Jedi Training Fiasco (SP???)

[dobtia]

We are huge Star Wars fans.

My son and I have watched the show a couple of times from nearer the back. I agree about everyone can not win. Now we have a several YMCA trophies, and I have told my son that changes as we get older. I coached high school football and baseball in Texas. It gets tougher as you get older. We have to learn that lesson.

Now back to the Jedi Academy. I have no problem with how the the kids are picked per say. I dont know how hard it would be to make the area, or another area, some type of theater. Kind of like Turtle Talk. Kids up front together. Parents towards the back. Let a certain number of peopel in per show. That would get rid of some of the pushing. Our last trip in June we almost say two women go at it jockeying over space. Eliminate that part.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

CMs gave out stickers as we were lined up along the parade route and then pulled the kids with the stickers on when it was time. This way CMs could give out stickers (which you put on your shirt to show you were chosen) to those kids that arrive early for the show.

1) So,
2) With this known, most would now show up early.
3) If more kids show up than can participate, how does a CM chose who gets stickers?
4) I am sorry, but there is no plan to please everyone.

 

[thomas998]

In both the Jedi training and Captain Jack's pirate tutorial, some kids wont get picked... But I don't know of any way other than the current way that they could select kids. When people mention things like a lottery or fastpass I think they miss one big problem... not all kids are cut out to get up in front of a bunch of people... I can imagine the kid that is so shy he hangs on to mom and dad and is afraid of his shadow, yet mom or dad get him up there because they won the lottery or got the magic ticket... would that be entertaining to see some little shy kids that doesn't really want to be there get push up there because his parents were lucky? Same thing goes for a first come first serve system... because in the end there are some parents that don't see just how shy their kids are.

The current system allows the CMs to try and get a read on which kids are likely to work in the show... if you take that away, which is what any other system would do, the show would suffer and often times be down right painful for anyone to watch.

Yes there will be some sad kids... but sooner or later everyone needs to learn that you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might find
you get what you need...

 

[magicaldisney]

1) So,
2) With this known, most would now show up early.
3) If more kids show up than can participate, how does a CM chose who gets stickers?
4) I am sorry, but there is no plan to please everyone.

It's called.... FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. I think giving stickers (or something) is a great idea. When they reach their limit, anyone wanting to go on stage would need to come back for another show. That would be no different than the child who doesn't get picked and comes back to another show to try again.

 

[bytheblood]

I'm sorry to the OP but if you knew going in there that there was a strong possibility that your child wasn't going to be picked, why was he that upset?

Perhaps maybe simply because he is a kid?

 

[LilGMom]

It took us four trips before my oldest DS was picked, lol. We told him from the get-go that being picked is a completley random thing. Since we are all SW fans we enjoyed watching the show each time but I know by the fourth trip and probably about the third try during that trip my DS was a little bummed. I think he got bummed because of the actions of some of the 'stage' parents. When you have a parent that is sitting next to their child prior to the show and then that parent stands up and blocks other children, including your child, it is a little disappointing. When I asked my DS if he could see after this woman stood up she shot me a dirty look and said "I just want my DS to get picked". Then my DS saw parents pushing their kids forward even though they hadn't been picked and he commented about it.

He knew going to the shows that the odds were good that he'd be in the audience each show and he was ok with it. We were fortunate that on our last day this past May the Force was strong in him that day and he got picked.

 

[Narnia]

Personally Disney needs to step up and stop the abuse towards children. It's really wrong for adults to push there kids in front of other kids. I'm sorry but I really think Disney is to blaim not the op's kid. The kid was there first but yet he was pushed around.

 

[inkkognito]

I'm sorry but I really think Disney is to blaim not the op's kid. The kid was there first but yet he was pushed around.

Disney is to blame for parents' rudeness? No, the ones to blame are those who show no regard for others. I know personal responsibility is in the ICU and gasping its last breath, but this isn't Disney...it's rude, self-centered jerks.

 

[WDSearcher]

Personally Disney needs to step up and stop the abuse towards children. It's really wrong for adults to push there kids in front of other kids. I'm sorry but I really think Disney is to blaim not the op's kid. The kid was there first but yet he was pushed around.

And what should Disney do, exactly? Post Security guards at all shows? This is not Disney's fault -- it's the aggressive parent's fault. Who would be served by, say, Disney Security pushing in at that moment, grabbing the offending parent (and the child, who isn't at fault, not to mention the rest of the party, who will surely follow) and pulling them out? Security would also have to take statements from the people the parent pushed in front of (like the OP), meaning that that child can't participate either. It would be absolutely impossible for Disney to try and make all the parents in the park behave.

There is no "abuse" going on here. The OP's child was pushed aside by a rude person. That's not abuse. That's rudeness. It's not like the parent in question backhanded the OPs child or threatend himw ith harm or pushed him to the ground causing injury. Let's not make this worse than it was. Sheesh.

 

[Doc CW]

I'm sorry your kid got so upset and I hope that if you decide to go back your kid will be picked first to be trained

 

[glitterkittyy]

Disney is to blame for parents' rudeness? No, the ones to blame are those who show no regard for others. I know personal responsibility is in the ICU and gasping its last breath, but this isn't Disney...it's rude, self-centered jerks.

I dunno about you, but my lawsuit is pending for the extra baggage I got from those funnel cakes from Sleepy Hollow. It's Disney's fault for selling them to me.

Whoops, to the OP, I'm sorry your son wasn't picked. I'm sure he had a fabulous WDW trip regardless.

 

[Withacy]

I'm not so much in favor of the "first come" policy either. While I don't like actions of rude, pushy parents, I'm sure that the CM try to pick kids they think best suited. I'm only seeing a different in degrees between the parents who push their kids ahead of other kids and parents who get all bent out of shape because their child wasn't picked. Both seem to think their child is OWED something.

I'm just picturing parents forcing their kids to stand in line for hours (skip the current show - let's stand in line for the NEXT show so we'll be first) with kids who'd rather be having fun just because Mom or Dad wants the kid to get on stage. At some point you just need to take a deep breath, a step back, and think about what your priorities are.

 

[bonybroad]

I agree about the trophies and awards mentioned by previous posters. I would also like to add that parents are SO invested in their children's happiness - it seems that nothing stands in the way of those parents. My kids wanted picked, too. It didn't work out that way.
I see this as a problem. Everything in our children's life MUST be a "scrap-book worthy" moment. Everything has to be a treasured memory. Everything has to be magical and perfect and there could never be any disappointment in any aspect.
This is NOT directed at the OP at all - my kids were just as upset, trust me.
This is just a general observation about society today.
It is not a parent's job to make sure their kid gets everything he/she wants. It's their job to teach them how to deal with what they have!
/soapbox...

 

[Harambe]

I know the OP just wanted to vent and I don't blame him. He brought his little guy FOUR times and still he didn't get picked. That's hard to explain to a 6YO. But that's part of life, along with the pushing parents and line-cutting kids.

I also agree with the whole "trophy for everything" problem. I told my daughter that when she made the varsity softball team, I'd by her a high school jacket - not before. She made JV this past year (freshmen), and I still didn't buy her a jacket, even tho one of her friends has one and didn't even try out for the team. She plays town sports and her parents ordered her a special one from the town sports shop!!!

Now my daughter's jacket - when she earns it - has already lost some of its meaning.

I say kudos to the OP for having a great parenting style, and I hope your little guy has better luck next time.

 

[mrbghd]

There is no guranteed right to be picked for anything in life. I am sorry but that is just the way life goes. Unfortunately kids are taught that they are deserving of special treatment and awards fore everything they do. the facts are thsi soemtimes you get picked and soemtimes you don't. Think of hiw many people try to do the Jedi Training a day and they can only pick so many kids. the law of numbers say that some will get left out. If your child is crying and mad becasue they did not get picked they were either (not mature enough to be doing the activity anyway, or (b) guilty of thinking they are more sepcial than anyone else. I knwo the OP just wanted to vent but so did I. Why is one kid any more deserving than any other????

 

[CanadianGuy]

I have purchased, in my lifetime, over 933 lottery tickets. And I have not been picked yet. Who can I sue?

Seriously tho, like almost anything in life, there will be disappointment at Disney.

"I didn't get picked for..."
"We didn't get the room request.."
"No free upgrade to a deluxe from a value today.."
"I didn't win anything from the DreamTeam.."
"Oh my GOSH, they are completely out of churros! Call 9-1-1."

The last one is really my complaint on my last trip. Nevermind that one.

As with all things in parenting, teaching your child how they respond to whatever life throws at them, is pretty much the only thing 100% in their control.

With parents who seem to 'get ahead' with less than ideal tricks.. I have determined in life that karma is very much a boomerang. Perhaps they'll get stuck on "Its a Small World" later or wait an extra 60 minutes for a bus later on..

Whatever you wanna think it is.. things WILL even out in the long run.

And as a side note, my best friend as a child had TWO 'half-empty-glass' parents. Nothing was EVER good enough for their precious snowflake. He loved to go places with my family because we took wonder in the small stuff and never sweated what 'could have been'.

I dreaded going anywhere with his family because it was like the Bickersons all day, everyday, non-stop. So, in his case, yeah if his parents had ever deigned to take him to Disney World, he might have got picked for Jedi Academy. Maybe.

But after all he put up with from those two supposed 'adults' who were his parents, he would have been owed SO much more than that.

KWIM?

As for the methodology used when 'picking' .. no system will really any better or worse than what's in place. If you make it first come first served people will line up for the 3:15pm show starting at park opening. That's not helpful. Not to the family that chooses to do it, and not to the rest of the people in the park who want a reasonable chance without herculean efforts.

Then the only people that got to do it would the crazies who sacrificed an entire day of their vacation waiting in the hot Florida sun and doing nothing else all so "Frankie or Barbie" could beat Darth Maul (tip, he's paid to lose!.. Hope I'm not giving too much away there!)

And the first come first served method does not help the CM's manning the attraction pick children who will 'work' for the purposes of the show. And that is pretty vital for presentations like the Jedi Academy.

Knox

 

[GrowingUpDisney]

I dunno about you, but my lawsuit is pending for the extra baggage I got from those funnel cakes from Sleepy Hollow. It's Disney's fault for selling them to me.

Whoops, to the OP, I'm sorry your son wasn't picked. I'm sure he had a fabulous WDW trip regardless.

Hey...can I get in on that - better yet, we could get up a class action suit! LOL

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Personally Disney needs to step up and stop the abuse towards children. It's really wrong for adults to push there kids in front of other kids. I'm sorry but I really think Disney is to blaim not the op's kid. The kid was there first but yet he was pushed around.

I'm drawing a blank as to what you mean here. How is Disney abusing children? Why are they to blame? What do they need to be blamed for? You can't just make a statement like you have without explaining yourself. I really don't know what you mean.

 

[livndisney]

I have purchased, in my lifetime, over 933 lottery tickets. And I have not been picked yet. Who can I sue?

Seriously tho, like almost anything in life, there will be disappointment at Disney.

"I didn't get picked for..."
"We didn't get the room request.."
"No free upgrade to a deluxe from a value today.."
"I didn't win anything from the DreamTeam.."
"Oh my GOSH, they are completely out of churros! Call 9-1-1."

The last one is really my complaint on my last trip. Nevermind that one.

As with all things in parenting, teaching your child how they respond to whatever life throws at them, is pretty much the only thing 100% in their control.


Knox

I can't tell you the number of times we have watched the Jedi show and my child has never been picked. As much as she would LOVE to battle Darth it has not happened. No big deal, it may happen it may not. We just enjoy the parks.

Seriously they ran out of CHURROS? How is that even possible? Was security called? I would have been so BUMMED to find out they ran out of churros. Would not have ruined my trip, but would give me a GREAT reason to plan another one LOL

 

[DVC Mary]

SW is a crazy weekend to try get picked. The crowds are just too huge. The odds are against you. Funky hats often got the attention of the guy picking kids.

We have a 3 strikes & your out policy. They get 3 attempts per trip--not per day. We don't watch unless they get picked. They've seen it so many times & they don't complain unless we stay & watch. We've been lucky enough to have one of both of them get picked every trip except SW weekend.

We don't even try SW weekend--the crowds & the heat are too much. And no offense to the SW hard core fans (b/c I'm a DIStard according to my DH) but the hard core SW fans can be a little bit crazy that weekend about getting their kids picked.

If your son knows his SW trivia, you could sign him up 1st thing in the a.m. for the trivia game--but get there early.