Tour Group Ran Over my Autistic Nephew

[Raven77]

"Brian" is 10-years old, and a high functioning autistic. We did not get a GAC for him because he is able to stand in line for about 20 minutes before it becomes an issue. Instead, we use fast pass or just monitor line wait times. We also bring his Nintendo DS which keeps him focused on something else in case the wait gets longer...

Anyway, this past July, we were waiting at Thunder Mountain. We were in the second "room" and it was a modest 15-20 minute wait. Brian was happily watching the coasters go by, playing his DS, looking at the "props" in the waiting area, and the line seemed to moving quickly. We were kept walking, rather than standing, which makes all the difference with him.

Then, all of a sudden, this group of 30-40 like-dressed kids who kept saying "My Group! No English!" SHOVED their way through the 20 or so people behind us and up to us. There were four people dressed like these kids a few feet ahead of us and they attempted to SHOVE us aside. I'm a pretty big fellow, but I wasn't able to block them. When I said, "Excuse me! The line is behind us!" They laughed and kept saying "My Group! No English!" at which point six of them jumped over the railings and the rest just BARGED through us. My brother-in-law reached to grab Brian, but he wasn't fast enough and these teens literally PUSHED him into the railings, making his DS go flying.

We thought that would be the end of it, and Brian seemed OK. Another gentleman picked up the DS and handed it to me. I gave it to him, it still worked, and Brian said he was fine. My sister said we'd wait, then.

Until...that rude group of kids just started chanting some insane nonsense!!! That caused Brian to lose it. He started shaking, covering his ears, and we knew we had to leave. We walked back through the crowd with him, and I said something to the cast member at the base of thunder mountain about the group. She just said, "Sorry. They can be difficult."

My brother in law was furious. He asked why they hadn't been asked to leave for cutting the whole line, trampling a little boy, nearly causing his game system to break, and chanting like a bunch of fools. The CM said she "didn't have the authority to do that" and my brother in law asked who did.

She said she could call for someone, but it would probably take them awhile to get there. We left, completely disgusted at the situation.

Anyone have any run-ins with these groups like this? Is Disney ever going to get them under control??? Does anyone know someone at Disney we can contact to make sure our story is heard by the higher ups because a CM at the attraction "doesn't have the authority" to kick these kids out of line after this fiasco???

Thanks....
Rav

 

[Sammie]

Please, let Disney know. In fact you should have asked to speak to a manager while there and yes you would have to wait until a manager can arrive. You can also stop at City Hall and speak to a manager.

Nothing will be done until enough guests complain.

copy your post and send it to Disney. Go to disneyworld.com and find the Contact Us link and mail them your posting.

It is always better to speak to someone when something happens. Waiting several months then wanting to notify them is going to make it seem like it was not a big deal.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Hi,

Sorry to hear about that and yes many years ago at a hotel we came into contact with a group of teenagers running up and down the corridors and causing mayhem.

You see groups of them around the parks wearing the same colour t-shirt, it's a shame they behave badly and show no respect for others.

Hope Brian is ok, my best wishes from England, UK.

 

[Raven77]

@Sammie:
Yeah, I know it's kind of pointless now, months later. We are planning another trip for next summer and while talking about it, I said I'd look on the 'net for some Disney forums to see if anyone else had any problems like this or if these Tour Groups were now under some kind of control.

My sister did send an email to Disney via the "Contact Us" months ago but never received a reply. Next time, I will definitely hang back from the group and wait for a manager or go to City Hall. (We did not want to wait...not with Brian having a meltdown...) Course, I'm hoping there ISN'T a next time....

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

@Sammie:
Yeah, I know it's kind of pointless now, months later. We are planning another trip for next summer and while talking about it, I said I'd look on the 'net for some Disney forums to see if anyone else had any problems like this or if these Tour Groups were now under some kind of control.

My sister did send an email to Disney via the "Contact Us" months ago but never received a reply. Next time, I will definitely hang back from the group and wait for a manager or go to City Hall. (We did not want to wait...not with Brian having a meltdown...) Course, I'm hoping there ISN'T a next time....

If it is the same tour group I'm thinking it probably was, avoid the month of July even into the very beginning of August.

I'm sorry that happened to you. I've encountered tour groups like this before and they don't seem to care about anyone else except for themselves. I do hope Disney does decide to do something about it I refuse to visit the parks during the month of July because from what I understand that is the time of a school break.

 

[aubriee]

If it is the same tour group I'm thinking it probably was, avoid the month of July even into the very beginning of August.

I'm sorry that happened to you. I've encountered tour groups like this before and they don't seem to care about anyone else except for themselves. I do hope Disney does decide to do something about it I refuse to visit the parks during the month of July because from what I understand that is the time of a school break.

Unfortunately the Brazillians invade every January and July. We've only ran into the huge groups of teens once and that was in January. We said never again, so time our trips around them. I had a very nice neighbor, who is Brazillian and even he said to avoid WDW during those two months. Apparently a WDW trip is a right of passage for some of the rich kids in Brazil. He said those kids most definitely speak English as well as Portuguese, and some even know Spanish and German. They know their so called chaperones will not report them to their parents, so they do exactly what they want, knowing there will be no repercussions. Disney won't do anything about their behavior because they bring in too much money.

 

[bookwormde]

If the push was intentional and hard enough to put the child at risk and WDW was not going to deal with it seriously and in a timely fashion you should have just dialed 911 and asked for the police to investigate it. If you had told the CM that you were dialing 911 you would have had WDW security there in less than 2 minutes.

I know that in the moment, it is much harder to know what to do, so It might be usefful for future reference (your description has been for me so I am ready if something similar happeneded to my child). In may states an action aginst someone with a disability (even if the perpatrator if not aware of the disability) takes it to a higher level (like addtional protections for firefighters and police if they are victims of crime at work).

In the end it is likely that no charges would have been filed, but the group, and likely the tour opperator would have learned a lesson, that might help others.

bookwormde

 

[bidnow5]

We have been there in January many times and had to deal with the Brazilian groups every time. I have had them try to shove thru us a few times but I push my wife in a wheel chair and I am a very big guy they do not get thru.
Unfortunately they are not well behaved we have also had problems at some of the hotels we stayed in if you are trying to get off an elevator when they are trying to get on watch out they try to shove you back in but I don't let them. They run thru the hallway all night long but I just keep calling the front desk after 4 or 5 calls they stop. It's sad but we got to a point we stopped going in January

 

[Emagine]

Oh do not let them fool you, they know enough English to understand if there is trouble. If not they can read faces & mood! I think it is an excuse in order to act like fools.

I had the same thing while waiting for the bus at Downtown Disney. You know, no que line just the 'stop'. We made it to the bus and it was full seat wise and standing room only. We always choose to sit with my 2 special need kiddos and if that means waiting on the next bus then we gladly do.

We were happily waiting as the first in line playing around with the kids to entertain them. A few other families came up and waited with us. We were at the stop sign at the curb and they just piled up around us to wait. No issues...until... out comes the dressed alike crowd with their loud singing and chanting. That was annoying enough on its own. I do not mind fun if it does not disturb others and I could have used an earplug for sure but put the headset on the kids that they have for noise modification.

They all began to sing and carry on like underage drunks and line up along the barrier past the stop sign in a sing line and left the rest of us behind them. Lots of looks and laughter passed as the line got so big we all knew they would exceed the bus sitting.

I told them it was not going to happen they acted like they did not understand. I said they would board after everyone waiting, again they laughed like they could not understand and carry on piling up in shoulder to shoulder bunches. People motioned with intent to them to line up after them.

Finally I looked at them and said 'SECURITY????' boy they understood that one very fast. We all realized then they knew exactly what we were saying. Slowly a few moved back and talked their language to the others. Some stubborn ones piled up and turned their back to us to block us and motioned that the bus was coming and pulled their crew to them bumping into my kids stroller and us.

I yelled SECURITY and said no one is getting on before those who waited. The bus pulled up and they were unloading an ECV. I went to the back and told the bus driver to please handle it or call security that we were not going to be put off for rudeness. He entered the bus and closed the back door coming out the front with his body in the doorway. He motioned for all of us to come ahead and pointed to the crowd. Needless to say there were some seats left for them but not everyone made it on the bus. The ride was quiet after that

So please if and when you encounter a problem out in public that needs addressing please do so at the time of event. You get a much better response then writing in after the fact.

 

[bouncycat]

We had a group of them in DHS on Veterans day run me over in the room for ToT. I'm in a wheelchair, and my DS who has Asbergers was REALLY upset. We got him calmed down, and convinced him that's not the way to act. He sees that kind of stuff all the time, since we go all the time, and it always causes him to loose his cool. Especially when it involves me. Sweet huh? But, we try not to let it bother our day, calm down DS, and move on. As long as they don't hurt me, or my DS, then I can usually let it go. There was this guy on the tram one time that wasn't in line legally, for the front of the car row that has 3 seats. We need that row because of the WC, as we don't have a handicapped sticker yet, so we park in the regular parking. He PUSHED DS out of the way, and got on after we had waited for like 3 trams, and I commenced to cussing him out. Guy was 3 times my size, but hey, do NOT touch my baby!!!

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

Unfortunately the Brazillians invade every January and July. We've only ran into the huge groups of teens once and that was in January. We said never again, so time our trips around them. I had a very nice neighbor, who is Brazillian and even he said to avoid WDW during those two months. Apparently a WDW trip is a right of passage for some of the rich kids in Brazil. He said those kids most definitely speak English as well as Portuguese, and some even know Spanish and German. They know their so called chaperones will not report them to their parents, so they do exactly what they want, knowing there will be no repercussions. Disney won't do anything about their behavior because they bring in too much money.

I know that January is also a bad month, but I guess I was considering the fact that the OP went in July so they were looking for another summer vacation which is why I didn't mention January.

 

[cm8]

"Brian" is 10-years old, and a high functioning autistic. We did not get a GAC for him because he is able to stand in line for about 20 minutes before it becomes an issue. Instead, we use fast pass or just monitor line wait times. We also bring his Nintendo DS which keeps him focused on something else in case the wait gets longer...

Anyway, this past July, we were waiting at Thunder Mountain. We were in the second "room" and it was a modest 15-20 minute wait. Brian was happily watching the coasters go by, playing his DS, looking at the "props" in the waiting area, and the line seemed to moving quickly. We were kept walking, rather than standing, which makes all the difference with him.

Then, all of a sudden, this group of 30-40 like-dressed kids who kept saying "My Group! No English!" SHOVED their way through the 20 or so people behind us and up to us. There were four people dressed like these kids a few feet ahead of us and they attempted to SHOVE us aside. I'm a pretty big fellow, but I wasn't able to block them. When I said, "Excuse me! The line is behind us!" They laughed and kept saying "My Group! No English!" at which point six of them jumped over the railings and the rest just BARGED through us. My brother-in-law reached to grab Brian, but he wasn't fast enough and these teens literally PUSHED him into the railings, making his DS go flying.

We thought that would be the end of it, and Brian seemed OK. Another gentleman picked up the DS and handed it to me. I gave it to him, it still worked, and Brian said he was fine. My sister said we'd wait, then.

Until...that rude group of kids just started chanting some insane nonsense!!! That caused Brian to lose it. He started shaking, covering his ears, and we knew we had to leave. We walked back through the crowd with him, and I said something to the cast member at the base of thunder mountain about the group. She just said, "Sorry. They can be difficult."

My brother in law was furious. He asked why they hadn't been asked to leave for cutting the whole line, trampling a little boy, nearly causing his game system to break, and chanting like a bunch of fools. The CM said she "didn't have the authority to do that" and my brother in law asked who did.

She said she could call for someone, but it would probably take them awhile to get there. We left, completely disgusted at the situation.

Anyone have any run-ins with these groups like this? Is Disney ever going to get them under control??? Does anyone know someone at Disney we can contact to make sure our story is heard by the higher ups because a CM at the attraction "doesn't have the authority" to kick these kids out of line after this fiasco???

Thanks....
Rav

Hope that your Nephew is doing better. I hope that you were able to still send them a comment. The whole thing is too.

 

[dan-tot]

That is your tax dollars at work. All these groups are subsidised by our US government. They bring over large groups of people. They put them up in hotels they give them free clothes and and they give them like cameras tote bags and spending money. I have only seen one encounter at splash mountain and that was only rushing their handler. I like the 911 idea. If you encounter the groups and they are causing a problem call 911 maybe after a few times they will do something about it.
Me I think I would have slugged someone myself, but that is just me.

Dan-tot

 

[KPeveler]

Ok, this thread is going nowhere good.

The best response to a volatile or dangerous situation is to look for help at the time. If that is not possible, you can always write to Disney.