Suggestions for dealing with rudeness from guests

[scampbunny]

We generally perfer to book character meals or do the more organised meet and greets rather than the random appearances but have found that when a character appears who DS absolutely must meet that the best thing to do when pushed in front of is nothing - the character see who the rude people are and who's waiting politely and we've found that they spend more time with him because he's waited.

this is very true...... many i time i hold mine back telling them its polite to wait, and 99% of the time it is noticed n they are called forward!!

agree with all tho - if u look for it ull find it.... its up to u how much u let it bother u!! i love a good argument tho lol and have before had to hold my ground when my boys get pushed - i find very sharp elbows and becoming imoveable works very well!!

 

[Mrs Mickey]

Ooh what's in a glowtini cocktail and where do I get one of those? Cafe Fantasia?

When I make them at home (with recipe from the Internet) I use vodka, blue caracao, peach schnapps and pineapple juice. They never taste quite a magical as they do at Disney but still a good reminder with my flashing blue ice cube and souvenir glass

You can get them in lots of the table service restaurants in the parks and all the hotel bars. The prices do vary. You should check out the cocktail thread - there are some fab pics.

 

[DLPDreams]

Mrs Mickey - I'm coming round to your house (I can bring my own flashing ice cube )....

Terrifictiggers - Yes, prices do vary, with.... you've guessed it, Cafe Fantasia at DLH being the most expensive (or one of)! But nice surroundings to drink it in nonetheless and I believe it is very quiet at lunchtime if you were to take up Mrs Mickey's advice . Failing that, have one with your meal somewhere! They look fab in the Blue Lagoon (only from photos though - yet to sample, but it's on the June 'to-do list').

 

[thephoo]

I go every week or so and have done for the past 2 years and I think I can count on one hand the number of people smoking indoors in a queue


I don't let it bother me outside, it's not yet illegal to smoke in open spaces and if the CMs are afraid to say something when they are serving someone with a cig in their hand I'm not going to start.

Closeness and boisterous - it's normally groups so depending on wether I'm on my own and my mood I either spread out or leave huge gaps with the people up front.

Again I'm not shoving anyone back and I wouldn't advise you to do it either as it could get out of hand very quickly.

But DLP is not like Asterix where you can get physical fights over queues

Just don't stress it

I completely agree with your post

 

[jothp]

We have been really lucky too and not really experienced smoking in the park when we couldn't just move away.

We have had a few queue jumpers but tend to just let them get on with it because a few extra people in front is going to make very little difference to our queue time.

We find the worst thing is people trying to push in at the last minute when you have been waiting for ages for a parade spot, one year we ended up about 4 rows back when I had been standing directly behind DD right at the curb. Luckily she had the sense to stay where she was to get a good view and I just kept my eye on her as best I could and grabbed her quickly once the parade had passed before she got lost in the sea of people. In the studios last year we were sat waiting for stars and cars, we were second row and there was a small gap between us and the family in front which somebody tried to get in to about 5 minutes before it was due to start. Luckily I saw them coming, I don't think I have ever moved so fast in all my life as I shuffled to fill that space. We now try to go for parade spots which are less busy. Last year we watched at the bottom of mainstreet on the little island by the gazebo, this was great because once the parade had started the CM wouldn't let anybody cross mainstreet so noone could get to us.

We try to see as many characters as possible in the organised meets or at character meals but there are often some we see in the scrums. We find the best way is to wait patiently and not push but to stand our ground and not let anyone push us out of the way either. A lot of the characters are very good at noticing people waiting nicely. I have a great picture from last year of Jessie kissing DD3 on the head. I think she appreciated the fact that she had just sat herself on the floor to wait her turn and also said thankyou when she had her autograph.

 

[tiggerifictiggers]

Mrs Mickey - I'm coming round to your house (I can bring my own flashing ice cube )....

Terrifictiggers - Yes, prices do vary, with.... you've guessed it, Cafe Fantasia at DLH being the most expensive (or one of)! But nice surroundings to drink it in nonetheless and I believe it is very quiet at lunchtime if you were to take up Mrs Mickey's advice . Failing that, have one with your meal somewhere! They look fab in the Blue Lagoon (only from photos though - yet to sample, but it's on the June 'to-do list').

Just seen the flashing ice cube I must have one of those!!!!! But I think I'll be dancing like this round the park after I've had one of the cocktails with all that yummy stuff in it

Do you know if Cafe Mickey serves Glowtini's??

 

[Johnny_boy]

I would agree with all the above post – it’s really not that bad at DLP.

The only thing I would suggest/stress if you are used to WDW (which is the only other park I have been to) is that I would only try and do characters at an official photo opportunity (various around the park, Meet Mickey or Princess Pavilion) or a character meal. We learnt very quickly (and gave up soon after) that the other characters around the park are a complete scrum and can be upsetting for small children. They aren’t the lovely organised affairs that they are at WDW with the helpful cast member assisting. They are a “who has the pushiest parent” competition and some adults don’t mind pushing small children and babies out of the way to get there first.

Of course another thing that will help (and also would never be tolerated in Magic Kingdom) is a lovely blue Glowtini cocktail at lunch. I find everything seems much more relaxed after that.

We had a lot of people push DD out of the way last year and she's too well behaved to say anything but Darth Vader realised thus and beckoned her over (via the force). Later Goofy ahas a load of children pushing him after the tried to leave twice, he turned round and there was DD standing politely with a book so he signed hers and we got a photo before he left - we were the only ones at that point so sometimes good manners win!

I felt pretty relaxed at Epcot a few years back after lunch in Germany and some dark festival Becks. I'm glad I just went for the half-litre but hey it was nice and cold and hit the spot. You can drink at WDW, you just need to know where

 

[greenkai3000]

When are you coming to DLP greenkai?

Low season versus weekends/high season does tend to make a difference to the behaviour of guests at DLP. If the parks are quiet you really don't get a lot of pushing and shoving, even around the parades if you pick your spot well. You do get pushing and shoving in the character non-queued meet n greets, and if you really don't like that don't participate in them at all - there are plenty of queued meets for the characters or character meals if you'd prefer.

On a couple of occasions I've had people behind me almost hugging my back in the queue for BTM, they get so close . When that happens, I stand straighter and lean back a little. It gives me that little bit of space behind me.

Smoking, to be honest I've never noticed, in any queue lines. In and around the park you're not going to stop people smoking, so unless you are in a confined space with someone smoking next to you (in which case I'd tell the nearest CM) or you're waiting for the parade and you're getting smoke blown in your face (again, plenty of CMs in the parade route before it starts), I'd just move away.

If you go looking for this behaviour, you'll find it. But there are ways to avoid the vast majority of it. Don't let it spoil your trip, its Disney, but its not Disney USA.

I'll be there 6/11-6/13, so Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday if that makes a difference

 

[DLPdaft]

then don't worry - thats going to be a quiet couple of days at DLP (I'm there then too ).

 

[elstoleno]

Don't worry about people smoking/pushing. I've been 6 times and only noticed these things a few times (other than with the characters, which we just take as part of the experience now tbh!) - which i'll list below because I suppose they weren't that bad.


December 2011 - one person smoking while waiting for the parade - this was the worst as I ended up with ash in my eye and it stung every time I opened my eye for around 30min. Didn't really ruin anything though.

Summer 2011 - one family in one of the smaller in door queues (snow white or something maybe?) literally pancaked onto my back the whole queue until I started speaking loudly to my family about it and how they were getting the sandwiches they made at breakfast all over me -.- they backed off after that, so it wasn't that bad either . Probably wasn't the best way to handle it, but I couldn't exactly turn round and ask them nicely.

Summer 2007 - one kid, a couple of years younger than me (same hight! - i'm tiny ) pushing at the parade curb - we were already BOTH front people on the curb! but he still felt like trying to push in front of me, and when I didn't let him he wrapped his leg around mine! and then fell and walked away. So more funny than annoying I guess!.

Summer 2007 - fireworks/castle lighting? type of show. One family trying to push in front because they 'couldn't see' and when we explained we couldn't see either they still kept pushing! That was probably the worst pushing one.


So even if you get pushing etc, it won't ruin your holiday, it might be annoying while its happening, but you'll forget that you're annoyed straight after!

 

[Michael623]

You see the problem with most of these responses is they're all from folks that are across the pond and they have a different idea of rudeness (no offense). It is a cultural thing without question. Here is my take, an American who has been to DLP twice. At DLP personal space is absolutely non-existent which drives me crazy. Like standing a foot closer will really get you there any faster. As you get closer to the ride/attraction the personal space disappears even more and the pushing commences. Also if you are in a a line that has switchbacks on every turn someone will be trying to cut, it's like a sport at DLP. Not only will they try to cut but if they're successful they will then invite their entire party up to their newly claimed spot in line. I actually saw this in the security line at CDG worse than I have ever seen anywhere ever so it's not just the theme parks. Please keep in mind I never even attempted the "character scrums", this was just in ride lines. I don't ever remember anyone smoking in an indoor line but they smoke everywhere outside, the smoking areas are merely a suggestion.


Finally I encountered this the second week of June on weekdays in 2010, the same time you're visiting so you will not be off the hook. I give you my personal guarantee that you will encounter this.

 

[Ms Poppins]

You see the problem with most of these responses is they're all from folks that are across the pond and they have a different idea of rudeness (no offense)

I think it's very difficult to make a comment like this without us 'folks' taking offence

Before I start - I respect your views completely but do not wish my views to be dismissed as having a 'different idea of rudeness'

I know exactly what rudeness is. I have experienced it at DLP. I ignore it. Just as I ignore it anywhere else. Just a couple of weeks ago I held the gate at Casey's ride (which has an automatic shut mechanism) for a young child, her father and a baby he was carrying. He did not even look at me or acknowledge that I'd shown some manners. I then heard him speak to his wife with an American accent....I wrote a full trip report and did not mention this incident as I asbolutely refuse to allow it to overshadow my hoilday. I laughed it off.

Rude people exist everywhere, even in American parks where I have read some similar stories on the Dis trip reports. The difference is how you deal with it. The word we need I think is tolerance.

After 8 trips to DLP I have never experienced queue shoving etc to the extent you have experienced. If I did, I wouldn't want to go back.

As already said, if you look for it you'll find it.

 

[DLPDreams]

Here here Julie .

Michael I do understand what you are trying to say however I agree offence can be taken with what you state....

I certainly don't think this is the place to start throwing around 'us folks' have a different perception of rudeness. As a nation, Britains are known for being tolerant - holding doors/queuing etc (in the main, but not all Brits!). Also, I know there are many nationalities on here, so I'm speaking from myself being a Brit. FWIW, my DH has just spent 6 months working/living closely with a lot of Americans (as a Brit he was in the minority) and he couldn't believe some of the rudeness and arrogance he witnessed. But then on the flipside, he said some of the people he met will become lifelong friends. I guess what I am trying to say is - it takes all sorts and you can't tar everyone with the same brush.

Like I say though, this really isn't the place to go into this. Europe is different yes and some nationalities do have different ideas about what is OK and what is not, but it really isn't that bad and you do get it all over the world. I've even experienced it in the Far East/Asia too....

To the OP - Don't let it spoil your trip before you have even got there. I noticed you posted a similar thing on Magicforum and got pretty much the same replies .

 

[Michael623]

To the OP, I'd prefer not to get another infraction so I'll sign off but I'm just saying that if you go through trip reports on this site and other Disney forums Europeans come back saying that DLP is a perfect flawless utopia and most of the Americans mention rude guests. Set your expectations accordingly.

Also many (including some with the most posts) on this board have never visited the US parks so they have no benchmark.

Unsubscribing.

 

[HappyPanda]

You see the problem with most of these responses is they're all from folks that are across the pond and they have a different idea of rudeness (no offense). It is a cultural thing without question.

I echo what the others have said, I'm not sure how saying that us, as "folks that are across the pond" have a different idea of rudeness, could be anything but offensive. I do respect that these are your views, but you've just tarred not just one country, but a pretty much a whole continent with the same brush.

Almost every single person that has replied to this thread has confirmed that there is a level of rudeness, pushing that comes into any Disneyland trip. But I'd be hard pushed to think of a holiday that I've taken where I haven't been annoyed by the attitudes of one specific person.

I always try to not let the actions of the minority spoil my trips. In all my trips to Disneyland Paris, I have never encountered any truly appalling behaviour. Yes, you do get the odd person who doesn't seem to know what 'personal space' is or the people who think it's their god given right to push ahead.. but this is when pointy elbows come in very handy.

I firmly believe that every country in the whole world has a different way of doing things, but rudeness isn't accepted in any culture, perhaps certain cultures are just more tolerant than others?

To the O/P - Please don't worry about your trip to DLP, whilst I can't promise you won't encounter the odd pushy parent/child, you will still have the most magical time.

 

[DLPdaft]

I'm sure the OP has lots of information on how to avoid any potential issues now, so I'm closing this thread.