I don’t know if you belong to any of the Disney-related Facebook groups or Disney fan forums or not – I’ve joined a few and I’ve got to say, I’ve un-joined a couple pretty darn quick after reading some of the posts and comments…those folks can be vicious!  The level of negativity among some Disney “fans” is shocking to me.  They’re not all bad – some groups are made up of happy, Disney-loving, supportive, lovely people who interact politely, positively and with kindness (love you guys!).  Those other groups though…yikes!  Some of the things people complain about are, to me, ridiculous.  It gave me the idea for today’s post.  I want to talk about some particular Disney topics I would ban people from whining about if I could.  In fact, I’d make some guidelines for us all to live by – I’m, well…a bit bossy – and I like to tell people what to do!  So I’m here today with…

Lisa’s NO WHINING rules for Walt Disney World guests:

Photo credit: Pest Control Management.org

1.  There was a bug in my room!  A. BUG.  I saw this one on a Facebook post.  Insect infestation?  Yes, absolutely you need to ask to change rooms. A single insect?  Deal with it.  Swat it with your shoe or be kind and escort it out the door, but no whining allowed!  Walt Disney World is located in Florida – the number and types of insects there are incredible!  Particularly the really big American cockroach affectionately called a Palmetto bug in the South – they’re common, huge, and disgusting – even with an excellent exterminator service, the odd Palmetto bug will make its way indoors.  The first time I saw one I thought it was a mouse – they’re that big.  No whining – you’re lucky it wasn’t a lizard – In the South, they like to come inside, too.

2.  The food in this restaurant was horrible!  Walt Disney World restaurants feed millions (and millions!) of people and generally do a great job catering to different tastes, diets, food allergies, dietary restrictions, and so on.  There are restaurants in the parks I think are pretty bad – at the top of that list is Pizza Planet in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  I don’t eat there.  Do research!  The amount of Disney food information on the internet is staggering.  If you’re picky, don’t just show up at Walt Disney World and wing it – you’ll be disappointed.  Some people find wildly popular places like Le Cellier, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and ‘Ohana expensive and over-hyped (I love those places anyway).  Knowing that ahead of time will make you less likely to whine about it should you choose to dine there.

3. It rained every day!  Guess what?  It does that in Florida in the summertime.  Wear rain/water friendly footwear, bring a rain poncho, expect bad hair.  There’s still plenty of indoor fun to be had.  Visit your “must-do” outdoor rides and attractions first thing in the morning – generally, most of the rainstorm action happens in the afternoon.  If you go to Walt Disney World during hurricane season, you may be taking a bit of a risk.  If your vacation was completely ruined by a hurricane – you have my permission to whine loudly and at length.  Hurricanes are really awful.

4. A single Cast Member was less than magical.  Disney Cast Members are human.  They may work long hours, in the hot sun, dealing with all kinds of people (and may not, due to unknown circumstances in their home-life, be at their best on a given day) – I’ve seen quite a few guests that were difficult (to put it nicely) and made me feel sorry for some of the things Cast Members have to put up with.  Overall, Disney does a fantastic job hiring and training thousands of employees at each park.  One cranky employee should not “ruin your vacation” – move on, no whining!  You should never be treated in an openly rude way, not receive what was ordered in a restaurant, or be swindled (short-changed, overcharged, had items missing from your resort room) without asking immediately to speak to a manager.  Disney can’t address problems they don’t know about.

5. My feet hurt, I got sunburned, the pool was crowded, it was too hot, the bus service was slow, we had to wait in line too long, my favorite ride broke down (or was closed).  Yes, yes…know what?  That happens to everyone!  You are not alone.  Stop whining.  Remember – you’re on vacation to relax and have a great time.  Focus on the big picture!  Just because you entered the gates to Walt Disney World, there’s no special magic to keep your time there 100% free from a few dings and scratches.  If, in the end, you find that you’re just not a Disney person (that type of vacation is not for everyone), don’t go back, don’t torture yourself ever again – vacation somewhere else.  That’ll leave the place a little less crowded for those of us who really do find Walt Disney World the happiest place on Earth.

Need to lodge a legitimate complaint?  Check out my friend Jane’s (a.k.a. British Diva) Disney complaint tutorial here.

Please leave a whine-free comment!