Phone Screens in Dark Rides

[NormC]

My DSLR has the screen off and and flash off. I use the viewfinder.

 

[danyoung56]

You can plainly see a gigantic phablet that is seconds from flying back and knocking out the person behind.

I just HATE getting hit by those phlying phablets!

 

[Nick Wilde]

It does hinder the experience, they stay on a lot longer than flash bulbs and Walt wouldn't have wanted it.

 

[Chef Mickey]

The use of any regular point and shoot digital camera is as much the problem as a smart phone. The screen is always on and the flash can go off just the same. So if you have a problem with people using their phones as cameras then you also have a problem with people using digital cameras. The only solution is banning all photo and video on rides.

I support banning the use of any electronic device on rides.

 

[Gojira ゴジラ]

No one watches all the footage they take, but so many people feel they HAVE to capture the moment forever.

I beg to differ I watch my footage, and it is glorious but no i don't shoot on dark rides

 

[DManRightHere]

Yes, but it is annoying to have the non stop announcements of what people shouldn't do everywhere because they have no common courtesy!

 

[ItlngrlBella]

I was on the production team of a haunted attraction and phones, cameras etc., ruin the "magic," tricks, effects and scares (which is why our guests attend anyway). I am for banning them on dark rides for this same reason - ruins the overall intended effect.


A little bright screen or flash is just as annoying in a dark movie theatre as it is on the Haunted Mansion ride.

It's sad there even has to be an announcement. Common sense courtesy is rare these days.

 

[NormC]

Anyone that thinks it is OK to spoil everyone else's experience for the sake of their own should be evicted from ride and if behavior continues be evicted from park.

 

[UncleMike101]

The problem is that there are far too many people who belong to the me, me, me, my, my, my, gimme, gimme, gimme, group who don't give a rat's behind for the comfort, enjoyment, or feelings of anyone else in the World.
Those people need to be reminded that the entire planet doesn't revolve around their rear ends and other people don't have to give in to their spoiled brat mentality.
If that means making them leave places like WDW in order for others to be able to enjoy the experience, then so be it.

 

[FigmentPigments]

I had a similar thing happen on Spaceship Earth. A kid was freaking out as he was being loaded on to the ride, so a CM gave him a flashlight. He spent the entire attraction swinging this light from side to side, completely ruining the show for everyone around.

I can appreciate the cast member trying to put the kid at ease, but I have to wonder about the parent/guardian who took him on the ride. If the child was that upset, do not force him on the ride. The parent/guardian should have remove the child for the courtesy of those around them. Not only are you upsetting the child by forcing them to go on a ride that they don't want to, but you are also upsetting the people around you. I think this hearkens back to the common courtesy thing that used to so abundant.

 

[Glasgow]

As with most everything else, this is just a microcosm of the state of society as a whole. Most people don't know they are distracting you - because they are only thinking of themselves and oblivious to beings outside of their bubble.Times change, technology changes .. manners and respect are transcendent. You either have them or you don't. Seems simple to me .. if you're going to use your phone, dim the screen or hold it at chest level. Hopefully we don't have to get to the point where Disney is required to have a RULE for this.

 

[G00fyDad]

More and more, I keep noticing things that start to bother me. I try to let myself enjoy the parks, but some things just get to me. It's one thing to have someone use the flash to take a (terrible) picture on a dark ride, but I'm starting to notice more and more people just on their phones in the middle of dark rides. It's such a silly thing to be on a ride like the Haunted Mansion and to be on your phone. I know some people are taking pictures, but I'm starting to wonder.

I was just at a short Epcot trip this weekend and it was on every single ride we rode. We're at the top of Spaceship Earth and as we turn around to head down: BAM! A square of space behind someone's ride vehicle is suddenly illuminated unnaturally. We're on Test Track and someone has pulled out their phone to film the entire experience, their screen in my face the entire time (which is another problem entirely). We're in the Land, which is one of the only rides that mentions keeping your phone away until the greenhouses, and right in the middle of the rain scene, some bored Dad is browsing ESPN.com on his phone behind me. His wife is on a tablet, reading a book.

My question is this: Do you think it would be reasonable for Disney to start asking people to keep their phones away during dark rides?

On another note: I see CMs doing a much better job policing selfie sticks. I actually witnessed one being taken from a guest at bag check a couple of weeks ago. I didn't mind waiting while she called someone over to take it to be checked in. I had a smirk on my face the entire time.

Do what I have done. Lean toward them (if possible) and ask them (in an overly friendly tone) if they can check your email for you, or go check a particular website. I've asked this of people using phones on dark rides like PotC and IaSW before. I usually get a look that screams "What? Are you insane?!" Yeah, I'm the crazy one, but at least I'm not the *&*#$% that is using a brightly lit device in a dark ride ruining everyone's adjusted vision.

 

[ScarletBegonias]

When we went to Uni last year, we were on Jurassic Park and JUST about to hit the peak of the ride, and go down the huge hill and a CM came over these LOUD booming speakers and said "ROW 4, PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY NOW!" I'm glad they enforce it, but man, it takes you out of the moment!

 

[blueboxdoctor]

Part of the issue isn't that they are "phone" screens, they are using their "phone" as a camera and that has a lit up screen.

15 years ago if you wanted to take a photo/video on a dark ride, you looked through the viewfinder of your camera or video camera.

Now even if you have a compact camera, it has a large screen and no viewfinder. and of course many people just use a phone instead of a compact camera. Additionally the rise of digital cameras mean people will photo anything, whereas when you only had 36 photos on a film camera and therefore each photo was more valuable and you might not waste it on a dark ride that may not come out anyway.

Very true, luckily I have avoided that by getting myself a DSLR and using the viewfinder. Though, I have been on rides where people try to take selfies on an ipad, such as on Small World, which is a mistake, because it leaves the window open for everyone behind them to photo bomb. But yeah, with my DSLR I took about 500 pictures (some snap shots some actual photos) and I see people always taking pictures with their phones. Usually it's not an annoyance so I don't have a big issue with it, and in the original example given here, there really isn't much to do or look at on the descent on Spaceship Earth, especially after they did the redesign and it's just a somewhat outdated computer program to mess with for a minute or two.

 

[MississippiBelle]

It always baffles me that some people think that just taking their kid to the parks is good enough. The parks, rides, and attractions aren't baby sitters. The magic for kids comes from getting to experience everything with their parents/loved ones and being excited together. It's really sad that some people can't just be present during a vacation that they spent a lot of money on! Put your dang device away and live your life!

 

[erasure fan1]

The problem is that there are far too many people who belong to the me, me, me, my, my, my, gimme, gimme, gimme, group who don't give a rat's behind for the comfort, enjoyment, or feelings of anyone else in the World.
Those people need to be reminded that the entire planet doesn't revolve around their rear ends and other people don't have to give in to their spoiled brat mentality.
If that means making them leave places like WDW in order for others to be able to enjoy the experience, then so be it.

And the problem is amplified by the costs and Disneys lack of a spine to enforce anything. So in my opinion too many people feel like "well if Disney is going to let everyone do what ever, than so will I since I paid so much for this trip." or "I paid a ton of money for this so I'm taking pics and video of my family on this ride." So people have the attiude of why not, it's not like Disney will say anything, they want my money too badly.

 

[Raineman]

What makes me shake my head, along with people using phones on the attractions, is the amount of people who constantly have their heads buried in their phones while walking through the parks, standing in a queue, eating dinner, etc. You are at a place that can constantly stimulate all 5 senses at once, a place where you can spend hours just taking in everything around you-and you are staring at your phone screen. "I have Cinderella's castle right in front of me, Disney music drifting through the air, the delicious smell coming from Casey's-but wait, I just got a text I have to answer! Oh, and I need to check my Facebook right in the middle of Wishes!"

 

[olie64]

What makes me shake my head, along with people using phones on the attractions, is the amount of people who constantly have their heads buried in their phones while walking through the parks, standing in a queue, eating dinner, etc. You are at a place that can constantly stimulate all 5 senses at once, a place where you can spend hours just taking in everything around you-and you are staring at your phone screen. "I have Cinderella's castle right in front of me, Disney music drifting through the air, the delicious smell coming from Casey's-but wait, I just got a text I have to answer! Oh, and I need to check my Facebook right in the middle of Wishes!"

I laugh at this also. I only check my phone to see time if I am in line or changing my FP+ time.

 

[captainmoch]

When we went to Uni last year, we were on Jurassic Park and JUST about to hit the peak of the ride, and go down the huge hill and a CM came over these LOUD booming speakers and said "ROW 4, PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY NOW!" I'm glad they enforce it, but man, it takes you out of the moment!

This has happened to me too, on the same ride. I'm glad they do, safety and all, but wow it's annoying!

 

[NelleBelle]

I was once on SGE (an experience painful enough in and of itself) - and when the room went dark some kid started crying so his mom turned on the flashlight on her cellphone and illuminated the entire room. She should consider herself lucky the room full of people was physically restrained at the time.

I had a similar thing happen on Spaceship Earth. A kid was freaking out as he was being loaded on to the ride, so a CM gave him a flashlight. He spent the entire attraction swinging this light from side to side, completely ruining the show for everyone around.

That's just WRONG! This is when I WOULD complain to the ride host that my ride experience was ruined. @NYwdwfan did the entire room yell at the foolish woman? If you know your kid is afraid of dark places, then for pete's sake, don't take him on rides where it's really dark!!!! Common sense people!