1. Stopping in the middle of a walkway
One pet peeve many seasoned Disney guests have when they visit the parks is when you are walking at a decent pace and the family in front of you comes to a dead stop. It is understandable that guests on vacation (in an exciting and maybe unfamiliar place) may be excited to stop and take photos or consult a map, but it’s best to step off to the side before doing so. On days when the park is crowded, or in narrow walkways it can be a challenge to get around stopped guests, especially when the whole family is spread out across a walkway.
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2. Kids on shoulders
This one can easily become a heated topic among Disney fans. One the one hand, it’s pretty obvious that small kids probably can’t see over a crowd of standing adults, but on the other hand a kid on shoulders means that the view for the guests behind this family may be obstructed. In my opinion, there are two ways to put a kid on your shoulders while still being considerate to guests behind you. One would be to let guests behind you know that you’re planning on lifting the child up. Usually kids end up on shoulders when a parade or fireworks show starts, so guests who end up behind this think they are going to have a good view when they choose their spot. Another way around it would be to stand off to the side. If there is a pole or a wall behind you anyway, no one will be bothered by your added height.
3. Badly behaved groups
Walt Disney World is one of the most popular destinations for many different kinds of group tours. Whether it be a class of high school students, marching bands, cheerleaders, or international tour groups, any large group can be a cause for stress among non-group guests. Groups that do not seem to be well-behaved, or with chaperones who seem to have little control can be disruptive to other guests, but even just the size of these groups can be a cause for concern. If you worry about being caught up with tour groups the only way around this is to simply avoid them—if you see the group go left, take a turn to the right.
4. Guests who cut in line
Another tricky point, this one definitely varies depending on the specific situation. If a family is in line for an attraction and a small child needs to leave and use the bathroom I wouldn’t fault them for meeting back up with their family in line. Having one guest hold a spot in line however while the rest of the family meets them can be annoying.
5. Guests who don’t move all the way down
If you’ve seen a show in Disney (or ridden a bus but we’ll get to that later) then you’ve probably seen a cast member tell guests to move all the way down and fill in all the available space. You may not be interested in getting to know your neighbors that well, but there is a very good reason for doing this. It allows as many guests as possible to experience the show. It is more difficult for guests coming in to climb over guests who are already sitting, and there is usually more room when everyone moves down.
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6. Poor bus etiquette
Moving down can also help more guests make their way onto a bus. Guests who stop in the middle of a bus are actually preventing other guests waiting at the bus stop from getting on the bus, thereby making them wait for the next one. Another example of poor bus etiquette is not offering seats to those who need it more. Of course there are times when a guest’s need for a seat isn’t visible, but in general giving up a seat (if you are able to) for older guests or pregnant guests is always a good idea.
7. Litterbugs
It’s hard to believe that people would liter at Walt Disney World because custodial cast members do such a good job of keeping the parks clean, but it happens. Trash cans are only about every 30 steps in the park, so there really is no excuse for littering.
8. Disruptive exits
If you’ve ever been on the Carousel of Progress when a guest decided he or she wanted to leave early, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Not only is it unsafe to leave certain attractions before they end, but it is also disruptive for other guests. You can always ask a cast member how long an attraction will last before boarding, and plan on staying put once you’re there.
9. Bad phone etiquette
With the rise of smartphone applications like Snapchat, it is not uncommon to see guests using their phones on attractions. The light from the screens can be very distracting to other guests, and in dark rides it can really take away from the attraction. Speaking of bright lights…
10. Flash photography on dark rides
Using flash photography on dark rides is not a good idea. It ruins the experience for other guests and exposes pieces of the attraction that are not meant to be seen. Dark rides take place in the dark for a reason, and to preserve the magic it’s best to keep it that way.
11. Not following cast member instructions
It’s important to follow cast member instructions to ensure that we have the safest experience possible, and make your vacation as smooth as possible it is important to follow cast member instructions. Whether it be where you can and cannot stand during the fireworks, or keeping your arms and legs inside a ride vehicle it is extremely important to follow all cast member instructions during your trip. In some cases, ignoring these instructions can be disruptive for other guests as well.