Saving rows of seats for others in the Walt Disney Theater: Enough Already!!!

[Stinkerbe11]

I haven't come across this before, but I have not been on a Disney cruise (I have been on RCCL & CCL).

You are scaring me now that if my mom or I have to go to the washroom (I always show up 30 minutes before the show starts), that I am going to have someone yelling at me or my mom. What if I put a jacket on the seat? Will they leave us alone?

You really shouldn't have a problem if its just 1 or 2 seats. The problem is when a large group sends 1 or 2 people to save a huge group of seats or in some cases the entire row

 

[ramkam]

The bathroom issue was not a seat saving issue. The person was there and she left briefly to use the restroom. Similarly it is not wrong to "save" a deck chair while you are in the pool. Nothing wrong with leaving your chair for some pool time and coming back. Once again, you are there. Seat saving consists of folks who save seats or chairs for folks who are not there. The bathroom case was a misunderstanding. However, it shows how on edge folks get because of all the actual seat saving that goes on. Folks who get to the theater on time or early to get the seats they want should not be inconvenienced by people who think they have more important things to do than get to the theater and sit down. If you cannot get there early then sit in the back, the seats are not bad.

 

[Aigantighe]

Is there enough seats for everyone and the issue around saving seats is just the quality of seat you get? Sailing for the first time in January and now I am worried we might miss out on shows if not enough seats for our family of 4.

 

[mmouse37]

Is there enough seats for everyone and the issue around saving seats is just the quality of seat you get? Sailing for the first time in January and now I am worried we might miss out on shows if not enough seats for our family of 4.

there are enough seats and 90 percent of them are great views....some people just like to save seats for their whole group.

MJ

 

[lbgraves]

There are enough seats for everyone in each seating, though they may not all be together if you wait until 10 minutes or less before the show begins.

A few cruises ago there was a large family group who would try to save three rows of seats. Last cruise I mentioned what happened in front of us for two nights to the CM at the door. A couple girls attempted to save 12 seats. They were extremely rude to everyone, especially an elderly couple. One of the girls laid down across the arms of some of the chairs. They asked one of the waiters to help them save the seats and he just smiled and didn't say a word. This made me laugh and when the older girl looked back at me I told her sweetie, he's not going to help you save seats because it's against the rules to do that. He smiled a little bigger and walked away. The worst part was no one ever came to sit with them during that show. The CM was walking around the front and saw the girls trying to do the same thing. She told them they were not able to save the seats. The girls got up and left after calling someone on their wave phone.

ETA: The major vent I have about the theater is that the people behind us always seem to think that whatever they want to talk about is more important than anyone around them hearing what is going on on the stage. I find that extremely rude behavior towards the entertainers, and rude to those around them. Whenever the music gets louder, so do their voices. My kids have been taught how to behave when in any theater. It's sad when adults can't do the same.

 

[Lynda Silk]

On one of our Disney cruises, there was a family saving two entire rows. So many people were turned away from these seats and it wasn't until 5 minutes before the show began that the other family members showed up. A lot of little children ended up sitting way in the back when they could have had a much better view if the seats weren't being saved.

I agree that DCL must take a stronger stand and put a stop to this. A CM was asked to talk to the seat savers but he didn't do anything about it! I couldn't believe it!

 

[Dizzyworld]

I agree it is up to Disney- problem is there was no CM to complain to at last night's show- it was all waiters....we did put something about it on the comment card in the "problems" section...

They need to have a couple of CMs down front to monitor this issue and in case someone has questions. However Disney seems to look the other way when there is a possible confrontation.

When we were on our first cruise there was a lady sitting at the end of a row and little reserved signs were on all the chairs. About 5 minutes before the show started about 10 family members arrived and the lady collected the signs and placed them in her purse?!?! Now that's taking set saving to a whole new level.

WOW

 

[WallaceFamily]

I wonder why the CMs won't help stop the seat savers when it is against the rules to save seats? Do they enjoy the confrontations and frustrations of the cruisers or are they told not to interfere?

I only have a family of 4 and will sit ourselves down in the four best empty seats that we find when we arrive in the theater which is usually 20-30 minutes before the show.

And why do adults send their kids to do the dirty job of saving seats??? Pathetic.

 

[sharksfinatic17]

Watching people saving seats became entertainment for us on our Fantasy cruise last month. We were a group of ten that always came down together or pretty close. We took the stance that if the seats were taken before our entire party got there, oh well. This one family sent their teenage daughters to save an entire row. When a family came and sat down right in the middle of them, they didn't know what to do. I felt bad for them because they were sent by their parents to do something that was near impossible to complete. On the other hand, there was an older women who had the death look reserved for anyone who thought she could take the seats she was saving/laying on. Like I said at the beginning, we had a 30 minute show every night before the real show started.

 

[bats]

Just off the Magic and pleased to say that we didn't experience the seat savers!! We were always 15-20 minutes early, sat towards the back as we like quick exits and had great views every time (4 adults though).

We did experience plenty of chatting though, but a quick tap on the shoulder and the universal language of 'shhhh' or finger to lips sorted it.
Loads of late arrivals, especially for the last evenings 6:30 show .. Perhaps people skipped their dinner to attend the early show then do their packing. The theatre was jammed with groups of people wandering up and down the aisles trying to find seats (after the show had started). Would have helped if CMs had a small torch as cinema staff do so they can point out empty seats. Trying to find a seat in the dark is almost impossible at the best of times.

 

[Zeppelin]

Is there enough seats for everyone and the issue around saving seats is just the quality of seat you get? Sailing for the first time in January and now I am worried we might miss out on shows if not enough seats for our family of 4.

we were always able to find seats together....the issue is we could've had better viewing seats were it not for people who were saving 7/8/9 seats for others...

 

[wdwlover25]

Is there enough seats for everyone and the issue around saving seats is just the quality of seat you get? Sailing for the first time in January and now I am worried we might miss out on shows if not enough seats for our family of 4.

The problem mainly exists in the center first few rows. We like center seats a few rows back and arrive approximately 30 minutes before showtime. Never a problem getting seats in this area for the three of us. My DH might stop in the shops and I'll need to save one seat for a few minutes. But he knows its very rude to show up at the last minute. Never had any issues with one seat.

It's these hugely obnoxious people... Last cruise was grandma... That think their entire extended family is entitled to the second or third row by arriving 5 minutes before showtime. Me and those around me that also arrived 30 mins prior talk about how Disney really needs to enforce their own policy.

So many nice people arrive early and should be seated in a prime seat but to avoid confrontation avoid the seat saver and look elsewhere. I've yet to see someone politely say seat saving is prohibited and just sit there.

All Disney needs to do is place a single CM in this front section. It's certainly not difficult to spot the culprits.

 

[Maryrn11168]

This problem is not unique to Disney shows. As long as there are shows, Kindergarten plays, school concerts, etc., that does not have assigned seating you will people hoarding seats. So complain if it makes you feel better, but unless they begin assigning seats, it will still happen.

We always go together to the shows, occasionally a bathroom run is needed, but we don't save seats.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

There is a NO seat saving policy. When we were seated in the theater a family of three came in and sat down in an open area in front of us with many more than three open seats. A person seated there said they were saved, the gentleman said that isn't allowed and remained there. I couldn't have done that but I'm glad there are some that can

Disney should just make an occasional announcement over the speaker system leading up to the shows start that; there is NO SEAT SAVING allowed. I can see if you are doing it for your spouse and a child or two because they may be doing a bathroom break before the start of the show. But if you're a large group, NEVER!!!

 

[huffjoann]

happened to us to & we needed 3 seats and they were saving a bunch, I think I remember right before the show a CM usually says there are no saving seats allowed but by then most folks like us have arrived to get seated

 

[LemonPie]

1 word. Ushers. That would fix the seat hoarding problem. If every group was ushered to a seat nobody could say, "oh these seats are saved" You only get seated when your entire party that wants to sit together arrives. Problem solved.

 

[ilovetexas]

There are enough seats for everyone in each seating, though they may not all be together if you wait until 10 minutes or less before the show begins.

A few cruises ago there was a large family group who would try to save three rows of seats. Last cruise I mentioned what happened in front of us for two nights to the CM at the door. A couple girls attempted to save 12 seats. They were extremely rude to everyone, especially an elderly couple. One of the girls laid down across the arms of some of the chairs. They asked one of the waiters to help them save the seats and he just smiled and didn't say a word. This made me laugh and when the older girl looked back at me I told her sweetie, he's not going to help you save seats because it's against the rules to do that. He smiled a little bigger and walked away. The worst part was no one ever came to sit with them during that show. The CM was walking around the front and saw the girls trying to do the same thing. She told them they were not able to save the seats. The girls got up and left after calling someone on their wave phone.

ETA: The major vent I have about the theater is that the people behind us always seem to think that whatever they want to talk about is more important than anyone around them hearing what is going on on the stage. I find that extremely rude behavior towards the entertainers, and rude to those around them. Whenever the music gets louder, so do their voices. My kids have been taught how to behave when in any theater. It's sad when adults can't do the same.

I'm with you; my major complaint in a DCL theater is all the adults around me talking through the show. On the Fantasy, I tried twice to see a show then never went back, it was so bad. If I ever do encounter seat hoarders, I'm one of those that won't think twice about sitting in the seats they are saving. I'm VERY tired of people's entitlement attitude and poor manners. What a shame that people are teaching their children that they can do whatever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[sayhello]

ETA: The major vent I have about the theater is that the people behind us always seem to think that whatever they want to talk about is more important than anyone around them hearing what is going on on the stage. I find that extremely rude behavior towards the entertainers, and rude to those around them. Whenever the music gets louder, so do their voices. My kids have been taught how to behave when in any theater. It's sad when adults can't do the same.

Sometimes just turning around and staring at the chatters helps. But I'm not above hissing "Quiet, please! I'm trying to listen!" It *is* really rude behavior for them to talk, and I'm not about to put up with it. I've been known to leave a movie theater and find an employee to do something about it...

Sayhello

 

[tinkerone]

Disney should charge the offending person a $250 seat saving fee.

lol, just spit my juice! thats seriously funny, thanks. i love good humour.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

1 word. Ushers. That would fix the seat hoarding problem. If every group was ushered to a seat nobody could say, "oh these seats are saved" You only get seated when your entire party that wants to sit together arrives. Problem solved.

LOVE this idea