How to handle crazies?

[WDSearcher]

She did move our things and sit at the picnic table. There was an extremely large area of chairs, cabanas,space,etc. Within minutes of polite conversation from me, she and her husband were yelling at me. She yelled at my teenage daughter. She didn't just want the space, she wanted to start a fight. Don't give people like this attention. Hopefully, they will find a way to gain attention in a more positive way.

Thanks -- that provides more information than the initial post. And yes, it appears as though the other folks were looking for a fight. Maybe they were just hot and tired, maybe they had been fighting in the car, maybe one told the other "we won't be able to find a good spot because you were so late getting ready" and so the other grabbed a 'good' spot just to prove a point. Who knows?

I still would have done as you did and walked away. It's just not worth it to me to start something over a shaded space at a water park. If there were plenty of other spaces, then I can certainly go to one of them too. Did the bully learn a lesson? No. But it's not my job to teach it to them on my vacation. And even though Pirate Jeff (and others) clearly advocate full-out confrontational mode including, but not limited to, "being carted off to the hoosegow", I have to wonder what THAT teaches the bullies too? All you're doing in that case is giving THEM ammunition to play 'victim'. Because unless you've got a whole passel of witnesses who saw the whole thing, start to finish, the guy causing the scene is going to be the guy taken away, and the rude people you're yelling AT will likely get an apology from the manager and the delight of watching YOUR day be ruined while they get the satisfaction of people walking up to them saying, "Wow -- what set that guy off? Are you guys okay?"



Oh ... and one of my all-time pet peeves are people who say, loudly enough for all to hear, "Look kids ... I'm so glad we're not rude like these people, blah, blah, blah." That whole "Look how much better we are than them" thing; the "I'm going to 'teach' my kids that this is wrong by totally blowing this instance out of proportion" method. Of course, YMMV as to how out of proportion it is or what that actually teaches your kids.

 

[Rainwater]

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?

What happened to all of your stuff?

 

[3smithboys]

The Dad finally just blew up at us and had a screaming tirade about how it "wasn't right for us to sit right on top of them like that" (we had actually moved the chairs AWAY from them) and we shouldn't "be having drinks in front of his family 'cause they had let us know they didn't have any money". I just kept saying "Bless your heart, maybe things will turn around for you soon." They left after that.[/QUOTE]

.....and at that point I would have been looking for the hidden camera because I would have sworn that I was being punked!

 

[Metsfan520]

All I can say is if this lady yelled at my daughter, what I would have done would not be pretty (or acceptable by WDW)

While I understand that feeling, I think it might make things worse. I wouldn't want to stoop to their very low level. I'd rather take the high road & move away from the crazies.

 

[cm8]

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.

,, I could totally picture that moment in my head, that comment made my night!!

 

[smidgy]

no way am I going back and forth to a locker everytime I want to read my book! should I read it standing my the locker. I suppose you don't mind my having a ciagarette standing by the locker either, as I'm not going back and forth from the locker to the dsa everytime I want a smoke. what about glasses? or hubby's hearing aids. they an't get wet. so he has to keep running to a locker everytime he is done in the water, just to hear?
and how do you fit a cooler in a locker?
last time we were there, there were tons of chairs, stacked, by crush and gusher. ok, maybe that's not where you want to sit. if you want a specific spot, you need to get there early! we want tobe close to the DSA, and we get there at park opening, to be assured of that.
no I'm not going and putting our stuff in a locker everytime we want to do something. no0, we don't set aside a big block of time to "do the slides" it's too hard on hubby's foot.

now, at the resort pools, of course you can't claim a chair in the morning and go to the parks or back tot he room to sleep. however, you have to leave the chair to swim? can I go to the bathroom? how about leaving "the pool are" because it's hot and I'm thirsty and paid for a refillable mug? can I refill it?
on another thread, someone thought I should lose the use of my chair if I leave the pool area to smoke.! ahem... obeying rules here... using the DSA, like we are supposed to.
I think most people understand the meaning behind the rules, stated rules or "unwritten" rules".

 

[Pirate Jeff]

Thanks -- that provides more information than the initial post. And yes, it appears as though the other folks were looking for a fight. Maybe they were just hot and tired, maybe they had been fighting in the car, maybe one told the other "we won't be able to find a good spot because you were so late getting ready" and so the other grabbed a 'good' spot just to prove a point. Who knows?

I still would have done as you did and walked away. It's just not worth it to me to start something over a shaded space at a water park. If there were plenty of other spaces, then I can certainly go to one of them too. Did the bully learn a lesson? No. But it's not my job to teach it to them on my vacation. And even though Pirate Jeff (and others) clearly advocate full-out confrontational mode including, but not limited to, "being carted off to the hoosegow", I have to wonder what THAT teaches the bullies too? All you're doing in that case is giving THEM ammunition to play 'victim'. Because unless you've got a whole passel of witnesses who saw the whole thing, start to finish, the guy causing the scene is going to be the guy taken away, and the rude people you're yelling AT will likely get an apology from the manager and the delight of watching YOUR day be ruined while they get the satisfaction of people walking up to them saying, "Wow -- what set that guy off? Are you guys okay?"



Oh ... and one of my all-time pet peeves are people who say, loudly enough for all to hear, "Look kids ... I'm so glad we're not rude like these people, blah, blah, blah." That whole "Look how much better we are than them" thing; the "I'm going to 'teach' my kids that this is wrong by totally blowing this instance out of proportion" method. Of course, YMMV as to how out of proportion it is or what that actually teaches your kids.

Searcher:

Don't get me wrong here, I think that most folks when approached with reason and respect can resolve many issues, without "confrontation". For the record, I haven't been hauled off to the hoosegow in over 30 years!

I admire greatly, someone whom can turn the other cheek, I wish I could more often! Wanting to be more pacific however, doesn't mean to ignore rudeness. In all honesty, I would not subject my children to such a display of intolerance, in reading my post over again, I regret saying that. My kids are long since moved out and have families of their own but I have no apology or regret, to not allow some stranger to yell at my kids for standing up for themselves. Unfortunately, on occasion that's what a person has to do..

And for the record, this thread is intriguing and remarkably, respectful for the most part!

 

[Poohchum]

I really think that a good Disney trip requires planning. I even find the planning fun.

I believe that this thread will be useful in planning in that it presents an opportunity to roleplay before actually facing a family like this. When someone takes over your spot- especially since this family had many, many other places within sight- it really makes you angry. Most of the "out-crazy the crazies" ideas went through my head.

The truth of the matter is the primary purpose of your vacation is to have fun and keep your family safe. When these people yelled at me to get out, I felt a desire to dig in my heels. Any time wasted on people like these types is too much.

The good news is that BB has plenty of cabanas and chairs. People like this are probably lazy, so walk to the cabana that is farthest away. The cabanas at the end of Streamboat Springs were empty after I ate lunch. They are private, but are still close to everything.

This lady had an annual pass-she told me. She also said that she knew how "the park worked" meaning that she knew that the managers would do nothing. If you meet this party pooper or somone like her, get away fast and go off and have a good time. Hopefully, Disney will find a way to deal with these bullies.

 

[Cee]

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.

That reminds me of "Braveheart" where they removed his arms and legs and sent them to the four corners of Britain as a warning.

 

[pkondz]

I can keep my book on my body, but I think it might get wet on the slides. and I've never "sauntered" in my life.

I sauntered once... didn't care for it. Now I sashay.

 

[smidgy]

a sashay only works if you pirouette at the end.

 

[2Tiggies]

I sauntered once... didn't care for it. Now I sashay.

a sashay only works if you pirouette at the end.

You guys are funny! Perhaps you could offer lessons in the relevant steps and use the proceeds to pay for a private cabana.

 

[Art 1]

I may have grabbed the guy by the neck and chocked him.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I may have grabbed the guy by the neck and chocked him.

And gotten permanently banned from the parks.

 

[pulphero]

I may have grabbed the guy by the neck and chocked him.

Chocked him? What if you didn't have a chock with you? It might then have gotten ugly fast...

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Chocked him? What if you didn't have a chock with you? It might then have gotten ugly fast...