How to handle crazies?

[pickles]

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.

well, yes and no-they were causing conflict in the sense they wanted to stand up for their percieved right to that space.
The fact is, it is a public area and there is no offical "seat saving"
I do exactly what the Op did. We go , pick out a base camp area and set our stuff on it. There is usually 5-6 of us and we save 2 seats. I have never moved anyone elses stuff and I think, it is impolite to move people's stuff
I also recognize that I am in a public area and my stuff could very well be moved by people who dont think as I do, and they are just as much right as myself.
there had to have been something different or special about that cabana over others that were available..perhaps, it was shady and the others not? I dont know, but i can guarantee most people would not choose to move people stuff IF there was a similar spot available.
Most people whose stuff got moved by alledgely rude people, would not challenge their right to move stuff, they would simply walk over to another similar spot if available.
In this day and age of crazy people who shoot you for no reason would you really argue with idiots who took your spot IF another similar spot close by was available? doubtful.

 

[Tomh]

God's honest truth, and this is nasty, but I think I would have sat down for a bit, and tried my hardest (and it isn't that hard for me) to work up a nice loud stinky fart. I'm pretty sure that would have cleared them out of my space. Of course, on the down side, it might have forced US to leave the space too, but it would have been well worth it

 

[luvthemouse71]

God's honest truth, and this is nasty, but I think I would have sat down for a bit, and tried my hardest (and it isn't that hard for me) to work up a nice loud stinky fart. I'm pretty sure that would have cleared them out of my space. Of course, on the down side, it might have forced US to leave the space too, but it would have been well worth it

LOL, I think we may be related..there are several people in my family who would do this.

I think I would have ultimately just moved..after telling them off, that is.

 

[Planogirl]

Those who say that it's unwise to leave things, where should a person leave their towels and shoes and so on then? I always understood it to be common practice to leave things on a chair or table when you wanted to swim.

 

[corgi_monster]

God's honest truth, and this is nasty, but I think I would have sat down for a bit, and tried my hardest (and it isn't that hard for me) to work up a nice loud stinky fart.

HAHAHA! I agree! The best way to deal with crazies is to out-crazy them. I would have sat down and sung "Be Our Guest" over and over until they left!

 

[Poohchum]

The truth of the matter is that these people were not merely selfish, they were actually crazy. I think that moving away is the best solution. As a teacher, I do not run away from the kids with issues. I help and train them with great success; however, this was my vacation and my family's vacation.
We went off and had fun. We even laughed at the other family for days. The other family had a terrrible time. When I walked by, I saw that they were all sitting at the table guarding it while I bobbed in the wave pool.

They were scary people. They need help. I couldn't help them.

 

[bluejasmine]

I'm afraid I don't understand where the pol who claim you can't leave your stuff in a public plAce leave their towel, shoes etc while they swim? I normally carry a small bag with sunscreen,towel and change of clothes or cover up! When we go to the pools or wAter parks here we never have that problem, not even at the beach we went to last wk end. I think op handled things like a champ, my first thought was to not let the bullies get away with it but op brought up a valid point enjoying the day with her family while bullies were left to spend the day guarding cabana well done you gave us all something to think about and learn from thanks!

 

[RMulieri]

I have learned...NEVER argue with Crazy

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

I have learned...NEVER argue with Crazy

No kidding! Frankly, I would have left. While it does let the bullies win, I would rather not deal with their moral issues on my vacation. I would tell the fam to shake it off, know that there are crazies in the world and enjoyed our day.

 

[TDC Nala]

I was pretty sure I understood it was acceptable to leave belongings to mark claimed space while the party goes to swim, as long as it's not left unattended for hours at a time. The problem at the resort pools was apparently people claiming a chair in the mornings by putting a towel on it, then going out to the park and reclaming the chair in late afternoon to swim. What is one expected to do when swimming, swim in shifts so someone is always with the stuff? That's not always possible.

If they took over the last remaining space then yes I'd go for a manager. If there's plenty of other spaces, I'd just collect the stuff and move before they do something really nuts like put the stuff into the water or something.

 

[pulphero]

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.

I have to think that the person throwing a 'freaking fit' would be the one disciplined by park security. But seriously, a ZenMaster throwing a freaking fit? Now that's just wrong...

 

[momejay]

I would have pulled out the diaper bag & changed the baby on the table while they were eating. Then I would have moved claiming the baby has been really sick lately. (not really, but that's what I would have liked to have the guts to do)

Sometimes it is much easier to walk away. You don't want a crazy family following you all day.

 

[RMulieri]

My fear is ..Yes they are bullies, but crazy and bully do not do well together..You could stand your ground only to find that the BULLY has one upped you and has a gun pointed in your face..It happens, and no one can predict exactly WHAT will be the point of breaking for people like that.No one likes bullies and I am all for standing your ground, but not in a themepark on vacation.There are always idiots and nutjobs..Take the higher ground, be the better person and move on

 

[LowesChevy]

This is one of the main reasons we stopped going to the waterparks. At TL we would find a place with a couple of chairs, my mother would stay behind while the rest of us hit a few slides and the wave pool for 15-20 minutes. We we held back to meet up with my mother and boom, like people have just taken the chairs and set up shop on top of you. My mom would be like they just helped themselves to our chairs and space.

There are just alot of rude people out there and I would rather not have to deal with them...so waterparks are off our list.

 

[__disneygirl]

It is in my nature to stand up to people like this. After they have been asked nicely twice, I'd have an urge to yell and get into it with them. However I have changed in recent years, working in Manhattan where things like this happen semi-often. You have got to keep your cool. You simply do not know what people are capable of. I know it's Disney World, but still - I'd rather be safe than sorry, so, if there were other cabanas open I would just move without causing a scene. I think it is important to stay calm and cool with these people ESPECIALLY if there are children around. It is better to swallow your pride and walk away than for someone to get hurt.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

It is in my nature to stand up to people like this. After they have been asked nicely twice, I'd have an urge to yell and get into it with them. However I have changed in recent years, working in Manhattan where things like this happen semi-often.

You leave your personal property unguarded for hours at a time in Manhattan semi-often?

 

[WDSearcher]

This is one of those kind of grey areas, IMO. I mean, if someone were to stake out a spot on Main Street with, say, three blankets, a stroller and a backpack and then go off to shop or ride rides while they wait for parade time, there is not a single person on this forum who would say, "Hey -- they staked out their spot for the parade and anyone who walks in and takes it over is just being rude!" Yet ... that exact behavior is okay in a water park.

I've also never understood the concept of setting up camp, leaving all your stuff with no one to watch it, and then going off to play in the wave pool or ride the lazy river. If you want to hang onto your spot, then stay with your stuff. Go in shifts or whatever.

That said ... if I did come back and someone else was in the space I'd originally chosen, I'd have likely sat right back down at the original table where my stuff was, popped open a soda and started chatting. Asked them where they were from, were they having a good vacation, etc. At the worst, I'd have people who were annoyed with me for butting in. At the best, they'd either (a) leave or (b) become new friends. But unless I had reserved the cabana and were paying for it, I'm not going to tell them to leave. If I wasn't there to "defend my territory", then I need to be okay with someone else taking it over.

 

[bytheblood]

If there was a lot of space available, I would have moved.

I do think the family was wrong, however. If your stuff was there and other places they could be, they were just being rude and inconsiderate.

 

[WDSearcher]

I was pretty sure I understood it was acceptable to leave belongings to mark claimed space while the party goes to swim, as long as it's not left unattended for hours at a time.

The problem, though, is that if I show up at, say, 11am and the park has been open since 9, how do I know how long that space has been left unattended? If I get there and the stuff on the table or chairs looks pretty much undisturbed, I'm going to think that the family left it all there and hasn't been back in a while. I, personally, wouldn't take over the space just because it looks "occupied, but unused", but many people would.

 

[frayedend]

I haven't read the replies but yeah, they were nutso. We had almost the exact same thing happen in Mexico once. My wife and I went to the beach area at the resort. It was empty. I mean 100 lounge chairs, 0 People. We put our flip flops in the sand at the end of the chairs, our clothes, towels, and sunglasses on the chairs and headed into the water. A little while later we get out and we're looking for our chairs and can't find our stuff. There are 2 women in lounge chairs right near where we thought we put our stuff. So we ask them and they plead ignorance. Then I see my shirt under one of the chairs. I walk over and pick it up, find our flip flops buried in the sand. I said to the woman, "Umm, we were sitting here." Her reply was, "We're from Texas and we named it and we claimed it." We found all our stuff and moved, but what a couple of whack jobs. It's best to leave them alone.