Where did they come from???

[redrosesix]

Well, geez...I'm a foreigner (from Canada) and I go to WDW every Feb. for a competition that DD is in (baton twirlers -- so yes, we pack into MK for the parades because our kids are in them, and we make them start quiet time an hour early at ASMu so the kids can rest before competing) And we've checked in a week before our competition and met some of the cheerleaders who are in WDW to compete at their national championships -- they were some of the nicest girls I met at WDW. They were great at the pool activities, really encouraging the little kids to participate.

I just had no idea I wasn't welcome at WDW.

I'm thinking we're better off spending our money at Eurodisney -- it's the same distance from my house.

OMG...the time I was mentioning was Feb 2007 and we were at ASMo.

I can't believe you're jumping on their bandwagon -- you're from Canada, so you're a foreigner too.

 

[Tiger926]

I don't want to debate anything about "those people" or the "Brazilian kids", but since we are here now, and will be for 12 more days, I have several points of info:

1. A CM told us today that this week, there are 300,000 Brazilian tour group students here this week. By the end of summer, it will be almost 1 million kids who have visited WDW this summer (between July and August).

2. Each year it goes up - last year, there were 700,000, and this year, over 900,000, with next year predicted to hit over 1 million Brazilian student groups by summer's end.

3. Today we had 2 CMs in a very unprofessional way discuss the rudeness of "those kids" in front of us, and several other DVC members. The Photopass CM actually brought it up as he said he was physically knocked down by a bunch of kids yesterday while taking a photo of a family at AK. No one deserves to be knocked down, but we felt it very unprofessional, and awkward for them to be discussing guests like that.

I just wanted to add this info as we have been coming for 9 years straight for several weeks each July, and we have not seen it this congested with tour groups before. The groups are HUGE and do everything to not be separated, so we've been pushed, strollers knocked into, etc. It doesn't matter their nationality - I'm a highschool teacher, so I know all about teen attitudes and lack of manners at times, so some days, depending upon the situation, it has gotten a bit tense and rough as huge tour groups are a problem, period. It doesn't matter the nationality - large groups disrupt the traffic flow and cause huge delays on rides.

Today there was literally 75 students trying to get on IASW at the same time - my DD has been waiting for it, but as soon as they entered, the wait time jumped up by like 30 mins! We hardly ever wait for IASW, so MK was insane today as there was at least 7 different groups in attendance (my DD was noticing all of their cool shirts). The waits for smaller attractions were nuts, and character wait times were absolutely insane! Despite this, we had a great day, but couldn't do many attractions or characters at all.

Tiger

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

President Obama says we must re-establish oursleves in the eyes of the world. I think that this is a good place to start.

These people are guests in our Country and we should be accepting of them and their culture.

I know several Brazilians who would disagree. Pushiness and rudeness are not part of their culture. Other cultures should be respected, not used as an excuse!

 

[wdwmaw]

Well, geez...I'm a foreigner (from Canada) and I go to WDW every Feb. for a competition that DD is in (baton twirlers -- so yes, we pack into MK for the parades because our kids are in them, and we make them start quiet time an hour early at ASMu so the kids can rest before competing) And we've checked in a week before our competition and met some of the cheerleaders who are in WDW to compete at their national championships -- they were some of the nicest girls I met at WDW. They were great at the pool activities, really encouraging the little kids to participate.

I just had no idea I wasn't welcome at WDW.

I'm thinking we're better off spending our money at Eurodisney -- it's the same distance from my house.



I can't believe you're jumping on their bandwagon -- you're from Canada, so you're a foreigner too.

Please contunue to go to Disney, We love Canadians

I don't know about anyone else but I love going in Oct. ( Columbus Day weekend is always part of our fall break). I have never had a problem with any group other than the brazilian ones. last year in Sept. when we went Epcot was full of local kids on a school trip. They acted like kids but were polite as they approached adults and even smiled at you as they passed. They were everywhere but it did not bother us nor did they bother anyone else.

I find that the tourist the best part of going to Disney. All the different families from so many parts of our planet. We have met so many nice people and my DD still emails a friend she met at POP from the UK. We even met a Brazian couple once and seemed like we stayed on the same schedule the whole trip, they were the nicest couple. On the bus back to the resort one night they made the comment on how they were so embarrased how the groups acted in the park that day. They asked us if we had noticed the group and being the nice people we are we acted like we had no clue what they were talking about. A couple of years ago in Oct. I think we were the tourist, we were the only Americans in Blizzard Beach and would not have had it anyother way ( just don't want to do it with a Brazilian tour group again).

 

[redrosesix]

Please contunue to go to Disney, We love Canadians

Gee thanks I've heard great things about Kentucky -- guess it was all true about how nice you are there. A friend of my father's used to travel through there on purpose because of that.

 

[iteachlit]

I'll preface this by saying that I don't have a problem with the tour groups. My daughter is involved with dance, so I'm sure at some point the dance company will head to WDW for a competition. I am the percussion instructor for a high school band, so I go on trips all of the time. We travel with about 200 students and 25 adults.

I do have a few direct and indirect experiences with groups at the parks.

When we went on our honeymoon in July 1997, we were waiting in line for Splash Mountain. It was really hot and the queue was packed. There was a Brazilian tour guide about 50 people in front of us. All of the sudden, about 75 Brazilian students, each wearing matching T-shirts, pushed their way up to the tour guide. Needless to say, we weren't real happy.

On the same trip we were directly behind a group in a line. They were all speaking English. Once again, more group members jumped the line to join their friends. They greeted each other in English. I was feeling a little feisty, so I gave them a hard time about cutting in line. All of the sudden, they couldn't speak a work of English!

When we took our kids in June 2006, we stayed at All Star Movies. After a long day at a park, we usually stopped at the food court to refill our mugs or get a snack. A rather large group of Brazilian tourists was also staying at ASMo; they seemed to occupy nearly all of the 101 Dalmations buildings. One night, at the food court, about 100 or so took over one seating area. They were standing on the tables, singing, clapping and chanting. That didn't really bother me; I don't have a problem going outside or back to the room. What really upset me was when I went to refill my mug. I was heading to the mug wash sink -- you know, the one clearly marked MUG WASH ONLY. Just as I was walking up to it, one of the group members dumped her entire tray (napkins, scraps, utensils, cup... everything) in the sink. OK. I walked around the entire island; every sink was filled with garbage! My solution? Skip the refillable mug and go to the bar for a screwdriver.

I used to get bent out of shape about the tour groups, but I don't any longer. Here's what I have decided:

- we all have fun in different ways
- I'll never understand the minutia of every culture in the world
- I can laugh (or drink) away most nuisances
- unless someone is going to get hurt, it's not worth ruining a vacation with stress

All of that said, I do wish that Disney would be a little more proactive about group behavior. It sounds like a few groups are getting pretty aggressive. I'm worried that we will start to see "vigilante queue goons" who will begin to take matters into their own hands. If these groups are getting so large, why doesn't Disney provide them with a CM in addition to the regular tour guide?

 

[darby01_2007]

My best friend in the whole world is Brasillian, and while she was here she always told me how she hated the Brasillian tour groups!! LOL

 

[Planogirl]

I personally like everyone from everywhere until they start acting like idiots. Everyone's knows the type. The problem is that these people can be from anywhere and they can be hard to avoid.

 

[flowergirlbecca]

I personally like everyone from everywhere until they start acting like idiots. Everyone's knows the type. The problem is that these people can be from anywhere and they can be hard to avoid.

I completely agree!

I would like to point out that we have often seen full-grown adults acting ruder than their teenage children while at the World. I am a teenager myself, and don't really appreciate the generalizations that people have been making about unsupervised teenagers reeking havoc in WDW - There will always be some who have not been taught to put their manners first or maybe have but simply forget. I don't see how they can be this way in a place that is so magical. But I try not to let the rude things I see form a memory and to counteract that - try to pass on the magic to others myself. I was taught from a young age that kind and courteous behavior is the only kind of behavior that is acceptable whether you are in public or not - to see other people being rude at my happy place.. I just don't understand. I think to myself, I am lucky to have such great parents who have shown me the difference in right and wrong.

As for the tour groups, I believe that they should try to accustom themselves (by learning a little bit about) the culture of the place they are visiting before they get there. It is not difficult to do a little research - and could sure make a difference in how they are viewed by the natives of the country.

 

[cmac609]

We are leaving Disney tomorrow and we encountered these groups the past few days at EPCOT and DHS. They were AWFUL at DHS...screaming "Argentina" and "Brazil" across the Indy theater DURING the performance.

I'll include full details in the trip report. Despite these idiot kids and their ignorant "handlers," we had a great time and waited 20 minutes or less for every ride/attraction in all parks. Attendance is down and I'll tell you our strategies in the trip report.

Oh my, we were there too. I saw the "groups" too screaming out something in "their language" very loudly right in my ear and it was DRIVING us crazy while trying to see Fantasmic. It was TOTALLY Nuts and that is the ONE thing that is very annoying in Disney.

 

[JeffGoldblum]

We are leaving Disney tomorrow and we encountered these groups the past few days at EPCOT and DHS. They were AWFUL at DHS...screaming "Argentina" and "Brazil" across the Indy theater DURING the performance.

Same thing type of happened last time I was there. We were on Haunted Mansion and in the stretching room there must have been 20ish or so kids and they all screamed and sang the Brazil national anthem during the story part. Then when we got on the ride they all kept screaming and yelling and one girl got out of the car and jumped into the hallway (Right past where you see the floating candle stick) They had to stop the ride for almost 15 minutes. We complained to the CM out front after that and he pretty much shrugged his shoulders at us.

 

[KJMAX1]

My problem with them is the time they ran down my DD when she was 3, and the little girl in front of me trying to cut in line by saying their mom was up front. Totally made me mad. They never even looked back and apologized. I think its just a pack of unruley teenagers, who are messing around. I cant imagine parents in Brazil would ever think this is "normal". I know for sure they even have lines for handing out food in Africa and people there seem to get lines, so Im sure they have them in Brazil too.

 

[letthewookiewin]

All of that said, I do wish that Disney would be a little more proactive about group behavior. It sounds like a few groups are getting pretty aggressive. I'm worried that we will start to see "vigilante queue goons" who will begin to take matters into their own hands. If these groups are getting so large, why doesn't Disney provide them with a CM in addition to the regular tour guide?

I totally agree!! If this big groups are coming fromt he same companies year after year, Disney could do something about them if they wanted to. They should at the very least force them to have a certian number of responsible adults for a certian number of kids (like 1 adult to every 12 kids).

I personally like everyone from everywhere until they start acting like idiots. Everyone's knows the type. The problem is that these people can be from anywhere and they can be hard to avoid.

I totally agree. Honestly I think the main problem with these groups is that the kid's don't have parent that actually parent them, they want to be their "friend". They think they can do whatever they want because they are themselves and we should just kiss their feet for having the luck to breath in the same air they are breathing.

 

[wdwmaw]

Adults will not solve the problem with this situation, unless it is a CM. In our experience it has been the man with the flag that sends the kids onto a ride, begins the chants in fantasmic and other large group shows or in their gathering place, he is usually the center of the lines that plow to next destination, and he is the one getting all the fast passes, not that that is wrong but let each child tour the park for themselves.

When we travel with DS band, kids are asked to go in groups of 4 and they are given a time to be at a meeting point.They are responsible for themselves and if they are complained about by a parent on the trip or a person from the place we are visiting they are taken to the bus, parents are called and their trip is over ( at parents expense). I as a parent sign a form stating this before we begin payment toward the trip.

 

[WiscMomof2]

We've never encountered these groups but I've read various negative posts on the boards. I thought I read by the end of July they're pretty much gone. Can anybody confirm? We head down the 2nd week in August.

 

[helenk]

I have had my fair share of the large groups as well. As others have stated I have no problems with teenagers or tourists etc. What makes these large group so unbareable is the size of the group.
When local students go on a school trip you do not see 60 kids all following one teacher or guide, they are broken up into smaller groups. This is not the case with these tourist groups.
They all stay together, they all eat at the same time, so there is congestion at the food court, they all go on the same bus to the same park, so now you are on a bus with this large group clapping and chanting etc while you are on your way to or from a park.
Once they get to the park they do not break up into smaller groups, they all converge on the same attraction, and as others have mentioned a few may get in line until the line savers get closer to the ride entrance and then the rest of the group just cuts in line.
I do not understand why they do not break up into smaller groups, it would make everything work out.

 

[ILoveJack]

All I know is if my child acted like that and I found out her back side would be rather sore, even if she was a teenager. I hate letting her go without me on class trips now and she is in grade school. I know what she is capable of on one of her off days. She's not a bad kid but just a little over jealouse sometimes. So like most problems, it really falls back onto the parenting skills or the lack of. And like the posts earlier about the parents were just as bad as the kids, well, were do you think the kids learn from?

 

[Karthur]

Last week, while waiting to ride Rockin' Roller Coaster, about 10 of them tried to push past me to run up to their group. Being a high school teacher, I have no qualms about telling teenagers they are being rude and to go to the back of the line.

They tried to argue "my group" and I replied, "Your group is now back there!"

Realizing they weren't going to get anywhere with me, the 10 kids moseyed to the back of the line and I got a bunch of cheers.

Later, one of their "handlers" came up to me and said I shouldn't keep the kids from her group. I said they should be taught manners and the proper way to queue. She shut up and walked away.

I should have stood up to them earlier.

 

[mickaholic4077]

Last week, while waiting to ride Rockin' Roller Coaster, about 10 of them tried to push past me to run up to their group. Being a high school teacher, I have no qualms about telling teenagers they are being rude and to go to the back of the line.

They tried to argue "my group" and I replied, "Your group is now back there!"

Realizing they weren't going to get anywhere with me, the 10 kids moseyed to the back of the line and I got a bunch of cheers.

Later, one of their "handlers" came up to me and said I shouldn't keep the kids from her group. I said they should be taught manners and the proper way to queue. She shut up and walked away.

I should have stood up to them earlier.

Bravo!!

 

[catne]

I like it when the tour groups stick together -- makes it a lot easier to avoid them entirely. Just look ahead to where you're going...when they zig, we zag! In January, we breezed through Epcot, even though there were hundreds of Brazil teens & additional Family group too. The did all head to the same attraction at once so it was easy to just go on the ride they weren't on. We had walk-ons all over doing that.