My New Pet Peeve!!

[Darbylew]

I have my cell phone at all times in the parks.
If we need to find someone or meet up with
others it is a good way to do so. I do not text
at all anywhere. I would rather talk to someone
if I have to. I always want to keep in touch with
other family members that don't come with us
to Disney as well. I don't mind people texting if
that is what they want to do but I am there to
have a fun time.

[tinksmom02]

I carry my cell phone with me in the parks, but I don't text (I don't text at all, really). And I don't really use the phone, but I like to have it if, heaven forbid, DD should get seperated from us, or if there is an emergency with our dogs at home.

I agree with others, I think habitual texters are missing out, but as long as they're not bothering me, I don't really care. Their loss, not mine!

[drummerboy]

I was the kid, in the late 50s and early 60s, who followed my parents around at some places reading a comic book. I somehow always knew what was going on around me and never lost them. However, the comic didn't come out during meals, etc. We actually talked.

No matter what era, there always seems to be something that will serve as a distraction for teens, but parents still need to be parents and teach them the proper times to use and not use the distractions. Then again, my nearly 40 SIL sets a poor example for his own children by midlessly texting at a restaurant (i.e., there's really no need for him to be texting anyone at the time--he's using a good excuse to ignore the family).

[johnO]

Its amazing how texting is becoming a way of life for this new generation, their faces constantly buried in their cellphones, missing out on actual life experiences, which are replaced by interfaces with an electronic device, substituting reality.

[Ian]

Its amazing how texting is becoming a way of life for this new generation, their faces constantly buried in their cellphones, missing out on actual life experiences, which are replaced by interfaces with an electronic device, substituting reality.

See ... I hear that all the time, but I'm not really sure it's true.

It's true from our perspective on childhood. I mean, I'm not sure how old you are but I'm 40 and I grew up when kids went outside and actually played together face-to-face. So, to me, it definitely feels like this generation is "missing out."

But are they really? Or is that just our old fogies perception? I mean, I communicate now through email a lot and I don't really feel like I'm missing out on anything. Sure, I prefer face-to-face, but I suspect most kids do, as well. It's just that they can now keep in touch with their friends when they're not face-to-face with them ... and I'm pretty sure I would have done when I was a kid if I could have. At least once I became a teen and got interested in girls!

[kakn7294]

I have to admit that I love techno toys and the instant satisfaction of being able to contact someone that I might not otherwise keep in touch with. I have friends all over the country now due to sites like this and Facebook. I have reconnected with people I used to go to school with or work with and I have made new friends via the internet and we keep in touch via our computers and cell phones. I do get frustrated when people are being rude in their useage of their phones, but otherwise, I'm right there with them!

[disneykid@hrt]

I was just thinking about that the other day. When I was younger I used to dread going on vacation with my family because I didn't want to be away from my friends! It seems so insane to me now. I would sit and talk on the phone- texting hadn't really taken off to the extent it has now- the whole vacation.

Oh the horror- my freshman year in high school my mother and I were going on a Caribbean Cruise for Spring Break!! I wouldn't even be able to call them! I cried the whole way to the airport and put little pictures of my friends up next to the bed. It sounds so silly now!! But back then it was life and death.

Now when I go on Vacation, I only use the phone to contact the people I'm with, check in with the fam if I had to leave them back home, and maybe kick-back, have a cocktail, and call a friend I haven't talked to in awhile. But at Disney- there's no time for phones!!!! I don't want to miss a moment!

My kids will have the leave the phone at the resort rule. This trip I bought some Boost mobile walkie-talkie pre-paid cell phones, so we can use the chirp feature in the Parks, and might not be taking our Verizons anywhere!

[johnO]

Ian,

I'm sure some of my gripes could be because im getting old. I think email and socialnetworking sites are in a different catagory. You don't have to constanty stay conected to them, you can sign on in the morning, correspond, and check again at night. or everyso often throughout the day.

But with this new texting phenomenon, I watch people and they're completely oblivious to what is happening around them, they're not at home in front of their PC, they're driving, they're walking down the street, sitting in public with no clue about their surroundings, conversations which maybe going on with people who are right next to them, not at the other end of a phone.

It absorbs all of their attention and I actually watch people at work who contribute less nowadays because they're so enthralled with texting, facebook mobile, etc.. that they pay no attention or don't envolve themselves with what's happening around them.

[pokci]

I recently learned how to text at the ripe old age of 45! However, texting is not my thing and I only do it if I truly need to, usually for work purposes. I don't think this is a generation thing. While I agree with the many posters that each generation has "its' thing", texting and technology today have taken away down time and alone time and silence. When I go to Disney, with or without anyone, with or without friends and family, I DO NOT bring the phone into the parks. Period. I want no contact with the outside world. My last vacation I went with a friend who actually called his friends a few times while we were waiting in line. To me it felt like an invasion of sorts! It's a VACATION in a country that has one of the fewest vacation days of many on the planet. What is it that is SO important that we can not simply disconnect for a few days and enjoy time with our selves, time with people we chose to vacation with, time doing NOTHING?! As one poster said, it is very rare for someone to be courteous enough to lower the screen light. The other day in the movie theatre, someone chose to open their phone two rows below us and text during the movie. Very distracting. Short of wanting to hear about a gravely ill person, which someone mentioned, what is it, really, that is so important it can't wait? I am soooo looking forward to unplugging after Thanksgiving!

[Ian]

When I go to Disney, with or without anyone, with or without friends and family, I DO NOT bring the phone into the parks. Period. I want no contact with the outside world. My last vacation I went with a friend who actually called his friends a few times while we were waiting in line. To me it felt like an invasion of sorts! It's a VACATION in a country that has one of the fewest vacation days of many on the planet. What is it that is SO important that we can not simply disconnect for a few days and enjoy time with our selves, time with people we chose to vacation with, time doing NOTHING?!

I understand what you're saying, but trust me ... there are many, many folks for whom a real, honest-to-God, disconnected vacation is a rarity (myself included).

I have been on exactly one vacation where I was truly unplugged in the last 10 years and that was only because we were aboard a cruise ship in Mexico with very limited Internet access.

My job allows me certain flexibilities that I have to then pay back by being highly available ... and yes, that even includes when I'm on vacation. But the way I look at it is, I could never afford all these vacations without the job so the sacrifice seems minimal most of the time.

[NotaGeek]

I am an avid texter, emailer, Facebooker, picture poster (while on vacation ... at home, where ever) ... I don't text during movies, during dinners where silence is required ... and I generally have my phone on vibrate so it won't bug people. Oh, and I am 40 ... so its not just he younger generation.

[Ksmith75]

Then you have the texters who dont watch where they are going! I text but never on vacation. DH and i dont even take our phones into the parks. and family or friends only know to contact us in am emergency. if i get a text or a call when i check when we get back in the room and it is not an emergency - i dont reply back. it is so great to be free of the cell phone!

[drummerboy]

Some body this afternoon was telling me about his grandchild and his friend who were texting to each other in the back seat of the car, right next to each other, and he couldn't understand why they'd want to do that. I didn't say it, but I was thinking, "Well of course, so they can talk about you."

[disneymom2000]

an entire family sat next to us "doing their own thing". Mom was reading a book, son was listening to his i-pod, daughter was texting and dad was looking bored. When their food came - NO conversation at all.

And we wonder why the American family is so disfunctional these days. People can't spell or hold a conversation with each other any more. Technology is not all good.

[Boost]

I personally think it is ridiculous, but I am not a teen...

[dizknee531]

The texting is out of control. We make a pact with the kids to focus on our family fun time, instead of friends that are far away!! It's a struggle with constant reminders, but we seem to win!!

[Gooftroop5]

I use my cell phone to text & I am in my mid 30's my mom uses hers just as much if not more then I do to text. I use it in the parks for contact to find each other & check on what is happening at home.My BFF stayes at our house while we are gone. However it is not constant. DH & I don't even bring our phones to the pool area. That is time to play with the kids.

The only time the texting bothers me is when i am on a ride or in a show & that is all you see is the light from the cell phone. Of course they are not my children & if they were they would be limited to the time they could be texting.

What bothers me more is the kids always playing their nintendo dses. We didn't even let dd bring hers & she had a 2 day car ride. It was our chance to not fight to limit her time with it. She has enough other times to play it. It is a family vacation.

We went to dinner at a buffet the day before we went into Disney a family of 3 sat next to us. The son was about dd's age so that would be around 10. His mother went & got his food while he sat there & played the game. Then he played & ate. I think he stopped playing once to go get his dessert. The mom tried talking to to him but he just ignored her & played the game. It also happened one night on our way back from the park on the monorail the whole family was sitting on the opposite side of the car as soon as one of the sons sits down he starts playing his ds. It was 12:30am. Dh & I talked to the 2 that were still awake (youngest was sound asleep in the stroller).The other family just sat there not talking to anyone. I know it was late but that is our big thing when we leave the park is to talk about what our favorite thing we did or saw that day was.

[bruin1344]

If someone wants to text while on vacation, in line for a ride, on a bus or boat, in a shop, while dining in a restaurant, or in lieu of ever speaking to the other members of their party, I could not care less!

However, it REALLY bothers me when someone texts during a darkened ride, show, or movie. The bright light from a cell phone/PDA screen is unbelievably distracting.

I feel that's the only time a stranger's texting actually has an adverse affect on my WDW experience. It's truly inconsiderate.

In my opinion, it would have to be a pretty dire texting emergency () to prevent a person from waiting until the end of a darkened WDW attraction to send a text....

right on

i usually leave my cell phone off most of the vacation because i am in WDW to get away from the stress of everyday life

[coneygoil]

That is so ridiculous! People these days especially teens, don't know how to get their mind of the phone and onto the cool things around them. The only time I text at WDW is to my husband because I'm always go with my folks and I miss him!

[Tigger&Stitch]

Sadly, I think it's a sign of the times. So many want to "share" their experiences with remotely connected people (via Facebook, twitter etc) that they aren't actually interacting or enjoying actual real life. It's bizarre to me, and something we definitely won't be doing on vacation. We are going to be spending heaps to get to WDW, and even more money while we are there - so why would I be distracted the entire time?

The odd thing to me are people who update everything they do - even while in WDW. "We are now in the queue for ___". "We are now riding ___". Why not just enjoy the actual experience?

We're going in a month, and I do not look forward to walking behind someone who is too busy texting (and walking slowly) to realise there may be people behind him/her walking to a ride.