Combating Tour Groups

Login to post comments
12 posts / 0 new
Kristen K.'s picture
Offline
Joined: 09/01/2011
Posts: 23803
Combating Tour Groups

Many of our forum members have mentions the trouble that they've had on some past trips with massive tour groups at the Parks. There's no denying that they can be a nuisance and create bad experiences for other park guest.

How do you combat the tour groups so that a few - or a mighty heard - of rowdy travelers don't ruin your entire vacation?

Share your tips for making the most of tour group season!

Miss Mikki's picture
Offline
Joined: 10/20/2012
Posts: 766

When we were at the World in July 2011 for two weeks, I don't remember seeing any tour groups! Was I so caught up in the magic that I didn't notice hundreds of kids in matching t-shirts?
When I worked as a CM, we had problems with some of the tour groups stealing merchandise - they didn't even try to hide it, they would just pick stuff up in the shops and walk out with it!
However, I would not judge all the tour groups because of this. Some were no problem at all.

__________________

no ticker Sad

Offline
Joined: 07/19/2013
Posts: 1562

The best way to deal with them is to avoid them altogether. Don't go to Disney World when South American schools are out either on their summer or winter breaks. This means January and July.

angels444's picture
Offline
Joined: 08/05/2012
Posts: 647

We just avoided them the best we could. They would go left so we went right. If they were in one store we would move on to the next and go back later. Just simple little things like that.

I wasn't going to let them steal my magic. muchlove mickey The family with the spit balls were another story. Angry

__________________

magicalkingdoms.com Ticker Free Disney Tickers

Offline
Joined: 05/20/2013
Posts: 166

I go in late January/early February & honestly haven't had much of an issue with large groups. I try & do what angels444 does & I will also remind myself that their culture is different than ours to help myself not let the chanting etc. get to me. My worst experiences & honestly they weren't very bad compared the experiences of some happened in 2009 & 2013. In 2009 I was staying at ASMusic & the cheerleaders that were staying there were just rude & inconsiderate & the chaparones did nothing about the behavior even though they were right there to see & hear their behavior. Than this year it was a group of teenage boys on Tower of Terror that made the ride not nearly as fun as it usually is.

Offline
Joined: 08/01/2012
Posts: 2037

angels444 wrote:
We just avoided them the best we could. They would go left so we went right. If they were in one store we would move on to the next and go back later. Just simple little things like that.

I wasn't going to let them steal my magic. muchlove mickey The family with the spit balls were another story. Angry

That is just sick and so disrespectful. I am so glad I wasn't there because I might have said something and then it would really turn ugly.

JMUDukz's picture
Offline
Joined: 03/28/2012
Posts: 822

I have concluded that my being subjected to these tour groups is payback for all the people we annoyed when I was traveling on high school band trips!! laugh

__________________

magicalkingdoms.com Ticker

magicalkingdoms.com Ticker

Mandy's picture
Offline
Joined: 06/18/2013
Posts: 2485

I go at rope drop, ride the rides I want and then leave the park as they are coming in. They go on a ride, I don't go on it unless its Star Tours which can fit 480 guests at any given time.

crazycatperson's picture
Offline
Joined: 09/19/2011
Posts: 3718

I don't think I've ever seen a tour group. Occasionally a large family all in matching T-shirts, but nothing as large as a tour.

Kristen K.'s picture
Offline
Joined: 09/01/2011
Posts: 23803

crazycatperson wrote:
I don't think I've ever seen a tour group. Occasionally a large family all in matching T-shirts, but nothing as large as a tour.

I've never run into them either. I think we've just been lucky.

Offline
Joined: 07/19/2013
Posts: 1562

Some good info I found at MouseSavers...
Source: Tips


Cheerleeding/Twirl/Dance Competitions

Various dates each year, especially January-March. These usually don't have a lot of impact on the in-park crowds. The issue is that the Value resorts (All-Stars and Pop Century) play host to hordes of girls who can be extremely loud, so you may want to avoid those resorts during competitions. Some events take place at Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular in Disney's Hollywood Studios, so that attraction might be closed. Some of the competitions and events include College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championships (January 18-20, 2013), National Dance Team Championship (February 2-3, 2013), National High School Cheerleading Championship (February 9-10, 2013), Twirlmania (February 15-18, 2013), Contest of Champions Nationals (March 1-3, 2013), International All Star Cheerleading Championship (March 9-10, 2013), All Star Cheerleading and Dance Worlds (April 27-29, 2013).

South American Tour Groups
In July each year, large groups of teenagers from Brazil and Argentina descend on Walt Disney World for their winter break. Some of the groups do a lot of chanting, singing, clapping and shouting. The sheer size of the groups (up to 100 kids in a single group) can make navigating around them difficult. There have been complaints of tour group leaders taking over the FASTPASS machines first thing in the morning with dozens of tickets in hand, and thus grabbing all of the early return times. The South American tour groups also visit Disney World in January, which is summer vacation in Brazil, but those tend to include more family-oriented groups that do not cause as many issues.

Eeyore's picture
Offline
Joined: 11/22/2012
Posts: 1120

We just try to avoid...unless we're at the water parks...then it's butt cheeks out for all to see! laugh It's kinda funny to get in line for a water ride and the South Americans are in front of you in thongs. It's like you don't want to even look down because I did not want them to think I was looking at their tooshy! Smile