What bothers you the most about busy times/large crowds?

[JerseyJanice]

None of those things bother me too much, but something that does get to me is my claustrophobia when a crowd is packed too tight.

We were in MK on 10/1/2011. It was like everybody and their brother was at Wishes because rumor had it that they were going to have a special fireworks show. (They did not.)

It was all I could do to keep it together. Wall-to-wall people. If we had to exit quickly for some reason, it would have been impossible.

 

[Minnesota!]

I can handle a billion people, if they are all like-minded, kind, patient, there to have fun etc. It's the angry, anxious, "I paid a billion dollars for this and I am going to get my money's (monies?) worth so get the hell out of my way" people I have issues with. And, there tends to be more of them when more people gather. Thus, more people getting in their way, so they get ornerier.

Ugly circle.

 

[Micca]

Thing that bothers me the most is all those people in front of me! Clearly this is more important to me than it is for the rest of these people.

 

[JordanWV16]

I'm typically a woman on a mission, I know where I am going and how to get there but when I run into the groups of people that are just casually strolling along and you can't get around them, that's when I get frustrated. I am hoping I can relax a little on my next trip and take the time to not rush everywhere, but I doubt it, the more I rush the more things I can ride!!!

 

[livyy]

The steam-strollers: the parents that literally use their kid's stroller as an excuse to bulldoze down anyone in front of them in their path. If I had a shot every time my ankle was hit or my foot was run over by a stroller in the parks, I'd be blacked-out...
Wanna know what the best part is? The parents will look at you with a scowl like its your fault: "How dare your body be placed in front of my stroller"

 

[Land Shark]

I don't mind waiting in lines, especially if they are continuously moving. BUT, please don't be on top of me the whole time. I understand filling in the empty space, but I don't need your hot breath on my neck.

 

[DisAWin]

I vote cranky people. I think that when it is wall to wall people, manners count for a lot.

Last week, I accidentally bumped into a man in the waiting area at Haunted Mansion. We were right outside the first door, where you can observe the moving tombstones. It was a complete accident and I was one of the last dominoes in a chain of events. When I bumped into said gentleman, I made sure to offer my, "I'm sorry, sir," to which he replied," it's fine, just push your way through to get what you want." This wasn't a mad dash to 7DMT, this was losing my footing in a stand still line. I was honestly shocked, didn't reply, and certainly didn't mention it to my husband. That type of cranky attitude is what burns my biscuits. I could only rationalize that this man, at 11 am in the MK, had already had himself a day for whatever reason and my stooping to his level wasn't going to help make his day any better.

 

[Hikergirl]

Navigating the crowds, and being on top of one another in lines is what bothers me the most when its crowded.

 

[loves to dive]

I'm typically a woman on a mission, I know where I am going and how to get there but when I run into the groups of people that are just casually strolling along and you can't get around them, that's when I get frustrated. I am hoping I can relax a little on my next trip and take the time to not rush everywhere, but I doubt it, the more I rush the more things I can ride!!!

I'm one of those slow people, I really don't have anything I have to get to in a hurry, if we make FPs, which is rare, we have a hour window to get to them. Now I don't go slow in the middle of the street or sidewalk, we tend to go toward the side but I'm easily distracted. I'll be walking and glance at something and have to stop and look at the detail. Again, I don't stand in the middle or stop in front of people, I'll look behind me and kind of sweep to the side to get out of the way. It's vacation, if we don't get to ride a ride it's not the end of the world.

 

[Imamom2]

I'm ok with lines and I love the atmosphere because it's Disney! What really drives me crazy is people screaming at their kids. Seeing kids crying while parents are yelling at them or parents just really overreacting is awful. The things people say to kids - ugh. That's the worst for me.

 

[3kidsdad]

These two things happen no matter what the crowd levels but more so when it's busy: People walking full speed and then coming to an abrupt complete stop and the family of 12 that decides that right in the center of the walkway is a good place to stop, open their map and try to figure out whether to go to It's a Small World or Jungle Cruise while blocking 80% of an already crowded walkway

This 100%

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I don't care about long lines. We go often and typically only do our 3 FP+, maybe one other ride and one special event (dessert party, Pixar concert, etc.), so we've found ways to avoid lines and we enjoy simply walking through WS or other parks and taking in the sights, music, etc.. I don't care about cranky people (unless they are in my family!) as I can avoid them. I cannot STAND crowded walkways and, as PP's have mentioned, people who stop abruptly or stand in places blocking other's ability to walk anywhere. This is why I will never go to MK over Christmas week again. I will never forget simply trying to get out of Tomorrowland and literally not being able to move because of the hoards of people, scooters and strollers coming toward us. Just.Not.Fun.

 

[peg2001]

What bothers me the most during crowded/busy times?

Bathroom lines

There are strategies to reduce waiting in line for rides, meals, etc. But when you gotta go. . .

 

[agavegirl1]

Both the lines and crowded walkways. I get claustrophobic in large crowds because I am short and can't see ahead. I also can't stand for long periods and skip rides that have long waits. It used to be so easy in October to rope drop and get a whole bunch of rides in by noon. Now, not so much.

 

[kathy884]

Not being able to move or get anywhere because of a parade going on.
Having to wait 40 minutes to be seated for a dining reservation booked 180 days in advance.
Super long standby lines starting two hours of when the park opens
Horrible traffic at dinner time offsite and hour waits at most restaurants. I end up cooking or eating at a breakfast place like Perkins.
A sea of people and difficulty just moving around. If I am with my parents who are 80 and 81 and now use scooters for the parks, they have to navigate very carefully slowing things down even more.

Crazy busy times really and truly are only for true Disney diehards. I've done five Christmas weeks and hope not to do one again. lol
My favorite park at this time is SeaWorld -- not as crazy as Disney and they own Christmas with all their special stuff.
Resort time is good too as even though resorts are full they don't feel crowded as everyone is at the parks.

By the way there is a huge difference between crowd level 9 days and crowd level 10 days. What I described above is the busiest time of the year, Christmas week -- crowd level 10 -- it really and truly is an insane time.

 

[kneemeister]

I only mind crowds when its closing time and I am stuck in a mass of bodies all slowly moving to the exit, I have to have a way out to stop from having a panic attack. So I usually find a bench or if i do have to leave, its hug the outside wall of the emporium or go thru it. I loved when they started opening the path behind Main Street.
My real pet peave is Table campers at Counter service eateries. The reason I cant find an empty table is because some other family has grandma holding a row of tables while everyone else waits in line.....If grandma would not hold the table, I could eat and be gone before her family gets there.

 

[disneyvoice]

I forgot! The people on scooters who angrily drive through the crowd while honking their scooter horn expecting people to clear out of their way. Why? It's not a warning honk - like "Please be aware that a motorized vehicle is behind you." It's the equivalent of a person who is walking in the crowd shouting at the people in front of him to get the heck out of his way. The crowds can be so bad that people are kind of moving along as one slow mob but there are always several people on scooters who think the crowd should part like the Red Sea so they can pass more quickly.

 

[johnnydakota]

It's a double edged sword when it comes to long lines for me. I hate waiting in lines but at the same time when you get to the end and FINALLY get to get on the attraction, it just makes me more excited, in a way... if that makes sense.

Crowded walkways are probably what I hate the most. I have a fear of getting hit in the ankles. Whether by someone stepping on the back of my foot, or a stroller, or even shopping carts at the grocery store. Mostly due to an injury I have that makes me super paranoid about it.

Restaurants that are crowded don't particularly bother me as long as I'm able to ultimately eat in peace.

 

[disneyvoice]

What really drives me crazy is people screaming at their kids. Seeing kids crying while parents are yelling at them or parents just really overreacting is awful. The things people say to kids - ugh. That's the worst for me.

This.

The is my biggest pet peeve at WDW regardless of the time of year or the crowds. Last week there was a little boy in a stroller, probably about 2-3 years old. I have no idea what happened but the dad literally screamed at the kid "We're going home! Thanks for ruining the whole day!" Then angrily jerked the stroller and started marching toward the front of the park while angrily pushing the stroller. The kids immediately started wailing and sobbing with this absolutely dejected and terrified look because he was about to be taken out of MK at around 10:00 in the morning. I was on the way into a restroom when I saw this and my mommy heart totally broke for the little boy. It actually took me a few minutes to get over how sad it made me. Yes, kids need to behave but parents need to remember that everyone is hot and tired, little ones get easily overwhelmed, and everyone gets frustrated waiting in long lines.

 

[keepswimming76]

I'm typically a woman on a mission, I know where I am going and how to get there but when I run into the groups of people that are just casually strolling along and you can't get around them, that's when I get frustrated. I am hoping I can relax a little on my next trip and take the time to not rush everywhere, but I doubt it, the more I rush the more things I can ride!!!

This is me! I'm a fast, strategic walker on a mission, but careful of those around me. When there are crowds there tend to be more people who pay no attention to others around them. Stopping randomly, walking five across, etc.