What's the rush?

[C.Ann]

The past few weeks I've been doing quite a bit of reading on this board and it saddens me to hear what some people have had the misfortune to experience while on their "magical" vacations..

I've read of people literally being knocked down; people purposely attacking others with strollers and wheelchairs; children being shoved to the ground and ending up with scraped and bleeding knees; elderly people being pushed out of the way.. Even instances that have come very close to breaking out into fist fights and brawls..

I understand that people pay a lot of money to go to the parks (me included) and I understand that people only have "x" amount of time to do the things they would like to do while they're at the parks, but is it REALLY necessary to be in such a rush that the mind set sinks to "Anyone who gets in my way deserves to be mowed down"??

I honestly and truly believe that it's only a matter of time until a horrible brawl breaks out in one of the parks - with innocent bystanders being injured - and it's plastered all over the evening news..

It's a vacation - not a marathon.. I just don't understand why people can't slow down a little before someone gets seriously hurt..

 

[michaelwilliammidd]

We nearly witnessed a fight while walking by The Little Mermaid at MGM last year. As we were walking past we heard yelling and saw people clearing out to find a guy with his son on his shoulders yelling in some guys face that he was "gonna knock his teeth down his throat".....such a fine example for his son and everyone else around. It's so uncalled for, it's ridiculous.

 

[Minnesota]

Here Here! I so totally agree with you. I have been shoved around and pushed out of the way many a time in my trips to WDW and while I of course would like to get even, I don't because it isn't going to solve anything by pushing them back or someone else who just happened to be in "My Way". My friend and I usually do the parks "Commando" style but we do live by the idea behind "commando raids", don't hurt innocents. No one wants to go home with bruises or cuts. It is the happiest place on earth afterall.
Minnesota

 

[C.Ann]

I witnessed a wife SCREAMING at her DH at the top of her lungs because her DH refused to beat up the father of another little boy who had shoved their little boy down in Dinoland.. The child wasn't hurt - wasn't even crying (I'm not even sure the other little boy did it intentionally) - but this woman wanted BLOOD!! Her entire party (looked like parents and in-laws) were trying to calm her down and of course looking terribly embarrassed.. It was awful to watch a so-called "adult" behave in that manner..

 

[Honeibee]

But I think life in general is becoming this way.

Everyone is ALWAYS in such a rush to go anywhre, do anything....Type A personalities are becoming standard procedure.

 

[cleo]

1) It's hot
2) It's crowded
3) It's expensive
4) It's overwhelming
5) People forget they have to pay attention so as not to
a) get pushed
b) push

I think most times people do not realize they have either stopped in front of someone or not noticed someone stopped in front of them. There are obnoxious people everywhere, but I think a great deal of the probelm comes from simply being magically awestruck or mentally fried.

 

[meandtheguys2]

I think folks have a really hard time not connecting what they achieve with how much money they are spending. (In general!) I heard so many times..."We are spending so much money, you had better..." I have been banged by strollers (and not called 911!), and on the other side of it a whole crowd got into my mom's way at the turnstile when she was in her WC. They all just toally crashed from the next line over! My husband had to go get her thru!

That being said, it would be nice if folks just accepted the fact that you can't do everything, and enjoy the process.

 

[daisy_77]

I think the reason some people get so angry and stressed out is because they spend so much money and time planning that they expect everything to be perfect. When it doesn't go as smoothly as they had hopped it causes them to react in a not so nice way. If everyone would just relax at WDW, everyone would have a good time.

 

[Lorelai]

We witnessed a very agitatd person at the American Adventure in April. She was loud & looking like she was going to hit someone. It was very uncomfortable and I couldn't get my children out of the area fast enough. As an adult I can handle seeing someone reach their braking point, but I don't like to see someone about to lose it in front of my children.

 

[monymony3471]

I was pushing my daughter in her stoller at a normal pace and I got hit in the back of the lower leg by a wheel chair. I didn't stop like some people do in the middle of the pathway I was in motion. This was very painful. I've been hit before and told people I'm ok, but this was a doozie. As a matter of fact it's been two weeks and it still hurts and the scab is still there. I just froze and grabbed it. I didn't even look at them because I would have just lost it and I didn't want to do that. I heard "I hope she's ok", but I didn't hear "sorry".

 

[jenrose66]

I agree with you. I'm on vacation, I take my time. I don't rush or push people around. If someone cuts me off, I just let it go. Getting angry does nothing and I'm not going to let a rude person ruin my vacation.

With that said I always take a long vacation. I arrive very early on Sunday and leave in the late afternoon on the following Sunday. That way I CAN take my time.

It's my belief that if you are going to do something you should do it right. If you are going during busy season take a long vacation. If you can't take a long vacation go during non peak season. If this isn't an option for you, go for a few days, realize you aren't going to see it all and just chill!

 

[dzneelvr]

I agree. People can be so rude, especially in the summer with the heat and the crowds. When we used to go in January, everything was much more relaxed and and much less crowded.
I will tell you it gets better when your kids get older. Since ours are now teens we aren't in situations where we'd get trampled or bumped into much (my son is a pretty big guy). But when they were little, it was a concern.
As far as the family members going ballistic on each other--man, that is terrible thing to witness My only comment is how must they act in private if this is how they act in public And if finances are the issue, maybe DON"T go if you can't afford it....how fun is it going to be for your family anyway if every nickel and dime is painful

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I think the reason some people get so angry and stressed out is because they spend so much money and time planning that they expect everything to be perfect. When it doesn't go as smoothly as they had hopped it causes them to react in a not so nice way. If everyone would just relax at WDW, everyone would have a good time.

So true! Look at many of the people even here on the DIS, some who worry a year in advance about hotel reservations, PS at all of their fav restaurants, park tours, special events, etc. I don't know how some of them do it and keep their heads from exploding?!?! And what if you're late to one scheduled event? It throws the rest of your carefully crammed vacation way out of whack! A good rule is to make 1 or 2 PS before hand for your "must sees" and let the rest of the trip just fall into place. No schedule's worth running down other guests for.

 

[jenndisney]

For the most part, we encountered wonderful people on vacation, but.....there was one night coming back from MK on the bus.... My daughter (age 9, it was her birthday) decided right before the bus started to move that she wanted to sit on my lap and so she walked across the isle to me. The bus started to move and she "tripped" to me. Well, she must have stepped on this ladies toes and this woman jumped up and yelled at her. She put her arm back to hit my daughter. I jumped up and grabbed the woman's arm and told her (still can't believe I didn't yell) to calm down and that there was no way she was going to hit my child. She started to yell at me about how I need to teach my child manners and so on. Daughter is crying, I am fuming, husband is at the back of the bus clueless as to what has happened. I just told her my daughter did not mean to do it and if she had given her a chance, she would have appoligized immediately. My daughter then looked at the lady and did tell her she was sorry if she hurt her. The woman just told her to "go to hell". I could not and still can not believe it.

I just wish people would realize it is a vacation. I leave my job for a week to get away from the rat race.

 

[paladin]

There are lots (way too many!) rude people in life in general, however, I don't think it bothers us as much when we see it in "real life" as it does when we see this type of behavior at the "Happiest Place on Earth". At WDW, we expect everyone to be happy and enjoying themselves. Sadly, nasty and rude people are going to be nasty and rude whether they are in downtown Chicago (not picking on Chicago, I live here!) or downtown Disney.

 

[Feralpeg]

While I'd like to think that these type of people can be reasoned with, the skeptic in me says "no". I would imagine these are the same type of people who pass me in a no-passing zone just because I'm actually going the speed limit. They are probably the ones that push to make it through a light even though the know it will be red before they enter the intersection. I don't get it. Nothing is so important that you should risk your life, the lives of others or be totally rude to others. I guess I'lll never get it!

 

[philaround]

I have run into some people like others have posted about in this thread and I have accidentily been a rude person a few times myself. I have only twice in over 30 years run into truely rude and obnoxious people while at WDW and the last time was over 20 years ago. I don't know if I have just been lucky or if more people are putting on thier happy faces while at WDW. Either way I hope this trend continues.

 

[Traveliz]

I have never experienced anything like this but honestly whenever you put a group of thousands of people together in a small area, when they are hot and money spent is involved tensions (in some people) are going to run high.

These are the same people who act like this at their local park, festival, school event, etc.

Liz