16 Nov 2011

Using cell phones politely while touring Disney World with teens

Touring Disney World with teens makes cell-phones a “necessary evil.” But here’s how you can make them a little “less evil!”

In my last post, I discussed my reasons for believing that cell phones are a necessary tool for touring Disney World with teens, but a discussion of cell phones at the parks wouldn’t be complete without talking about a little bit of cell phone/ theme-park etiquette.

As I mentioned before, there is a strong anti “cell phone on vacation” contingent out there. People who prefer to leave their cell phones at home often complain about being forced to listen to loud but one-sided cell-phone conversations while waiting in line for an attraction, or having a show or dark ride experience disrupted by the glaring light of someone’s cell phone display. This is why we prefer texting to calling, whenever possible, and always save our texting for after the show or the ride!

What does this mean for parents and teens?

1. Part of the agreement for teens tethered by cell phones should be to respond quickly to texts from their parents, but parents should expect that at times a response won’t come immediately.

2. Teens – if you know you won’t be available for a while, you should send a text telling your parents why. Some shows and experiences – like Ellen’s Energy Adventure at Epcot’s Future World – are long, and could result in a panic-inducing wait for your parents!

3. There will be times that only a phone call will work, but you can still minimize the obnoxiousness. Make sure to lower your voice during the call, and try to step away from others while you talk. (Also, be sure not to block any high-traffic areas during your call!)

Just for fun, here’s a list of some rules of Cell Phone Etiquette that serve well in the real world, as well as at Disney World. Can you think of anything that should be added to the list?

Via: Cell Phones