It seems that summer is here and millions of people around the world are planning and taking their much dreamed about family vacations. Of course among the most popular destinations for those family vacations would have to be one of the many Disney theme parks around the world. Summer means lots of crowds, long lines, sunburns and spending an exuberant about of money on bottled water at the parks. I think we spent about $300 in just a couple of days on bottled water on this last trip. Did I mention it's hot?

With all of these summer vacations, the parks are bursting at their seams with millions of families making memories and having a great time the Disney way. Disneyland, unlike the other Disney theme parks, has many narrow walkways. Land is at a premium at the park that Walt built, and that just adds to the feeling of being crowded on those busy days. With these smaller walkways and busy days there are several things that you can do to help keep the flow moving and people happy.

Keeping the people moving without a People Mover

The ability to move around the park seems to be one of the most important and basic things at Disneyland, or any theme park for that matter. It is one of the biggest problems at the parks as well. Each time we have gone to the park in the last 12 months it seems to have turned into a bigger problem. I will offer a few suggestions on how to keep your fellow guests happy at the Happiest Place On Earth!

Keep Walking – Yes, I know this isn't always possible, but when you are in a walkway keep moving! The bigger the group you are in the more important this is. If you want to stop and talk, then please have some common courtesy, and move to the side of the walkway to allow others to keep going. What ever you do, DON'T STOP in the middle of the walkway! This has to be one of my biggest pet peeves other than trash, and one that just gets under my skin.

There is nothing worse than pushing a double stroller with my twins in it, and my 4 year old sitting on the top only to have a group of people stop right in front of me! It takes a lot to stop a stroller that loaded especially when you are trying to keep an eye on all the kids and what's going on around the park. Sometimes you don't always stop soon enough and you end up hitting someone with the stroller. Of course when you do this you get the death look that makes you feel about an inch tall. I try and always say I am sorry, but at times I am not sorry because I wasn't the one who decided to make an abrupt stop right in the middle of a walkway on a busy day.

Exit Means Exit - Ok, you just got of the newest ride in the park and you are so excited that you want to talk about it with everyone in your group! That's great, but get off the ride and out of the exit before you stop and share your love of the new ride. Some of these new attractions are constant motion attractions, meaning they never stop; they just keep moving, loading and unloading visitors. When you stop and visit as soon as your feet get off the ride you are blocking the rest of the visitors from getting off the ride and this could cause serious problems. Out of respect for everyone else, exit the ride and find a place out of the walkways to talk to your friends about the ride.

Strollers are not all evil! - When the parks are busy, they are filled with us stroller pushing monsters and some give the rest of us a bad name. I do the best I can to not hit anyone with mine and keep out of other people's way. Yes, I am the master of the S turn and can weave that double stroller in and out of large crowds with the best of them. At times I do have a minor fender bender with an unfortunate ankle, fellow stroller monster or even then ever present ECV's that seem to be multiplying like rabbits at night! When a collision does occur just make sure you apologize to the person or thing you collided with, make sure you didn't do any damage, smile and go on about your day. Yes, EVEN WHEN IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT!

I always hear people complaining about the strollers at Disneyland and it makes me laugh. This is a park for kids. We all know kids can not walk at 6 months. Even those that have mastered it by 2 or 3 still don't like to spend 8 to 12 hours on their feet running around the park. You may as well get used to the fact that strollers are here to stay, but you don't have to hate them. Manners go a long way, and it seems that many have forgotten what their moms used to tell them. Treat others how you want to be treated. So unless you like having people ram you with a stroller, don't ram anyone else! Park them out of the way too. It amazes me how many people park them right in front of the entrance to a popular ride. How do they expect anyone to get in the ride with their big stroller blocking the entrance?

Manners? No, not even that, just common sense!

Don't be surprised if your stroller isn't where you left it. I have on a number of occasions moved someone's stroller out of the way and I am always seeing cast members moving them. There are places to park them and places not to park them. Use a little bit of that gray matter and figure out the right spot, and if you are having problems trying to figure out where to park them, then ask a cast member! They will gladly tell you a good place to park them while you are enjoying that great ride.

Drive to the right, Walk to the right – Ok, I know the entire world does not drive on the right hand side of the road, but since I am talking about American theme parks that is the way we do it here. When we drive down the road we have to stay to the right, as people going the other direction are staying to their right. What do you think a busy Southern California freeway would look like if you could just drive in any direction? It would quickly come to a standstill and there would be wrecks everywhere! Not to mention a serious increase in road rage! Well, then why is it when we are walking down the walkways in the parks do we think we should be able to go any direction we want?

Have you even walked though Adventureland in the middle of summer near Indiana Jones? It is a mess!! People are going in every direction. There are large groups parked in the middle of the walkways and no one is moving very fast. Imagine now if you will, what it would be like if we all walked to the right. Don't you think that would make the flow of people much smoother? Simple road rules would work wonders in the parks.

There is no "I" in Theme Park

Ok, so what do I mean by I am going to Disneyland? Well it is simple really. When you are going to a park with thousands of people you are not the center of the universe anymore. You might still be at home, or even in your own mind, but in reality you are just one little speck in a sea of bodies all trying to have a great time. The park is there for everyone not just you. Now if you are super rich and can rent the park out for yourself one night, then yes you would be the center of the universe. Most of us though can barely afford that one day ticket, so keep in mind that there are other people in the park. It really is all quite simple; people respect others, if you bump into someone say you're sorry, if you drop some trash pick it up, and if you want to talk get out of the walkway! Think about others around you and how you like to be treated.

It amazes me how many people forget manners and common sense when they enter the parks. I have heard the term "Stupid Guest Behavior" many times at the park. I have heard it both from annual passholders who are at the park a lot, but also from cast members who get a first hand view of it every day. Don't be stupid. No, you can not stand up on Splash Mountain. Yes, it is rude to take flash photos in the dark rides especially when you are asked not too! How would you feel if some of your friends came over to your house to visit you and when they got there they pulled up the grass, plucked your flowers, smoked in your new living room, tossed all their trash on your floor and left messes in the bathroom for you to clean up. Would you be happy with them? Would you ask them over ever again? Somehow I don't think you would because they were so rude. Well then, why are so many people so rude when they go to theme parks?

The parks are a lot of fun to spend our hard earned money at. We all go to enjoy a family vacation that we will be able to remember for a lifetime, but a few people can make that a bad memory. Disney spends a lot of time and money to provide us a beautiful place to enjoy and we should do our part and take care of it. Keep it clean, be nice to others and have a great time.