wouldn't be like that. i know some of my kids friend's that acted out did so cause they thought their parents didn't care about anything they did, very sad imo.

 

[bleeps]

See, I would have said something to them... But then again, I'm a high school teacher, so I get to see this behavior from teens all the time. When I see teens being so rude and obnoxious the teacher in me kicks in and I can't help it.

I'd be really interested to hear about what kind of response you get when you do speak up (and good for you -- I'm inspired!). Do they kids back down, or ignore you? I guess either one of those would be better for me than having them get worse or personal (that is, really directing their bs at me and my child more than before). Also, thank you for being a teacher; we are all in your debt!

 

[Tazicket]

So, Friday, March 31st I was at the MK with my 3 boys, my friend and her 3 kids. Before Spectro, we head over to Splash for another ride. B/c one my friends kids is only 1 and one of mine is sleeping, I end up taking the other 4 kids (8,7,6,6) on Splash by myself.

We get into a log/ride vehicle with 4 teenage boys (all with shaved heads, btw. What's that about? Sorry, OT). The teenage boys are in the first two rows, Me and two 6 year olds next and 8 and 7 y/o in last row.

These teenage boys were beyond obnoxious!!! First, they screamed throughout the entire ride and kept looking behind them to see what we were doing. They had some sort of big plan that they thought was hilarious. On every drop they would yell louder and put up their arms, and here is the kicker....

They were holding up a disgusting hand gesture. There was a huge thread about it awhile back. It is called The Shocker and evidently it must be simply hilarious to teenage boys.

Their behavior was so offensive and rude. Do these kids have no idea how to behave in public, especially when there are young children around? Obviously, the kids I was with have no idea what the Shocker is, but they recognized the actions of the boys was infantile at best.

Their big plan was for the picture on the big drop. Luckily for all of us...
THEY GOT A WASHOUT!!.

Sorry, vent over. I just hate when I see young kids act like this around my children.

What's a washout?

 

[Stitch65]

I'd be really interested to hear about what kind of response you get when you do speak up (and good for you -- I'm inspired!). Do they kids back down, or ignore you? I guess either one of those would be better for me than having them get worse or personal (that is, really directing their bs at me and my child more than before). Also, thank you for being a teacher; we are all in your debt!

Thanks blleps,

95% of the time they back down. I usually just say it in a stern non-sarcastic way, something to the effect: "I hope you realize everyone here including me finds your behavior unacceptable. You're not as funny as you think you are and if this ride is simply too scary, maybe you should try It's A Small World!"

hehe.

The other 5% are totally snots and I'm sure they act the way they do all the time. Most often the 95% kids act up since they're in a "pack" as someone said eariler in this thread and start goofin' off and it escalates. There are those kids though that act out like that ALL the time (believe me I have one in class) and usually but not always it due to a really unstable homelife. Notice I said usually Don't want to get blasted for generalizing....

 

[Robo]

What's a washout?

If for some reason (technical problem or "guest-related" problem) the picture that's taken on SPLASH is "unviewable", they post that the picture was a "Washout". So the folks riding it know that its not going to be available.

They have a CM who first checks every image before it is posted for public viewing on the monitors.

This is true on every attraction that has a "photo-op" during the ride.
(They have different "names" for the NON-PICTURE at each attraction.)

 

[SnackyStacky]

sorry to say i don't know that telling a cm would do much good. we saw some teen-aged brats ( what else can you call them) who were making a guest very uncomfortable at the GF bus stop and the cms just moved away from them and ignored it. i don't know what had happened before we got there, they were just lewd( one older boy inappropriately touching a 14 yr old girl for one thing) and obnoxiously loud when we were there but it was obvious lone woman guest was really upset by it and kept moving farther away from them. and it was obvious the cms saw it and were choosing to ignore it.

truthfully thought i feel a little sorry for the kids like them as you know they probably don't get much attention from their parents or they wouldn't be like that. i know some of my kids friend's that acted out did so cause they thought their parents didn't care about anything they did, very sad imo.

I'm not saying you should ask a cast member to do something about the teens. They don't get paid enough to to deal with this kind of behavior. Besides, most aren't much older than the kids they'd be confronting.

Just tell the cast member some teens ruined your and your children's ride experience, and you were wondering if you could go on again.

 

[medicgirl_911]

I was in a similar position in line at a local carnival, the group of 6 or 7 teen GIRLS trying very hard to be gangster and thuggish, were F*** this and that MF***, and all those lovely words, making terrible comments about what they would like to do to certain males that walked by, I was mortified, I had my DD6 and her friend with me, .......and these girls had a little girl with them my daughters age, I felt sooooo sorry for her. It was the only line to buy tickets so ya know my kids wouldnt let me leave there, I told the girls to keep it down there were little ears nearby, which I was promptly informed to F OFF...niceeeee, if my DD wasnt there they would have gotten a much bigger earfull, I took it as an opputunity to tell my DD that it was awful to act the way those girls were, and look how immature they are acting,its not very respectful, I hope you never act that way when you are not with me, doesnt it make them look stupid, etc

On a side note though, I found a huge website dedicated to pics of women who flashed the camera @ splash mountain when I innocently enough googled in splash mountain pics, so I guess there is no accounting for innapropriate actions regarding age or gender. I felt bad that the other people in the pics had there "moment" ruined. In a crowd as big as @ Dis it is going to be made up of all kinds, good and bad.

 

[pixiepower1971]

I agree that teens in packs can get a little over the top. If I see this behavior in line I will nicely ask the CM loading the ride to allow us to wait for the next one. I have NEVER been denied this request. I have even had a few smile and quietly say they don't blame me!

If the group is behind me and I know that we will be loaded together I allow them to go ahead of us so they can go by themselves.

 

[Danestress]

As a Mom of a teenaged boy, I really wish you WOULD say something in that sort of situation. I know I can be intimidated by people I don't know, so you have to sort of use your best judgment. But I would love it if people would say basically what they would say to any adult who is inappropriate "I know you are having fun, but I wish you would remember that there are young children around." Maybe they will ignore it, maybe they will apologize. Either way, I would rather my son hear that he is being inappropriate than have everyone ignore it. I'd *like*to think he would never behave that way, but do any of us really know for sure?

 

[Joanna71985]

What's a washout?

The photo gets deleted.

 

[DisneyDotty]

So sorry for your awful experience. I also taught high school and have no problem saying something about obnoxious behavior/speech. Usually it's something like, "Hey, there are little kids around. Please watch what you're saying. Thanks!" Nine times out of ten the kids will censor their language. I try not to come across as a harda** (think the vice principal on "Breakfast Club"), which helps. Humor also helps--sometimes I'll say, "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" with a smile.
Before we start another "What's wrong with kids today?" thread, remember that for every one incident like the OP's, there are 20 incidents of kids behaving well, even being helpful. (Or am I just a glass-is-half-full kind of person?)