New JTA age restriction

[starjazz]

Call me selfish if you'd like, but when I take my girls to Disney World, it IS all about them. If my 3.99 year old makes it in and does great, and your 10 year old misses out because you slept later, I don't feel like I've done you an injustice.

Now, all of that said, my experience with JTA comes solely from DLR where there's far fewer formalities. The kids all stand up and raise their hands, and the "trainer" picks who he wants from the crowd. It results in a completely different experience, as far as I can tell. But I know that last year when we went, my nephew was chosen, but my youngest daughter was not (my oldest was uninterested). She was very displeased, but we made the best of it. We stayed and cheered on my nephew, and soon later it was all forgotten.

Regarding the concept of "lying" and the perception that I'm committing such an atrocity is just laughable to me. I mean, when my kid nears her birthday, and someone asks how old she is, we round up most of the time any way. Its a little white lie, but that's about as much as I'd concede.

 

[starjazz]

I guess that just goes to show why when multiple people witness an event, there's multiple stories. There's your version, my version, and the truth.

Heck, I didn't even witness it, I just watched a video with a partially obstructed view. But you're right, no telling exactly what happened, but I didn't see anyone that looked like they were seriously injured - I would not laugh about that, albeit a risk when you have that many kids swinging plastic light sabers in a confined area.

 

[starjazz]

Yeah, I'm with the others. There is nothing funny about that. Sure, at the first it was a little cute how he was in super turbo mode. But he clearly lost control. Whether they were fine (not hurt) or not is besides the point. The kid was incapable of following the directions, and then when they were trying to get him corralled/get him to stop, he hauled off and started trying to hit all three of them. There's nothing funny about children trying to hit those in an authority position. He could have hurt them. So, no, that's not fine or funny. And is why there are age limits. And yes, obviously kids lose control, it happens - and as this video shows, they know how to handle it. But that doesn't make it okay when it does happen, or that people should go around applauding the behavior and laughing about it.

From what I saw, it looked like the kid never lost control until the stormtrooper engaged him. Was that in the script? Did the stormtrooper lose control?

Your concerned that the kid was trying to hit people in an authority position, yet they gave a light saber to a 4 year old and told him to attack. Is there a small chance the kid might have hurt someone? Sure, but that chance exists in JTA every time they run it, and like you said, they know how to handle it. I laugh about it because its funny to me - kids do stuff, they lose control, especially in an exciting environment like that. It doesn't shock me, or horrify me, nor would it embarrass me as a parent. Its a little kid who got caught up. I, personally, think that's pretty cute. AND, I think, from what I saw, that the actors enjoyed that moment, they played off of the moment, engaged in the moment, and it earned a lot of laughter and applause from the audience.

 

[Hopefully]

Nope, it's not funny for a person to get hit in the crotch. But I don't have any evidence that anyone got hit in the crotch. That's what you think you saw. And that's fine. I didn't. I thought the kid was cute. I thought the actors were responding to him and at least for a bit allowed his actions, and even engaged in them. So yeah, we have a different assessment of the situation.

WOW!!! Totally unbelievable

 

[AngiTN]

Ha! That is hilarious. I think that went just fine, to be honest. Was it by the script? Nope. But everyone handled that completely fine. And that Stormtrooper is obviously not hurt, but rather playing along.

From what I saw, it looked like the kid never lost control until the stormtrooper engaged him. Was that in the script? Did the stormtrooper lose control?

Your concerned that the kid was trying to hit people in an authority position, yet they gave a light saber to a 4 year old and told him to attack. Is there a small chance the kid might have hurt someone? Sure, but that chance exists in JTA every time they run it, and like you said, they know how to handle it. I laugh about it because its funny to me - kids do stuff, they lose control, especially in an exciting environment like that. It doesn't shock me, or horrify me, nor would it embarrass me as a parent. Its a little kid who got caught up. I, personally, think that's pretty cute. AND, I think, from what I saw, that the actors enjoyed that moment, they played off of the moment, engaged in the moment, and it earned a lot of laughter and applause from the audience.

The fact that you find it hilarious and that it went just fine tells me all I need to know. Not to mention that you wouldn't be bothered by your child behaving like that. Explains everything being discussed

 

[wilkeliza]

From what I saw, it looked like the kid never lost control until the stormtrooper engaged him. Was that in the script? Did the stormtrooper lose control?

Your concerned that the kid was trying to hit people in an authority position, yet they gave a light saber to a 4 year old and told him to attack. Is there a small chance the kid might have hurt someone? Sure, but that chance exists in JTA every time they run it, and like you said, they know how to handle it. I laugh about it because its funny to me - kids do stuff, they lose control, especially in an exciting environment like that. It doesn't shock me, or horrify me, nor would it embarrass me as a parent. Its a little kid who got caught up. I, personally, think that's pretty cute. AND, I think, from what I saw, that the actors enjoyed that moment, they played off of the moment, engaged in the moment, and it earned a lot of laughter and applause from the audience.

On script for the CMs is to get the offending kid off stage. The storm troopers were trying to help wrangle the kids who lost control the moment he did more than the hits they were just taught. Vadar was doing a great job blocking the kids slashes but at any moment he could have missed a block and got hurt, costume broken, or a many other things. So Stormtroopers and Jedi trainer do what they are trained to get the kid off the stage. Problem is kid starts hitting all of them as well.

Yes there is a variable of "what ifs" and "could" with JTA that they are trained to handle. I'm sure DL went to sign ups so they can pre-screen the kids just like WDW does. You see less and less of these off the script kids when they have been talked to by the trainers before hand. It is made very clear they have to follow instructions and only do the hits they are told. At DL it was easy to slip into the its my turn to take Vadar down mode.

 

[starjazz]

At DL it was easy to slip into the its my turn to take Vadar down mode.

And that seems what likely happened in the video we're all discussing. If it was March, wasn't it before they implemented the sign-ups? I'm just guessing, I'm not sure. We were there in Feb 2015, and it was still a "picked out the audience" thing at DL.

 

[starjazz]

WOW!!! Totally unbelievable

You referring to something specific, or just that I'm still in this conversation? Lol.

 

[wilkeliza]

And that seems what likely happened in the video we're all discussing. If it was March, wasn't it before they implemented the sign-ups? I'm just guessing, I'm not sure. We were there in Feb 2015, and it was still a "picked out the audience" thing at DL.

Yes they just changed. The thing to me the slipping into my turn to take down Vader mode was cute but still wrong. Kid wasn't cute any more when he started hitting anyone who stopped him from getting to Vader.

 

[starjazz]

The fact that you find it hilarious and that it went just fine tells me all I need to know. Explains everything being discussed

Yeah, I didn't see any real damage done. From what I could hear, the crowd enjoyed it and seemed to think it was funny too, so I must not be comPLETELY in the minority, albeit in this thread I obviously am.

Either way, glad you're feeling completely informed.

 

[mshanson3121]

From what I saw, it looked like the kid never lost control until the stormtrooper engaged him.

Correction. He lost control from the very start. The children are all taught a series of VERY specific moves and they are the ONLY moves they are supposed to be doing.

 

[starjazz]

Yes they just changed. The thing to me the slipping into my turn to take down Vader mode was cute but still wrong. Kid wasn't cute any more when he started hitting anyone who stopped him from getting to Vader.

From what I saw in the video, the kid quit swinging once the trainer intervened. Then the troopers both engaged, with the one trooper obviously egging him on. So the kid swung again, seemingly attempting to take down the troopers. And the kid did disengage his own saber, so he wasn't completely out of control. As a matter of fact, when the kid was facing Vader, it was clear he wasn't actually trying to hit him until his very last swing at Vader's legs. Before that he was standing back just engaging in a pretend saber fight, albeit in hyper mode as one PP put it so well.

 

[starjazz]

Correction. He lost control from the very start. The children are all taught a series of VERY specific moves and they are the ONLY moves they are supposed to be doing.

That may be the case in WDW, but in DLR, they're put on the stage and, yes, they're VERY quickly taught the few moves, but to expect young kids to get it down perfectly in that environment and that short of time, is not realistic IMO. So, he just swung back and forth...in hyper mode. I don't think he was out of control. He was actually rather easily removed, disengaged his own light saber, and walked down the stairs on his own. Just my take.

 

[supersnoop]

Call me selfish if you'd like,

The point here is that your plan won't work. Not unless you teach your kid to lie. You might get your child into the class, but (s)he'll be removed when they learn the true age. And, by that time, they won't be able to fill in the empty spot with the next kid who was behind you in line. So, you won't get to participate, and neither will with next person who did qualify. So, yes, that's kind of the definition of "selfish."

 

[starjazz]

The point here is that your plan won't work. Not unless you teach your kid to lie. You might get your child into the class, but (s)he'll be removed when they learn the true age. And, by that time, they won't be able to fill in the empty spot with the next kid who was behind you in line. So, you won't get to participate, and neither will with next person who did qualify. So, yes, that's kind of the definition of "selfish."

Right, I've already acknowledged all of that. Its not a real plan. Its purely hypothetical. And I've said in this thread at least twice before that I wouldn't tell my kid to lie about her age, nor would I do it in front of her, cuz she'd TOTALLY call me on it!

 

[PghPiratesGirl]

Not passing judgement on the situation but I'm curious to know what you'd do if you lied and then your child told the truth and they confronted you about it?

 

[Love Tink]

Before that he was standing back just engaging in a pretend saber fight, albeit in hyper mode as one PP put it so well.

Yes, but as anyone who has ever seen this show knows well, it is made very clear to the participants that they are not supposed to engage however they want. They are taught specific moves, the moves are reinforced, and then they watch each other participant go up and do the same thing. The kid went up and just started swinging wildly, which makes it pretty clear he wasn't ready - in some way - to participate in the show.

I'm not clutching my pearls at your assertion that you might slip in a kid who just misses an age deadline. I think lots of people would do that, But I don't really get how you've also come to defend this kid's behavior. I have three boys, and they are like a roving gang of wild animals at times. I've learned to choose my battles and let "boys be boys" sometimes. But I would have wept in mortification if my kid ever went after the performers like that.

 

[CT Disney]

This is Disney's attraction...they get to set the rules including age limits. As a participant, there really is no decision to make on your part regarding age. Just follow the rules. The age limit is there for a reason. I would never be presumptuous enough to assume that I know every reason for the age limit.

As a teacher, I can assure you that children cope better with disappointment when they are taught to do so from a young age. I guess I just don't understand encouraging your child to lie just to avoid disappointment.

 

[starjazz]

Not passing judgement on the situation but I'm curious to know what you'd do if you lied and then your child told the truth and they confronted you about it?

I'd say something like, "She's a month off, and she handles herself better than many 4 year olds. If you could allow her to participate with her sister, we'd be very appreciative.".

I wouldn't expect a positive response out of the CM, but it'd be worth the shot.

 

[mshanson3121]

I'd say something like, "She's a month off, and she handles herself better than many 4 year olds. If you could allow her to participate with her sister, we'd be very appreciative.".

I wouldn't expect a positive response out of the CM, but it'd be worth the shot.

Why not just say this to start with? Chances are you'd have a better shot asking this at the first, then getting caught in a lie.