Waterpark etiquette ???

[BrightScouter]

I can see it both ways. Moving someone's stuff is not good. But staking a claim to chairs for 10 hours when you use them for an hour is not good either.

It would be nice if Disney would post a policy in the parks. Either state chair saving is allowed, or not, or set a time limit. Possibly ask people to save empty unused chairs for no more than an hour? I know a lot of people would never follow the rules. But if enough did, the problem may alleviate itself and less people would try to save them forever.

I know Disney likes to be non committal on stuff like this, to stay away from arguments and lawsuits. But it sure would be nice to have a posted recommendation from them.

I know I would follow it if they post one.

 

[MamaCrush]

I'm not saying you cannot leave your stuff on a chair. On slow days at certain water parks, I have done it myself. But on a very busy day, you should not expect to leave your belongings for more than a few minutes unattended. Again, just like at the Magic Kingdom or any other theme park, you are expected to be responsible for your own belongings the entire day. Just because you leave some extra clothes and a poncho on a bench somewhere, does not mean that it has been "reserved" for you, and doesn't mean that it won't be moved.

On such a busy day at a water park, expect that your things will be moved.

Also, I think this particular guest set a horrible example for his children. Even if you believed the other people were in the wrong, to get your kids in on the act, and have them pull their chairs around the other guests and try to "annoy" them away! To me, this is the most horrifying admission of their entitled post. What a lesson for those children. Mentioning that the youngest has autism is certainly no excuse. Imagine the impression these people received of these parents and these children. Remember that it was a busy crowded day, there were no other seats available, and they hadn't taken one chair for their families things, but at least three.

I would have also moved their things and I would have invited them to get security if they had a problem with it.



I agree with this part of your sentiment completely, but instead I would refer it to the behavior of CdnDad. What lesson has he taught his children about getting along in the world with other people, and how to handle conflicts? It is no wonder to me the state the world is in, with people being raised to feel entitled to certain privileges and special treatment that in fact they have never been promised.

I'm sorry-- but wasn't it the other people who were the ones feeling entitled to privileges and certain treatment by not planning to get to the waterpark early, but rather mosey on in on a predictably busy day and be able to sit down at the expense of others who did plan and make the effort to get there early? And as far as them gathering around and eating in the two chairs the poaching family left them, what else were they to do if there were no other chairs available? For me personally, however, I would have wanted to get my kids as far away from the cursing, rude gesturing family as I could. Such public behavior is reprehensible and never okay.

As far as moving other peoples stuff-- I would never feel comfortable doing that. Not only do I consider it rude, but I would be afraid that they would come back and accuse me of stealing something by way of retribution! Maybe given the same situation, I would have approached a CM and asked if they would mind moving the items for me. If they weren't, clearly the items shouldn't be moved. If so, I would refer the returning the family to the CM.

I do see both sides. It is a family park, meant for families to have fun together. I'm not thinking either of the families involved enjoyed their time there.

 

[HelenParr]

One of the great (and sometimes disturbing things) about the DIS board discussion is the variance in the points of view. I have trouble imagining having any reaction other than the OP's...and yet, the views seem about equally divided. I really appreciate hearing other views.

I'm floored how many think it's not only OK, but expected that someone would move your things. BB (And TL) are set up so you leave your stuff. Disney doesn't want you to be surprised when someone steals your stuff (BTW just because you might expect it does not make it right, stealing the stuff is actually a crime), so they offer lockers.

There wasn't just a towel on the chairs lingering for hours, it was their stuff. It's simply facinating that so many think self-help is the right thing to do, including touching other people's stuff. I'm amazed that the chair takers expected OP and family to be anything but astonished.

 

[~Kik-Kik~]

Wrong. I've been there on a crowded day and neither were available. I just need a chair, not a lounger and have found it impossible to find one many a day.

Then you were looking in the wrong spot. The beach cabanas away from the rides were filled with stacks of empty chairs at 11-2. The wave pool seats, kiddy area and the spots around the right side of the park were all taken.

I honestly can't believe some of you. (not the person I quoted)

 

[MissionMouse]

I think the key it these types of situations is to either avoid them or force Disney to be involved in the solution to address the situation they created. They sell tickets beyond their seating capacity as one should expect since the attraction is not the chairs but the water activities. Disney's guidance is vague and takes no position regarding chair usage during your visit, but on the other hand they allow coolers that do not fit into lockers.

Disney provides no special holding areas for guest to store their coolers, so indirectly this does get you into the chair "ownership" and chair hording issue too. Maybe Disney should come up with some form of alternatives beyond just providing chairs, since many guest clearly want a "home base."

Until that would happen I would always involve the CM and maybe more appropriately the CM's supervisor...make them manage the park.

 

[CdnDad]

Did not realize this would be so intense of a debate. Thanks for everyones opinions. It will not deter us from going back to a waterpark.

 

[jensen]

I think it was you who were the ones out of line.

If the water park was as busy as you say it was, there is no reason that your towels should be taking up valuable real estate while other paying customers are forced to stand. Contrary to popular belief, the chairs are not there for you to claim them or to babysit your belongings. They are there for the PEOPLE who wish to utilize them!

There are water parks that allow you to pay extra to reserve your own seats or lockers to keep your belongings while you aren't there. If the lounge chairs were there for this purpose, then they would not offer these services.

As with all things, there are grey areas. If you had left for five minutes to get a snack or use the restroom facilities, and came back and calmly explained the situation to them, then I would agree they were out of line.

But to leave chairs empty for 45 minutes, running off and using rides, would be upsetting to me.

It also raised a red flag for me that you did this by the children's area. I wish ESPECIALLY that people would not do this by the children's area. Those seats should be left available for parents who are supervising their children. I know nothing upsets me more than when I see a long row of 20 lounge chairs, each occupied by a towel or a flip flop or something, and no person in sight, while tired parents stand at the edge of the wading pool. I would be tempted to dump their things on the ground.

I also think the way that you handled it was incredibly rude, crowding them out and behaving in an obnoxious manner. Those chairs did not have your name on them, and they were paying guests of the park just as you are. You participated to make their day more unpleasant because they had the GALL to use park owned lougers for their intended purpose.

Imagine the outrage if someone tried to reserve a bench for a parade in the Magic Kingdom in this way, and then left to ride Splash Mountain for 45 minutes. They would be laughed from here to the Laughin' Place.

There is nothing I hate more than going to a pool only to find that the chairs all have towels lying on them and no one around. I think the OP was totally wrong here.

 

[CdnDad]

There is nothing I hate more than going to a pool only to find that the chairs all have towels lying on them and no one around. I think the OP was totally wrong here.

I agree about resort pools and cruises, but a waterpark ?

 

[BelleChick]

Regardless of whether or not it was right to leave your stuff there, no one should move anything or touch anything that doesn't belong to them. Period. Unless you work there or own the chair, you don't get to decide whether or not you can move something that doesn't belong to you off of it.

 

[jensen]

I agree about resort pools and cruises, but a waterpark ?

Yes. We have annual passes to our local waterpark and quite often I end up having to spread a towel in the grass or on the concrete because people will throw there stuff on chairs and get in the pool or go on the slides. I've never moved anyone's stuff, but I'd like to!

 

[Dreaming~of~Disney]

I live in Cincinnati and my family has Gold Passes to Kings Island. One of our benefits of having Gold passes is that we can enter the waterpark a half an hour early to reserve our seats for the day. I think if my stuff is there it's my seat. I got there early for the purpose of reserving my seat. Now the issue of sitting on someones stuff. I don't mind if someone comes along and sits on the end of my lounge chair while they watch their kids, that happens all the time, but twice last year I had some complete stranger use my towel. Once a lady came over and sat on my lounger with her child right on top of my towel, they were both wet, and another time someone actually picked up my towel and dried off with it. Who does that? Both times I was right near my chair watching my daughter as she went up the steps to the slide so I had not left my lounger for any amout of time. The person who dried off with my towel said she didn't realize it wasn't hers. How did you not know it wasn't yours! Gross.

Anyway to the people who think it was ok for these people to move the OP stuff off the chairs and over take them, did these people stand there for any amount of time to see if anyone returned. My guess is they did not. My guess is they found chairs and decided that they wanted them and would take them. The OP said they were gone for 45 minutes so a lot of people think that makes it OK to move peoples things but what if he has said they went to the bathroom to find their things moved? Then he would have had the right to be mad or is it still ok that these people moved his families things.

I think these people were completely rude and then to insult the OP and his autistic child is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[writerriann]

The first time someone says something about my kid.... the momma bear claws come out. If someone wants to pick a fight with me, fine, but under no circumstances should you involve a child.

I think it was totally rude that they took over your spot. What if you had simply gotten up to take a child to the bathroom? If the spot is visibly claimed (which it sounds like yours was), people shouldn't presume to decide for themselves when you should come back. IMHO.

 

[ChuckGA]

The whole "it is rude to touch someone else's stuff" is a total red herring. The only question is whether chairs can be saved or they cannot be saved. If they can be saved then people cannot move the stuff because they do not have the right to the space. If they cannot be saved then the people have every right to move the stuff as it is in their way to use something that they are allowed to use.

As an example, we were camping at a state park and were going to leave in our car to go hiking. Someone had put their cooler and some camping stuff behind our car (assuming unloading) and were nowhere in sight. Some of you seem to argue I have no right to touch their stuff and simply have to wait until they return and they move it. Bull! I moved their stuff to the side and out of my way and continued on my day. Now I cannot take their stuff off a camp site I want and put my stuff in its place because they already claimed the site according to the clearly stated park rules.

 

[OurMsBrooks]

I think it is reasonable for a family to have a "home base" at a waterpark, beach, or pool. When there are many family members going in different directions, it is practical to have a central "hang out" location that everyone returns to throughout the day. I have always thought this was customary, so I'm really surprised by the heated reactions. Now, we wouldn't take a chair for each person. Probably we would take two for our family of five.

I also think it's very different from a cruise ship, where space is so limited. On a Disney cruise last year there was a large family that had huge, matching Disney t-shirts that they put over the backs of five lounge chairs in the front row first thing every morning. In the whole week, I think I saw somebody sit on ONE of those chairs twice. I'd call that excessive and over the line.

But to have a home base at a waterpark, I could not call out of line at all. How else are family members going to find each other throughout the day? Again, I thought this was absolutely customary, and I'm so surprised by the reaction to the contrary.

 

[Biggreen19]

I always thought the early bird gets the worm as well. In the past, our family would arrive at a water early to set up base camp as well, grab a few lounge chairs to our liking and park our non-valuables under and on the chairs. We could easily leave our chairs for 45 minutes + riding the slides, or even just grabbing lunch.

I may be mistaken, but the impression some posters are leaving here is "If there ain't a warm body in that lounge chair, then its fair game and it's mine!” Heck, I might as well throw out the arrive at the park early concept, stay out late the night before, roll into the water park say early afternoon, and sit my butt down on the first lounge chair I like absent of a human body.

The last time I checked, there is nothing on your water park admission ticket that states you are entitled to a lounge chair, or any chair for that matter. You want to secure a lounge chair, then get to the park early. Can't get to the park early? Then wait till the crowd starts to thin, then find an open lounge chair.

To me, the root of the problem here is lack of etiquette, and the sense of entitlement.

Rant/off

 

[Lexie]

Lounge chairs are for resting...I don't think your towels need to rest for an hour+ while you are off going down slides.

Lockers are for storing...that is where things you don't need during the day go.

Items left on a lounge chair unattended should be considered "lost" and turned in to guest relation's lost & found box.

If someone came up to me and questioned where there stuff was I'd just say that there wasn't anything there when I got there

 

[Lexie]

To me, the root of the problem here is lack of etiquette, and the sense of entitlement.

I agree...people think they are entitled to a lounge chair for a full day even if they only use it for a small fraction. Etiquette would dictate that the chair should be shared so many families can use it for multiple fractions of the day.

 

[dvcdisney]

As an example, we were camping at a state park and were going to leave in our car to go hiking. Someone had put their cooler and some camping stuff behind our car (assuming unloading) and were nowhere in sight. Some of you seem to argue I have no right to touch their stuff and simply have to wait until they return and they move it. Bull! I moved their stuff to the side and out of my way and continued on my day. Now I cannot take their stuff off a camp site I want and put my stuff in its place because they already claimed the site according to the clearly stated park rules.

I think your example (the one before the highlighted area) cannot be used as a comparison. The only way this example would be relevant is that if the OP had put their items in such a way that it impedes these people's passage to get to or from a location. And if that's the case, then, I agree, they should be able to move it to the side and walk over. But this is not the case, the OP's belongings were on/around chairs and these people moved it away so they can use the chairs. I think the highlighted part would be closer to a comparison, and as you mentioned, you wouldn't be allowed nor, most likely, even consider doing such a thing.

 

[jpolak]

What that other family did was crap. If you leave the stuff on the chairs, you've staked out your claim on them until you remove the stuff.

 

[SandrainNC]

The first time someone says something about my kid.... the momma bear claws come out. If someone wants to pick a fight with me, fine, but under no circumstances should you involve a child.

I agree with this. They should not have touched your stuff. And when they started saying things towards your child (and I'm pretty sure I know the kinds of things they were saying since my oldest has Down syndrome) that was beyond wrong. My DH would have been having to hold me back for sure.

Sandra