Some interesting behavior at Citricos

[Uncleromulus]

In 60 previous trips to WDW we've seen nearly every sort of case of parental neglect, indifference and even outright stupidity. But Monday night at Citricos probably tops them all.

We were siting at the bar when an extended family of about 8-10 people checked in at the podium. As soon as that was done, the mother put her very small child on the floor--and the child CRAWLED all the way through the bar/lounge area all the way back to the small iron railing that separates the tables from the kitchen area.

With the family following along laughing out loud and taking pictures the entire time!!

Even the wait staff (who I'm sure by now have seen everything) seemed a bit stunned.

 

[auntfrannie]

I can never understand why a manager won't speak to those people. Something like, having your child crawl through the restaurant creates a potential hazard for the baby as well as other guests and servers with trays of food! People are nuts!

 

[Cobern]

Wow just wow! The worst my kid has done is either go from my side of the table to my husbands (with our permission) or sit under the table to decompress. I think the sounds overstimulate him so normally after he eats we let him sit under the table if he crawls down there. No escaping though or back in a chair he goes. (He's only 2 btw)

 

[2Tiggies]

Sadly not a whole lot surprises me anymore.

I would imagine if the manager had been aware of the little one crawling around that something would have been said. This goes beyond stupidity and everyone is entitled to their own level of hygiene concerns, but a small child crawling at ground level in a restaurant is dangerous. All it would take is a server to walk through with hot food and trip over ..... nope, not even going to go there!

 

[Uncleromulus]

After those 60 trips my experience has been that no WDW Cast member will ever say anything to a guest who is just "having fun".

Even if its at your or my expense.

So I'm not surprised at all that nothing was said..certainly not by any of the wait staff. Who knows if the manager was even aware by the time the group made it to the table.

 

[OKW Lover]

You're kinder than me Unc. The child would never have gotten past my bar stool.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Believe me I wanted to say something--but you never know what to expect by way of response.

And my guess is that it was rather normal behavior for that group

 

[disneygal55]

I know what you mean about parental response. My DH and I were floating on tubes in the Lazy River ride at Typhoon Lagoon, when my prescription sunglasses fell into the river near where the water falls are. My DH dove down to the water's bottom to get them (with the current) and got them...yay! Meanwhile, next to me a 12-13 year old was smashing a "pool noodle" next to us and hitting our float...laughing. My DH "nicely" asked him to please stop. Well, the kids Dad jumped off and screamed at my husband "Don't tell my son what to do!" I thought that he was going to punch my husband.

 

[SouthJersey]

I would have confronted the family and likely unfriendly about it.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I know what you mean about parental response. My DH and I were floating on tubes in the Lazy River ride at Typhoon Lagoon, when my prescription sunglasses fell into the river near where the water falls are. My DH dove down to the water's bottom to get them (with the current) and got them...yay! Meanwhile, next to me a 12-13 year old was smashing a "poll noodle" next to us and hitting our float...laughing. My DH "nicely" asked him to please stop. Well, the kids Dad jumped off and screamed at my husband "Don't tell my son what to do!" I thought that he was going to punch my husband.

Likely the response if I had said anything--

 

[Princess_Nikki]

I know what you mean about parental response. My DH and I were floating on tubes in the Lazy River ride at Typhoon Lagoon, when my prescription sunglasses fell into the river near where the water falls are. My DH dove down to the water's bottom to get them (with the current) and got them...yay! Meanwhile, next to me a 12-13 year old was smashing a "poll noodle" next to us and hitting our float...laughing. My DH "nicely" asked him to please stop. Well, the kids Dad jumped off and screamed at my husband "Don't tell my son what to do!" I thought that he was going to punch my husband.

That's usually my only "downside" to being at Disney. The crazies.

 

[SouthJersey]

I know what you mean about parental response. My DH and I were floating on tubes in the Lazy River ride at Typhoon Lagoon, when my prescription sunglasses fell into the river near where the water falls are. My DH dove down to the water's bottom to get them (with the current) and got them...yay! Meanwhile, next to me a 12-13 year old was smashing a "poll noodle" next to us and hitting our float...laughing. My DH "nicely" asked him to please stop. Well, the kids Dad jumped off and screamed at my husband "Don't tell my son what to do!" I thought that he was going to punch my husband.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

Not in Disney, but we were at Golden Corral and had a loud South American family on the table next to us. What am I saying - they're ALL loud! But the kiddie (couldn't have been more than 3) was shouting to his mum at the buffet and the rest of the family were just letting him do so.

Do these people not understand personal space and consideration for other diners? As my daughter says, these people have no indoor voice. It's no wonder I have a pounding headache for more of my holiday when we come to Florida.

 

[disneygal55]

Not to "pat myself on the shoulder" lol....but my DH and I always corrected our children's bad behavior. We were the parents who were always saying "No...don''t do that" and "If you don't stop, we're leaving"....and then left if they refused to listen. Of course sometimes they were "hellions" at home and boys will be boys but they were taught to treat others with respect.
We are the proud parents of 24 and 25 year old sons who graduated college with honors, managed to get great jobs and the 25 year old just purchased his own home! You reap what you sow.

 

[Zooey72]

I fail to see the issue here. You said they were monitoring the kid because they were following him, so there was no physical danger. Is it a cleanliness thing? Small kids get dirty, that's just their nature. The only way I could see this being an issue is if him crawling around the resteraunt was disturbing other people, or he was getting in the way. But again, that is no different than a crying baby or a child throwing a temper tantrum.

Frankly I could care less if the kid is crawling around as long as he is not being a bother to anyone else and the child is not in danger. A screaming brat though makes me want to spank the parents.

I worked for Disney in 93 at Star Tours. I saw one father grab his screaming daughter and hold her upside down by her ankles until she stopped crying. Now that was messed up and I wanted to say something to him, but he stopped doing it before I did. And for the record you are right, CMs really don't want to interfere with 'family time' reguardless of how screwed up it might be.

 

[Uncleromulus]

They carried the kid TO the restaurant--they should have carried him TO the table.

Lord only knows what they did when they were eating--or when they left

Such foolishness is one (of many) reasons why we always eat at the bar!!!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I can never understand why a manager won't speak to those people.

It is a policy at Disney that they must not confront guests unless they HAVE to.

As for "what's the problem," it's a restaurant. It isn't Romper Room. Bringing the kids is fine if you don't treat the place like a nursery. I was in a restaurant once on Disney property (a signature) and there was a group allowing older kids to push a baby in a stroller around the restaurant. They weren't going slow either. Parents laughed and took photos. Wait staff just had to dodge them.

 

[Uncleromulus]

It is a policy at Disney that they must not confront guests unless they HAVE to.

As for "what's the problem," it's a restaurant. It isn't Romper Room. Bringing the kids is fine if you don't treat the place like a nursery. I was in a restaurant once on Disney property (a signature) and there was a group allowing older kids to push a baby in a stroller around the restaurant. They weren't going slow either. Parents laughed and took photos.

Exactly--it's a restaurant (and not a Chucky Cheese type place) and not a daycare center or a playground.

That distance from the podium all the way back to the table area at Citricos isn't just a few feet----

 

[Toffeewoffy]

I sometimes feel quite smug that in the UK restaurants were never traditionally places to bring young children. As a result you could virtually guarantee a nice quiet and civilised dinner.

 

[juliebug1997]

I fail to see the issue here. You said they were monitoring the kid because they were following him, so there was no physical danger. Is it a cleanliness thing? Small kids get dirty, that's just their nature. The only way I could see this being an issue is if him crawling around the resteraunt was disturbing other people, or he was getting in the way. But again, that is no different than a crying baby or a child throwing a temper tantrum.

Frankly I could care less if the kid is crawling around as long as he is not being a bother to anyone else and the child is not in danger. A screaming brat though makes me want to spank the parents.

I worked for Disney in 93 at Star Tours. I saw one father grab his screaming daughter and hold her upside down by her ankles until she stopped crying. Now that was messed up and I wanted to say something to him, but he stopped doing it before I did. And for the record you are right, CMs really don't want to interfere with 'family time' reguardless of how screwed up it might be.

So a server carrying a huge tray of drinks and food is not in danger when someone is letting their baby crawl around or kid run around? Okily dokily.