DL annoyances and peeves. This is largely meant to be fun. Please add your own (unless I've covered absolutely everything ;-)).

WonkaKid

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
We all have our pet peeves. When you're at a place such as DL where they are anywhere between 25-50,000 people, the opportunities for annoyance increase tenfold over our typical, day-to-day lives. Here are a few of mine (this is mostly tongue in cheek. Please feel free to add your own):

• Runners (of course, but it had to be mentioned).

• Sprinters. The only type of guest that’s worse than a runner. A all-out sprinter. It’s a blatant violation of park rules but they simply don’t care. This is at its worst when it’s a lone adult. It’s 01% forgivable if they sprint to get their kids in line. But a grown person doing it solely to serve their own interests is unforgivable.

• People that walk shoulder-to-shoulder anywhere in the park but especially in narrower areas.

• Sullen cast members (a rarity). There’s one guy on Buzz Lightyear that we always kind of make fun of because he’s always dour. He’s seen us all at least 100 times and will never say hello or acknowledge us in any way. I did say good morning to him about three weeks ago as I passed him in the exit corridor – we were the only two there – and he still refused to acknowledge me.

• People who reach the very end of an attraction exit and then stop as they stand side-by-side, effectively blocking all other guests.

• As you approach an attraction, a group of 18 slips into line just ahead of you. This usually happens when you’re a party of one.

• When scores don’t come through on Buzz Lightyear. Count on it happening at least once. It’s been messed up for at least the last two years and there seems to be a 0% chance that it’ll ever get fixed. Perhaps they’re putting it off till the 20234 refurb? ;-).

• Sullen park guests. Far more common than sullen CMs.

• Guests that jam the FP queue because they actually have Star Tours FPs rather than Buzz and they then engage the attending CM for ten times longer than is necessary with endless questions. I'm pretty sure some of them are there at least three hours after closing as they defend their Ph.D dissertations to CMs manning the FP return lines ;-).

• People who video their entire ride on Space Mountain or Pirates. They nearly always hold their camera up and largely ruin the experience for everyone else that has the misfortune to ride with them.

• Families/groups at rope drop that send their kids off to get the first-in-line position for PP. This means that they sprint to the ride… and then the rest of the group usually 100 people or so, join the kid while congratulating him for cheating.

• Guests that sneak a drag or two from a cigarette or vape pen (pre or post-ban). It’s terribly rude to do so in a public place where smoking is clearly not allowed. They know that it’s against the rules but since they’re unable to control their addiction, they make it everyone else’s problem.

• People who step right in front of you as you walk in an absolutely straight line towards a narrow opening in a crowd and then stop. They then turn their backs on you. I call such people SSBs: step, stop and blockers.

• AP holders that buy as much limited merch as possible when you’re 99.99999% sure they’ll simply take it home and post it on eBay. Fortunately, Disney is wise to this and often investigates and finds the sellers. If they’re AP-holders, their passes and revoked. Good work, Disney!

• Alcohol at DL (since SWL opened). We’ve gotten along without it for nearly 64 years. Do we really need to have it now? There are literally tens of thousands of bars in California outside of the parks. Find one!

• When you walk into a bathroom and it’s clear someone’s been smoking dope. This is actually worse than smoking cigs. With dope, there are options such as edibles. Or smoke before you leave home. Or after you leave. Or, hey, not at all!

• Passholes like me that give first-timers no quarter and no slack! ;-).

• When Pizza Planet stops dispensing free soda water and begins to charge $3 for an empty cup.
 
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Guests above age 8 extended meltdowns (special needs excluded)

Reciting ride/narration dialogue at level where everyone can hear you

CMs on cell phones

Guests on rides on cell phones

Ok cell phones (except MaxPass-essential)-enjoy the parks

Guests with MM/EMH who arrive 5-10 minutes before the park opens for everyone

Kids on leashes

Non-themed merch everywhere


Already mentioned that really chap my hide:

Flash photography on rides

Runners

Sudden stoppers

Weaving walkers

Ride breakdowns-especially when you are almost on the ride
 
It's been mentioned before, but my #1 annoyance in the parks are sudden stoppers. I almost took out a little girl whose family stopped right in front of me. Completely oblivious.

I also dislike people that congregate in a large circle or group (in a walkway) trying to decide what they are going to do next.

Other dislikes:

People that take a photo from extremely far away whilst snapping multiple photos (ignoring those that are patiently waiting for their photo session to be over).

People who feel entitled since "They paid a lot to be here." Well guess what? So did I, and everyone else.

People that stand in a big group in front of ONE fastpass machine, usually blocking the second open machine.

And this one is really minor but -- people who use incorrect terms like "the haunted house" or "California Adventures"
 
We all have our pet peeves. When you're at a place such as DL where they are anywhere between 25-50,000 people, the opportunities for annoyance increase tenfold over our typical, day-to-day lives. Here are a few of mine (this is mostly tongue in cheek. Please feel free to add your own):

• Runners (of course, but it had to be mentioned).

• Sprinters. The only type of guest that’s worse than a runner. A blatant sprinter. It’s a blatant violation of park rules but they simply don’t care. This is at its worst when it’s a lone adult. It’s 01% forgivable if they sprint to get their kids in line. But a grown person doing solely to help themselves is absolutely unforgivable.

• People that walk shoulder-to-shoulder anywhere in the park but especially in narrower areas.

• Sullen cast members (a rarity). There’s one guy on Buzz Lightyear that we always kind of make fun of because he’s always dour. He’s seen us all at least 100 times and will never say hello or acknowledge us in any way. I did say good morning to him about three weeks ago as I passed him in the exit corridor – we were the only two there – and he still refused to acknowledge me.

• People who reach the very end of an attraction exit and then stop as they stand side-by-side, effectively blocking all other guests.

• As you approach an attraction, a group of 18 slips into line just ahead of you. This usually happens when you’re a party of one.

• When scores don’t come through on Buzz Lightyear. Count on it happening at least once. It’s been messed up for at least the last two years and there seems to be a 0% chance that it’ll ever get fixed. Perhaps they’re putting it off till the 20234 refurb? ;-).

• Sullen park guests. Far more common than sullen CMs.

• Guests that jam the FP queue because they actually have Star Tours FPs rather than Buzz and they then engage the attending CM for ten times longer than is necessary with endless questions. I'm pretty sure some of them are there at least three hours after closing as they defend their Ph.D dissertations to CMs manning the FP return lines ;-).

• People who video their entire ride on Space Mountain or Pirates. They nearly always hold their camera up and largely ruin the experience for everyone else that has the misfortune to ride with them.

• Families/groups at rope drop that send their kids off to get the first-in-line position for PP. This means that they sprint to the ride… and then the rest of the group usually 100 people or so, join the kid while congratulating him for cheating.

• Guests that sneak a drag or two from a cigarette or vape pen (pre or post-ban). It’s terribly rude to do so in a public place where smoking is clearly not allowed. They know that it’s against the rules but since they’re unable to control their addiction, they make it everyone else’s problem.

• People who step right in front of you as you walk in an absolutely straight line towards a narrow opening in a crowd and then stop. They then turn their backs on you. I call such people SSBs: step, stop and blockers.

• AP holders that buy as much limited merch as possible when you’re 99.99999% sure they’ll simply take it home and post it on eBay. Fortunately, Disney is wise to this and often investigates and finds the sellers. If they’re AP-holders, their passes and revoked. Good work, Disney!

• Alcohol at DL (since SWL opened). We’ve gotten along without it for nearly 64 years. Do we really need to have it now? There are literally tens of thousands of bars in California outside of the parks. Find one!

• When you walk into a bathroom and it’s clear someone’s been smoking dope. This is actually worse than smoking cigs. With dope, there are options such as edibles. Or smoke before you leave home. Or after you leave. Or, hey, not at all!

• Passholes like me that give first-timers no quarter and no slack! ;-).

• When Pizza Planet stops dispensing free soda water and begins to charge $3 for an empty cup.

That's a lot of pet peeves.
 
It's been mentioned before, but my #1 annoyance in the parks are sudden stoppers. I almost took out a little girl whose family stopped right in front of me. Completely oblivious.
I can't tell you how many times I've almost walked into people doing this. Then there are the zig-zaggers, who will zig, then stop, then turn around, zag, stop then turn back and zig and stop. They can't make up their mind where to go.

I also dislike people that congregate in a large circle or group (in a walkway) trying to decide what they are going to do next.
Ohh But they need to do it in the dead center of the walkway too! :)

People that stand in a big group in front of ONE fastpass machine, usually blocking the second open machine.
I'll add to that, the big group WAITING in front of the fastpass entrance waiting for their time to come blocking everyone else.
 
I'll add to that, the big group WAITING in front of the fastpass entrance waiting for their time to come blocking everyone else.
I forgot about that one! That happened to us trying to scan in for Indy recently. That area can already get pretty congested so it was extremely obnoxious!
 
My daughter with Down syndrome uses a wheelchair around the park because she’s a slow walker and has bad feet and just gets tired quickly. I don’t understand why they don’t have a wheelchair rental place next to the Grand California hotel park entrance into the California Adventure. Essentially you can get in early as a guest but then need to walk all the way back to park entrance to get a chair or stroller. Or like we did the last time in may, exhaust and cajole her to get to rides in CA before moving to Disneyland and getting a chair there. Seems like a small thing that would make a difference for a lot of people.
 
I also dislike people that congregate in a large circle or group (in a walkway) trying to decide what they are going to do next.
People who feel entitled since "They paid a lot to be here." Well guess what? So did I, and everyone else.
People who wear an enormous backpacks and then unknowingly bash people with the backpack.
All of those and a couple more:
People who have really bad coughs and don't cover their mouths. I will get out of a line to get away from them.

When I am eating outdoors and bubbles keep landing on my food.

With that said, all these annoyances pass very quickly. I think the only one that continues to bother me for an extended period of time is when I can't get away from coughing people. I think November is the worst month. I feel like 25% of the people there have a cough and don't care.
 
Very obvious line cutters! I decided on my first trip with littles that I was not going to stand for that. When some late teens/early adults cut in front of me in a very well managed (and fairly small) line in Toon Town, I very loudly commented, "we make her wait her turn, so are you really going to try to cut in front of my 3 year old?" They looked shocked and promptly moved to the back of the line. I am sure it is more prevalent than I notice, usually it's just one or two people finding their party and I personally don't have a problem with that and I am also patient if a line is confusing and not well formed, that was not the case.

Also, had a little one run up next to my kids who had waited their turn and were now visiting with Pluto and were getting situated to take a photo. That's fine, I can understand a toddler getting excited and being a kid who is too young to know better yet, but his mom just stood there watching as if her son was so cute and didn't make any effort to get him ... so I waited for a few and it was pretty obvious I was trying to take a picture of MY kids and Pluto, as are almost every person there in line. Pluto tried to shift my kids with him off to the side to move away from the kiddo to no avail, finally (it must have been a good minute or more --I'd finally had it and said, "no offense, your kid is cute, but I'd prefer that he not be on our Christmas card." The others in line who were just as annoyed with this mom appreciated that.

So my second pet peeve would be utterly clueless park guests.
 
Very obvious line cutters! I decided on my first trip with littles that I was not going to stand for that. When some late teens/early adults cut in front of me in a very well managed (and fairly small) line in Toon Town, I very loudly commented, "we make her wait her turn, so are you really going to try to cut in front of my 3 year old?" They looked shocked and promptly moved to the back of the line. I am sure it is more prevalent than I notice, usually it's just one or two people finding their party and I personally don't have a problem with that and I am also patient if a line is confusing and not well formed, that was not the case.

Also, had a little one run up next to my kids who had waited their turn and were now visiting with Pluto and were getting situated to take a photo. That's fine, I can understand a toddler getting excited and being a kid who is too young to know better yet, but his mom just stood there watching as if her son was so cute and didn't make any effort to get him ... so I waited for a few and it was pretty obvious I was trying to take a picture of MY kids and Pluto, as are almost every person there in line. Pluto tried to shift my kids with him off to the side to move away from the kiddo to no avail, finally (it must have been a good minute or more --I'd finally had it and said, "no offense, your kid is cute, but I'd prefer that he not be on our Christmas card." The others in line who were just as annoyed with this mom appreciated that.

So my second pet peeve would be utterly clueless park guests.
Ugh! That Mom with her kid at the Pluto meet sounds so rude. It's that entitlement factor so many people have. They don't realize how bad of an example they are setting for their kid(s).
:sad2:
 
Disney has ruined bubbles for me. They're everywhere in the parks.

The portable fans that also spray water. There's always someone who's not watching where they're spraying.
 
Number 1 will in my book will always be the people who stop in the middle of the walkway to decide what to do, and have a 5 minute conversation about it blocking everyones way. I can easily tell you what to do, MOVE TO THE SIDE!!

Number 2, the stroller cut off. I walk at a fast pace, my whole family does. And we know people cannot get around as fast, so we will slow down to move with the masses not through the masses. Sure we try to make a break for it if space allows, who wouldn't. But don't try and make a break when there isn't one, and don't try and do it with a double wide stroller. The worst spot is by RSR. Been hit twice with Mario Andretti Mom's and their kids stroller. After getting hit once (with no apology) I watched to see how fast Mrs. Speed Racer got to RSR before me. She was one family of 4 ahead. Yeah, I gave her the stink eye. I know she didn't give a hoot, but guess what we rode at the same time. Slow your roll, lady.

Number 3, last minute people to a parade who think they can get in front. Look, we aren't parade folks. Once in a while we will partake. And when we do, we stake our territory early. It's what you gotta do. So don't show up 3 minutes beforehand with Dad who is 7'2" and toddler daughter asking if she can scooch in and see. If it was just her, come on in little lady. But Dad, I'm 5 feet nothing and you're now blocking our view we waited for what seemed like an eternity for. Not cool, dude. Not cool. Get to steppin'.
 
The last-minute show-spot grabbers.... DH, DGS and I sat there for 45 minutes. The sweet family next to us--mom, dad, uncle, toddler, and newborn, about 18 inches away from our nearest points --waited for 50 minutes. Don't try to push your family in between our 2 groups 10 minutes before the show because "there's plenty of room!" Seriously, that 18 inches is NOT enough room for your family of 3! (We let their 3yo crowd in, but that was as far as we were going to relent!)

Also, those great "I'm just joining my family" groups where 1 person waits in line, and (literally) 5 people join them one ride cycle before their turn! Ugh!
 

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