Cell phones on rides (rant)

[Marc Levin]

I’m sure there have been other threads about this, but I’ve never seen so big a problem with people waving phones about as on my current vacation here.

It seems that on any slow ride, or show, if we’re not sitting in literally the front row some idiot in front of us decides they have to film the ride on their phone. It’s hugely distracting and ruins the ride for me. It’s unbelievable how obnoxious people are.

Was at Fantasmic tonight, and we made a point of sitting at the front to avoid phones. I turned around once when one of the boats was going past and it seemed like a sea of phones being waved around behind us!

We were in Universal and they have a “no cellphone” rule on most of their rides / shows. It came as a real shock coming to WDW from that.

Am I the only one who finds this completely unacceptable??? If someone just wants a video of a ride there will already be 100s on YouTube without them having to ruin my experience by filming it the themselves!

Edit: To clarify, I’m specifically talking about people holding phones with bright screens up right in my field of vision on dark rides / shows.

 

[Disney.Mike]

I also find people recording their experiences unacceptable

 

[wombat]

I’m sure there have been other threads about this, but I’ve never seen so big a problem with people waving phones about as on my current vacation here.

It seems that on any slow ride, or show, if we’re not sitting in literally the front row some idiot in front of us decides they have to film the ride on their phone. It’s hugely distracting and ruins the ride for me. It’s unbelievable how obnoxious people are.

Was at Fantasmic tonight, and we made a point of sitting at the front to avoid phones. I turned around once when one of the boats was going past and it seemed like a sea of phones being waved around behind us!

We were in Universal and they have a “no cellphone” rule on most of their rides / shows. It came as a real shock coming to WDW from that.

Am I the only one who finds this completely unacceptable??? If someone just wants a video of a ride there will already be 100s on YouTube without them having to ruin my experience by filming it the themselves!

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.

 

[King Racoon 77]

 

[nickys]

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

 

[Jon81uk]

Before the iPhone days we took a camcorder into the parks. Somewhere on a video cassette (remember tapes!) we have the whole of IllumiNations taped. People have always wanted to photo and video their experiances, the only difference is now everyone is carrying a video recorder in their pocket.

 

[MinnieM123]

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.

 

[Clamman73]

It’s more of the flash photography from them on rides like SSE.

 

[Jon81uk]

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.

oh people using tablets as cameras at all should be banned from going outdoors. There is no outdoor situation where people should be using a tablet for taking your photos/videos, either get a cellphone or a camera.

 

[Heppenheimer]

The difference between the 8 mm and video cameras of yore is that they didn't have a back-lit digital screen that spoiled the ambient lighting that Disney has carefully engineered to maximize your viewing experience.

This was particularly noticable the last time I rode Pirates and the Haunted Mansion.

 

[graphite1326]

I’m sure there have been other threads about this, but I’ve never seen so big a problem with people waving phones about as on my current vacation here.

It seems that on any slow ride, or show, if we’re not sitting in literally the front row some idiot in front of us decides they have to film the ride on their phone. It’s hugely distracting and ruins the ride for me. It’s unbelievable how obnoxious people are.

Was at Fantasmic tonight, and we made a point of sitting at the front to avoid phones. I turned around once when one of the boats was going past and it seemed like a sea of phones being waved around behind us!

We were in Universal and they have a “no cellphone” rule on most of their rides / shows. It came as a real shock coming to WDW from that.

Am I the only one who finds this completely unacceptable??? If someone just wants a video of a ride there will already be 100s on YouTube without them having to ruin my experience by filming it the themselves!

I agree. 100%

 

[eliza61nyc]

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

 

[Jon81uk]

The difference between the 8 mm and video cameras of yore is that they didn't have a back-lit digital screen that spoiled the ambient lighting that Disney has carefully engineered to maximize your viewing experience.

This was particularly noticable the last time I rode Pirates and the Haunted Mansion.

A lot of video cameras did have screens, but maybe the backlight just wasn't as strong. Again I remember using the screen on a camera with tapes to record shows at WDW.
But I do understand your overall point, it has gone from one guy with a video camera to a whole crowd of iPhone users.

 

[Nemo14]

On a related note,as one who avoids having my picture taken, I really have a hard time understanding selfies. And food pictures - I just don't get it. Put the phone away and enjoy what you're seeing!


*end of rant*

 

[Nottamus]

I'd be more concerned about phones being used in cars myself....

we are too far gone to put the phones away now...

we have to record everything we do...only to never watch it.

 

[King Racoon 77]

It doesn't bother me nearly as much as kids on shoulders ...

 

[Kingoglow]

Don't listen to all the yabos, OP.
People pulling out their cell phones during dark rides it 100% distracting. They have no sense of society. Their screens are bright and they leave the flash turned on, all of which changes the ride experience.

About 50% of the time, they still have the sound turned on on their phone; so it will ring or beep or click. Seriously, it is 2019, turn off the sound on your phones. No one need to know you got a call.

 

[GlassHalfFull]

saw someone with the 12.9" Ipad Pro on my last pirates ride and then later with that same ipad at Happily Ever After about 60 feet away.. backlight at full go.. and boy was that distracting.. While I just stare, I am not sure how enjoyable their video will be during a rewatch with all the yelling they were getting during the castle show especially..

 

[NickPytlinski]

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. people sometimes photo and video cause they are already looking at their phone.

however it doesn't really bother me and doesn't affect my experience.

 

[Jon81uk]

On a related note,as one who avoids having my picture taken, I really have a hard time understanding selfies. And food pictures - I just don't get it. Put the phone away and enjoy what you're seeing!


*end of rant*

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.