How to handle crazies?

[Mrs. Charming]

I'd have called the management to escort us to remove our stuff just in case. You never really know just how cuckoo some people are. If they start a scene with the management there-- out they go.

I'd just hope they wouldn't steal some of out stuff while they "moved" it! (Obviously anything of value goes in the safe at the hotel or in a locker.)

 

[pulphero]

We've only got one side of the story, but if the facts presented are accurate, then yes, those other people were jerks and they put you in a difficult situation: do you make a scene (potentially dangerous) or do you walk away (definitely embarrassing)?

Technically, though, the 'jerks' did nothing wrong. It wasn't *your* table any more than it was *their* table. It's Disney's table. If you had involved a manager, his primary concern would be to resolve the situation quickly and quietly. I doubt he would have taken your side when the other people were already in possession of the table.

But it's hard to believe someone would take a table laden with another person's belongings when they could have just as easily claimed an empty table (which you said were plentiful). Is there anything more to this story?

 

[dzorn]

We were in Disney last week and had an awesome time. Most of the people that you meet are great, but we ran into a bizarre family. How would you handle this?

We arrived at Blizzard Beach at rope drop. We found a nice cabana in the Ski Patrol area,then we set up camp. The park was not full at all. In fact, there were empty cabanas all around us. The five of us put our towels on five chairs and put our lunch items on a table. Then we went off for some fun!

When we got back an hour later, a lady was sitting at our picnic table and her husband and daughter were moving chairs into our cabana. I politely said "Do you realize that we have already set up our things in this area?" At first she ignored me, then she said, "Are you talking to me?"

She was an odd one. She told me that this was public place and anyone could be there. True, but there were plenty of available spots. I politely suggested that she move to a different space. Then she and her husband started yelling at me that I should move. At this point I told them that I was going to get a manager to help with the situation. Unfortuately, a manager never came. While I was gone my teenage daughter tried to reason with them, but they yelled at her, too.

What would you have done?

Unless you rent a private cabana I cannot see a problem with them moving more chairs under it. If they are touching your stuff is one thing but adding more chairs underneath big deal. Of course we only take 2 chairs for the 4 or 5 of us because very rarely are all of us sitting down at once.

Maybe I've had to much sun today becasue I'm having a hard time on who was ruder the other family or yours. Especially after comming from the community pool were everyone tries to fit as many chairs in the shade as possible.

Denise in MI

 

[pulphero]

While I understand those that say pick up your stuff and move that is, in my opinion, the wrong answer. These people were bullies and they need to be stood up to. Whether you get firm with them or whether you get a park employee. The reason they and people like them do this is because people have the "I'll just move to avoid the conflict" attitude. As long as people let them get away with it, it will continue. I am not advocating a physical confrontation or to do anything you are uncomfortable with. I have had a similar thing happen to my wife and I and I politely gathered their things up for them and placed them into a pile on the sidewalk, while they watched in shock. Again I do not encourage this, but the rude family left without saying another word to me or anyone.

I'm glad you don't encourage others to do what you did because it's terrible advice. Not only did you risk a physical confrontation but legally you can't put your hands on someone else's property in a public place. What if they had called the police and claimed you 'broke' their cell phone or stole some of their money? I agree that bullies have no place in Disney or anywhere else, but doing what you did potentially gave the bullies far more power over you had they been smart enough to realize it. Your second bit of advice is much better: get help from a park employee.

 

[metzgardesign]

LOL.

Just a li'l somethin', somethin' I learned from Walt and his guided boat ride through the plastic jungle.

 

[B-Ride]

I would have pulled off their heads and placed them on poles outside the cabana as a warning to other potential ne'er-do-wells.

Thanks. I haven't laughed so hard in a couple of days.

Technically they weren't doing anything wrong, but on the other side, would it have hurt them to go somewhere else?

The reality is that it is common practice at the water parks to "stake out" a location, although it really annoys those people who show up late.

My own personal pet peeve is those people who insist on sitting in the middle of the row in places like Mickey's Philharmagic despite the CMs asking them to move to the end of the row. However, like this case, I have found it is best to just forget it and get on with enjoying my vacation (although I have been know to "accidently" step on a few toes.)

 

[TheZenMaster]

While I understand those that say pick up your stuff and move that is, in my opinion, the wrong answer. These people were bullies and they need to be stood up to. Whether you get firm with them or whether you get a park employee.

We have a winner!!!!

Couldn't agree more.

Bullies usually run and hide when they get pushed back. I'd have thrown a freaking fit until someone from the park management/security came over to resolve it. And they certainly would have sided with you.

 

[famsen]

My position is that they have no right to move or even touch someone else's belongings. You lay a hand on my stuff without permission or the advice of management and you and I will have a problem. That's why I don't touch other people's things; I don't want to be accused of stealing something and I expect other people not to touch my things unless there is a obvious reason for doing so and even at that, you get a manager to do it, not do it yourself.

 

[GSDRescuer]

So did the other family touch the food you had on the table? How big are the cabanas? (I've never been to BB).

 

[PlainJane]

The reality is that it is common practice at the water parks to "stake out" a location, although it really annoys those people who show up late.

I knew someone was going to insinuate that those who don't like the practice are only those who get to the park late.

I also don't understand why people are shocked when their belonging are stolen, moved, etc when they leave them in a public place unattended.

 

[Poohchum]

I am really appreciating (and laughing) about everyone thoughts. I have to say that I see some validity to most thoughts- except the question of our family being rude. We spoke in quiet, reasonable ways to people who were yelling at us. I was conveying that my boundary was being crossed. I never insulted or yelled at them. Reasonable, polite conversation should have been returned. I believe that a polite explanation of their needs would have ended the conflict in a win-win manner.

I am the planner for our Disney trips. Most of the time good planning and early rising makes for a smooth visit. I am still trying to plan forthe future, if this ever reoccurs.

 

[Ariel on Land]

That stinks... and I don't doubt your story. Some people are just rude and mean. If it were me, I'd have done what you did- explain the situation and hope that they had enough common sense to realize they had taken over your spot. (Which to those of you who say you shouldn't "stake out" a spot... that's just how it is at water parks, I've never been to one where you don't find an empty set of chairs/picnic table/etc and leave your towels/flip flops/sunscreen and other non valuable, but needed items while you enjoy your stay.) I may have gotten a manager involved depending on how aggressive they were, but if not, I would have ended up moving my stuff somewhere else, all the while commenting on how rude they were, and hope they realize they should behave differently the next time they come!

Hope your next trip is free of crazies!!

 

[pickles]

somehow I suspect it wasnt as empty as declared and there werent so many open available cabanas. if there were the OP would have just moved rather than causing conflict and really most people would choose an empty cabana over one that had people in it.

 

[Poohchum]

There were at least one hundred available seats in view. There were four empty cabanas. That's what makes the story so confusing. It was our first trip to BB, and I had spent a lot of time planning the trip. I would never move into an occupied space at a pool or water park. I had assumed that all people followed that polite practice.

 

[Lynn5700]

I don't get why they would take the chairs and table that was being used if there were plenty of other places to sit. People are crazy, lol.

 

[kymom99]

My husband says that his solution to people being in his space is to "pass gas!" Seriously though, when we were in line for Soarin, a man behind us had a large camera hanging around his neck. He was thin, but the camera stuck out in front of him. He stood so close to us that his camera jabbed us in the back, first mine then my husband's. It was very uncomfortable having him in our space like that. I would kind of shift around and nudge back at him, hoping he would get the idea, but he didn't. I also kept my bag in front of me, thinking maybe he was trying to get into it. Strange.

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

I would have moved. They were wrong, without question, but anyone who thinks it is okay to move into an area where other people have clearly already occupied are not likely to respond to any logical reasoning and quite frankly, it just wouldn't be worth my time.

The other approach, as the OP and others have said, would be to call a manager. There are some things that you may be capable of dealing with, but which are best left to someone officially in authority.

You get weirdos everywhere in the real world and unfortunately some of them wind up in Disney we we are there and we have to deal with their behavior.

Well said!!!

 

[larryz]

somehow I suspect it wasnt as empty as declared and there werent so many open available cabanas. if there were the OP would have just moved rather than causing conflict and really most people would choose an empty cabana over one that had people in it.

OP wasn't the one "causing conflict." It was the uncultured barbarians that rudely ignored the towels on the chairs and food on the table.

To paraphrase the popular saying, all it takes for uncultured barbarians to triumph is for good people to do nothing.

 

[AlyJoy716]

I would have pulled off their heads and placed them on poles outside the cabana as a warning to other potential ne'er-do-wells.

Love It!

 

[Deb & Bill]

OP wasn't the one "causing conflict." It was the uncultured barbarians that rudely ignored the towels on the chairs and food on the table.

To paraphrase the popular saying, all it takes for uncultured barbarians to triumph is for good people to do nothing.

But we all know even if the OP did get a CM to come over, nothing would have been done other than to make sure each guest was at least partially satisfied. The intruder would not have been made to leave and both parties would have been asked to share the space. They probably would have helped the OP find another space, not as good as the first, but suitable. Or they would offer one of the spaces for rent, for the price of the rental.

Unless someone was hurt, bleeding, unconscious or something like this, Disney isn't going to do anything.