Cell phones on rides (rant)

[NelsonRD]

The problem I have, is that footage from cell phones is typically terrible. Additionally, most people do not know how to transfer the video off the phone. So they capture this low light, shaky video, brag to their friends, or post to some social media site, and forget about it. This is not the kind of video that will be recovered 20 years from now to remember that moment. I get it, I take non-flash photos, and video with my DLSR, but I do not live my vacation through a viewfinder, or try to capture every moment of the trip.

 

[thomas998]

I think it depends upon where the other guest's screen is, in relation to your line of sight. For example, I was sitting in a middle row on the boat in Small World. A guest in front of me had her tablet held up (directly in my line of sight) for the entire ride. It was distracting.

On rides such as Haunted Mansion, each group has its own Doom Buggy space. If people in other buggies are filming, it doesn't distract me.

The problem is that cell phone screen tend to get held near eye level on rides and if the person behind you isn't sitting above you then they get blinded by the light as well and get avoid it. The only thing that has gotten better lately is that I've seen much fewer ipads being used as phones. When the ipad peaked in popularity you would often see idiots holding up 10 inch displays to use as cameras. That was really annoying.

 

[MaximumEd]

I don’t mind people recording if they would hold their phone at a normal level, turn off the flash, and dim the screen. About .3% of the population at WDW do all 3, so yeah, it gets frustrating on Pirates and HM type dark rides.

 

[Prince-1]

View attachment 396911

 

[SirWillow]

As someone who has worked at parks, and who does youtube videos and occasionally films on select rides...

yes, it annoys the snot out of me!

First, I almost never film on roller coasters or thrill rides (with 4 exceptions- all with park permission/ supervision and all with strapped on go-pros). To dangerous, and far to many times I've seen cell phones go flying, and I've seen the results of people getting hit with flying cell phones. I'm happy to see some parks starting to enforce no filming on rides like that, but not enough.

And dark rides there are ways to film where it doesn't disturb everyone and their brother! I'll film on some of the dark rides (key word, some), and if I am, I strive to do it in a way that distracts as few as possible. It's amazing to me how many don't have a clue that they can turn down their screen's brightness. I'll run mine so the screen is practically off on rides, and even then keep the phone down where it isn't in the way of others. And never with the flash/ light on a ride. And also using a setup that stabilizes the phone/ camera, keeps it in a firm grip so it can't slip or be lost, but also puts it in a place where it isn't in the way of others.

I've actually asked people after the ride if my recording bothered them, and had people express surprise that I was videoing because they didn't see the light or other things. It can be done in a way that doesn't disturb, bother, or ruin the ride experience for others, but very few will bother to learn how to do it that way.

It actually wouldn't bother me if Disney and other parks just put a blanket ban on video taping on rides, regardless of ride type. Those who do it for youtube or commerical purposes can work around it just fine, or work with the park's PR departments if they really need on ride footage. The rest don't need it.

 

[Weather_Lady]

So do you also want to stop people taking photos around the parks. Taking videos of rides/parades is all part of the holiday and can be used to compile your own videos to view later. I appreciate that there are many videos on YouTube but they are somebody else's memories not yours.
Maybe you should not go to the parks if it upsets you so much.

I think the difference with the phones - at least in my observation - is that many people are holding their big, backlit phone (I've even seen people do it with full-size tablets!) over their heads to film during dark rides and nighttime shows, ruining the view for those behind them, or at least making an unwelcome distraction. Even worse, some of them feel compelled to "narrate" what is happening for their potential "viewers," meaning they're talking over the audio as well. I don't think anyone has a problem with others taking videos or photographs, as long as they can do it without significantly interfering with others' experience.

 

[wombat]

A lot of food nowadays is made in such a way that it looks great, so while you might want to stop and take a photo of the really nice building or something to share with family at home, other people like to share the good looking food they are eating as part of their vacation memories.

I suppose Selfies are OK if there is something interesting behind you but who is really interested in what your food looked like.

 

[danyoung56]

I suppose Selfies are OK if there is something interesting behind you but who is really interested in what your food looked like.

Now, hang on a second. I always take a pic of my food, and use those pics in my trip reports. I get more positive comments on these pics than any other facet of my trip reports. So yeah, lots of people are really interested in what my food looked like, including me.

 

[Jon81uk]

I suppose Selfies are OK if there is something interesting behind you but who is really interested in what your food looked like.

Sometimes you just want to share how crazy the food item is. This was the “American Dream” red and blue slushy with vanilla soft serve.

 

[Graham9]

I have no objection to people recording stuff at the World, I do it myself as part of the memories and experience to take home and relive.

The key phrases when do this should be consideration, respecting other people around you, time and place, distracting/unwanted lighting, putting cameras/screens in people's faces/blocking views, getting in people's way and sometimes a little discretion.

 

[CP_alum08]

This has been an issue since the stone ages when people would bring cameras with flashes and not know how to (or not care to) turn the flash off.

Aside from stopping the ride every time it happens and telling the person to put their phone away, I’m not sure how much can really be done.

 

[Incomudro]

distracting?? sure, vacation ruining?? not so much. I pretty much try and let the small stuff roll, actually I tend to fell bad because society no longer knows how to enjoy the "moment" . I recognized that one time while recording my sons graduation, realized that I really didn't experience it because I had my face in a screen trying to "capture" it.

Sorry you had a bad experience op

Well, depending on the person recording - where and how it's done - it can have a major impact on the enjoyment of a dark ride like Pirates.
Get in a boat, with some yahoo (or a couple) with blindingly bright cel phone screens out the whole time (while possibly narrating) and there goes that ride.
Look, there was a reason why Disney had a no flash photography rule.

 

[PiratesMansion]

i am very pro Disney with most ideas.
however the increased use of mobile phones in the parks is down to the Disney mde app and fastpasses in my opinion. if it went back to ticket fast passes it wouldn't be half the problem.

Although I'm sure that doesn't help, even if that didn't exist we would still have the same problem. Many people are just flat out addicted to their phones.

I don't understand the mentality of waiting for a ride only to ignore it by staring at your phone. Or the need to film everything to create a video that literally no one will ever watch. But then, that might just be me given how many people are doing it.

I see the same problem at other theme parks too, whether they have an app or not.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Well, depending on the person recording - where and how it's done - it can have a major impact on the enjoyment of a dark ride like Pirates.
Get in a boat, with some yahoo (or a couple) with blindingly bright cel phone screens out the whole time (while possibly narrating) and there goes that ride.
Look, there was a reason why Disney had a no flash photography rule.

I seem to recall that rule being very lightly enforced back in the day.

As for taking pictures of food, I don't understand it, but neither do I mind it either... as long as the people are taking pictures of food they have duly purchased themselves and not holding up the line. Two examples of this being violated:

1) Someone taking a picture of every baked snack in the display case before ordering.

2) Someone walking around a restaurant, randomly taking pictures of other people's food, even going so far as to stop the wait staff as they brought out the dishes so she could take a picture. This example was not in a Disney resort, however, and it didn't last too long before the management intervened.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Although I'm sure that doesn't help, even if that didn't exist we would still have the same problem. Many people are just flat out addicted to their phones.

I don't understand the mentality of waiting for a ride only to ignore it by staring at your phone. Or the need to film everything to create a video that literally no one will ever watch. But then, that might just be me given how many people are doing it.

I see the same problem at other theme parks too, whether they have an app or not.

There's a select few Youtubers who do a really good job of filming the rides. Most posted ride videos, though, are utter garbage. If I'm watching a ride video, I want to clearly see the details of the attraction, not video selfies of some random (usually not particularly attractive) person on the ride.

 

[Incomudro]

I seem to recall that rule being very lightly enforced back in the day.

As for taking pictures of food, I don't understand it, but neither do I mind it either... as long as the people are taking pictures of food they have duly purchased themselves and not holding up the line. Two examples of this being violated:

1) Someone taking a picture of every baked snack in the display case before ordering.

2) Someone walking around a restaurant, randomly taking pictures of other people's food, even going so far as to stop the wait staff as they brought out the dishes so she could take a picture. This example was not in a Disney resort, however, and it didn't last too long before the management intervened.

Even if it was lightly enforced, that was not terrible because there was comparatively little of it compared to cel phone usage.
You might get the occasional person who took a flash pic., and it was likely one flash and that was that.
Today, you can have several cel phones on the same ride vehicle, as well as other ride vehicles lit up the entire time.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Even if it was lightly enforced, that was not terrible because there was comparatively little of it compared to cel phone usage.
You might get the occasional person who took a flash pic., and it was likely one flash and that was that.
Today, you can have several cel phones on the same ride vehicle, as well as other ride vehicles lit up the entire time.

I have a specific memory on my last trip. The Doom Buggies had temporarily stopped in the graveyard scene (why can't the ride ever stop at the ballroom?). I looked over and I could see a line of cell phones screens seemingly in every other vehicle all the way to the crypt. Let's just say it was a mood killer. Although it did vaguely remind me of torchlight the procession at the end of Fantasia.

 

[marni1971]

If they didn’t allow filming, we wouldn’t have @marni1971’s amazing videos.

Thank you.

I actually spent more money on my new camera to get one with a viewfinder as well as a flip out screen.

 

[Incomudro]

I have a specific memory on my last trip. The Doom Buggies had temporarily stopped in the graveyard scene (why can't the ride ever stop at the ballroom?). I looked over and I could see a line of cell phones screens seemingly in every other vehicle all the way to the crypt. Let's just say it was a mood killer.

This is exactly what I mean.
I sometimes find myself making the effort to take in the ride nowadays - trying to tune out the cel phones from my peripheral.
And that's if they are only in my peripheral.
If some bozo is seated right in front of me with his or her screen at interrogation level brightness it can be really difficult to ignore.
Oh, how I would love to see a person drop their phone into the murky depths of Pirates of the Caribbean...

 

[Kingoglow]

This has been an issue since the stone ages when people would bring cameras with flashes and not know how to (or not care to) turn the flash off.

Aside from stopping the ride every time it happens and telling the person to put their phone away, I’m not sure how much can really be done.

We berate them on the internet.