Originally Posted By maniac_disney <<See...I dunno how much of a walking dollar signs they are. I've been told by multiple higher ups that aside from hotel stays, they spend very little money on food/merch.>> HokieSkipper, your "multiple higher ups" are mostly correct about brazilians spending little money once inside a Disney park BUT they forget that brazilians do spend LOTS of money OUTSIDE the parks buying electronics, sneakers and all sorts of products at Orlando and near city malls. I read on the Sentinel Brazilians spent in 2010 one billion dollars on the Orlando-Miami area. So thats the main reason for Obama speaking about more Visas for them. And a curious note. 20 years ago Disney produced a video for the brazilian tourism agencies showing how brazilians would have to bahave inside the parks. They used Goofy and Max to explain the problem with chanting, pushing and cut the lines. It was a gigantic Public Relations nightmare for Disney. The video was indeed a bad production but Disney was accused of attacking brazilians calling them animals. Disney apologizes and did a recall of all the VHS tapes. I think this explains why Disney is so neutral regarding foreing visitors. In another curious note I do remember Disney trying to do the same stuff regarding the British tourists who got drunk inside Epcot. This was a high issue during the 90´s.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "Disney was accused of attacking brazilians calling them animals" Ah, so it's akin to the old knee jerk "You're racist!" card that the PC use, instead of agreeing, "Yes, there actually IS a problem and we should address it". I guess nobody called THEM to task for likening Brazillians to "animals"? I guess not.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo An aside, WDW is also where John Lennon officially signed the papers quiting the Beatles.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>And, for what it is worth, in regards to Americans travelling abroad the term "Ugly American" is well deserved from my experiences.<<< agreed. Every nationality, especially if in packs, can be aweful when on vacation. But I would rather be with a Brazilian tour group than the aweful expereince at Pop warner, where the mothers were even worse than their daughters - it was red neck hell.
Originally Posted By maniac_disney Actually brazilians are a more visible target, but in the 80´s the japanese groups got the same kind of criticism. In the 90´s the British groups as well - the young drunk guys on Epcot were doing nasty things. And of course most critics here don't realize how young american groups behave without supervision. I think our friends in Mexico could tell you stories of bad behavior during US spring break.
Originally Posted By dshyates What!?! I was at Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo once during spring break and I can tell you first hand that the young American ladies and gentlemen were incredibly well behaved. If, by well behaved you mean in an uncontrolled alcohol and hormone fueled display of debauchery. It was amazing!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Add in all the complaining about portion sizes of food outside the US and a preoccupation of gift shops, and the shouting in museums and galleries ;-)
Originally Posted By tashajilek I went to WDW over the Christmas holidays and the there were tons of Brazilians. It seemed there were more families then tour groups. The only problem my husband and i had was in the tower of terror line. They were so loud that we couldn't wait to get away from them! A huge annoying problem we had with all tourists were how people all crowd around the fast pass return area waiting for their time. I have been to DL many times and i can say that i will take these so called greedy AP's over ignorant tourists any day!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Agreed Tasha. The worst behaved guests in my experience are at DLP, though it also adds to the unique charm.
