Disney Parks Pet Peeves
In the immortal words of Frank Costanza, I’ve got a lot of problems with you people, and now you’re going to hear about it! This blog is normally sunshine and rainbows, but it’s time for you to hear what I really think. It’s time for my annual “Airing of Disney Parks Guest Grievances” in honor of Festivus. (Updated December 23, 2023.)
This is a companion piece, of sorts, to our new Top 10 Guest Complaints About Walt Disney World. Those are all of the grievances that you have about the parks. Here, it’s time for all of the issues the parks have with you. Well, not “you” as an individual, and theme parks are inanimate objects so they don’t really have grievances to air. I think you get the idea, though. That list was grievances of guests; this one is grievances about guests.
In our Essence of the Disney Magic post that discusses what makes the parks so special, we share a Walt Disney quote about it taking “people to make the dream a reality.” Clearly, he was referring to the exceptional Cast Members, as all other guests do at Walt Disney World is clog up walkways, obstruct views, make noise during attractions, and lead to longer wait times. 😉
Fair warning: this post is in no way helpful to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or other park trip planning. Actually, it’s not really helpful to anyone, anywhere at all. Think of it as a junk food blog post that you shouldn’t waste your time reading. That is, unless you don’t really care about wasting your time on the internet, in which case, read away!
I want to underscore that this is meant in good fun and with a lighthearted sense to it. No one is perfect. While these things do bug me, I’m sure I do plenty of things that bug others, and I certainly don’t have any malice towards anyone who does these things. We’ve both been guilty of some of the “offenses” here!
Most of the time, I don’t think people are doing any of these things intentionally, or at least with the express purpose of inconveniencing others. While this could be a helpful heads up to let you know what behavior might be unintentionally obnoxious, it’s mostly just some lighthearted venting.
With those caveats out of the way, I’ll let my inner Frank Costanza (I’d like to think he’d be proud of this list…but at the same time would be its biggest offender) take over and share a few of my Disney theme park pet peeves…
Screens Up! – I don’t know who needs to hear this, but YouTube exists. Joking aside, it’s such an odd phenomenon to see the fireworks start and hundreds of screens go up over heads. Wanting to capture a small snippet to share on social media is one thing, but some people are out there recording the full show with shaky hands from an off-center angle behind a shoulder kid (see below) on a phone with a busted screen. There’s a 100% chance that video will be worse than 100,000+ videos already on YouTube, freely accessible to all.
Don’t get me wrong: having your own photos and videos–even subpar ones–is important. Documenting experiences and having tangible reminders of lasting memories is far better than any souvenir you can buy. What’s key is making them your own. Don’t take photos or video of JUST the fireworks or JUST the stage show or JUST the food.
After recording a few seconds of pyro, pan back to capture the wide-eyed wonder of your child as the glow of the fireworks washes over their face. Take a snapshot of your significant other about to devour a dessert the size of their head. Obtain photographic evidence of grandpa falling asleep during MuppetVision as a future reminder of their distinctly unpatriotic gaffe.
Flaunting Disney Knowledge – Let’s level with one another: I write a Disney blog and you read at least one. We both clearly have too much free time on our hands and probably know much more about Disney than John Q Public.
This is neither a Scarlet Letter, nor is it a badge of honor. Some Disney fans don’t seem to understand this. They share their Mad Park Smartz with their friends in the parks. There’s nothing wrong with this by itself, but when it’s done in painfully loud voices that are clearly for the benefit of those around them in a queue, that’s where I draw the line. You know what I’m talking about.
I’ll be honest with you: it’s possible I’ve become part of the problem. As a frequent photographer of construction walls on both coasts, I very frequently overhear other guests wonder whether Splash Mountain is being converted into a restaurant. If they seem the friendly type, I’ll respond: “I don’t know if you were kidding or not, but it’s actually going to be a similar ride based on The Princess and the Frog. Kinda funny and confusing that they have signs that say ‘Tiana’s Foods’ and nothing about a ride, but that’s what it’ll be.”
That is the script I have “perfected” in my head that is, in my opinion, a good mixture of disarming and not too know-it-all-y. At least, that’s my hope. I’ll let you be the judge as to whether I’m being helpful or have become part of the problem!
Rudeness to Cast Members – Don’t like the quality of the beef patty in your burger at Cosmic Ray’s? Having yet another issue trying to book Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations? Think lines for everything are too long? Yelling at the nearest Cast Member seems like a totally reasonable solution that will absolutely fix the problem.
Oh wait, no it doesn’t. At all. Frontline Cast Members are about as much to blame for those problems and decisions as the McDonald’s burger flipper is for Hamburglar’s many crimes. The Cast Members you see in parks don’t create the unpopular policies, even if they are tasked with enforcing them. Yelling at any of these people is wholly unreasonable. What exactly are guests expecting to accomplish?
Spending a lot of money on a Walt Disney World vacation does not entitle guests to be jerks to anyone who gets in their way or prevents them from having a “perfect” trip. Cast Members go out of their way to put a smile on kids’ faces and make magic for guests, and should be treated accordingly.
This is especially true now. Cast Members are under increased stress, having had to play babysitter and rule enforcers to adults for the last year, while also seeing thousands of their colleagues lost during mass layoffs. On top of that, they also bear the brunt of ever-increasing guest complaints about reduced entertainment, Genie+, and other policy changes and cuts made by people at a way higher pay grade. None of this is their fault–being rude to Cast Members only exacerbates problems and degrades the guest experience for those who visit later, as Cast Member burn-out worsens.
A good rule in life is to follow Wheaton’s Law. If that’s too tough to follow, a lower standard is: “don’t be rude to people regarding situations that are out of their control, especially when they are doing their best to be nice and help you.”
Walking Etiquette – I walk at an extremely brisk pace. I have no time for shenanigans such as meandering aimlessly. However, I understand not everyone desires or can maintain my pace, and I certainly don’t expect it.
What I also don’t expect is a convoy of 4 double-wide strollers walking side by side taking up the entire walkway so no one can pass. Instead, observe the rules of the road. Allow sufficient room for oncoming traffic. Leave open space next to you for a “passing lane.”
On a highway, you wouldn’t aimlessly zigzag from lane to lane without regard for traffic behind you, so don’t do the same in walkways. Likewise, just as you wouldn’t come to a dead stop in the middle of your lane when driving 70 MPH, don’t stop in your tracks to look at a map in the middle of a walkway. Navigate the parks like it’s not your first time walking in public.
Filling In All Available Space – I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’re at the end of the extended queue in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and the wait time is 180 minutes, standing as close as possible to the person in front of you won’t make the line move any faster. Spacing way back in line has no bearing on efficiency at load, which is the only thing that really matters. You can leave a little breathing room for comfort farther back in the line.
To be sure, there are times when filling in all available space is necessary. If a Cast Member makes the request, do it–there’s likely an operational reason for it (like getting enough people into the Haunted Mansion Stretching Room to ensure a steady flow in the queue afterwards). Moreover, no one should expect 6′ in all directions at this point. But most of the time, there’s no reason to invade the personal space of the strangers around you. There’s a happy medium.
Disproportionate Line Jumping – I’m a reasonable guy. If you’re a large family with a herd of small children, I get that a trip to the parks is a veritable Detrol commercial. Bathroom breaks are a frequent, time-consuming part of the theme park experience. One parent taking a child to the bathroom while the other jumps in line with the rest of the pack is absolutely reasonable.
What I don’t appreciate is when one member of a multi-generational party of 27 jumps in line, and then slowly the other 26 members trickle ahead of me. That’s not meeting the “rest” of your party, it’s thinly-veiled line-jumping. I never say anything to these people, but you better believe the back of their heads receive a contemptuous glare.
A fair rule: unless 51% of your party is farther forward, the rest of the party moves back. Fair enough?
Talking on Attractions – Again, I’m reasonable. I understand that parks are a social environment. They aren’t a library or a movie theater. Some small, quiet comments here and there are totally fine.
Now it’s everyone else’s turn to be reasonable and understand that the rest of us waited 45 minutes in line so we could enjoy an immersive attraction, not so we could hear you talk about that epic party from last night in excruciating detail as if it has all the drama of the Iran-Contra Affair.
Quoting Attractions – Continuing on the ‘talking’ subject, here’s my biggest pet peeve: quoting lines from attractions in the attraction right before the line is said in the attraction. This is a variation of Flaunting Disney Knowledge, but it’s so annoying that it deserves its own spot.
I don’t mind people quoting attractions in general. I’d like to think the wisdom gleaned from Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree can be applied to all facets of life. What I mind is people beating the attraction to the punch, showing off their own knowledge as if this gives them some sort of ill-gotten street cred. It doesn’t.
Just try and go on the Jungle Cruise without someone saying the words ‘backside of water’ before the skipper, or to the Haunted Mansion without someone saying ‘there’s always my way’ before the Ghost Host. A few words is mildly annoying but relatively harmless–let’s just avoid trying to quote entire paragraphs of the attraction script.
Stroller Etiquette – This has become less of an issue in the last couple of years due to a rule change last year. There was a brief period when Walt Disney World turned into the wild west for strollers, with huge wagons, royal carriages, and Star Wars spaceships. No joke–there were businesses renting out “themed” strollers!
If you operate a stroller, please be mindful of the heels in front of you. Let’s again use the roadway analogy: strollers are like cars–yield to pedestrians. Don’t use your stroller as a battering ram to help you plow through crowds when Walt Disney World walkways are a bit congested with traffic!
Shoulder-Children – Are you 6′ tall and want to put your kids on your shoulders for the fireworks? No problem! It’s not as if there are hundreds of people behind you who also want to see the show or anything. I really am curious as to what line of thought can justify this?
Kids have a tough time seeing a show from the ground and parents have a difficult time holding them at normal eye level. This leaves parents with a conundrum: put them on shoulders or don’t. If you put them on your shoulders, they can see but you’re blocking the view of countless people behind you. This effectively says, “my children seeing the show is more important than anyone behind me seeing it.”
Fair rule: if you want to put your kids on your shoulders, do it from a location where there are not people behind you. Alternatively, choose a viewing location where there are not obstructions in front of you. Both exist, particularly when it comes to Happily Ever After in Magic Kingdom or Luminous: The Symphony of Us in Epcot.
Shoulder kids could really fall under a general penumbra of “Selfish Guests” that would encompass everything from sitting in the middle seats of what clearly will be a packed theater (despite directions from Cast Members to move all the way down), throwing trash on the ground or not cleaning up the trash at your table for counter service meals, smoking wherever you feel like, waving around your selfie stick without regard for others, and a myriad of other things. Again, that $100+ per day ticket is not a license to do whatever the heck you want because, “YOU PAID A TON OF MONEY FOR THIS VACATION.”
Have you steered clear of my airing of Disney theme park grievances thus far? Well, I have a lot more that you are doing! You couldn’t smooth a silk sheet if you had a hot date with a babe…ah, I lost my train of thought. 😉 (I’m sorry, a lot of the references in this blog probably don’t make sense if you’re not a Seinfeld fan. Then again, I’m not so sure I want people reading this blog who aren’t Seinfeld fans.)
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Your Thoughts
What are your Disney theme park pet peeves? Are you so high on the magic of pixie dust when you visit the parks that nothing annoys you? What do I do that annoys you (this is the airing of theme park grievances, after all)? Feel free to vent in the comments. You won’t change anything about how other guests behave at Walt Disney World, but at least it’s therapeutic!
I’d add that people who park their strollers (without children in them) on the parade route need to stop. I’ve been to so many parades where people are trying to see but the front row is empty strollers.
People on the curbs of Main Street- best seat for parades-then they decide to stand. No one can see!! You have the BEST seat-sit down and watch the parade. Why are you standing and blocking everyone’s view??
You forgot a big one! Don’t let/encourage your young child to pull him pants down and pee into the bushes while waiting in line! I’ve seen this FIVE times in 3 parks! (At Disney Hong Kong, it was AT LEAST 3 times – maybe more!) I understand lines are long, but that’s why frequent bathroom breaks are a MUST with young kids!
That is a normal thing for China. It’s not just inside the theme parks, either.
Some of this is a cultural thing. I used to live in Japan and have traveled to Beiljing and Hong Kong. I’ve seen grown men get out of their cars/ trucks in bumper-to-bumper traffic and do this. lol.
Thank you for this article!!!
These are spot on. Kids on shoulders are THE WORST… only slightly ahead of people holding their phones up above their heads to record the entire fireworks show.
I concur. I was trying to watch Hallowishes for the first time and a guy ahead of me held his phone above his head the entire time completely blocking my center view of the castle. I still loved and enjoyed the show. I did whisper to my daughter a curse on the man that tomorrow he may suffer arm exhaustion and not be able to throw them up to get the full enjoyment of 7 dwarfs. Petty? I know, but it made me feel a little better.
You should try singing loudly and off key right next to his phone while he films…I’ve done this a few times in full awareness of the pettiness of my actions, but ruining his/her video was worth it in my opinion – haha!
I love the singing off-key suggestion, that’s great! I also really don’t understand everyone’s obsession with recording events that are repeated almost identically in perpetuity. I understand recording a kid’s baseball game, dance recital, etc. What I don’t understand is recording something like a fireworks show, as there are tons of videos available on the internet that are shot BY PROFESSIONALS that are going to look 100% better than your video and will not show a significantly different performance than the one you saw, because THEY’RE ALL IDENTICAL!
Consider adding buffet/toppings bar etiquette here. I’ve seen so much bafflingly inconsiderate behavior at buffets. Using hands instead of tongs to pick up food. The people who elbow in front of you to get an item when there is an obvious line. Coughing or sneezing all over the food and not making any effort to cover their mouth. And I remember one memorable time being stuck behind an adult who picked up chicken tenders one by one, showed them to her child, and then put them back when the child snubbed all but a few (I guess some were the “wrong” shape) while a large line formed behind.
this is a great one!!! happening FAR too often! If I could add one that SHOULDNT have set me off so bad on my last visit but it did. The coffee condiment area at resorts, parks, wherever. You don’t need to stand in front of the sugar packets or creamers and add ONE , take a sip, nope add one more then take a sip, nope add some more cream ARGHHHHHHHHHH!! grab a few, go off to the side, doctor it up then take back what you don’t use ! ** rant over **
although i agreed with all of Tom’s peeves, I can usually shrug them off and not let them bother me too much for some reason. I’m so happy not to be working and i usually visit the park for 8=10 days that i chill out pretty quick. However: you could probably do an entire blog on Disney Transportation peeves and catch my attention more. I really lose it when i see people place their souvenir bags on seats of crowded buses. Or young men who sit while elderly ladies are standing. stuff like that (and probably because its often at the end of a long day) really grinds my gears!
Completely agree! I was visibly pregnant, with a two-year-old in tow, and no one offered their seat to me or my child. Trying to hold on to the bar with swollen ankles and an aching back while trying keeping a toddler upright was no fun!
Shoulders kids and people holding iPads arms length above their heads, really ruin night time shows for hundreds of other guests.
I miss Adventurer’s Club.
“Are you 6′ tall and want to put your kids on your shoulders for the fireworks? No problem! It’s not as if there are hundreds of people behind you who also want to see the show, or anything. I really am curious as to what line of thought can justify this?”
Sorry, Tom, but we disagree here! I think this is 100% justifiable!
See how you’re mildly annoyed with one ridiculously tall person (read: adult with child on shoulders) to try to look around? That’s how it is to children and very short adults all the time!
Imagine being surrounded 360 degrees by not just one ridiculously tall person, but all around. A child has no hope to see the fireworks unless they are lifted up. I’m sorry that might mean you need to look around a couple people, but you will still be able to see. Unless I hold my child up, they won’t get to see at all.
I’m really sensitive to this because I am a short person. I’m 5 feet tall, and this means I pay for experiences like movies and plays where I can’t see unless I’m always strategically placing my head between the heads of others to view. As soon as someone moves their head, I have to move mine again to compensate. Going to any sort of show like this means I’m thinking about the positioning of other people’s heads 100% of the time (unless I’m really lucky and the person in front of me is a child). So, I won’t be able to see all the fireworks and shows, but I can at least make sure my kiddo can see it. Sorry you’ll have to look around their head, but I guarantee you that you’ll still see more of the show than me!
Why not hold the kid at eye level? They get a view and no one’s view behind the parent holding up the kid is obstructed.
This seems like the win-win approach.
My eye level still wouldn’t allow a child to see. I’m 5 feet tall, and almost all other adults are taller than me. Heck, 15% of men are over 6 feet tall, which means a good chunk of the crowd of people are a foot taller than me!
have you tried holding a 20 lb child, or heavier, at eye level for any time longer than about 5 minutes? they gain weight as you hold, no joke. it’s physically impossible. anyone who hasn’t doesn’t quite understand how difficult it actually is.
Yassssss!
I held my kid eye level. And I made sure to get a spot on the outside so I could switch her from arm to arm as she got heavier to hold. And then someone came up and said excuse me. I thought they were passing by so I let them and then she and her friends stood in front of me and my child and then neither one of use could see anymore. This is the worst and happens ALL THE TIME. Some of those parents holding kids on their shoulders are probably sick of this happening so they’re trying to advocate for their child. And if I didn’t have a bad neck, I would have done it for her.
I’ve held a 45lb kid for the entirety of Happily Ever After at eye-height multiple times. It’s manageable for me. Perhaps not so for others, but my neck would hurt far more (I’ve tried it, then realized I was being a dick) from having a 45lb kid sit on my shoulders than I ever have since then just picking the kid up when the lights dim.
Extra bonus (beyond not being a dick to others): you get to actually interact with your child during the show and can also watch your child experience the show, which is virtually impossible if the child is on your shoulders. And before anyone asks, I’m not some super-fit muscular guy.
I held my then 4 year-old at eye level to watch Freezing the Night Away for 20 minutes several years ago. I am 5’4 and slightly built, and I was 15 weeks pregnant at the time. If I can do it, so can anyone who isn’t physically disabled. Tom is right and shoulder kids are selfish, bottom line.
While I can appreciate this, I’m 5’1 and this also irks me. There are plenty of other ways to see things without needlessly obstructing someone else’s view. Stand somewhere that if you must hold your child up, they aren’t blocking an entire crowd of people. Stand to the side or near the back. I feel the same way about iPads.
Disney does a good job accommodating people with mobility disabilities up to a point. Take the American Adventure Theater as an example. Designed with spaces for people in wheelchairs or EVCs so transfers aren’t necessary which for some can be difficult. But it stops there. Attending a show recently a group of five people stood as soon as the show started until the end effectively blocking the people in the accessible locations. Apparently Disney, at least in this location, will not even make a brief announcement prior to shows to be considerate to people around them. Even though the American Disability Act requires “In stadiums where spectators can be expected to stand during the show or event (for example, football, baseball, basketball games, or rock concerts), all or substantially all of the wheelchair seating locations must provide a line of sight over standing spectators.”
No, I have to disagree. I’m 5’1 and I still think it’s rude to obstruct other’s views by propping the kids up on shoulders. Plan accordingly, claim a spot early that isn’t obstructed by people in front of you and your kiddos. Don’t use height (or lack of, in my case too!), as a reason to block other people.
Can we all agree that you are just making excuses for being selfish towards other short people in the park? “Look around their heads”????? I’m sorry but light doesn’t travel like that. No, the crowd waiting to see Happily Ever After does not allow a lot of free space to move around and look around people’s heads. You are saying that you are short, it’s tough for you to see, and therefore you are justified to hold your kid up so that other people behind you and your kid can suck it. Your logic is deeply flawed and defies all common sense. If you are bothered by your height, then other short people are also bothered. You said it sucks when you have to strategically position your head between others’ to view the fireworks, well then guess what, it sucks more when you have to do that AND having to look around some other people’s kids’ heads at the same time.
Tom is merely suggesting, don’t be selfish, there is a way where you can hold your kid up, allowing them to view, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME let other people enjoy the show. See, e.g., “[I]f you want to put your kids on your shoulders, do it from a location where there are not people behind you. Alternatively, choose a viewing location where there are not obstructions in front of you. Both exist, particularly when it comes to Happily Ever After in Magic Kingdom.”
Please read before you disagree. And stop being selfish. Thank you.
On the issues of scooters, it’s not always obvious why someone might need one and Disney requires a lot of walking so by all means, if you feel it would be useful get one. But, please for the love of all things Walt do not let your kid play with the on the scooter and with horn.
On our last trip to WDW, it was late afternoon (our patience was wearing a little thin anyway) and we were waiting online for The Little Mermaid. The line was pretty long but that happens. A family with grandpa in a scooter got on line behind us. As we waited, every minute or so we were blessed with the sound of the horn. I gave them death glares, other people gave the family death glares, my boyfriend was mimicing the sound under his breath, people asked them to stop. But, for 45 minuets or so, they let the child toot the darn horn. I know it’s hard to keep a kid occupied during a long wait but please, be conscious of those around you, no one wanted to hear that horn.
one thing i didn’t see…. those people that rent the electric wheelchairs just because they think they will get to the front of the lines OR they are too lazy to walk the parks and then they spend he rest of the day running over everyone else and running into the backs / over the feet of everyone else because they don’t know how to drive them. we lost a day at the Magic Kingdom because someone plowed into my daughter, twisting her knee and foot , before they got off her….
I think maybe you should have just gone with “inattentive users of motorized scooters.” How do you know people are “just being lazy?” Not all injuries are visible. My brother, for example, is a military vet. He’s younger, he looks healthy, but he was seriously injured and has crazy back problems that can be crippling at times.
I’m with you on the fact that some people on scooters can be super rude though. Getting run over by one of those suckers is no joke.
I find the people that actually need the scooters are never rude and so considerate of others around them. On a recent trip we had one woman scream at a bus driver because she was 3rd in line and they only fit 2 on the bus…her words to her family were “so why did I bother getting this piece of shit if we still have to wait?” Meanwhile the 2 already on the bus struggled to vacate the chair and needed their families assistance getting into a seat and then apologising to all the patrons on the bus for taking up time and space.
Exactly! The people who really use scooters or wheelchairs in every day life are used to the inconvenience of it all and are always sympathetic to other people who have the same limitations because we are part of the same clan. It’s the jerks who just decided to get a scooter for their Disney Vacation and think that now entitles them and their family to preferential treatment that make me crazy. Is it really frustrating that a Disney Bus will only pick up 2 non-transfer handicap people at a time? YES. But that just makes it all the more frustrating when people who could get by without one take one of those spots.
I thought for sure that you would have mentioned the flash photography or video camera lights on dark rides too. It’s beyond aggravating! Brazilian tour groups chanting and acting obnoxious in lines or in the theatres is another. Lastly, the individual or family group that thinks they can save a block of chairs or tables with umbrellas at the resort pool all day long is also rude. Add those to your pet peeves and we have a pretty god list of things not to do.
My NUMBER ONE Disney pet peeve is guests bringing their sick children to the parks. You’d be alarmed at how often this happens (yes, daily). I’m not talking about the sniffles, I’m talking about full blown, contagious illnesses that can put you and your children in bed for more than a few days.
I’m the parent of two cast members at WDW, a daughter in costuming and a son “in entertainment.” Both have to deal with the fallout of inconsiderate parents bringing contagious tots for a “fun” day at the parks, including substantial time hugging and loving and slobbering on Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and the gang. My son has had to take sick days for PINK EYE (something most adults do not have to do) and has been exposed to chicken pox, measles, the flu, strep, and a few other things he can’t even tell me about. IF the sickness is detected or (as frequently happens) overheard by a character attendant, procedures for the characters are substantial and require them being pulled from on stage while contagion is dealt with in a very serious manner. Meanwhile any other child who has been waiting in line or touched or hugged Goofy, Mickey, etc. has also been exposed to pink eye, chicken pox, or measles as have cast members in costuming, character attendants, and any other cast member or GUEST they come into contact with.
Think not? Remember the chicken pox outbreak a few summers ago when 150 people came down with a disease that had all but been eradicated in our country? Ground zero was determined to be Disneyland in Anaheim.
All Disney parks have magnificent cleaning crews, but think about it, from a guest standpoint ….. those same kids (even adults!) have been running their snotty, germ contaminated hands along the cue rails, the stair rails, every surface and countertop they can reach, attraction seatbelts and security bars, water fountains, benches, trash cans, food trays, and those little finger print kiosks at the main gate. Therefore YOU also are unknowingly exposed.
Think a pocket full of anti-bacterial hand gel is unnecessary at a Disney park? THINK AGAIN!
People are thoughtless and would rather your whole family get the surprise strep diagnosis 10 days after your park visit than keep their sick child at home or, at very least, in their hotel room.
Guest beware. And bring more antibacterial gel.
I can’t agree more! A number of years ago, I was at WDW when I came in contact with a child who was dealing with flu, as his Mom loudly proclaimed to all of us in line for the Mine Train at Magic Kingdom. (She thought it would cheer him up to come to Disney for the day!). This was day one of our trip. By the night of Day Two, I was, how do you say this delicately, fully engulfed with flu from both ends of my spectrum. I spent the entire vacation in the bedroom/bathroom of our DVC resort villa, barely able to move. I was able to keep food down and actually get up the day we left to go home! (AND I had a flu shot that year!). Antibacterial gel is not only a must, but I also tend to consume extra vitamins while I’m in the World. But what would really help? Keep your flu ridden children home!!!!!
The flu is a respiratory illness. Seems like you caught a stomach virus. The flu shot has nothing to do with that.
Agreed! A friend asked us to watch her kids just 2 weeks before our first trip to WDW. When she picked up she said “oh I forgot to mention they have been exposed to chicken pox” I had a 3 month old at the time who had not been immunized. The incubation period ended the day we arrived at the resort. We watched the kids closely and checked them over before we left for the parks. Needless to say we never watched her kids again.
Just returned from a Disney cruise, and selfish guest behavior was on full display there, too. The family of 4 kids and 6 adults who do every single iteration of families, kids only, parents, sisters, brothers, couples and singles in every single character picture taken all week- while a huge line waits behind them. Ugh! Also, families of 30 people sitting on the tiny stairways, pushing ahead of waiting passengers for elevators that take forever and being oblivious of others at the buffet, causing you to bump into them and spill their food. Ugh!
My mom got run over by a stroller several years ago at the Magic Kingdom. Her heel was cut up and being diabetic, it was a painful and long healing wound she had to deal with on our vacation, all because stroller peeps pay no attention to anything but themselves. I think you need to rent ALLLLLL the billboards going into WDW and put your list of how not to be a dick on them- one full per billboard for miles and miles. You might even set up a go fund me to support it!!! You are soooo right about all your points!
Eating food in queue or on ride!
This seemed to happen a lot on my last few trips… people decide the perfect place to open that bag of aromatic ranch potato chips, peanut butter sandwich or even sushi(!) is when standing next to you in line or while riding along with you on the attraction .. despite the multiple warnings against food or drink. If you’re lucky none of the food will end up spilled on your person, and only your nose will be assaulted.
We always eat snacks in line. Usually just pretzels or crackers or granola bars. I mean it keeps the kids from whining and passing out! Lol. We would never eat on a ride though… that seems really rude.
I hear you. The beef is with the rude guests, not Disney.
I hate the flash photography on rides the most, then line jumpers, followed by rude stroller behavior. We went every year, starting at age 5, and my twin and I never rode in a stroller. They walk side by side, bump your ankles, and seem oblivious to others around them. It’s all like the cats who drive on the berm to avoid waiting in traffic like the rest of us- entitled, self-centered and obnoxious. Had to laugh last week at the car that went zooming by- only to find himself behind a police car at the end, who waved him to a stop. If only Disney police could do the same.
I hate the same things. Why are you taking photographs of the ride? Watch it with your eyes. If want a photo of the ride there are fifty million on google. I say the same thing to my wife when she’s videoing. Put it down and watch it. You can YouTube a video.
I guess I’m just curmudgeonly when it comes to strollers. My kids stopped riding in the stroller very early. When they were able to walk, we made them. I see people in the parks and I would be willing to bet good money that some of these kids are 9,10, and 11 years old. No wonder they’re fat.
I agree about flash photography on rides, but for those with gear that can take good low-light photos without flash, I see no problem.
Biggest pet peeve for me is people using Flash photography on rides, especially when recording the ride. Drives me up the wall. 2nd, people being loud on a ride; I’m there to hear the ride, not them.
Disney Festivus! I love it. Yes, there are MANY strollers. On our first trip, we had packed a small umbrella stroller. Sadly, it didn’t land in Orlando with us, which put us squarely in the “kid on your shoulders” category. She was 5 at the time and did ok for awhile, but my husband was able to meet his upper body/strength training goals for the week pretty easily. 🙂 That said, I think (I hope) we were mindful of people behind us during standstill things like fireworks. Back to the strollers….. Our running “joke” (sad statement of humanity) was the number of kids that seemed to be, in our opinion, WAY to old for a stroller. Now, before I’m lambasted, I realize there are older kids that need strollers. Not talking about you. I mean the parents that clearly got a stroller mostly to hold their stuff. I say this with conviction because 90% of the time, that’s all that was in the stroller, while said child was happily walking through the park. If you’re using it mostly for stuff, then please, get an umbrella stroller for the child and use a backpack. Ok I feel better now. Thanks.
We saw that a lot on our June trip. I admit to having a scooter and we have a 12 year old with special needs. He has a special stroller designed for his size and mobility needs. Disney was kind enough to let it count as a stroller because it was equipped to be used on a bus. He was able to stay in it on the bus. We did have to wait longer because od that and the scooter. Only 2 fit on each bus. We did the kind thing…I sent hubs back with kiddo and has stroller and I waited for the next bus.
I think overall our society as a whole has forgotten courtesy, as well as contending with differing cultural behaviors. My kids were raised Disney kids and they know first hand how to treat the cast and other guests. My daughter works at Busch Gardens while attending college near by amd she is stunned by the way people treat the employees there. She said she would never speak to a Disney cast the way she has been treated.
My pet peeve is actually when people call double strollers “double wide” like they are talking about an eighteen-wheeler. They are just double strollers, and they are essential to families with young children.
We just returned from a family reunion trip to WDW. Our family used a double sit and stand model stroller for our 3 young children (ages 4, 2, and 10 months). The 4 year old could walk most of the time, and when he couldn’t, he rode on the platform. This level of stamina was only achieved because we started a walking program before our trip.
For several reasons, I respectfully disagree with those who complain about all the strollers. It is simply not possible to expect a child under 5 or even 6 to walk the 7-8 miles MINIMUM that is required at WDW. And no, it is not a matter of less active kids. It is a matter of a small child’s small legs and the HUGE amount of walking that is required at WDW.
Because of this, strollers are a lifesaver of park touring. And yes, for those of us that have multiple small children like myself, you will have to deal with “double wide” strollers during your visit.
Once again, I am not trying to start an argument, just promote conversation. Also, stroller etiquette is a whole other matter entirely. I too groan when a family with multiple strollers walk side by side, blocking the entire walkway. I am just addressing those who frown on strollers as a whole.
Thank you for a great article, Tom, and a relatively respectful comment section.
-Angela
You’re right that there are people who sometimes have two babies or a baby and a toddler, and they might need a double stroller.
However, I disagree with you about kids who are 5 and 6. The last time we went to Disney, our kids had JUST turned 4 and 6. Neither of them needed a stroller. Pediatric groups recommend you start weaning kids off a stroller by age 3, just like you would a bottle. They say strollers are still appropriate for 3 year olds when necessary, but you’re doing a child a disservice by still using them after age 4.
I don’t know if Tom allows news links in the comments, but you can Google, “Too Big For a Stroller: Why Carting Your Big Kids Does a Disservice” to read more.