I go to Disney World a LOT. And that means that I see a LOT of things.
I’ve seen ride breakdowns, major technology glitches, plenty of bad weather, and my fair share of guests misbehaving. But…there have also been a lot of pretty great moments as well! I’ve seen Disney guests at their worst, but I’ve also seen them at their BEST. And that’s what we’re talking about today!
It’s easy to complain when other guests are jerks or they break the rules. However, I’ve also had plenty of moments where a Disney World visitor has done something that restored my faith in humanity and made me smile.
Let’s go over the BEST things that guests do in Disney World.
Cleaning Up After Themselves or Others
Even though there are custodial Cast Members who work in the parks and get paid to clean up, it’s still a good practice to tidy up after yourselves. Throw away your trash when you leave a table, don’t litter when you’re walking around the park, and use the recycling bins when you get the chance.
Even though there are plenty of people who make a mess and don’t clean it up, I’ve also seen people pick up trash that didn’t belong to them, clean up litter from the ground, or hold open trash cans for strangers when their hands were full. When we all work together to keep the parks clean, we make them a better place to visit!
Trading Pins with Kids
Pin trading is a pretty popular activity in Disney World, and you’ll find Cast Members with pin boards all around the parks and resorts, ready to trade. However, guests can also trade with each other, and it’s so sweet to watch adults trade pins with little kids.
Whether your collection is big or small, being kind and trading with that child may be the thing that gets them interested in a lifelong hobby. Plus, it’s just usually fun to meet new people from around the world, and that’s what Disney World is great for!
Telling Their Kids to NOT Feed the Birds
Okay, you and I both know that there are birds and random wildlife all over Disney World. And in some areas, they can be downright obnoxious. (*cough cough* World Showcase!) A lot of their brazen behavior is because guests have been feeding them human food for so many years.
Because of this, it makes me feel just a little bit better when I see parents stopping their kids (or other family members) from feeding the birds. Feeding them will just make them more aggressive in the future when trying to get food, and after you’ve had one of them jump on your table and steal your meal, you’ll probably be less inclined to share! Plus, there are plenty of signs around the parks that tell guests not to feed the wildlife.
Small Courtesies
You know those small courtesies that people do that just give you the warm fuzzies? Stuff like holding the door open for a stranger or allowing someone to step in front of you if your party has fallen behind. Those are the things that make Disney World feel like a friendlier place.
This also applies when you see a family in front of you drop something out of their backpack or stroller and you pick it up for them. It’s a simple, nice deed that wasn’t necessary, but very appreciated all the same.
Bringing Gifts for Cast Members
One of the things that absolutely restores my faith in humanity is when I see people hand out gifts for Cast Members. Some guests will bring little gifts from home so that when a Cast Member makes their vacation special, they have something nice to give them.
This can be as simple as a thank you card or a sticker, but no matter the item, it hardly ever fails to put a smile on that employee’s face. And anyone who treats Cast Members kindly gets some serious bonus points in my book!
Having Manners During Entertainment
And finally, let’s talk about the people who make sure to be aware of their surroundings even when watching stage shows, fireworks, and parades. I’ve seen adults let little kids sit on the curb in front of them to watch the parade, taller guests step out of the way during fireworks shows, and lots of people take off Minnie ears or tall hats so that the people behind them can see during a theater performance.
They’re all just thoughtful ways that you can show you’re paying attention to those around you. And when you do those favors without people having to ask you, they’ll remember how nice you were.
So there you go — some of the BEST things that guests do in Disney World. Seeing these things happen always brings a smile to my face and reminds me that Disney World really IS The Most Magical Place on Earth.
So here’s just your general reminder to be a good human and make someone’s day a little brighter today!
Click Here to See What the WORST Things Guests Do in the Parks Are!
What’s the best thing you’ve seen a guest do in Disney World? Tell us in the comments!
I totally agree with trying to remind people to be kind and it’s so nice to see others do things for others for no reason. It’s nice to hear somebody talk about the nice things about Disney world cuz nowadays all you hear is the negative I know that things have changed a lot but there is still a lot of good things. I like your idea about giving little gifts to the cast members. We live in a resort area and when I stay at hotels I always bring little gifts for the staff. But I’ve never considered bringing them to the park next time we go I’m definitely doing that. Also the gifts that I usually leave the cast members in the hotel rooms or at the lobby staff. Or the maintenance man. The last time I was there one of the maintenance men was so sweet he went out of his way to bring a book from home for me to keep before we left. I always make the theme from where we come from we live in a Beach area so I like to bring Beach goodies for people. Or sweet treats from home
We’ve been at Disney all week, and we love seeing strangers offer to take photos of families or groups so the shot isn’t missing that one person. I also know of a mother and daughter who bought hundreds of genuine pins and went around pulling the fakes off the trading boards so kiddos would get decent pins for their trades. It doesn’t solve the problem that lots of fakes are circulating, but it was a genuinely nice gesture,
I’m afraid I have only ever seen the opposite behavior regarding parade access. I have been several times with both my children when they were small as well as my grandchildren when they were small and have been been surprised at how unwilling tall and bulky adults can be when trying to let the little ones get where they can simply get a view. I find the children at Disney are wonderful as well as the cast but the adults are the meanest and rudest in the world.
Nice article. My question is – how do you get in every day when the rest of us can only have park reservations for 5 days at a time. It’s only recently that annual passholders can go to any park in the afternoon.
Hi Carol! We have to make reservations just like everyone else. As soon as we can add those days, we do. 🙂