News Another Fight at Magic Kingdom

[DryerLintFan]

I do agree with you on this. Look there are a lot of things right now that are upsetting people, whether its the 24/7 news cycle getting people amped up, stress on money that everything costs more what have you BUT, that does not give the right for physical action on someone else. The line thing.. come on man! even if someone did cut in front of you, whats that cost 2 minutes not worth it? Been going to Disney since 75' and go probably 12 times a year being an AP. i do have to say i mostly go to Epcot but when i do go to MK, the level of stress there is double. Not Disneys fault, i think its just the expectations on these Families to get every ride in, every experience and do it with the family. MK there are more little kids than the other parks and i can see the parents on the point of breakdown. Also trying to heard cats with a big family group is just as bad. Now do it in this heat and its a powder keg... BTW the heat index goint to be 105 today.

We've had almost all our family meltdowns at Epcot lol. One at the boardwalk but that's basically Epcot.

 

[larryz]

So when I go to Walmart and there's ten self check out stands and seven of them are out of order like they were yesterday, I can just walk up to some random person and punch them and blame Walmart for stressing me out?

Blame WallyWorld for not having enough cashiers. Don't hit anybody.

Or I'm in the TSA line at the airport and the guy in front of me doesn't know he has to take out his laptop and take off his belt and empty his wallet and he's holding the whole line up I can just beat him with my shoe and blame TSA for their ridiculous rules?

Blame the traveler for being clueless, but also blame TSA for not figuring out how to screen carry-ons effectively in the 20 years they've been in existence. But don't hit anybody.

And apparently if someone goes out of line to get their phone then rejoins their party I can beat them up because Disney made me pay a lot of money to be there.

I don't understand why you'd be upset that someone leaves the line to retrieve a cell phone from a scooter and then returns. They were in the line ahead of you to start with. But Disney set the stage with all kinds of irritants like prices, crowds, ineffective line management techniques, and unrealistic expectations of a fun, stress-free vacation. People have short fuses these days what with environmental activists screaming at them, epidemiologists screaming at them, economists screaming at them, politicians screaming at them, and now other guests screaming at them... those with poor impulse control are going to snap, as we've seen time and time again. But to sum up, no, don't hit anybody.

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

People are showing up expecting the crowds they see on TV commercials, and instead they're standing in line for an hour to experience a 5 minute ride. They're paying the equivalent of a house payment for tickets and they're only experiencing 1/2 to 3/4 of the parks' attractions. Food, even Counter Service, is super expensive to start with, involves another line to pick it up and then a line after that to find someplace to sit down and eat it.

I'm not insinuating anything -- I'm flat out calling out Disney's current penchant to over-promise and under-deliver for a premium price. That builds frustration in guests, and those with poor impulse control are going to snap under the triple threat of hot weather, expensive tickets and having to wait in line.

If you don't see it, you must be an elitist from California.

Still no reason to resort to what is premeditated violence towards another guest.
And I am a long way from California.

 

[larryz]

Still no reason to resort to what is premeditated violence towards another guest.
And I am a long way from California.

Of course it isn't. But Disney bears some of the blame for setting the stage with so many irritants.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

So when I tell a guest that their popcorn is $5 and they think that’s too expensive they can start throwing punches at me?

Yes. I mean no. Wait. What kinda popcorn? The specialty flavored one? Or just the regular kind with butter?

I'd probably fork over the five bucks then flick the flakes at you.

 

[larryz]

So when I tell a guest that their popcorn is $5 and they think that’s too expensive they can start throwing punches at me?

It's not OK, but if they have poor impulse control and they spent a house payment for tickets, and they're hot and sweaty, and had to wait in line for 20 minutes to get their popcorn, you might want to be prepared for some kind of altercation.

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

Of course it isn't. But Disney bears some of the blame for setting the stage with so many irritants.

No. There is no excuse and no blaming elsewhere for lack of humanity.
I blame no one except the people using violence.

 

[LittleBuford]

Disney's not throwing punches, but ask yourself: Who created the environment in which these acts are occurring? Who set the unreasonable expectations? Who's charging huge entrance fees while not being able to deliver the expected theme park experience? Who runs Genie+?

Posts like this leave me wondering how some of you have become so embittered towards Disney. Granted, I’ve yet to experience the disaster that is Genie+, but the hellish view that many here seem to hold of Disney is out of all keeping with the amazing times I’ve enjoyed during all my visits. I realise everyone is different, so I’m not expecting unanimity here, but why on earth would you consider yourself a WDW fan, much less spend time and money visiting the parks, if you view them so negatively?

 

[wdwmagic]

Posts like this leave me wondering how some of you have become so embittered towards Disney. Granted, I’ve yet to experience the disaster that is Genie+, but the hellish view that many here seem to hold of Disney is out of all keeping with the amazing times I’ve enjoyed during all my visits. I realise everyone is different, so I’m not expecting unanimity here, but why on earth would you consider yourself a WDW fan, much less spend time and money visiting the parks, if you view them so negatively?

Current conditions in the parks are not good. I think a lot of people have hit a breaking point, and that has nothing to do with their fandom level.

 

[Jrb1979]

Perhaps not, but what do you expect Disney to do about it? I’m struggling to understand what measures/policies you and @flynnibus think could have prevented the fight under discussion here.

There isn't much they could have done to stop what happened but there is things they could do to avoid having these things happen again First I think security needs to be more visible in the parks. Secondly line cutting is not allowed period. That includes leaving the line and coming back into the line. Disney needs to be more strict with their rules.

 

[larryz]

No. There is no excuse and no blaming elsewhere for lack of humanity.
I blame no one except the people using violence.

They are the ones ultimately responsible. But I don't remember this many altercations back in the 80's and 90's. I wonder what's so different now than then...

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

They are the ones ultimately responsible. But I don't remember this many altercations back in the 80's and 90's. I wonder what's so different now than then...

Social media .
This may have happened in the 80's 90's but there was no worldwide viewing or reporting of it.

 

[LittleBuford]

Current conditions in the parks are not good. I think a lot of people have hit a breaking point, and that has nothing to do with their fandom level.

OK, but thousands still enjoy the experience. Some here are making it seem as if a Disney vacation is now objectively stressful, lacklustre, and poor value, but many feel differently. One’s personal disappointment with Disney in its current form shouldn’t translate into (tacitly) excusing those who behave violently at the parks.

 

[Californian Elitist]

People are showing up expecting the crowds they see on TV commercials, and instead they're standing in line for an hour to experience a 5 minute ride. They're paying the equivalent of a house payment for tickets and they're only experiencing 1/2 to 3/4 of the parks' attractions. Food, even Counter Service, is super expensive to start with, involves another line to pick it up and then a line after that to find someplace to sit down and eat it.

I'm not insinuating anything -- I'm flat out calling out Disney's current penchant to over-promise and under-deliver for a premium price. That builds frustration in guests, and those with poor impulse control are going to snap under the triple threat of hot weather, expensive tickets and having to wait in line.

If you don't see it, you must be an elitist from California.

I am an elitist from California. Did my username give it away?

If people are legit expecting to see the same amount of people found in commercials in the parks, which is like 10 people, that’s their own ignorance talking. That’s absurd. Regarding ticket pricing, people aren’t forced to pay those prices and go to a Disney park. If guests agree to pay the prices Disney is charging, they made their choice. Also, anyone who’s been to a theme park should already expect to have to wait in lines for everything. That’s a given. Additionally, one is not guaranteed to be able to ride and experience every single thing in the parks. That’s just the way it is, the way it’s always been, and the way it will always be. If guests are expecting to be able to do everything they want, again, that’s on them, not Disney.

This type of thinking reminds me of the very annoying guests I would run into as a CM.

Guest: “We came all the way from Colombia to ride Pinocchio, but we didn’t get a chance to ride! Can you reopen the ride?

Me: Oh well.

Guest: “It’s raining! And some of the rides are closed!”

Me: You didn’t check the weather forecast before coming? That’s not my fault.

Guest: “The wait time says 45 minutes, but I’ve been in line for nearly an hour!”

Me: Okay…?

Guest: “It’s too crowded!”

Me: Go home then.

Guests agree to pay the ticket prices, Genie+ prices, wait in line for attractions, food, bathrooms, etc. Disney does not guarantee guests that they’ll be able to do everything they want to do.

I happen to agree that the prices are ridiculous. I have no plans to ever pay for Genie+. But I’m not going to blame Disney for poor home training.

 

[LittleBuford]

There isn't much they could have done to stop what happened but there is things they could do to avoid having these things happen again First I think security needs to be more visible in the parks. Secondly line cutting is not allowed period. That includes leaving the line and coming back into the line. Disney needs to be more strict with their rules.

I don’t think anyone would enjoy seeing security all over the parks. As to your second suggestion, that’s an unworkable (and unkind) policy given that emergency toilet situations are always going to happen regardless of how well people plan to avoid them.

 

[LittleBuford]

Social media .
This may have happened in the 80's 90's but there was no worldwide viewing or reporting of it.

Previous decades also had fewer crowds. Disney could probably reduce fighting by capping visitor numbers, but that would be a very unpopular policy with those who couldn’t get in.

 

[John park hopper]

They are the ones ultimately responsible. But I don't remember this many altercations back in the 80's and 90's. I wonder what's so different now than then...

People were more civil, there weren't all the in your face reality shows and the entitlement mentality thus this behavior has become more prevalent now. IMO

 

[dreday3]

People are showing up expecting the crowds they see on TV commercials, and instead they're standing in line for an hour to experience a 5 minute ride. They're paying the equivalent of a house payment for tickets and they're only experiencing 1/2 to 3/4 of the parks' attractions. Food, even Counter Service, is super expensive to start with, involves another line to pick it up and then a line after that to find someplace to sit down and eat it.

I'm not insinuating anything -- I'm flat out calling out Disney's current penchant to over-promise and under-deliver for a premium price. That builds frustration in guests, and those with poor impulse control are going to snap under the triple threat of hot weather, expensive tickets and having to wait in line.

If you don't see it, you must be an elitist from California.

N/M - too big a subject for a Disney board.

 

[Lilofan]

Current conditions in the parks are not good. I think a lot of people have hit a breaking point, and that has nothing to do with their fandom level.

Breaking point starts at airport with long lines delays cancellations all possible even before getting on the plane to FL.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Posts like this leave me wondering how some of you have become so embittered towards Disney. Granted, I’ve yet to experience the disaster that is Genie+, but the hellish view that many here seem to hold of Disney is out of all keeping with the amazing times I’ve enjoyed during all my visits. I realise everyone is different, so I’m not expecting unanimity here, but why on earth would you consider yourself a WDW fan, much less spend time and money visiting the parks, if you view them so negatively?

Dude, I've read trip report after trip report from regulars who have loved Disney for years (sometimes decades) and taken multiple trips, and they're all seeming to be struggling to find the magic right now. Avoiding the parks entirely, changing the way they tour the parks, spending hours in guest services because things went really sideways. It's hard to ride rides at Disney right now. It's hard to eat at Disney right now (although that might be fixed by now but man it was really difficult to get food on my last trip). It's hard to navigate construction at Disney right now.

It's totally fine to talk about these things. It doesn't make you not a fan. It doesn't mean you don't love Disney. Sweeping the bad under the rug and pretending it doesn't exist doesn't make you a better fan. It is what it is. Doesn't mean it will always be this way