The STRANGEST thing you have ever seen in the parks.....

[Suellen]

We were taking the little boat from the MK to the Poly and there was a 3-4 year old seated directly in front of me who kept trying to squeeze through the side rails of the boat. The captain had asked the parents to please seat him in the middle but he fussed so they didn't. The mother was kind of keeping an eye on him but not 100% focused.

I was a nervous wreck the whole time and I actually TOOK MY SNEAKERS OFF in case I had to leap into the lake to fish him out. After they got off my DH said, "I almost had a heart attack- did you see what that kid was doing?" I pointed to my feet and said, "See him? I was ready to jump in after him!"

I really can't believe the captain didn't enforce the rule - he must have seen the kid squirming around at some point. Maybe he had his shoes off too and I just didn't see it!

Funny it seems like people are oblivious to the fact that even though younare on vacation your kids can still get hurt! We obviously have a lot of tourists in town (typically over from Disney). Anyway - we only have one car so DH usually brings it to me at lunch and I drop him back at his office. So the other day we saw a big rented SUV driving through town square with a toddler HANGING out the window in the backseat! Like half her body out her window waving to people. DH And I just stared with our mouths hanging open. So bizarre! Yeah guess what - just because you are on vacation there are still seat belt laws!!!

 

[Mad Hattered]

I can honestly say I haven't seen anything THAT out of the ordinary at the parks. Just your normal run of the mill bad manners theme park stuff. But my favorite story is one I saw in a thread like this about 5 years ago on this site, where a family/group took off their shoes and sat there washing and soaking their feet in Cinderella's fountain!! I had to go find the pic, this one still makes me lol.

Sheesh!!! The Brazilians even swarm the fountain! I can almost hear the chanting from here!

 

[pooh4evr]

We were taking the little boat from the MK to the Poly and there was a 3-4 year old seated directly in front of me who kept trying to squeeze through the side rails of the boat. The captain had asked the parents to please seat him in the middle but he fussed so they didn't. The mother was kind of keeping an eye on him but not 100% focused.

I was a nervous wreck the whole time and I actually TOOK MY SNEAKERS OFF in case I had to leap into the lake to fish him out. After they got off my DH said, "I almost had a heart attack- did you see what that kid was doing?" I pointed to my feet and said, "See him? I was ready to jump in after him!"

I really can't believe the captain didn't enforce the rule - he must have seen the kid squirming around at some point. Maybe he had his shoes off too and I just didn't see it!

On our first family trip in 2005, I was sitting on a bench in EPCOT, it was across from Norway so against the black iron fence surrounding the lake. anyway, this lady was on her phone sitting at the bench a little ways down, some ducks were walking around in the grass, her kid was throwing grass and stuff at them through the fence, he decided to go through the fence. Well only part went through, the poor kid was screaming and yelling trying to get his head back through while mom continues to talk. Finally she notices, starts screaming, and pulling on him lifting him off the ground like a cartoon, a CM rushes over she stops the mom and pushes the kids body through the fine, and lifts him over. unbelievable.

 

[twoplustwins]

On our first vacation as a married couple, DH and I were horrified to see this in Magic Kingdom:

 

[tsme]

The strangest & most disturbing thing I've ever seen at Disney was a family (husband, wife, child, grandmother) in Epcot I believe, it was many years ago. They appeared to be middle eastern (assuming this by their clothes & language). The man was grabbing the woman by the arm, screaming at her and pulling on her arm. The older woman just stood there & watched. I was horrified. At the time I was very young and didn't know what to do, so I just stared at him, hoping he'd get embarraed and stop. That didn't work, eventually I walked off. But I still feel guilty for not doing anything. So sad.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

This was Christmas week this year, and not strange in a bad way, just strange in a refreshing way. We were waiting for the Backlot tour at HS, and there was a teen girl READING A BOOK. Can't remember what it was, I thought I discreetly snapped a picture, but I can't find it. And it wasn't a Twilight or other similar book. This was a real book--maybe it was for school or something, but she seemed into it, and totally unconcerned that others might think it was odd to be reading a book at WDW.
I thought it was a great use of time, and would have loved for my DD to have used her line waiting time more wisely!

My daughter was in high school during one of our trips. She was assigned Gone with the Wind. We have pictures of her reading at all the countries. We would browse, she would read.

 

[Anniefrances]

I'm sure I've seen my share of things over the years, but I'm drawing a bit of a blank today. I did want to comment on the high heels thing though. I have seen women do it and I wonder how the heck they manage! But a friend of my family went for the first time a few years ago. She works in a bank and wears high heels every day. When she went to Disney, she brought sneakers thinking that it was the sensible way to go, but she said they really bothered her feet because she is so used to wearing high heels.

I can relate to this. I have extremely high arches and wear high heels for comfort. While at WDW I wear high heel wedge sandals because for me they feel better than flats. I do pair them with walking shorts (not miniskirts) so hopefully they don't look that strange!

 

[Foxxie52]

I remember seeing a woman using one of those electronic buggies as she went through EPCOT. Nothing strange there except behind her was a teenager in a wheelchair being towed along (he was holding on to the buggy) and he was towing a little girl in a wheelchair who was towing a little boy in a wheelchair! It was like a caterpillar or something! We followed them and all of them were fully capable of walking when they stopped at a restroom.

 

[ashmarie06]

On our first vacation as a married couple, DH and I were horrified to see this in Magic Kingdom:

The Birthday Cake Castle was def the worst!

 

[Kellykins1218]

The Birthday Cake Castle was def the worst!

LOL I loved it

 

[NHKristy76]

I can honestly say I haven't seen anything THAT out of the ordinary at the parks. Just your normal run of the mill bad manners theme park stuff. But my favorite story is one I saw in a thread like this about 5 years ago on this site, where a family/group took off their shoes and sat there washing and soaking their feet in Cinderella's fountain!! I had to go find the pic, this one still makes me lol.

WHAT?!

I never would have believed it without the picture!

 

[Disney_Princess83]

That is the ugliest thing I've ever seen!

On our first vacation as a married couple, DH and I were horrified to see this in Magic Kingdom:

 

[AwfullyBigAdventures]

In December 2010, we saw a man in a santa outfit near the Ferry/boat area outside MK. He was sitting on a motor scooter with a sign that said something about 'Dreams come true' and he asked my kids if they wanted to sit on his lap. They said no. We went to GF for dinner and when we came back, he was still there. Never saw anyone take him up on that....

As far as the breastfeeding goes, we saw a woman nursing in Chefs de France. When we looked, she had a bare breast and her baby in her lap. It really embarrassed my son. I don't care if people nurse in public, but I think there should be at least an attempt at privacy. I don't want to see nipple and I don't want my son seeing it. Same thing goes for women in super revealing clothing....

 

[bytheblood]

That's an awful thing to say. I constantly read as a kid and my parents could not have been happier with it. Be glad she's not obsessively checking facebook or posting pictures of her take in a bathroom mirror to instagram.

 

[Silock]

I agree! It's one thing to dress nice or cute but I'm constantly amazed at what people think is good park attire. When we go to Kings Island or Cedar Point I'm also always amazed at the teenagers in jeans (often tighter ones now-a-days) and black. What are you thinking?!

What's wrong with jeans? I wear jeans to WDW all the time.

 

[TBdisneyMC]

One year at Epcot, we saw a group of at least 10-15 people each riding an ECV. Now, of course, they might have all actually needed one, but.... I doubt it. They were likely from Japan or another country, so maybe they didn't fully understand the intended purpose of the ECVs. Anyway, it was funny seeing a 'herd' of ECV zoom by!

 

[Aaeolien]

Others may not think of this as strange since I saw so many people doing it...

Using iPads to take pictures. I wouldn't want to carry one around the parks.

We use ours alot around the house and backyard to take pictures and videos but man I couldnt imagine carrying it around the parks to take pictures with. And yep you see it everywhere now. Its great they have a camera on them but it does look goofy holding it up to take a picture. LOL

 

[meowmarie]

In December 2010, we saw a man in a santa outfit near the Ferry/boat area outside MK. He was sitting on a motor scooter with a sign that said something about 'Dreams come true' and he asked my kids if they wanted to sit on his lap.....

 

[GiJohnsGirl]

Breast feeding a child is not strange, it is normal and should be encouraged. Extended breast feeding has health benefits for both the child and the mother but many women are put off doing it by the negative attitude of our modern Western society. Posts like this don't help!

The WHO recommend breast feeding up to 2 years of age or beyond and the AAFP estimate that the natural weaning age for humans is anywhere between 2 and 7 years.

So please stop bashing mothers for caring for their children!

I am not bashing breast feeding - as I did it, but four is too old.. I will not pack breast milk in my son's lunch to take to school. WHO also monitors many countries that have limited nutrition sources. In underdeveloped countries where food and water are scarce; then yes that it is the best meal for the development. WDW most def does not meet that criteria. And mothers can care for their kids just as well at THE BABY CARE CENTER where there is a NURSING station or cover up.

 

[quirty30]

Last year we were riding back to our resort from Downtown Disney on the bus. A very cute little boy, probably about 4 or 5 years old was playing with 3 plush toys; a Mickey, a Minnie and a Pluto. It was quite an adorable little scene until he put Minnie down on the seat next to him, and started wailing on her with Mickey, yelling, "DIE, DIE, DIE!" To this day, I can't decide if it was funny or disturbing (perhaps a little of both....)