Lounge chair etiquette

[Shellyb84]

If it's just a resort pool towel and no personal belongings, we will move them. Also I have noticed at some resorts (GF and BC) that CMs come around every so often and remove them.

 

[disnut8]

It comes down to just being considerate of other people. It would be awesome if the CM's could monitor unused loungers with towels simply sitting on them for extended time periods, but sounds like too much work for something that should just be simple. Personally, if we are at the pool, we have other things sitting on the chairs and if we are getting food..one person stays.

But, if you are just two people, that isn't always possible. My husband and I have had our chairs "removed" when we went to get food at a pool. We had our sneakers to the side with our stuff in those and our towels on the chairs. We came back, chairs were gone, sneakers were still there with towels on top and we were left with two trays of food, no place to sit and a huge family nearby who had the chairs and didn't even bother to offer us anything. So, we took the towels, laid them where the chairs used to be, put the trays on the ground and ate like that. The only person from the big group who said anything to us during the entire time was a teenage boy who brought the two chairs back over after the group was done and mumbled, "we shouldn't have done that."

 

[WhispyPixie]

But, if you are just two people, that isn't always possible. My husband and I have had our chairs "removed" when we went to get food at a pool. We had our sneakers to the side with our stuff in those and our towels on the chairs. We came back, chairs were gone, sneakers were still there with towels on top and we were left with two trays of food, no place to sit and a huge family nearby who had the chairs and didn't even bother to offer us anything. So, we took the towels, laid them where the chairs used to be, put the trays on the ground and ate like that. The only person from the big group who said anything to us during the entire time was a teenage boy who brought the two chairs back over after the group was done and mumbled, "we shouldn't have done that."

I am so sorry that happened to you! I would be quite upset as well! Once again it comes down to people being inconsiderate. Good to hear that the teen boy had enough respect of decency to say something. Too many people live with the mindset of entitlement. They think, "I paid for this trip, I am going to have what I want, regardless of how it might effect someone else." Unfortunately Disney is certainly not exempt for its far share of unthoughtfulness.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I wish more pools had free poolside lockers or cubbies.

We tend to go to the pool for 1-2hours tops, and spend most of our time in the water. We only sit for about the last ten minutes while we dry off, but where do we leave our stuff?

In most cases, the only option we have is to put our stuff down on a chair. We tend to share one chair per two people.

I don't like hogging a chair I'm not really using, and I also dislike that our stuff is left out in the open.

We tend to wrap some of our stuff up in the towels, like soda cans (to keep them cold). But I'm always kind of scared someone's going to come along and grab it because we aren't right there.

I really wish there was a better alternative.

Call me crazy, but I think it is inconsiderate to hog one of the few tables all day if you are not actually eating or have (something like) a medical need for the shade, or are over age 65-ish. If everyone followed this rule, we'd all be better off. Though I get where some people feel like they can't afford to share the tables with other families, because they know another family will just hog it the rest of the day. Sigh.

 

[DVC-Don]

I've removed towels before and only once did someone come back. They showed up after we had been there an hour and said they had "reserved" our chairs. I told them the life guard must have removed them before we got there. They moved on.

 

[FindMeAFishingSpot]

I really cringe at this. I wear leg braces and can only walk for very short distances when I take them off. I love the pool but dread trying to find a spot close enough to the stairs to make it to and from my shoes. Last time, I only found a spot a considerable (for me) distance away and DS8 fell atop the slide (poor kid has the same condition in his feet that I have). The lifeguard had to take him to the chair I found as he was bleeding considerably and I had to slowly maneuver myself around until I could reach him and help out. Folks who hoard lounge chairs make it very difficult for those who may need them.

 

[kreckl]

.

 

[Figmentmommy]

But, if you are just two people, that isn't always possible. My husband and I have had our chairs "removed" when we went to get food at a pool. We had our sneakers to the side with our stuff in those and our towels on the chairs. We came back, chairs were gone, sneakers were still there with towels on top and we were left with two trays of food, no place to sit and a huge family nearby who had the chairs and didn't even bother to offer us anything. So, we took the towels, laid them where the chairs used to be, put the trays on the ground and ate like that. The only person from the big group who said anything to us during the entire time was a teenage boy who brought the two chairs back over after the group was done and mumbled, "we shouldn't have done that."

That's ridiculous! If I came across lounge chairs that had shoes next to them - with or without belongings stuffed in them, I would consider them being used and keep on looking. The nerve - Some people just never cease to amaze me!

 

[thats_so_pj]

I've found at some resorts people will go during the night and put a towel down on a chair so they can reserve it. The people who work at the resorts always try to move these towels. You can't reserve lounge chairs but if you see someones belongings under them with a towel they are probably just taking a swim or something and will be back in a minute.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I only put my stuff on a chair if we are at the pool. Never to hold a spot while we go elsewhere. I will say I leave more than just a towel. I'll put our sunscreen, mugs, sunglasses, shoes, etc. So there are things there. Sometimes we don't even take 4 chairs since my kids literally live in the pool.

I moved someone's towels at CBR once. I think I've done it at SAB also. I just moved the towel to the next chair. Can they really remember exactly which chair? They never came back anyway.

 

[DSLRuser]

I move their stuff.

Same. if I see a towel only, or a towel and half a newspaper with no signs of life. No shoes, no shirt, no bag. It is now mine. I pick it up and move it to the side. 1x someone has challenged me on this. I got a pool deck manager and long story short, i kept the seats.

Don't be intimidated by rude people.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I really cringe at this. I wear leg braces and can only walk for very short distances when I take them off. I love the pool but dread trying to find a spot close enough to the stairs to make it to and from my shoes. Last time, I only found a spot a considerable (for me) distance away and DS8 fell atop the slide (poor kid has the same condition in his feet that I have). The lifeguard had to take him to the chair I found as he was bleeding considerably and I had to slowly maneuver myself around until I could reach him and help out. Folks who hoard lounge chairs make it very difficult for those who may need them.

I feel for people in your situation. In all seriousness, I know we won't be using the seat very much, so we readily try to find one in a less prime spot.

Sometimes, we have even left our stuff on a decorative rock, but then for some reason, people give us dirty looks, like maybe they think we snuck in or something?

 

[DG25]

I agree with the person who stated she did not think people should take up a table all day long. I understand some people take pools days, but there are very few tables and others like to eat at a table and they should not be hogged by someone who wants a pool day, Disney does offer cabanas for those who need one all day, and it should be paid for.

Personally due to the rudeness of people, I usually choose a quiet pool where I have better luck getting a chair, and also better like of not being greeted by families who forget they have children to watch. I think I find that more ignoring than not having a chair. Two years ago was my first and last time ever to try SAB, no matter what others think, I would not pay 2 cents to go there again, kids unruly splashing, yes it's a pool and no I don't mind getting wet, but they sell buckets for the food that kids with no parents fill up and dump on you over and over again. In AKL parents and teens in a very crowded pool thought it was a nice way to play a game with a soaking wet ball and hit the blind lady, not once but twice, in the back, leaving welts, the second time I was knocked under water and a life guide who notices I was blind jumped in. Did these parents or teens say anything, no just kept on playing.

So for those who take a table all day long and think they should be allowed, you should either rent a cabana, or go to the quiet pool. For those like me who want a lounge chair I go to the quiet pool. Not to say I never use the feature pool, when with granddaughter I do. But I now pick the pools better, SAB would never get a vote, neither would poly, or AKL. I like CR and WL. I find if people want a lounge they need to put more than a towel, because if only a towel, I will remove it and sit. When and if you are ready to sit, than find a seat, if you are not going to sit for 2 hours than move your stuff and let someone else use the chair until your ready to sit, by then the chair may be empty again.

 

[Jules76126]

I agree that people should not be leaving just towels on lounge chairs to hold their spot for some "later" time, whenever that may be (after breakfast, after the parks, etc.). We have certainly moved these towels before. We normally stay at BCV and go to SAB. These placeholder towels are plentiful there. My most recent stay was this past November and it was very warm so we visited the pools most afternoons. I did notice the staff picking up the left over towels freeing the chairs up. Also if you hung out for little while, you could quickly pick out which chairs/tables were in use and which were not. We tend to prefer to grab a table (as we generally eat lunch or a snack and it’s easier to converse around a table than trying to talk to people down a line of loungers). If we go to grab food, we make sure to leave personal items with our towels that include t-shirts, cover-ups, sunscreen, bags, mugs, etc. And we make sure to stack personal items on our chairs. There is nothing more frustrating than coming back with a tray of food to find your table unoccupied, but the chairs missing. We do go in the pool, but make sure we are never gone too long as we wouldn’t want to hog a table if we were not going to utilize it. However, I don’t agree that you shouldn’t be allowed to sit at a table if you aren’t eating. All the tables are first come, first serve and if someone got there before me, then they are entitled to that table until they so choose to leave. If I want a table, I will watch for a group leaving and kindly ask if the table is free. I do the same when we leave the pool – look for a family that is eyeing the table and make sure they receive it.