I was shocked at AK

[busymomma123]

Last Saturday while at AK, I had my DS 19 months in a stroller. We had just started going through the trail for the gorilla sanctuary. We made the first stop, and listened to the CM tell about black and white monkeys. While I was walking beside her my DS went aaahooo. The lady stopped me and told me I had to keep him quiet at the gorilla sanctuary, or he would scare all the gorillas away. She said we needed to use church like voices. They don't like noise. I just walked on and almost turned back. Then I thought of the money I had invested in this trip, and I sure wasn't going to let her stop me. Then I got around to the actual place where you watch the gorillas, and noone was quiet. The CM was using a microphone to talk about the gorillas, and all the people were oohing and aaghing over the gorillas. I understand that I needed to keep him quiet, but it was just her tone that honked me off. I wanted to tell her, that if I knew how to keep toddlers quiet, I would have part of this parenting a toddler thing licked.

Sorry I am done venting now.

 

[Lora]

Was he making a gorilla sound? My dh did that and got in trouble. I completely understand the need to keep people from imitating the gorilla sounds. Maybe it was that and not just the volume.

 

[GEM]

We've always been told we have to be quiet in that area. Seems like a reasonable thing to request to me.

She said we needed to use church like voices. They don't like noise. I just walked on and almost turned back. Then I thought of the money I had invested in this trip, and I sure wasn't going to let her stop me.

Frankly, this is the kind of attitude that "honks" me off.

Little Johnny wants to run down the hall screaming at 7am? Let him! We paid a lot of money for our hotel room!

Little Susie wants to shriek at the top of her lungs all the way through the Cirque show. I'm not leaving! I paid a lot for these tickets.

Billy wants to chase the ducks on the beach. Why not? We're paying for this vacation!

That's a rotten way to think about it, in my opinion.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

If it makes you feel better, every time I've gone near the gorilla exhibit I've heard them "speaking to" people to be quiet near the gorilla- which yes, I couldn't understand since they are on a microphone. But it's not just you and DS.

 

[wrldpossibility]

Of course you can't do much to stop a 19-month-old from yelling out, but you can walk away to where you're not disturbing others. It's part of the whole "parenting a toddler thing".

It was not an unreasonable request, and probably next time you're there, your child will be older and able to watch the animals, and someone else will have the yelling toddler...when that's the case, you'll want them to step away, too.

My 20-month-old has been along for the ride numerous places like zoos, etc, and during presentations or shows I have done my share of walking to another area with him. Soon that stage will be over. But just because you paid a lot of $$ doesn't mean you get to disturb others (and gorillas in their home). We ALL paid for our trips.

 

[jennz]

I guess I'm a little confused...when I read your post I thought your DS made the sound and she "talked" to you and you felt like you wanted to leave because she was rude but decided you were not going to let a rude comment ruin your trip. I didn't get the impression that he was yelling the entire way. I totally understand how you felt and would have felt the same way. I've been confused in there too when they've told people to be quiet and then in the viewing area they're on the microphone and kids are leaning over and pounding on the plexiglass and having a big party.

I say - good for you for not letting her ruin your visit!

 

[GEM]

...when I read your post I thought your DS made the sound and she "talked" to you and you felt like you wanted to leave because she was rude but decided you were not going to let a rude comment ruin your trip.

How is it a rude comment to ask someone to be quiet in an area where quiet is needed and expected? There are signs posted reminding you to be quiet and the CMS are always reminding people. If someone asked me to please keep my little one quiet in that area, I might be embarassed - but I sure wouldn't be shocked. Why is that any more rude than asking people who are smoking in non-smoking areas to put out their cigarettes?

I've been confused in there too when they've told people to be quiet and then in the viewing area they're on the microphone and kids are leaning over and pounding on the plexiglass and having a big party.

I've been in that area probably 50 times and have never seen anything like that. The person with the microphone is usally speaking very calmly and pretty quietly, actually. And, people are generally whispering and pointing. I've never heard anyone shouting, and I've certainly never seen anyone pounding on the glass! I have no doubt that a CM would step in immediately if that occurred. I have heard the CMs remind people many times to be quiet, and I've seen lots of mothers (myself included) hurry their littles ones on through if they are being too loud.

It's like many other areas, if they can't behave appropriately, they shouldn't be there. We always let our toddler look at the gorillas and when he got loud, we left in a hurry.

We like to enjoy nice dinners at Disney World, but I guarantee that if my little one started acting up and making noise, either my DH or I picked him up and scooted out to the lobby ASAP. No way would I sit there and think, "I paid for this dinner, so I'm not leaving!"

 

[misshilda1]

I absolutley understand that if your child were annoying the animals or acting out in public how others might be offended. But I fail to see how simply being observant is cause for anyone to scold you or your child.As long as we're observing the park rules and being considerate to each other I fail to see how anyone can decide to tell you anything. From what you've posted it seems to me like you or your child were not doing anything wrong. Come on people this lady isn't saying anything about her child acting out such as running down the halls of the motel and disturbing people. Stuff like that would be totally out of line and would tick me off too. but I believe this is different. And I really don't feel she is being snobby like well I paid I'll do as I want I think she is simply stating that she also paid so she had a right to be there also.....By all means if you or your children do not know how to act then don't ruin it for others but goodness babies and toddlers learn by sight sound and exploring it's the only time in life when they are innocent to the bad in this world and who are we to take the magic and wonder of it all away. I think it's great in this age that someone even tries to take their child somewhere special like this and teach them things rather then throw them away or neglect them..Can't we just all get along!! And again I state if you don't know how to act in public stay home but from what this lady has said please let's stop flaming her becasue her child said ooohhhh

 

[GEM]

Sorry, but what bugs me is that people get so offended or shocked when anyone dares say anything to them or their children about rules, proper behavior, etc. It's the attitude of, "I paid a lot for my trip so I'm going to ignore the CM who was RUDE enough to suggest that I keep my child quiet in a quiet area," that bothers me.

The CM wasn't rude. She was simply doing her job. Good heavens, she didnt say, "Get that brat out of here!" or "Shut that kid up!" She just pointed out the need for quiet in the gorilla area. I don't see how that is taking anyone's "magic" or "wonder" away or spoiling the innocnece of childhood. Seriously.


Anyway, sorry for getting so worked up and I'll drop it now. Bye.

 

[busymomma123]

Sorry for venting here. Maybe I was overreacting. It was just very irritating the way she said to me. He wasn't screaming. He just made a noise, like a typical one, that that age would do. He wasn't being anymore overactive than normal. It was just annoying when he wasn't doing anything loud. At the actual viewing of the gorillas, there was a lot of people there, and they were not using church like voices. The CM with the microphone wasn't whispering either. He was talking in a normal voice.
I have three small children. I know what its like to try to keep them quiet. I go out of my way to keep them from annoying other people. I don't let my children run up and down the hallways at 7 a.m. of the hotel just because I have paid a lot of money for a vacation. I only do that when the vacation is free. That said, I also know that kids will be kids most of the time. I am not going to muzzle my child to keep him quiet to look at gorillas. I will do everything I can to keep him from bothering other guests though.
Please don't think bad of me. I just have a hard time when somone gets annoyed at a normal child just being normal. I have more patience for kids being kids, than I do for the rude adults I came across last week.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I've got a story that I think can beat it!

I was at Conservation Station a few years back and leaned in to take a closer look at what a CM inside of one of the glassed-in rooms was doing, and apparently I was closer to the glass than I thought.

I banged my head into it - HARD. So hard that I had a red mark on my forehead.

A CM standing nearby came over to me, in front of a large group of people and reprimanded me for tapping on the glass. This was beyond a tap, but whatever - to him I was breaking the rules. To me, I was breaking my skull.

The glass needs one of those signs: "Items are closer than they appear". That's some thick glass! 'Sokay though; I have an even thicker head.

To this day, whenever I peer into a glass window, or especially when we go back to CS, my family warns me not to "tap" on the glass.

 

[Robmom]

He obviously wasn't making that much of noise. I guess the CMs just have to say that anyway. I have a 17 month old and I know what it is like. You have no way of controlling them. They are not at an age where you can control the noises they make. When they are a little older, it's a different story.

 

[matt&jakesmom]

I've got a story that I think can beat it!

I was at Conservation Station a few years back and leaned in to take a closer look at what a CM inside of one of the glassed-in rooms was doing, and apparently I was closer to the glass than I thought.

I banged my head into it - HARD. So hard that I had a red mark on my forehead.

A CM standing nearby came over to me, in front of a large group of people and reprimanded me for tapping on the glass. This was beyond a tap, but whatever - to him I was breaking the rules. To me, I was breaking my skull.

The glass needs one of those signs: "Items are closer than they appear". That's some thick glass! 'Sokay though; I have an even thicker head.

To this day, whenever I peer into a glass window, or especially when we go back to CS, my family warns me not to "tap" on the glass.

Thanks for making my afternoon. That was too funny!!!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Thanks for making my afternoon. That was too funny!!!

You want to hear something even more strange? It's actually one of my family's most fond vacation memories.

"Remember Mom, when you banged your head on the glass at the Animal Kingdom?"

"Remember Mom, when you got in trouble at the Animal Kingdom?"



Then there's the time I walked into a glass wall in front of a bunch of people...

 

[rt2dz]

How is it a rude comment to ask someone to be quiet in an area where quiet is needed and expected? There are signs posted reminding you to be quiet and the CMS are always reminding people. If someone asked me to please keep my little one quiet in that area, I might be embarassed - but I sure wouldn't be shocked. Why is that any more rude than asking people who are smoking in non-smoking areas to put out their cigarettes?





I've been in that area probably 50 times and have never seen anything like that. The person with the microphone is usally speaking very calmly and pretty quietly, actually. And, people are generally whispering and pointing. I've never heard anyone shouting, and I've certainly never seen anyone pounding on the glass! I have no doubt that a CM would step in immediately if that occurred. I have heard the CMs remind people many times to be quiet, and I've seen lots of mothers (myself included) hurry their littles ones on through if they are being too loud.

It's like many other areas, if they can't behave appropriately, they shouldn't be there. We always let our toddler look at the gorillas and when he got loud, we left in a hurry.

We like to enjoy nice dinners at Disney World, but I guarantee that if my little one started acting up and making noise, either my DH or I picked him up and scooted out to the lobby ASAP. No way would I sit there and think, "I paid for this dinner, so I'm not leaving!"

This is such a great example of how two people can read the same thing and have two totally different interpretations.

When I read the op, I read a one-time noise at normal toddler level. You read consistent, top of the lungs yelling. I read it wasn't what was said, but how. And by that I mean, tone of voice, not word choice. You read that the op was ignoring rules period and overly offended at nothing. I read that the op made a decision that what happened wasn't beyond normal/breaking the rules/consistently annoying behavior, but typical and decided to go on since she had paid $$ for the vacation. You read I feel entitled to do whatever I want since I paid $$ for the vacation & to heck with everyone else, including the CMs. I read what the toddler did as way less than what was going on. You read the ops toddler should be given a pass because he is a toddler.

 

[jenelope]

I was always under the impression that the CMs were able to use the microphone in the viewing room because the Plexiglass muffled the sound. On the observation trail, the gorillas would be able to hear much better because it's open air. I haven't seen anyone banging on the Plexiglass, but that area does seem a lot more noisy.

 

[fakereadhed]

While I was walking beside her my DS went aaahooo. The lady stopped me and told me I had to keep him quiet at the gorilla sanctuary, or he would scare all the gorillas away.

I wanted to tell her, that if I knew how to keep toddlers quiet, I would have part of this parenting a toddler thing licked.

Sorry I am done venting now.

Apparently, if you want to vent around here you'll get worse than the gorilla lady gave you.

As a mom of a toddler, it is pretty annoying when you're in a child friendly place with exciting scenery and they want you to get them to act like they do at church. Not gonna happen!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

You want to hear something even more strange? It's actually one of my family's most fond vacation memories.

"Remember Mom, when you banged your head on the glass at the Animal Kingdom?"

"Remember Mom, when you got in trouble at the Animal Kingdom?"



Then there's the time I walked into a glass wall in front of a bunch of people...

Unrelated to the topic of Disney...in college at a Gator Football game--they have a rule of not throwing the cup lids. Someone asked me for mine (first game, I'm naive) and he tosses it. Police Officer gets both of us and puts us in "timeout". (Makes us wait in a spot that we cannot see the game.)

The PO proceeds to reprimand me for giving him the lid. The guy is even saying that he threw it that I didn't do anything wrong. (Seriously, no rule about not sharing the lids). But the PO was all--well had you not given him the lid.....

I was soooo embarrassed and was always reminded to not give my lids to other people after that.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Apparently, if you want to vent around here you'll get worse than the gorilla lady gave you.

As a mom of a toddler, it is pretty annoying when you're in a child friendly place with exciting scenery and they want you to get them to act like they do at church. Not gonna happen!

Then they ask yo to leave if you can't keep them quiet.


There are plenty exciting things at Disney--then there are times to do your best to keep your child quiet.

While OP's child problem wasn't a repeat offender..how many times a day do you think the CM encounters noisy children in that attraction? Better to nip it in the bud then to wait until it gets out of control. She doens't know which children will carry on and which ones won't and it is her duty to remind people...regardless of age that they need to keep quiet in that section if they get too loud, even if it was just one word/sound/whatever.

 

[lillygator]

FWIW - I have been to that plexiglass area hundreds of times and it is almost always wall to wall people/stroller/wheelchairs/evcs smushing together trying to get to the glass. It has NEVER been quiet or really even pleasent in that "room".