What not to do at Disney?

[LockShockBarrel]

Good to hear MajorT, just remember too that not all service animals wear a harness, such as seizure alert dogs. Honestly I find the whole "address the owner and don't assume you can pet a dog" thing to work in any situation, even if it's just a pet, because as someone said, it may have been you, not all doggies are friendly.

 

[LubsPoohBear]

The things I can think of not to do at Disney are
1 rush…. Breath enjoy
2 think you can get it done all in one trip …. More reasons to go again
3 think something is going to go wrong … mind over matter.. If you don’t think about it don’t matter

 

[OwlDisneyGirl]

Wow, I almost killed my BlackBerry trying to read all 46 pages of this thread, but I did it!
Let me add one thing that has come up recently (though not at Disney, but I'm sure it will this summer!):
If you hear a child make a cough (a single one, it may repeat, but we're talking a throat clearing cough, not a hacking up a lung cough), don't turn around and give him/her a dirty look. My DS has Tourette Syndrome and one of his tics is a cough. A real simple, throat clearing cough. He's had it for more than 2 years now, but only in the past 3 months has he started to get mean/nasty looks for it.
The BF comments were all interesting. I don't wish to have my DS (6 yo) discussing "****ies" the rest of the day, but honestly, we're at WDW, if he can't find something to distract him after that, Disney isn't doing something right!
Ditto on blood sugar and insulin injections - DH will use all the discretion he can, but the heat can get to him and there are times we must check right then. He doesn't want anyone to notice what he's doing, so please let him be.
Oh, and I have to admit, I have been one of those people to take a pic of someone else's kid with a character. Here's why (and please know, I delete the pic, I don't want it): sometimes I can tell the lighting might be funny for my camera. Maybe it's shaded or we're inside with flourescent lighting and I'm not sure what setting will work on my camera the best. I test out a shot or two while the people in front of me are taking pics. This way I know what works and I can get the shot right without major shadows and you're not waiting on me to get my camera right. Sorry, I think in the past I've explained to the person ahead of me what I was doing, but I'm sure at times I forgot to do this.
So, DO pick the couple of things important to each person, do those and have fun!
And, if you have 9pm ADR's with kids (as we do this trip), consider that a dessert/2nd dinner for the kids and feed them earlier in the evening! We've done this before and it works great.
Oh, and if you saw us playing with our camera at San Angel Inn for dinner 2 years ago, we waiting 50 minutes for our food. This kept our kids entertained and was some of the best pics we had from the trip!

 

[BBQChick]

Don't fight! I hate to see couples and parents fighting! It's WDW the happiest place on Earth! I always try to be in a good mood while i'm there and ignore certain things that would normally aggravate me while i'm in WDW.

I agree...and shamefully have to admit that i'm guilty of this one. My husband and I took our then 7 year old son to disney world over Christmas break. On Christmas day my husband was particularly upset because it was like 85 outside and back home it was snowing (he has some stupid love affair with cold weather). with each and every phone call from his parents and sibling giving him the snow update his mood got worse and worse until I couldn't ignore it. we ended up getting in an arguement at Epcot that ended with me shouting at him to go fly home to his mommy! Now we laugh about it, but i'm so sad that we did that not only vacation and in front of strangers but in front of our son...
I promise our next trip to disney will much more drama free.

 

[BBQChick]

Don't fight! I hate to see couples and parents fighting! It's WDW the happiest place on Earth! I always try to be in a good mood while i'm there and ignore certain things that would normally aggravate me while i'm in WDW.

I agree...and shamefully have to admit that i'm guilty of this one. My husband and I took our then 7 year old son to disney world over Christmas break. On Christmas day my husband was particularly upset because it was like 85 outside and back home it was snowing (he has some stupid love affair with cold weather). with each and every phone call from his parents and sibling giving him the snow update his mood got worse and worse until I couldn't ignore it. we ended up getting in an arguement at Epcot that ended with me shouting at him to go fly home to his mommy! Now we laugh about it, but i'm so sad we did that not only while on vacation and in front of strangers but in front of our son...
I promise our next trip to disney will much more drama free.

 

[BBQChick]

I totally agree, why isn't someone bottle feeding a baby gross to? If my baby is hungry then I feed her. I try to be discrete but I don't like eating with a blanket over my head why would she?

 

[AlexandAndysMom]

I second this. My nephew is 5 1/2 and has childhood arthritis. We did find this out a few months after we visited WDW tho. He has always complained about his legs hurting and he need them rubied. We assumed growing pains. We could not figure out why he was so extra cranky at WDW. Toward the end of our tip his mom realized his poor legs were very swollen. A few weeks ago he was diagnosed. So next time we go he will be 6, and yes we will have a stroller for him until if and when he out grows it.

Was he diagnosed with JRA (juvinile rheumatoid arthritis)? My husband (34) was diagnosed when he was 9. Just remember that he needs to keep moving. It's the best thing for him. When he's sore, he needs the break. When it's not so bad, let him walk. A little swelling in the FL heat is to be expected. Listen to the doctors, and take the meds they give him exactly as prescribed to keep him as healthy as possible for as long as possible! My DH LOVES Disney and the heat (it doesn't hurt as bad in the heat as in the cold!). But, he takes it slow when he needs to and he rests when he needs to, you know?

 

[BBQChick]

It really gets my feathers ruffled when I plan my day out, get to a parade rout AT LEAST an hour early to ensure my kids and I can see, only to have someone try to shove thier kids in front of us seconds before the parade/show starts.
Once at the MK a lady and her daughter were stumbling through the crowd (most of us were sitting) moments before a parade was set to start. as soon as she heard the music she plopper her kid down onto my sons feet and she sat on my feet! not in front of us but ON us!! I was seriously annoyed. I (as politely as possible) asked her to move. She gave me the stink eye but she did move.

I totally understand letting a small kid step in front of me to get a better view of the show but personaly as a parent I don't want to be seperated from my child in such a large of mob of people. It only takes a second for someone to snatch my child or for a child to accidently wander away.

 

[DisneyMomm]

Kids in strollers, even big kids, don't bother me at all. My DS was 5 on our last trip and we noticed how worn out and cranky he was at the end of the first 2 days. So from then on we brought the stroller and he was back to his old self. This year he's 7 and the rest of us are a lot bigger than him and can walk much farther and faster. We will definately be bringing the stroller for him again. He is not a big kid, infact one of the smallest in his class, so he won't stand out too much, but I really can't see why anyone has a problem with any age kid being in a stroller... I mean really... what's it to them.

I feel the same way about scooters. I never even noticed the people on scooters. Unless I desperately needed one and couldn't get one, it would never occur to me to even concern myself with whether or not the people using them actually needed them. I figure if they choose to use one, they must need it... who would try to get around the crowds in one of those just for kicks.

For the most part, unless someone were to be specifically doing something to me or my family , or be causing harm to someone else, I don't notice too many other people and what they are doing at Disney. I'm too busy enjoyng myself with my family

 

[PrincessMom4]

I am a breastfeeding mom of 4 and nursed where ever and NO one ever noticed me feeding. Heck i even had people talk to me and then realize I was nursing. Well I saw one woman today who was "well endowed" (hope that is the correct term..lol) and she had a bathsuit on and just whipped it out. I mean I have absolutely NO problem with nursing anywhere, BUT I mean cover up the side of your breast. The baby only nurses from the front. I can totally understand not covering your baby in the heat. Makes total sense and I get it, BUT the rest of the world does NOT need to see everything else.

 

[Chica650]

If you see someone pushing a stroller don't run up just to cut in front of them and just suddenly stop where you get the back of your foot hit.

Don't touch my kid because you think he is cute he is not in a little animal he is a little kid this acctually happened several times last year when we went.

To the stroller part, YES. It's been 6 years since we've been and I STILL remember this being one of my biggest pet peeves. You're strolling along, keeping a mindful eye out for people and people do NOT watch out for you. They trip over the stroller, almost fall on your child's lap, or stop RIGHT in front of you and then wanna ***** when you run over their ankle...I did my due diligence by watching out for YOU, so YOU watch out for strollers.

 

[PrincessMom4]

One of my problems is that people lack patience or compassion for others. not saying this is everyone, but there are more and more people out there. Here is agood case example, you take your child to see **whatever*** attraction/show and you don't know how the child will react. Let's say your kid starts to cry or scream and it doesn't get better, so as a mom I remove the child immediately from that situation. PLEASE PLEASE be patient.. I am not a magician it is going to take me a minute or so to get out of my seating area. I have had people give me dirty stares when I don't move like a wizard. I am removing my child quickly but I have 3 other kids in tow to remove as well. People need to remember we have also spent a lot of money on this vacation and don't want it "ruined". So remember to maybe lend a hand if someone has dropped something or looks like they need help.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

If I never again see a parent yelling at a child over some small, minor matter that boils down to the parent being tired and cranky and taking it out on the kid it will be too soon, but at Disney? I think it should be a felony offense; heck, I think for that one thing we should bring back horsewhipping.

how would you know it was a small minor thing if you didn't hear the entire thing? You don't know what the child had been doing all along for that parent to be yelling at them for what you think is "minor"

 

[A Mickeyfan]

what not to do at Disney..........
hmmmm Do not forget to bring your manners

 

[perfectparanoia]

how would you know it was a small minor thing if you didn't hear the entire thing? You don't know what the child had been doing all along for that parent to be yelling at them for what you think is "minor"

I agree. I get the stinkeye any time I reprimand my child anywhere in public. Guess what? If I am talking to them (I don't yell at them at home or while I am out) in a stern tone it is unlikely to be because I am tired or cranky. It is to prevent them from behaving in a worse manner later.

If they misbehave at Disney World am I just supposed to let them continue? I think that you would probably frown upon that more.

 

[simba20]

I agree. I get the stinkeye any time I reprimand my child anywhere in public. Guess what? If I am talking to them (I don't yell at them at home or while I am out) in a stern tone it is unlikely to be because I am tired or cranky. It is to prevent them from behaving in a worse manner later.

If they misbehave at Disney World am I just supposed to let them continue? I think that you would probably frown upon that more.

EXACTLY this!

I discipline my child very differently from what my husband does. Most of the time, I am a soother and seek to find out wherr my husband and daughter are having conflict. He's a LOUD VOICE, STERN LOOK, threaten with a spaking kinda guy (DD is 3). However DD knows that if I break out into a stern voice then MOMMY MEANS BUSINESS and note that's a stern voice, not yelling, humiliating her, etc.....

And, to agree with the poster above, if we didn't do anything, then you'd complain about that too.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I agree. I get the stinkeye any time I reprimand my child anywhere in public. Guess what? If I am talking to them (I don't yell at them at home or while I am out) in a stern tone it is unlikely to be because I am tired or cranky. It is to prevent them from behaving in a worse manner later.

If they misbehave at Disney World am I just supposed to let them continue? I think that you would probably frown upon that more.

my point in a nut shell.. others should not be judging (or mis-judging) you by what you are saying to your child... if you let them run a muck, there will be someone complaining about that (not to mention they can hurt themselves while doing it) .. you talk to them in a stern voice and right away some busy buddy thinks you are abusing your child and wants to turn you in. It is a no win situation sometimes.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Ok.. another what not to do at Disney...

do not listen in on what others are saying or doing, then misjudging them because you have not heard the entire story that has lead to what you have just over-heard or witnessed
in other words, MYOB.. and enjoy your day

 

[StarGazer99]

Don't smoke in non smoking areas

As a considerate smoker I actually don't like the smoke(coming from the cigarette) either so when you see a smoker in the smoking area with her hand held high dancing around trying to stay away from the smoke, that would be me.

 

[~armywife~]

i didn't manage to read the entire thread, but i read quite a bit of it, and, in my opinion ...

do NOT worry so much about what others at WDW are doing or saying or wearing or showing. the only things YOU can control are the ways YOU react to those situations and what kind of role model YOU are going to be. if you are concerned about what your children might see or hear or come upon something that you think will affect them, then talk to them. keep the communication lines open.