How do you handle getting a lounge chair?

[misseulalie]

I have seen this posted a few times, but didn't pay attention because our cruise was so far away. Now we are just about 45 days away and I want to know what all of you do about this topic...

I am planning to be bold and take over a lounge chair at the mickey pool on this next cruise. Last time I had to stand and watch DD because of course all the chairs were taken. I saw tons of chairs with towels and no one using them. So.... how do I go about taking one? How long do you leave it empty before "stealing" it? 10-15 minutes? what tactics do you use? My parents are gonig to be cruising with us and two 70 year old people shouldn't have to stand for an hour in the sun because someone is taking over 5 chairs that they won't even use.

Thanks for the advice...hope I am not !!!!!

 

[mommasita]

I totally agree with you, about the waiting part being unneccesary...

I stand a couple of minutes, and if there is no obvious people using the chair, I then take it...If there are things on it (personal), perhaps they have just gone to the washroom with their child, then I would hold out a LONG TIME..

What I did notice, and wonder if anyone else did, is CM's going along placing towels on the chairs.. I think this happens a lot, and people assume they are being reserved for someone...


Wanted to add my thoughts...

 

[inkkognito]

Bring a copy of the navigator with you, as it clearly states that lounge chairs are NOT to be saved. Then, if the "saver" returns and gives you lip, you don't have to say a thing...simply point to the notice in the nav.
Barb

 

[BuzzNutt]

Is it really that bad, dog eat dog for a seat? Do/Can cm's help?

 

[lbgraves]

The problem seems to vary from cruise to cruise. Sometimes there is a horror story. It depends if you have the really rude person on your cruise or not.

 

[BethA]

I have always found it impossible to get a chair near either the Mickey pool or Goofy pool. I have been up as early as 7 to walk and all the chairs already have towels on them. After, when I go to sit out at 9 these same towels are still there with no people yet. I have often just gone up a deck to get a chair. No real problem up there.

 

[ADisneygirl]

The pool area is not really all that large considering all the people onboard. When we went the first time we felt odd moving someone's towel, so we stood or got in the pool. The second time we moved someone's towel after watching the chair unoccupied for over 25 minutes. The whole time I laid in the chair no one came to reclaim it. I was very happy not to have any chair confrontations!

 

[Flagger]

Unless you are in the water in which case you will have usually left a wrap, coverup and shoes on or by the chair, an empty chair is an available chair. It matters not whether you left for "just a second" to go to the washroom, or "just a minute" to grab a bite, the chairs are for everyone and are fair game.

 

[joepoe]

Bring a copy of the navigator with you, as it clearly states that lounge chairs are NOT to be saved. Then, if the "saver" returns and gives you lip, you don't have to say a thing...simply point to the notice in the nav.
Barb

No matter what pool or where, I wait an hour. If no one comes, I move he stuff out of the way and take the chair. A hat or a pair of flip flops and a book will not deter me. When people eventually show up, usually another hour later, i say it was empty when I took it over, which is technically true.

 

[cinderella_mom]

Do the pools have freshwater or ocean water in them?

 

[disneycruise05]

Do the pools have freshwater or ocean water in them?

Freshwater

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I do agree they should not be reserved if you are not using them, but at CC I had a nasty experience the other way.

We have been to CC 3/4 times before and never had a chance on a hammock, many unused with towels on them. This time we were off the ship quickly, and for the first time we were lucky. I told my family we would have to use it all the time, or give it up to be nice to everyone else.

Four of us rotated it all the time, having a sleep, rock etc., My 10yo daughter got up at one point to drink, and a large lady pulled off her towel she had been on a second before, and sat down in the hammock within 60 seconds! Three of us were still around at that location!

Its DCL's and We are only using it for a day, we were lucky we had had a few hours to ourselves, therefore we didn't make a scene, but that was so rude it effected all our day, and she stayed there for a few hours and my kids kept on coming up to me saying they were so upset as they had being using it all the time, as i had told them.

We had things below including drinks that were kicked over.

Many others had been left with towels on them unused, and they were ripe for being taken.

Its a balance, some people are using them but some rude people do not give you a chance.

 

[mmouse37]

I have always found it impossible to get a chair near either the Mickey pool or Goofy pool. I have been up as early as 7 to walk and all the chairs already have towels on them. After, when I go to sit out at 9 these same towels are still there with no people yet. I have often just gone up a deck to get a chair. No real problem up there.

As stated above by another poster....CM's do put towels out on the pool chairs in the mornings...so those chairs that you thought were taken that early were most likely available. If the towels look neat and rolled or folded and white.... then those are the ones the CM put out....most likely if they are opened up and spread out, a guest has that chair.

Now if a chair has personal effects on them and colored towels then obviously they are claimed already.

I have been on 15 DCL cruises, both Magic and Wonder never really had a difficult time in getting a chair by the pools....yes, sometimes it is but most often there are chairs available.

Now, there was one time where some guest actually brought and placed 10 chair covers that said RESERVED on them and took over a whole row of chairs.....now that was nervy and a CM squashed that real quick.

 

[kshabare]

This trip a lady and her mom/mil were sitting in chairs and there was a chair next to her with just a towel on it. Obvious to me, it was her child's chair but he/she was in the water. I asked if it was taken and I got the expected answer. I took the next chair that was in the shade, but would soon have sun. I wanted to have the other chair for DH so we could hang out and watch DS. When the lady got up to leave with her Mom she left the towels down on the chairs. This was confusing to me because she took all of her bags with her! Okay, that ripped me something fierce. So, I picked up the towels and put them in the towel return. It made me so happy when a couple of ladies were able to use the chairs.

If people were more considerate we'd be fine. If you're sitting on the chairs it's one thing. If it's a place to put your stuff, use one for the family?? If you know your child isn't going to 'use' the chair, don't waste it. Be considerate and fair - that's all.

Kim

 

[umber]

On our trip in February, I was really hoping for a hammock. They filled up really quickly except this one that had a familiy' "stuff" on it. So I sat in a chair near it. TWO HOURS LATER, still no sign of this family! It was chilly so they weren't in the water at the beach. So my guess is they were off doing something on another part of the island, but how considerate of them to waste a hammock to hold their junk! They certainly weren't holding it so they could use it, they were holding it so no one else could!

 

[roysbrew]

On our cruise last May we managed to get one chair by the pool (not a lounge chair). We put all our stuff on it and the four of us took turns using it. At one point one of us must have been in the water with DS3 and one taking a DD3 to the bathroom. Our stuff was moved. My coverup (new for the 4 day cruise) was gone. I had the hassle of filing a report and having to check lost and found repeatedly. When we got off the ship it took another 30 minutes to check the L&F box (everything is transferred there after the last night). I had to fill out forms and never got the item back. So be considerate when you move people's personal items. Another person said to wait an hour that seems resonable. You don't know the person's situation. It could be one adult to a couple of children. Someone said if you get up for any reason it's fair game. That's crazy. How much fun is it to sit by the pool all day not eating, drinking, checking on the kids for a minute or going to the bathroom because your worried you'll have your chair stolen?
BTW I'm all for taking chairs after 15 minutes that only have a white towel on them. My sister is a chair hog. At a resort she will lay out a towel for everyone even the kids who never sit in them. When 11 of us when to Vero Beach resort at Thanksgiving we actually got in a fight because I gave away the kids seats to a family who couldn't find seats. Turned out they had come off a DCL cruise. They told me how fun it was and DH and I were brave enough to take our DS3 DD 3 on one. Don't worry my sister doesn't cruise or do disney very often anymore so she won't be stealing your seat anytime soon.

 

[BethA]

I agree about removing personal items--there are plenty of chairs with just the white towels on them--move those. I have had my items thrown on the ground when we went in to eat.

A lot of families save chairs for every member--you never need that many. Young children rarely just sit there in the sun. People should be more courteous, but when you have seen them push and shove to get to a character, or to the food first--you know you are asking too much.

 

[lbgraves]

If we are at the pool & sitting on the edge watching the kids, we put everyone's things & towels on one chair. There simply isn't anywhere else to put it. We have had luck finding a chair though. We may start out in the 3rd row but pay attention to people leaving & are able to move up to the front so that we can relax while keeping an eye on the kids.

 

[misseulalie]

Thanks for all the advice!!! I will be brave and move white towels after 15 minutes. I agree, I probably wouldn't move personal items. Our last cruise I took my DD to the pool by myself as DH vegged in the room. My daughter had to use the bathroom twice and wanted pizza in the hour we were there. So if I had a lounge chair, I would be out of it 3 times! I would hate to see my belongs on the floor and someone sitting in my seat because my DD had to pee!!!

 

[WeluvDisney2]

Bring a copy of the navigator with you, as it clearly states that lounge chairs are NOT to be saved. Then, if the "saver" returns and gives you lip, you don't have to say a thing...simply point to the notice in the nav.
Barb

I LOVE it!!