Questionable Crowds

[Mr230]

As a Law Enforcement Officer in the State of California I have noticed the “What Will You Celebrate” campaign has backfired for Disney. My family and I go to Disneyland at minimum two times a year. I say minimum because it is usually way more. We have gone twice in the last month. Let me say I have never, repeat NEVER seen so many “questionable” people. The free on your birthday promotion has brought people to the park, the wrong kind of people. I have noticed graffiti is on the rise, people are spitting on the ground way more and trash is everywhere. Not to mention my $500 dollar stroller was stolen after one hour of being in the park on a Saturday night. Has anyone one else noticed this and does the Disney Corporation even care?

[fairestoneofall]

I'm sorry for your negative experiences. I've been at least four times since the beginning of the promotion and haven't noticed anything of the sort. I'm a fellow stroller pusher and my rule of thumb is to
#1 clearly mark all of my belongings with a name tag that includes our cell phone numbers
#2 personalize my stroller so that someone doesn't mistake it for their own (my kids' sippy cups, diaper bag, etc) usually when stroller are taken it isn't intentional
#3 don't leave something unattended that you can't afford to lose. I know this one is harsh, but with that many people, you can' expect 'everyone' to be completely ethical. i usually take my double jogger that i paid $179 for rather than the one i paid $400 for.

[Infinitely]

Having your stroller taken is a horrible thing to have happen, and graffiti and trash are never pleasant. You say you have seen "questionable" people, not just acts, can you tell me what makes someone questionable by looking at them?

We just returned and while the parks were full (which leads to mre trash I am sure), no one seemed impolite, I didn't see any graffiti and trash, though more than usual, was handled.

I will say I did see an interesting mix of attire. I saw the usual jeans and t-shirts, but also quite a few ladies in skirts (park appropriate) and men in slacks as well. It was nice to see people dress up a bit.

[cstephens]

Originally Posted by Mr230

Let me say I have never, repeat NEVER seen so many “questionable” people. The free on your birthday promotion has brought people to the park, the wrong kind of people.

I'm sorry. That was me. Some people seem to have a real issue with a particular jacket that I like to wear, so I'm sorry that it comes off making a bad impression on you, but unfortunately, I can't promise never to wear that jacket again.

[Jestyr]

A law enforcement officer uses the phrase "...the wrong kind of people?" I can't express how deep the shudder is that just went up my spine. This is truly the most terrifying post I've ever read.

[Crazy4DL]

Originally Posted by Mr230

Let me say I have never, repeat NEVER seen so many “questionable” people. The free on your birthday promotion has brought people to the park, the wrong kind of people.

What on earth is the "wrong kind of people"?

Btw - what you do for a living doesn't make you judge and jury of who is "questionable", if that is what you are trying to infer in your announcement of what your job is.

[ryanvalle]

Judging someone by the way they look is the wrong thing to do, but Mr230 does bring up a point. There are obviously questionable people going in if we are also seeing a rise in graffiti and vandalism around the parks.

But to say that a certain someone is the cause of the vandalism because of the way they look is just wrong.

Disney should up its security and now that off season is coming to a close, I hope that they do just that. With this new promo, I am expecting huge crowds over the summer and I hope that disney is expecting the same.

Disneyland has been around for 54 years and most of it looks great. Let's do our part to keep it that way by stopping anyone who is vandalizing park property, but do not...i repeat DO NOT pre-judge someone by the way they look.

[wwomant]

To be fair OP never said that he judged these people solely by their appearance. He could have been deeming them "questionable" based on behavior they displayed.

While there in January we did not notice anyone in the park we had a problem with, but I can say that in general Law Enforcement officers spend more time with criminals than most of us could ever handle. They truly see it all, and in doing it's to be expected that most gain a lot of wisdom about criminals and their associates, and tend to have a skill for spotting them. An LE can tell you it's not a race thing. It's not a socioeconomic thing. It's probably something that they often can't even put into words. But most LEs are very good at it. Of course, it's not full proof, and sometimes they're wrong and misjudge people. It may not be "fair," but you can be sure a lot more criminals end up behind bars because of this "skill."

[K & S]

I have noticed some of the behavior mentioned by the OP. Definitely more men spitting and more people just dropping trash on the ground rather than placing it in a nearby trash can. I’ve also noticed more questionable language than I usually hear.

[ryanvalle]

it was the line where he said "questionable" people that does have "questionable meaning."

[LauraTD]

I'm sorry, but am I the only one who smells fish here?

This person claims to be a law enforcement officer and then admits to leaving an expensive stroller unattended.

To be clear, I'm not saying that someone who leaves something expensive lying around deserves to have it taken. If someone actually stole this persons' stroller that was wrong and shame on them. I'm just saying that I find it strange that a "law enforcement officer" would be so naive. The police officers I know tend to lock their stuff up when they aren't keeping an eye on it. As one of my friends on the force says, "Most criminals don't like to work hard. Why make it easy for them?"

To me this seems like those people who call into talk radio shows with fake stories just to stir things up. Pitting law enforcement against "questionable" (read poor) people who flock to Disneyland for the free birthday offers and then spend their birthdays spitting on people, stealing their strollers, writing dirty words up and down Main Street and throwing their garbage willy nilly around the park ('cuz dats how us po folks do on our birfdays-word!) seems like a great way to stir things up.

Maybe I'm wrong- but I was right about the girl with the backwards B on her forehead.

[Infinitely]

Originally Posted by LauraTD

Maybe I'm wrong- but I was right about the girl with the backwards B on her forehead.

Okay...now I am curious...backwards B?

[turkeymama]

Originally Posted by Infinitely

Okay...now I am curious...backwards B?

Me too.

[DisneylandDad]

I really enjoy reading most of these posts. Regarding the "backward "B" I will be waiting to hear more on that one.

[Malcon10t]

The girl who claimed she was attacked by Barack Obama supporters and they carved a B in her cheek. Turns out she did it in the mirror so it came out backwards.... (Not real bright..)

My son is also a "Law Enforcement Officer in the State of California", and yes, he is the most paranoid person on earth. Most cops are, they deal so much with the negatives in life. There is no way he would have left an expensive stroller where it would be easily removed.

But as far as the birthday bringing in the "questionable" people, it is only free for the one person for one day. The rest of their group is paying.

[DisneylandDad]

Too funny. I did not put that together as it threw me off that the girls forehead was mentioned.
Paranoid or not, law enforcement or not, people do what they feel comfortable with. At DL people often get a false sense of security and the notion of "nothing bad can happen here".
I know I am guilty of leaving shopping bags and camera bags in the seat of a stroller a couple different times. Luckily for us, we have never had anything taken but again that was lucky. Have I ever locked up any of our strollers? No. Should I? Probably. Will I in the future? Probably not.
After all, once I walk past the Main Street candy shop and get a whiff of that non existent candy they blow the smell of onto the sidewalk, I think to myself, nothing bad can happen here.

There was a time that we came out of INDY and we got our stroller and started walking and I got so mad cause someone had stolen my soda that was in the cup holder. My wife almost fell over laughing when she realized that I had stolen some poor childs stroller that was the same as ours. She still gets a good laugh over that one. Of course I hurried and took it back and even managed to get it back and ours out of the area before anyone was the wiser.

[carolinakid]

Me thinks the OP was a TROLL!!!!!!!!!!!

[Malcon10t]

Originally Posted by carolinakid

Me thinks the OP was a TROLL!!!!!!!!!!!

Considering his only 2 posts were related to this, and they have only just joined, I tend to think that MAYBE you are right.

[adriennek]

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Adrienne K

[Tan Da Man]

is spitting on the ground a bad thing? where should I be spitting?

[ryanvalle]

Originally Posted by Tan Da Man

is spitting on the ground a bad thing? where should I be spitting?

Spit into the trash bins. Spit into a cup you plan on throwing away. Spit on grass where people will walk. Spit into the bathroom sink/toilet/urinal.

DO NOT SPIT ON THE GROUND PEOPLE WALK AND SIT ON! The worse thing that can happen to me while at disney is stepping on someone's spit. It's a nasty thing.

[Malcon10t]

Originally Posted by Tan Da Man

is spitting on the ground a bad thing? where should I be spitting?

Yes, spitting is a bad thing. Why do you need to spit?

[bananaman20]

Originally Posted by Malcon10t

Yes, spitting is a bad thing. Why do you need to spit?

I've played baseball for many years and have developed habit of spitting due to the thousands of sunflower seeds I ate while playing. I don't think spitting is inherently bad, but I always make sure to spit in bushes near where I'm walking/standing. When you spit where people will sit or eat, then it becomes rude and gross.

[K & S]

In my opinion spitting, like all bodily functions, should be done in private, not public. In public it is always rude and gross.

[adriennek]

Originally Posted by K & S

In my opinion spitting, like all bodily functions, should be done in private, not public. In public it is always rude and gross.

What K&S said.

Adrienne