Unfortunate incident at Haunted Mansion

[abitjaded]

We wanted to see the pre-show at HM, something we rarely get to do because of some mobility problems in our extended group. I agree, the HM is always nuts. Bad getting into the elevator, bad getting out and horrible in the dark corridor leading to the doom buggies. It seems there used to be a lot more CMs doing crowd control. Especially in the corridor leading to the doom buggies we were jostled and shoved by large groups, and small, trying to race around us. It is an accident waiting to happen. It will be the wheelchair entrance for us from now on, to heck with the pre-show.

Carla

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by NMAmy
I've noticed this recently on a lot of Disney rides...a large group of people are funneled into an area for the pre-show, then the door opens and it's push and shove to get back into a single queue. DD, DH, and I always hold hands and form a chain but I constantly saw kids separated from their parents in the rush to get to the ride. Rock-n-Rollercoaster is a good example of this.

I was going to post something similar, my dd loves RnRc but gets so stressed after the preshow as many push & shove into the garage line. We generally step aside and wait until the aggressive people are out of the preshow room. I noticed this at Test Track on our last trip as well.

Sorry this happend at HM - and glad your dd is ok!

TJ

 

[DizBelle]

Originally posted by Sansaarai
So how was this Disneys fault?

It wasn't Disney's fault but it needs to be brought to their attention so that they can inform their cast members of what to be on the lookout for and maybe add another cast member to monitor the guest behavior in the "after the stretching room and before the queue line" area. I don't think I've seen any cast members there to capture those in the act of being unkind.

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by rbuzzotta
We waited 15 minutes and probably would have waited more if DD didn't want to go and get some ice for her knee!! (let me say that DD is very athletic (see picture below) and has a high tolerance for pain and when she was teary eyed and complaining her knee hurt we decided to leave and give her some needed attention!).

Understandable, but I probably would have had the girls and one parent go in search of ice and a place to sit down, and have the other parent wait a bit longer to talk to the manager and explain what happened. Aside from making the problem known and having it on the record, a manager could have gotten you an icepack and arranged for anything else you needed due to the injury.

 

[HANDYMOM]

Originally posted by Samirella
I agree. There really wasn't much the manager could have done for you once the ride was over and these people were gone. always bring something like this to the attention of the attractions cm loading the ride. That way they can take care of it right away.

Stop trying to make is sound like the OP is complaining. She is just letting people know to look out for problems so you can hold you kids closer to you so they can't be bumped around and injured! If there aren't CM's in the queues to begin with, how would she be able to notify someone during the ride?

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by HANDYMOM
I think you should definately write a letter and forward it to not only the Public Relations dept. but also directly to their legal dept.

If the OP doesn't feel it was Disney's fault -- which she doesn't seem to -- then writing a letter and sending it to both PR and Legal seems a bit much. If the prime reasoning for writing in the first place is to make Disney aware of the problem, then that letter needs to go to the Ops manager at Liberty Square. Sending it to PR and Legal implies that you feel it's Disney's fault and that you are either going to go to the media or file suit if you are not satisfied. That doesn't seem to be the way the OP wants to go.

 

[TLinden16]

Sorry that happend to your family, Rosemary! People can be so rude!

Karen

 

[April76]

Handling pre-show crowds can be a bit stressful for guests.....

But, I've taken the attitude that if I'm in the pre-show area, I'm gonna get on the ride ----- I'm not going to miss anything by just waiting a moment for the stampede to pass by me..... then I leisurely que up and enjoy the ride.

No one --- not even Disney --- will ever be able to control rudeness.


JMHO

 

[alliecats]

Understandable, but I probably would have had the girls and one parent go in search of ice and a place to sit down, and have the other parent wait a bit longer to talk to the manager and explain what happened. Aside from making the problem known and having it on the record, a manager could have gotten you an icepack and arranged for anything else you needed due to the injury.

I find it interesting that whenever someone posts about a bad experience they had at WDW & how they handled it, there are always several posts about what they SHOULD have done. What is the point, really? Unless you have been in the IDENTICAL situation (with the same number & ages of kids, the same ride line, the same crowd setup, the same personalities; etc) how do you honestly know what you'd do? And what good does it do the OP now? And furthermore, what good does it do to make the OP feel bad that they didn't handle it "correctly"? Even if the manager had come right over, the damage had been done! Since there is no time machine (not even at WDW--yet!) to let them go back & do it "right" these comments are pointless. You might think it is instuctive to others, but really everyone is going to handle it in their own way, not yours because you said to. (And this is not just for those on this thread--I see this all the time)

As for it being WDW fault or not, any time you run an amusement park, guest safety is your responsibility. Staff shortage; etc is not the guest's problem--just figure it out. I adore WDW, but let's be realistic. WDW is not faultless. Just my 2 cents!

 

[rbuzzotta]

Thanks to everyone for giving their advice and input.

The reason I posted this thread is for the safety of our children. I just wanted others to be aware of how dangerous this situation got!! Maybe the fast pass would have been the answer to this.

I am not looking for any hand-out from Disney. I am already a DVC member with quite a few points which affords me to stay on property for 3-4 weeks a year. Disney owes me nothing and I don't expect anything for what happened. It was an unfortuante incident and I posted so others could please be aware of what could happen. If by writing a letter something would change to ensure others didn't have to go through this then I will write, but will stress I am not placing blame nor do I expect any type of compensation. We enjoyed our day at the park otherwise!!!

 

[Smcgibeau]

Whenever possible, I let the crowd go by me or I head to the back of the pack just to avoid the push and struggle. I've never encountered anything as rude as the OP has though. That just stinks that people can be so pushy and have that mindset. Its vacation for goodness sake. Geesh.

 

[jaysue]

Originally posted by rbuzzotta
Thanks to everyone for giving their advice and input.

The reason I posted this thread is for the safety of our children. I just wanted others to be aware of how dangerous this situation got!! Maybe the fast pass would have been the answer to this.

I am not looking for any hand-out from Disney. I am already a DVC member with quite a few points which affords me to stay on property for 3-4 weeks a year. Disney owes me nothing and I don't expect anything for what happened. It was an unfortuante incident and I posted so others could please be aware of what could happen. If by writing a letter something would change to ensure others didn't have to go through this then I will write, but will stress I am not placing blame nor do I expect any type of compensation. We enjoyed our day at the park otherwise!!!

Many thanks for sharing this information and event - good information to have about potential danger spots at WDW

thanks
jaysue

 

[patsal]

I do the same as Smcgibeau, I find it easier to let everyone else go and push their way through. I know it is going to end up in a scrunching single file line anyway, so I figure, why get into the pushing and shoving. I find adults who act that way to be frustrating especially since nothing you say or do will change their selfish behavior. These are unfortunately the "bullies" we all went to school with and they are teaching their own children to act the same way. Thanks for sharing the warning I will be sure to be extra careful with the kids in July.

 

[crazelion]

So how was this Disneys fault?

I people could get hurt that way. It was dangerous siituation that could have turn in to a brutal. If someone though a punch all h*** would broke lose.


I have a if someone it's in my face or push and shove. The first time would be a warning the second time would be a warning. Three time I through playing I start to do something about it. It would be self defense.

The best thing is get a CM call secuity immedicately.

I have seen this time again from working at baseball park that I work at. It a very dangerous sitiation for kids to be in.

I had to answer that question it Disney problem if can't handle crowd control issues. It's time to bring in police to handle secuity for them to do the job right.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

Thank you for posting about your experience. I am sorry that your beautiful daughter was hurt. Hope she starts to feel better soon.

We had similar experiences with the pushing and shoving when we were down April 3-10. I wonder if it was just the Easter/Spring Break crowds and a few lousy people getting out of hand?

We actually had a man shove my 4 year old daughter out of the way to get on Dumbo. They have you in that holding area before boarding, we were four people from the gate and he had been at the very back. As soon as that gate opened he came barreling through with his son and literally shoved her out of the way. She couldn't hold on to my hand and was pushed out the gate toward the Dumbos while I was yelling her name, telling her to stand still. People were just pushing by and it took a few scary seconds for me to get through and grab her.
I just don't understand why people have to behave like that. We are all obviously going to get on the ride, right?

After that, we tried to hold back and let other people push their way through so that we wouldn't get jostled so much. It seemed like it happened at more attractions than not.

 

[TDC Nala]

I've taken the attitude that if I'm in the pre-show area, I'm gonna get on the ride ----- I'm not going to miss anything by just waiting a moment for the stampede to pass by me.....

In a queue like the one at the HM, where a lot of people exiting the stretching room have to be funneled down to a single-file boarding queue in a relatively small space, it's not so much that guests feel they're not going to get on the ride before someone else than it is that they're afraid their party is going to get separated. I'm single and couldn't care less if I get separated from my friends - I know I can wait for them before I get on the doombuggy or they can wait for me - but families do not wish to be separated at any time, especially if they're unfamiliar with the room and the rest of the ride queue. I know it doesn't really go anywhere and I could pull aside and wait, but first-time or occasional visitors aren't going to know that. A lot of them are going to push and shove in an effort to stay together, whether or not they're looking out for others in the same area.

Holding your family back when you exit the stretch room might be a good idea... some excited kids aren't going to take too kindly to that, though.

You can find out where the door is in the stretching rooms (I don't know if it's considered proper to say so here) and on repeat visits make sure you are on the opposite side of the stretch room from the door. Then the masses will shove their way out of the room and get situated before you get out and into the queue. It might take a little longer to get on the ride, but would probably cut down on getting pushed and shoved by those who can't wait.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Thanks for sharing your exp, I hope people remember it when they find themself getting anxious about a ride and carried away with pushing their way in. It seems that people forget that the Haunted Mansion is NOT going anywhere, it'll be there when you get your turn =)

We, too, hang back a bit from the crowd on rides like that, I have noticed people really get excited about going first! Go right ahead, I'll hang for a minute and you can go first =)

I hope her knee fixes itself without too much trouble. What a damper on a vacation.

Your attitude is great, I commend you =)

 

[abitjaded]

Just a warning to all who do hang back and wait for the crowd to pass, there is ANOTHER crowd close behind. We got "trampled" by the next elevator full, too, while we waited for eyes to adjust to the dark at HM and get our slow-moving group through.

There is another good reason to avoid large groups that shove through and want to stay together. We ended up shoved to the back with large group on Bugs at AK. We did not have a choice as to seating area because we had a wheelchair. The large group had to discuss and yak all the way through the show. Couldn't hear a word.

Carla

 

[Sansaarai]

Disney didn't tell the people to start pushing, they did it on their own. That was my point. If they waited for the manager to arrive what could he have done?

 

[jtjarvis]

I think management could use a report like this so they can acknowledge and figure out ways to curb this kind of behavior.

Maxine, from Atlanta traveling down I-75 etc is about 7.5 hours. Everybody likes to say, "Oh, it's just 7 hours..." but it's a wee bit more, traveling efficiently. Still not a bad drive at all! But we southerners do like to sugarcoat everything, LOL

Love the FW cabins! I'm jealous you get to go so soon!