Annoyed by Phone Addicted Park Goers

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

lol Ok that seems acceptable then. A friend of mine who is the worst with it thinks he runs a travel blog with 4 followers. I can't help but mess up all the pictures lol.

Ha! ... & are you putting your middle digit in the middle of his food pics?
Not nice, but funny! I would show those proudly too!

 

[LadyNia]

The problem I see is that many guests seem to only be able to enjoy shows and attractions through the lens of their phone. My husband and I went to see ROL for the first time in December. Neither of us could actually see the show because the people in the row in front of us had their phones held up in front of our faces trying to record it. I was so upset, especially because we had done the dining package and still weren't able to see the show.

 

[rkstocke5609]

My only reason for joining Facebook was to get daily new DVC listings from the Timeshare Store (they are my only friend and I haven’t been back since I bought in 4 years ago).

I made my dad buy a new car so he could hands free his phone (83) . He can’t put the d*** thing down.

What’s up with people that text me, and since it’s quicker to call them and talk I call back only to have them not answer the phone? ***? I’m pretty sure the phone is in your hand...

Pictures of food? Well, only if it’s unique. Does anyone know where this is found:

 

[dachsie]

That's the Satuli Canteen dessert

 

[ChimCher-ee]

Last trip, DD (then 13) and I left our phones in the room when we went to the parks. Out on a limb, right? Irresponsible, yes?

We had a great time. The only time I got nervous and wished we had our phones was when she went single rider on EE and I had an adult beverage at the Thirsty River. I started to feel that she'd been gone too long, but it was because she'd decided to go twice!

But it's almost impossible to go anywhere without devices anymore, and the only time it bothers me is when they're out during dark experiences (I've seen them during CoP and others, and I've photo bombed Seas/Nemo riders--seriously).

 

[rkstocke5609]

That's the Satuli Canteen dessert

Yeppers! And man is it heavenly (and, at a quick serve!). We’ve come along ways from the days of either chocolate or carrot cake dessert at every quick serve restaurant...

 

[juuuliebeth]

Speaking up as one who loves taking pictures of food. I do it all the time while traveling. I'm also mostly a solo traveler, so sharing things on social media makes me feel like my friends and family are with me. I'm not one with thousands of followers/friends. I'm only connected with people I know personally. And I like sharing food photos. Food is as much about a Disney trip for me as the attractions are, so I don't see how photos of the food is any different than photos of attractions or shows.

That being said, there are few things I hate more than bad food photos. Really any bad photo. If it's not well lit, don't even bother. I'd rather read what you have to say than look at a bad photograph. "A picture's worth a thousand words"? Well, not all the time, honestly.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Not to mention that since they have there phones in their hands they keep taking flash pictures in the dark rides.

This happened to us on Nemo, Haunted mansion, Spaceship earth and every time I told a CM at the end of the ride and they gave us a FP to get right back on. I told the CM at boarding why we were getting back on within earshot of the ones around us and no one near us used their phones on the second ride. Maybe if Disney would enforce the rule people would stop.

 

[Nhebron]

I’m on my phone a lot at WDW. And I take pics of my food. As long as I’m not running into you, shining my flash, and not letting my child run amuck, who cares??

 

[Nina-Marie]

I do think that people who are constantly recording videos of shows and fireworks have no idea that they are blocking other's views. They put it up above their head and don't care for anybody behind them. It happened to us at MK's new projection/fireworks show. We wait for 30 min in a mass of humanity and when it finally started several people in front of me put up their phones to record it. I missed a ton of the show and had to go back another night. It was super frustrating. I bet all those people thought - hey - I'm just recording this - I'm not bothering anybody - but obviously they were.

 

[b2k1121]

I find it sad that technology has taken over so much that families are more interested in their phones than enjoying a vacation at Disney together. For example, going back from MK on the bus and a family of four were sitting nearby, young kids maybe 8 or 9, all with their noses in phones. They just left a Disney park - where is the joy of reliving what you did all day, talking about what you're going to do next? I guess they spent all day on their phones and didn't do anything fun at MK worth talking about. When my kids were that age, we didn't have phones to cart around, so we'd spend time on the bus laughing and sharing experiences, or even chatting with strangers around us about things they did or were going to do at Disney. There is no social interaction anymore, just social media, and that's a sad thing to me.

Similar to this, on multiple occasions on the bus I've seen families just like you described except the kids aren't using phones but both parents are and they don't say a word or look away from the phone the entire ride while the kids sit looking bored.

 

[dachsie]

I do think that people who are constantly recording videos of shows and fireworks have no idea that they are blocking other's views. They put it up above their head and don't care for anybody behind them. It happened to us at MK's new projection/fireworks show. We wait for 30 min in a mass of humanity and when it finally started several people in front of me put up their phones to record it. I missed a ton of the show and had to go back another night. It was super frustrating. I bet all those people thought - hey - I'm just recording this - I'm not bothering anybody - but obviously they were.

Did you try telling them they were blocking your view?

 

[Shanti]

Did you try telling them they were blocking your view?

That was my initial thought, too, but upon reflection, I wish it were that easy.

I think there is hesitation to provoke an argument or fight while on vacation. People who engage in selfish, problematic behaviors (including blocking others' views by holding their phones up during a show) tend to be defiant and sometimes hostile when asked to stop.

If only people would just be considerate in the first place, and not have to be asked...

 

[Pmlocke]

This last trip I heard a mother tell her daughter to "get off the damn phone, we have spent over ten thousand dollars for this trip and you haven't looked up once all day". I understand everyone who realy believes you need a phone but trust me, you really don't. I do not own a cell phone and neither does my wife. We travel to WDW every year and guess what, we do just fine. Honestly, if you want to stay connected, why are you spending a ton of money to get away from it all? Yes, I am old (64). Yes I survived the 50's and 60's and 70's before cell phones were ever available. Guess what, we all did. People, put the dang contraption down and look up. There is a real world out there to experiance and you are missing it all.

 

[maxiesmom]

This last trip I heard a mother tell her daughter to "get off the damn phone, we have spent over ten thousand dollars for this trip and you haven't looked up once all day". I understand everyone who realy believes you need a phone but trust me, you really don't. I do not own a cell phone and neither does my wife. We travel to WDW every year and guess what, we do just fine. Honestly, if you want to stay connected, why are you spending a ton of money to get away from it all? Yes, I am old (64). Yes I survived the 50's and 60's and 70's before cell phones were ever available. Guess what, we all did. People, put the dang contraption down and look up. There is a real world out there to experiance and you are missing it all.

I think there can be a balance. It isn't no phone or phone all of the time. I rarely use my phone for anything at WDW but checking my schedule and taking pics. But if I am on the bus, and the family is tired, I don't see the big deal in looking at your phone.

Btw, I'm 51 so I'm not exactly a youngin.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This last trip I heard a mother tell her daughter to "get off the damn phone, we have spent over ten thousand dollars for this trip and you haven't looked up once all day". I understand everyone who realy believes you need a phone but trust me, you really don't. I do not own a cell phone and neither does my wife. We travel to WDW every year and guess what, we do just fine. Honestly, if you want to stay connected, why are you spending a ton of money to get away from it all? Yes, I am old (64). Yes I survived the 50's and 60's and 70's before cell phones were ever available. Guess what, we all did. People, put the dang contraption down and look up. There is a real world out there to experiance and you are missing it all.

With all due respect your viewpoint may be biased as you nor your wife owns a cell phone at least in certain respects and yes I do agree with maxiesmom--it's not an either or situation by any means. Moderation is truly lovely really.

My step-father-in-law is mid-60s and he had a basic flip phone mostly for business so his clients could get a hold of him. Then he upgraded finally to a smart phone. All those years of jokingly talking about us on our phones and now he's on his phone too. He's watching YouTube videos of how to work on his 5th wheel and things for his boat, he's looking up sports scores instead of asking us, etc.

And yeah as far as cell phones go--I didn't have one til I was half way through my freshman year of college but I'm not about to go back to the 'where's a payphone' era.

 

[YawningDodo]

What’s up with people that text me, and since it’s quicker to call them and talk I call back only to have them not answer the phone? ***? I’m pretty sure the phone is in your hand...

Maybe they just don't like talking on the phone. I sure as heck don't. Most of the time the things I need to communicate to others are simple enough that texting is much quicker than finding a quiet area from which to make my call, waiting for it to ring, waiting for them to pick up, waiting for them to get to a quiet area so we can actually hear each other, going "what?" every two seconds because I still can't hear them clearly, dealing with the awkwardness of being on the phone while there are people around me who don't necessarily want to hear my whole conversation....

I've always hated talking on the phone, tbh. Texting is a godsend.

This last trip I heard a mother tell her daughter to "get off the damn phone, we have spent over ten thousand dollars for this trip and you haven't looked up once all day". I understand everyone who realy believes you need a phone but trust me, you really don't. I do not own a cell phone and neither does my wife. We travel to WDW every year and guess what, we do just fine. Honestly, if you want to stay connected, why are you spending a ton of money to get away from it all? Yes, I am old (64). Yes I survived the 50's and 60's and 70's before cell phones were ever available. Guess what, we all did. People, put the dang contraption down and look up. There is a real world out there to experiance and you are missing it all.

There are a lot of assumptions loaded in this diatribe. It never ceases to amaze me how fervently people will assert that because others interact with the world differently than they do, those other people are doing it wrong and "missing it all." I experience the world just fine. I also experience lots of things that you're missing out on due to your choice to forego the use of cell phones. This past weekend I got together with a lot of friends I only see a couple times per year, and my phone was how I captured and shared some really amazing photographs that will probably circulate in our group for years to come along with the story that goes with them. My phone was also how I was able to have the freedom to split off from the group to experience other things at the event we were attending, but still be able to get back together with them later and avoid missing out on quality time together. As for spending money to get away but still wanting to stay connected...honestly, the idea that being on vacation means not wanting to talk to any of the people you love is baffling to me. Do you go to WDW to escape your friends? Because you might need better friends if that's the case.

I'm sure your way of doing things works really well for you. And that's great. For you. Not for other people who do things differently and are doing just fine.

Edit: To address the specific example given of the mother criticizing the daughter...I don't think that's a cell phone problem. I think that's a teenager problem. The cell phone is just the mechanism by which the kid is disengaging from the family trip; in decades past when the kid wouldn't have had a phone you'd probably hear that mother complaining that she'd been dragging her feet about everything or complaining all the time. If the kid wanted to be engaged with the trip, she'd be engaged.

 

[MikeNamez]

There are a lot of assumptions loaded in this diatribe. It never ceases to amaze me how fervently people will assert that because others interact with the world differently than they do, those other people are doing it wrong and "missing it all." I experience the world just fine. I also experience lots of things that you're missing out on due to your choice to forego the use of cell phones. This past weekend I got together with a lot of friends I only see a couple times per year, and my phone was how I captured and shared some really amazing photographs that will probably circulate in our group for years to come along with the story that goes with them. My phone was also how I was able to have the freedom to split off from the group to experience other things at the event we were attending, but still be able to get back together with them later and avoid missing out on quality time together. As for spending money to get away but still wanting to stay connected...honestly, the idea that being on vacation means not wanting to talk to any of the people you love is baffling to me. Do you go to WDW to escape your friends? Because you might need better friends if that's the case.

No offense at all, but you know you could have accomplished literally all of that with out a cell phone too? I'm not saying your opinion is wrong or right, but calling people and taking pictures are not really exclusive to owning a cell phone.

 

[MickeyPretzels]

No offense at all, but you know you could have accomplished literally all of that with out a cell phone too? I'm not saying your opinion is wrong or right, but calling people and taking pictures are not really exclusive to owning a cell phone.

Who calls people to see if they want to get together? I write in a group text "anybody free tonight?" and can instantly coordinate with a group.

Who takes film photos? I can take a photo and instantly, easily share it with the group I went out with. I don't have to wait to develop film or pay to do so.

Incidentally, deliberately messing up someone's photos because you don't like that they take photos of their food, an activity which does not inconvenience you in any way, shows a lack of maturity and respect for your friend. So sad.

 

[YawningDodo]

No offense at all, but you know you could have accomplished literally all of that with out a cell phone too? I'm not saying your opinion is wrong or right, but calling people and taking pictures are not really exclusive to owning a cell phone.

While it's true that I could carry around a different device of equal size to my phone in order to take photos (which seems no more convenient and no less disruptive), I'm not sure how I would go about calling my friends at an event where we were all away from home, everyone was constantly on the move between different locations, and no landlines would have been available to us, let alone convenient for use. And, too, while it's possible to share photographs taken on a camera online with friends, it's less possible to share them quickly when one would have to go back to one's hotel room to fetch one's laptop, upload the photos, etc. Not to mention that back when I owned a camera but not a phone I'd often forget to carry it, but I don't forget to carry my phone. I always have a camera on me now, which allows me to get a lot more candid shots than I used to.

And, too, those were only a couple of examples of things I can do with my phone. I didn't bring up games because I assumed that the user to whom I was replying would poo-poo the idea of playing games on one's phone (tons of really innovative indie games are available to smart phone users--but that requires one to care about gaming and view it as a worthwhile use of time). And I didn't mention the fact that I was able to forego carrying a bulky paper schedule because I'd downloaded the app for the event; while it would have been possible for me to carry around the paper version, not having to carry it allowed me to wear a costume without ruining the aesthetic by carrying a bag. Without a smart phone I probably would have gone bagless but not had the schedule handy, and I would have missed out on things because I wouldn't have been able to check anything on the go.

I mean, I see your point. I just think that the convenience factor is a factor that radically changes how I use all the functions mentioned. Back in high school, before I got a phone of any kind, I used to tell myself that it didn't matter because I could do all the things one did with a phone without owning one. And technically I could--I could carry both a music player and a camera, and I could rely on my laptop for social media, and I could...I don't know, use payphones? Hope my friends are near payphones? Still stuck on that one since no one owns beepers anymore. But having it all combined into one device changes the way one approaches it and significantly changes the way one experiences all of those things, so I stand by the statement that you bolded in your response.