Annoyed by Phone Addicted Park Goers

[lunasea]

The National Safety Council reported that nearly 6000 pedestrians died in 2017, many of them were due to distracted walking, which mirrors the 2016 numbers.
https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/safety-topics/distracted-walking
Apparently Darwin was correct...............

I almost hit a hugely pregnant woman when she appeared from between two parked cars at Disneyland, looking down at her phone, walking into the road. Then she had the nerve to yell at me. No lady, you need to a) get off your phone in parking lots and b) look before you step out between two cars. I was going less than 10 MPH too. Down by where my parents live, there's a cliff area where a few people have died and lots of people have had to be rescued because they walked off the cliff while distracted on the their phones, or fell trying to take the perfect selfie.

 

[UncleMike101]

I almost hit a hugely pregnant woman when she appeared from between two parked cars at Disneyland, looking down at her phone, walking into the road. Then she had the nerve to yell at me. No lady, you need to a) get off your phone in parking lots and b) look before you step out between two cars. I was going less than 10 MPH too. Down by where my parents live, there's a cliff area where a few people have died and lots of people have had to be rescued because they walked off the cliff while distracted on the their phones, or fell trying to take the perfect selfie.

I just hope those types don't take anyone else with them when they commit the ultimate error and end up dead.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Oh cmon, that stuff never happens...

Wow really??? This is too much. Im curious...is his peripheral vision that bad that he cant see a fountain in front of him?? What a bafoon.

 

[KenHutch]

On our trip this past June I noticed a huge increase in phone usage over our 2015 trip. I made a game of it I started counting how many people in front of me in a line were looking at their phone instead of their surroundings. Seven Dwarves Mine Train won. While standing in line I counted 23 people in a row in front of me on their phones. The funniest thing I saw was a couple in line for FoP, they both had their noses in their phones but occasionally they would look up and say OK, yes or no to the other. Then I realized they were chatting to each other on the some phone app. When on vacation my girls understand NO PHONES for this sort of thing. I tend to talk to everyone around me, especially CM's and one told me that have had a serious increase in ECV accidents from people typing away on their phones while driving one of those things.

 

[rkstocke5609]

People are literally addicted. An IT friend told me there are studies that have been done that actually demonstrate how things such as “likes” to a post impact the OP in such a way that they post more and more hoping for more warm & fuzzy positive reinforcement. I wouldn’t doubt it. Sure says a lot about how insecure people are.

 

[KenHutch]

People are literally addicted. An IT friend told me there are studies that have been done that actually demonstrate how things such as “likes” to a post impact the OP in such a way that they post more and more hoping for more warm & fuzzy positive reinforcement. I wouldn’t doubt it. Sure says a lot about how insecure people are.

I am a sr it analyst for the federal government and that does not scare me as much as something I saw on Sunday. The 8 year old wanted pizza so we went to the Godfathers buffet. Near us was a table of 12-14 girls in soccer uniforms. All of them were quiet and all on phones. Then one mother said loudly that it and she took all the phones away. They could not break themselves away from the phones long enough to eat and interact with one another.

 

[BagOLaughs]

 

[GirlDreamer]

Just last year I was at my local car dealership waiting for a recall to be done on my car. I was sitting in the waiting room reading a book on my Kindle Fire. The older lady a couple seats down from me was reading a book. The older lady at one point made a comment to her husband about 'young people with their nose in their electronic devices all the time' (obviously aimed at me). I almost fell off the chair laughing. I couldn't help but point out to her that SHE was reading a book, and by the way, SO was I, mine was just in a slightly different format. She didn't have too much to say after that.

That's the thing, people are so quick to judge when they see someone on their phone. It's just automatically assumed that they're on social media or playing mindless games all the time. And I'm the first one to admit that I've done the same myself. But lately I've changed how I use my phone, and it's made me realise that there's so many positive things you can use your phone for. Like I use mine to read, learn a new language or brush up on my knowledge in different areas through learning apps and games.

I do not use my phone a lot at all, and while I'm on holiday, it's mainly to find information about something we're doing or looking at maps to find our way. But like someone else said, sometimes I just need to disconnect for a little bit. I mainly holiday with my DH, and sometimes I'll read a book on my phone or something while he gets to do something that he's very interested in, but that I simply don't have the patience to participate in. That way I won't get bored while waiting for him and he doesn't have to feel rushed because of it.

As for food and pictures, did you know that in NYC several restaurants are giving 10-20% discounts if a customer will hand in their phone upon entering the restaurant just because they noticed how much longer it was taking customers to eat. It seems that people would be on their phones instead of reading the menu or talking to the server. Not to mention taking pictures of food and asking the server to take pictures of them was also effecting the timeline of turning over tables. Interesting!

I can't remember where I saw it, but I read somewhere that a lot of restaurants are struggling also because some people spend so much time taking pictures of their food, it goes cold before they can eat it, so they send it back to get a new warm dish that they can actually eat. Now I don't mind if people take pictures of their food, but that seems a bit over the top to me.

I don't care what people do on their phones as long as they don't bother me. But having worked in several theme parks myself, I've seen a lot of parents being too busy with their phones to take notice of their children, and I do think that's a bit sad. And I'm not talking about occasionally checking the phone, but where the parent goes on a ride with the child and instead of being in the moment with the child, they ignore the child throughout the whole ride because their nose is stuck in a screen.

 

[JLTraveling]

Until I moved to New Orleans a few months ago, I was a local who had an AP practically since birth. I did Disney the way 80s teens did the mall--just a place to hang out. Over the years I did phone interviews for jobs in quiet corners, spent countless hours just sitting and watching the world go by with a friend or two, and did marathon sessions on water rides on freezing cold winter days. Considering Disney was basically an extension of home, why in the world wouldn't I text, Facebook, or do whatever else I chose with my phone while I was there? No, I never took flash pictures in rides or shows, yes, I always retreated out of the way to make or take a call, and no, I never ran into anyone (I'm extremely skilled at texting and walking). Most of the time I was there with friends or family who I saw every day and ALSO viewed Disney as a hangout, so we weren't mortally offending each other by not talking constantly (though we talked a lot too).

Same thing now in New Orleans. I live in the Marigny, which is in the historic district one neighborhood over from the French Quarter. Some people are paying big bucks to come soak everything in for a few days. I literally walk past St. Louis Cemetery every couple of days. Hang out on a bench in Jackson Square. Meet up with tour guide friends late at night in one of the world famous bars. Guess what? I'm on my phone a lot here too. Because it's just home and life and where I exist on the planet. Should I be banished to my bedroom anytime I want to talk to someone who isn't physically present because I happen to live in the heart of a tourist town? I also have a long-distance boyfriend several hundred miles away, and one way we stay connected is to text throughout the day and send frequent photos and videos of whatever we're doing at the moment.

I get it. A lot of people are in a "vacation" mindset, and assuming that everyone around them is too. But a lot of the people you're judging for wasting their time actually aren't on vacation and are just living their lives, even at Disney.

 

[rkstocke5609]

Until I moved to New Orleans a few months ago, I was a local who had an AP practically since birth. I did Disney the way 80s teens did the mall--just a place to hang out. Over the years I did phone interviews for jobs in quiet corners, spent countless hours just sitting and watching the world go by with a friend or two, and did marathon sessions on water rides on freezing cold winter days. Considering Disney was basically an extension of home, why in the world wouldn't I text, Facebook, or do whatever else I chose with my phone while I was there? No, I never took flash pictures in rides or shows, yes, I always retreated out of the way to make or take a call, and no, I never ran into anyone (I'm extremely skilled at texting and walking). Most of the time I was there with friends or family who I saw every day and ALSO viewed Disney as a hangout, so we weren't mortally offending each other by not talking constantly (though we talked a lot too).

Same thing now in New Orleans. I live in the Marigny, which is in the historic district one neighborhood over from the French Quarter. Some people are paying big bucks to come soak everything in for a few days. I literally walk past St. Louis Cemetery every couple of days. Hang out on a bench in Jackson Square. Meet up with tour guide friends late at night in one of the world famous bars. Guess what? I'm on my phone a lot here too. Because it's just home and life and where I exist on the planet. Should I be banished to my bedroom anytime I want to talk to someone who isn't physically present because I happen to live in the heart of a tourist town? I also have a long-distance boyfriend several hundred miles away, and one way we stay connected is to text throughout the day and send frequent photos and videos of whatever we're doing at the moment.

I get it. A lot of people are in a "vacation" mindset, and assuming that everyone around them is too. But a lot of the people you're judging for wasting their time actually aren't on vacation and are just living their lives, even at Disney.

Personally, I don’t mind people “Wasting their time”, God bless ‘em. It sounds like you do a good job of being courteous. I think it’s more those that aren’t courteous that get folks annoyed.

 

[JaxDad]

I am a sr it analyst for the federal government and that does not scare me as much as something I saw on Sunday. The 8 year old wanted pizza so we went to the Godfathers buffet. Near us was a table of 12-14 girls in soccer uniforms. All of them were quiet and all on phones. Then one mother said loudly that it and she took all the phones away. They could not break themselves away from the phones long enough to eat and interact with one another.

 

[FortWildernessLoopy]

I'm not going to lie, I am middle aged but it doesn't bother me too much. Once you realize it is not a phone, not really it changes your perspective. What they have is their phone, walkie talkie, camera, video camera, calculator, and of course, My Disney Experience for all their reservations and FPs not to mention line information and rides down. I have a phone, that does not have any service, and I bring it with me just to take pictures and check MDE (it will still work on wifi, just can't use it as a phone). Also, if one does the Agent P thing, you NEED your own phone. It helps so much to be able to text to meet up with other members of your party, as well.

Having said that, I don't really use my phone while walking, but I can see why someone would.

 

[ww52]

Just back - from my observation (not that I concentrated on it) it seemed most people on their phones were doing "Disney things"; trying for FPs or the like.

I know I was on it while walking trying to adjust our plans (using the Lines app) as we got an added FPs or found out a ride was closed down.

I suspect there were people who were saying "wow - look at the old guy addicted to his phone like a teenager!"

It's not always what it looks like.

 

[Magical2017]

Just back - from my observation (not that I concentrated on it) it seemed most people on their phones were doing "Disney things"; trying for FPs or the like.

I know I was on it while walking trying to adjust our plans (using the Lines app) as we got an added FPs or found out a ride was closed down.

I suspect there were people who were saying "wow - look at the old guy addicted to his phone like a teenager!"

It's not always what it looks like.

True! (Even if you WERE the old guy addicted to your phone, it's really your business, as long as you are not running into people or holding them up). If a person thinks people are wasting vacation time on their phones, I wonder what THEY are doing watching them and complaining about them using their phones?

 

[halfpintpeggy]

True! (Even if you WERE the old guy addicted to your phone, it's really your business, as long as you are not running into people or holding them up). If a person thinks people are wasting vacation time on their phones, I wonder what THEY are doing watching them and complaining about them using their phones?

They're probably people watching...

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Until I moved to New Orleans a few months ago, I was a local who had an AP practically since birth. I did Disney the way 80s teens did the mall--just a place to hang out. Over the years I did phone interviews for jobs in quiet corners, spent countless hours just sitting and watching the world go by with a friend or two, and did marathon sessions on water rides on freezing cold winter days. Considering Disney was basically an extension of home, why in the world wouldn't I text, Facebook, or do whatever else I chose with my phone while I was there? No, I never took flash pictures in rides or shows, yes, I always retreated out of the way to make or take a call, and no, I never ran into anyone (I'm extremely skilled at texting and walking). Most of the time I was there with friends or family who I saw every day and ALSO viewed Disney as a hangout, so we weren't mortally offending each other by not talking constantly (though we talked a lot too).

Same thing now in New Orleans. I live in the Marigny, which is in the historic district one neighborhood over from the French Quarter. Some people are paying big bucks to come soak everything in for a few days. I literally walk past St. Louis Cemetery every couple of days. Hang out on a bench in Jackson Square. Meet up with tour guide friends late at night in one of the world famous bars. Guess what? I'm on my phone a lot here too. Because it's just home and life and where I exist on the planet. Should I be banished to my bedroom anytime I want to talk to someone who isn't physically present because I happen to live in the heart of a tourist town? I also have a long-distance boyfriend several hundred miles away, and one way we stay connected is to text throughout the day and send frequent photos and videos of whatever we're doing at the moment.

I get it. A lot of people are in a "vacation" mindset, and assuming that everyone around them is too. But a lot of the people you're judging for wasting their time actually aren't on vacation and are just living their lives, even at Disney.

Except that New Orleans is, you know, a REAL city - not a theme park.

 

[Scifidiner]

My wife and I are always amused watching people and their phones. Granted we're in our 50's and remember a time before microwaves and VHS recorders. We both have new iPhones and use them sparingly. My wife is less technically adept than I am, but I choose not to spend all of my time on my phone. Personally I don't care if some people spend their entire existence staring at a 2x3" screen. I just think it's dumb to go to WDW for several thousand dollars and look at your phone the majority of the time. Of course a smart phone can be used for a myriad of things but that's no excuse for not appreciating where you are. Some folks are truly addicted to their phones and it's sad. It's a piece of technology and should be used accordingly, when it consumes your life that's not healthy.

 

[DisneySwede]

Not amusing the other day on IASW was the group in front of us...one was live streaming while the other got bored and started watching videos...WITH the sound on...

 

[kaetra]

My last trip people right in front of me at HEA held up their iPad and Face-Timed the show to someone sitting on a couch at home. I tapped her on the shoulder, and said “put that down please, you are blockng my view.”

I don’t mind calmly but firmly calling out rudeness and lack of park etiquette when it’s directly in front of me.

 

[DisneySwede]

And what is with the refusal to use headphones, especially when dining out! While eating at Tony's my husband politely asked the mother at the next table to have her child turn down his game and was met with so much hostility and impolite to repeat comments.