Is It Silly / Ironic When People Complain About Crowds...

[Crockett]

...and they, themselves are part of the crowds?

I work in a tourist hotspot which is notorious for creating heavy traffic, especially on summer weekends. We get so many people (especially on Saturday evenings), who moan & complain about the heavy tourist traffic flooding in...and they are part of the traffic themselves. :shrug:

A former employee where I work used to apologize to folks who were disqusted with the amount of traffic coming in. One evening, the property manager overheard her being apologetic to a couple who had driven down from Ohio, and were blasting all the other people for causing traffic delays. The manager pulled her to the side and said: "Never apologize to someone who is causing the problem themselves." That is very true, and I try to keep this in mind when someone starts throwing me a fit about heavy crowds...which they themselves are a part of.

Sooo...bringing all this back to WDW. Do you find it rather silly when you hear people complain about the parks being too crowded, lines being too long, etc...and those who are complaining are part of the influx adding to the crowds & lines?

To me, it's irony. Sure, I despise heavy crowds, so we plan our trips during slower times of the year. But if we happen to hit an unfortunate influx, well, we have nobody to blame but ourselves since WE are adding to the numbers.

Make sense?

 

[jlevis]

We travel to the World whenever the opportunity presents itself. As often as not that coincides with a crowded park. I've learned to appreciate the crowds as part of the experience. I've also learned to use Touringplan's Crowd Calendar and Lines to help deal with the crowds. Anyway, I'd rather be in a crowded Disney Park than alone elsewhere.

 

[Rowdy]

Make sense?

I get what you're saying.

The funny thing with me is, I go so often, usually when it's not very crowded, that sometimes I being to miss the crowds. :lookaroun It's very difficult to explain, and I'm sure no one will understand, but having it busy is sometimes a nice change of pace rather than walking on to everything, and having wide open walk ways. Maybe I'm just too easy going? :shrug:

 

[ScoutN]

I have always looked at it in that aspect but never pondered the idea much. I think I would agree with it. Most other people look at them as the crowd inclusive of all other individuals.

I think the bigger problem is they were the ones who did not research that time of year and/or events and promotions runnings.

 

[jakeman]

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

-Yogi Berra

 

[Pecosburger]

What I find actually funny, is that people think that "they" are the only ones dealing with crowds. I have been to WDW over 20 times ( coming from Jersey mind you). I have been there when the crowds were nominal to times (Labor day Sunday 1998) when you couldnt move.. But even that day we made the best of it. You cant control what you cant control. Say to yourself I am lucky enough to be here. Many people only get there in a once in a lifetime experience. Luckily I have been going over 20 years. People from Europe, etc. the money they spend to get there and while there, that may be the only time they ever go to WDW. So crowds aside, enjoy the experience, sweaty, hot, crowded, lines, etc. YOU make what YOU make of the experience. Not the crowds or anyone else.

 

[cheezbat]

Well what really sucks nowdays is that there's hardly a slow season at WDW anymore. I recall days in the past of slow times, walk-ons, and whatnot...but those all seem to be things of years past...a good five years past or more.

I guess everybody hates crowds, but being a Florida resident, I sometimes get this entitlement feeling where I would love to toss half the people out of the park to make it a nicer, calmer time for me...but I do remember that they're all paying guests too and are just as entitled to Disney as I am.

 

[BelleofDE]

The majority of the world just looks out for themselves. They don't think of themselves as extra people causing delays, they just look at everyone else as the problem. A gross overationalization on my part, I know, but I've always know this to be the truth.

 

[The Duck]

I almost always visit WDW in late January-early February and the only heavy crowds are at DHS on Fantasmic night. A few years ago, I walked on Splash Mountain and boarded my own personal log. When I got to the end, the ride operator asked me if I wanted to go again.

 

[Krack]

Sooo...bringing all this back to WDW. Do you find it rather silly when you hear people complain about the parks being too crowded, lines being too long, etc...and those who are complaining are part of the influx adding to the crowds & lines?

When people complain about the crowds, they are not complaining about the people. They are complaining the parks have less attractions in them than they used to. They are complaining Disney is discounting the rooms to fill the parks past a reasonable capacity. They are complaining the park hours are not maximized. They are complaining parks are built without any attractions in them (AK, DCA). They are complaining that hard ticket events are causing early closings.

Sure, the average guest has become far more selfish and uncouth over time (and are therefore worthy of disdain), but the complaints are typically aimed at management. And therefore, no I don't find it silly.

 

[mp2bill]

...and they, themselves are part of the crowds?

I work in a tourist hotspot which is notorious for creating heavy traffic, especially on summer weekends. We get so many people (especially on Saturday evenings), who moan & complain about the heavy tourist traffic flooding in...and they are part of the traffic themselves. :shrug:

A former employee where I work used to apologize to folks who were disqusted with the amount of traffic coming in. One evening, the property manager overheard her being apologetic to a couple who had driven down from Ohio, and were blasting all the other people for causing traffic delays. The manager pulled her to the side and said: "Never apologize to someone who is causing the problem themselves." That is very true, and I try to keep this in mind when someone starts throwing me a fit about heavy crowds...which they themselves are a part of.

Sooo...bringing all this back to WDW. Do you find it rather silly when you hear people complain about the parks being too crowded, lines being too long, etc...and those who are complaining are part of the influx adding to the crowds & lines?

To me, it's irony. Sure, I despise heavy crowds, so we plan our trips during slower times of the year. But if we happen to hit an unfortunate influx, well, we have nobody to blame but ourselves since WE are adding to the numbers.

Make sense?

yep

 

[wm49rs]

When people complain about the crowds, they are not complaining about the people. They are complaining the parks have less attractions in them than they used to. They are complaining Disney is discounting the rooms to fill the parks past a reasonable capacity. They are complaining the park hours are not maximized. They are complaining parks are built without any attractions in them (AK, DCA). They are complaining that hard ticket events are causing early closings.

Sure, the average guest has become far more selfish and uncouth over time (and are therefore worthy of disdain), but the complaints are typically aimed at management. And therefore, no I don't find it silly.

I'm curious, if the average guest is uncouth and worthy of (your) disdain, how do you know what they're really complaining about when they bemoan "the crowds" in a park?

 

[The Mom]

Of course, there are also those who complain about the increased crowds, with no real slow season anymore, who just stop visiting the parks as frequently as previously.

 

[fractal]

"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

-Yogi Berra

+ That's the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread. :ROFLOL:

 

[powlessfamily4]

Crowds in a theme park go with the territory. I make use of short wait times when the levels are low and do a lot of people watching when they are long. It's never difficult for me to enjoy myself when at WDW. There is just so much to do.

 

[Master Yoda]

When people complain about the crowds, they are not complaining about the people. They are complaining the parks have less attractions in them than they used to. They are complaining Disney is discounting the rooms to fill the parks past a reasonable capacity. They are complaining the park hours are not maximized. They are complaining parks are built without any attractions in them (AK, DCA). They are complaining that hard ticket events are causing early closings.

Sure, the average guest has become far more selfish and uncouth over time (and are therefore worthy of disdain), but the complaints are typically aimed at management. And therefore, no I don't find it silly.

I am pretty sure that none of that even remotely goes through the average guests mind. Typically their last trip was still in the wake of the 9/11 downturn and they remember almost having the parks to themselves or their last trip was at the end of August and simply can not fathom why the park is so busy on the week between Christmas and New Years.

 

[plaz10]

I do find it rather silly, especially in Disney. You're in the #1 tourist spot in the WORLD. What did you think, you'd have the place to yourself?

I find that the people normally complaining about the crowds are the uninformed or those ignorant to the plethera of Disney info out there. I told a friend of mine who was traveling to disney that "First thing you must do at DHS is go to Toy Story Mania and get either a FP or get in stand by...first thing in the morning at rope drop!" And what did she tell me? "Oh yeah that ride had like 100 minute wait time." yes...but did you go early to get a FP? "Well no we got there after lunch and there were no FP." :brick:

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. You can warn everyone about which times of the year/parks/rides will be the crowdest and there are many touring plans available online to assist with low wait times...and you still have people saying "Why does Splash Mountain have an 100 minute wait on a Saturday in June when it's 100 degrees?" Oh well.

 

[gerk77]

We always go to WDW in July. Reason being I am in education and not able to go there during off season. Yes, it is hot, yes, it is crowded but I know that coming in and I don't let that effect my visit. I'm just happy to be there.

21 days and counting.:sohappy::sohappy:

 

[JIMINYCR]

Another thing contributing to this complaining is that most people save and sacrifice and save more for the trip, waiting anxiously so that when they eventually reach their goal they are expecting "The Perfect" Disney vacation. Which means getting on every ride, with virtually no wait time, standing in the perfect spot for parades and fireworks. As well as walking in to any restaurant when they are hungry, again no need to reserve time. It never enters into their minds that on the day they decide to go on their trip thousands of other families went also. Once you've experienced Disney a few times you wise up and plan and prepare and go with the flow, just being happy that you are there.

 

[DisneyLeo18]

I get what you're saying.

The funny thing with me is, I go so often, usually when it's not very crowded, that sometimes I being to miss the crowds. :lookaroun It's very difficult to explain, and I'm sure no one will understand, but having it busy is sometimes a nice change of pace rather than walking on to everything, and having wide open walk ways. Maybe I'm just too easy going? :shrug:

I hear ya on this one, sort of. I used to go every summer and it's obviously packed, but I didn't know any other way. The last few years I've gone in the winter when it is a lot less crowded, and you kind of feel like it's too empty at some times.