Staking claim on beach chairs at Typhoon Lagoon?

[grecorj]

And that is why I have rented a Private Polar Patio. I know it is expensive, but I don't want to deal with everything posted - stolen stuff, moved stuff, death glares.....

Am thinking of doing this in June...we are a group of 6 (which is max for polar patio at BB - don't know what they are called at TL). When you deduct price of towel rental, free refillable mug, free water, locker, it's not so outrageous to have your own private space -- with an attendant to get you food!

 

[12kizuna]

This is one thing I completely hate about water parks, and am nervous about for our upcoming trip when we'll be spending at least part of 2 days at Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.

Last summer, at an amusement park near where I live that has a water park in it, all of the chairs were "claimed" with towels, stuff, etc... and no people on or near them. Me and the two other people I was with resorted to taking off our clothes and shoes behind a snack hut and storing them there. While we waited for the wave pool to start up again, me and my boyfriend's sister sat on the very EDGE of one of the chairs that had some stuff on it. We didn't touch the stuff. A few minutes later a little girl hopped over and said "that's my seat." We said sorry and that we were just resting until the pool opened again. She said "oh." and left to go do what she was doing before.

Well, after we were all done swimming, we sat on the edge of the same chair that had no stuff on it anymore to put our socks and shoes on (very difficult to do standing up with wet feet). Well, big bad dad stomped over and said. "This is our spot. Those are our chairs." We said we knew, and were just putting on our socks and shoes. Well, he didn't like this and angrily said "Yeah, but you see, we're a family, and.." My DBF's sister snapped and said "WE'RE JUST PUTTING ON OUR SHOES." He didn't say anything but as soon as we stood up, he yelled at his daughter for taking her stuff off the chair and immediately proceeded to have her spread her towel so it COMPLETELY covered the chair. The whole time we were there, I have to mention, the family that had claimed 4-5 beach chairs only used ONE. For 5 minutes.

I wanted to cry. People are so crazy and mean, and I can't stand confrontation when I'm trying to have a fun day.

At another water park I went to last summer, we found two empty chairs and used them for 3 adults and 3 kids... that's 6 people, and it was enough. We left some stuff on the chairs, but mostly stashed our stuff UNDERNEATH. We saw people come and go and sit on the chairs, and it didn't matter. They never disturbed our stuff, and we were coming and going anyways. Everyone was pleasant with one another. It was a fun day.

So honestly, I can't stand people who "claim" seats. Honestly, if someone's gone for 30 minutes and I want to sit down, I will sit down. I don't care if you're smoking or what. The chair is not yours, and you are not using it. There is no reason in my mind for someone to come up to another person using a PUBLIC chair and ask for them to move because they were there first. To me, that's totally a Kindergarten frame of mind. Say "excuse me", grab what you need from your stuff, or use an empty chair if that's what you need.

I wish there was a better system that water parks would use, such as paying for a beach chair in the morning if you wanted to keep one, or have a couple employees continuously checking for things left on top of chairs and moving them underneath.

Sorry it's such a long post, just a strong subject for me

 

[auroraarielella]

..we are a group of 6 (which is max for polar patio at BB - don't know what they are called at TL).

They are Beachcomber Shacks, I believe. And the max for them is six too.

 

[wdw&sonny]

Boy does this strike a nerve with me.
To answer the OPs question: No, no decent person will steal the towels.

But to stake a claim on a chair first thing in the morning b/c you will use it later is just plain selfish. To leave your stuff on a chair at a resort while you leave the pool area to run errands or go to the store etc. Just rude.

Sure, grab a couple of chairs for the family when you are back and forth all morning and some are at the chairs more than others. Sure, put a couple of towels on one chair, in the back row, if you are going down slides for a while. But if you've been gone a while, and there's a shortage of chairs, don't be surprised if someone has placed your towels away from the chair and is using it.

IT"S NOT YOUR CHAIR!

TMI:
We have frequently vacationed at Hilton Head Island. It is common practice there for people to wake early (6-7AM!) just to claim their poolside chairs by neatly draping their towels over the back of the best lounges. Then, they head to the beach for the morning expecting their chairs to be waiting for them for their afternoon, poolside. I would arrive to the pool at 9am with my family and having nowhere to sit, even though there were only about 10 people in the pool. IT"S RUDE. AND JUST BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT.

I don't want to sound overly angry, but OMG if people were as kind and considerate AT THE PARKS as they are on these boards, we'd all be one big happy family

 

[DaniB]

Am thinking of doing this in June...we are a group of 6 (which is max for polar patio at BB - don't know what they are called at TL). When you deduct price of towel rental, free refillable mug, free water, locker, it's not so outrageous to have your own private space -- with an attendant to get you food!

So how much does the Polar Patio cost?

 

[lomorton]

OP Here...didn't expect so many responses, which is great! The responses seem to be all over the board... I think that my DBF and I will leave our towels on beach chairs comfortably, and not be upset if we return to other people using the chairs. Just so long as our stuff is not stolen....flip flops(the walk back to the car would be painful ) and our towels are still unused and in place, then it will be a successful day.

In all reality, we probably will use a beach chair for the majority of the time. My DBF is not a fan of slides, or water really...I'm the waterbug. So, while I'm acting like a child in the swim park, he'll be lounging.

Thanks again for all of the responses. I'm glad to hear that no one's stuff has been taken..and I will take note to not be possessive of public chairs .

 

[Kimberly815]

We have had a brand new Disney towel stolen . . . while the worn Disney towels and the rest of our stuff was left behind. We should have known better than to bring a new one, but we just didn't expect someone to take it!

If someone is planning on just lounging on a chair, we will usually grab 1-2 chairs for our group. Someone is sitting with one, the rest holds all of our 'Stuff'. However, we always give up the 'Stuff' chair if empty ones become scarce. If no one is planning on lounging, we will grab an out of the way chair (aka, nothing in a prime location) to dump our stuff. If it is on the ground by the time we get back- no biggie.

 

[auroraarielella]

So how much does the Polar Patio cost?

From Allears.net:

There’s a New Way to ‘Chill’ at Disney Water Parks

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Guests at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Blizzard Beach always have had a way to beat the heat: by taking the plunge into cooling waters. Now they also have a means to get out of the sun and just “chill” during a day at the two popular Walt Disney World water parks: Beachcomber Shacks and Polar Patios.

Available for a day-long rental, Shacks and Patios are premium spaces that put a roof or a large umbrella over guests’ heads, provide upscale Adirondack seating for relaxation, put beverages to quench a whole days’ thirsts at guests’ fingertips, and give them a service attendant who does the leg work if they want to purchase food from the a la carte menu.

The spaces – six at Blizzard Beach and seven at Typhoon Lagoon – accommodate six guests each and cost $250 plus tax for the day rental, which includes towels, a locker, all-day drink mugs and an ice chest stocked with bottled water. Water park admission is not included. The spaces have been extremely popular and usually sell out within one hour of park opening. They can be reserved by calling 407/WDW-PLAY.

 

[hookedonears]

Leaving towels that you rent at the water park & flip flops on the chairs you staked out all day is no big deal. I wouldn't leave anything else. Put everything valuable in a locker that everyone rents at the park. If someone takes your towels or takes your flip flops (highly doubtfull), so what, you don't get your deposit back. It's just a couple of bucks.

 

[Pembo]

This is slightly off topic, but we are headed to TL in May for the first time, so I don't know a whole lot about it. We probably won't use the chairs a whole lot, so what would be a good, quiet place for us to grab a couple for our stuff?

We just walked in the park and looked for a quiet and shady place to put our stuff down. There are LOTS of chairs all over the park.

 

[Buckeye Princess]

For the record, we put our stuff UNDER the chairs. Then, if we come back and the chairs are empty of people or stuff, we spread out our stuff, and then when ready, put it back under. If the chairs are taken, we politely get our stuff and wander off to find other empty chairs, if any are available.

I think this is a great idea. I like not having to use a locker (we don't bring anything valuable) and having a spot to come back to but definitely don't mind if others use it while I'm gone whether it be for 10 minutes or 1 hour. I think I'll adopt this practice. I think it'd be awesome if more people did.

 

[Hollymom1229]

We always put everything in the lockers except our towels, sunscreen, and flip flops. These we put on a chair somewhere out of the way. Usually we can find a place with almost no on else in it and plenty of open chairs (we usually go in September). I wouldn't take a chair in prime location for our stuff to stay on. Then we note where it is and head off to ride slides and the lazy river. We stop in at the chair two to three times over the course of the day. We only use one chair for four people, and we always have back up shoes in the locker in case the flip flops get stolen.

 

[Goofey Drool]

I think its fairly safe to leave non valuable items in a few chairs to "save your spot" however, dont be surprised if someone comes along and moves your stuff over. I observed a group of cheerleaders move my families stuff off our chairs while we were in the pool at CBR. My teva sandals ,tank top ,my sons ball cap and four towels all went to the wet cement. I only left the chair for a minute. I can see it if its a couple chairs with a generic white towel draped over it. Many people throw a towel over a chair and only come back once just to dry off and go to the lockers. The towel stays on the chair for the rest of the day.

 

[Bullseye]

We just walked in the park and looked for a quiet and shady place to put our stuff down. There are LOTS of chairs all over the park.

That's why I always think this is such a non issue. Even at peak periods there are always open chairs in the park and quite honestly you can find some very cool little areas towards the back of the waterparks. We have never had anything stolen but we don't bring any real valuables, just towels, sunscreen, and some snacks/drinks.For us the chairs are base and going up to the lockers every time I want a towel or drink or to read my book isn't practical.

People are expected to be gone for more than a half hour if they are hitting the slides or lazy river or whatever; And no it isn't cool for anyone to touch your stuff. It's just like getting a parking spot. If you arrive at the park at noon, you can't find a spot in the front row (unlesss you get lucky). Likewise, you're not going to get prime pool chairs either. That being said, we usually take up two chairs for the five of us.

 

[pickles]

[/B]
That's why I always think this is such a non issue. Even at peak periods there are always open chairs in the park and quite honestly you can find some very cool little areas towards the back of the waterparks. We have never had anything stolen but we don't bring any real valuables, just towels, sunscreen, and some snacks/drinks.For us the chairs are base and going up to the lockers every time I want a towel or drink or to read my book isn't practical.

People are expected to be gone for more than a half hour if they are hitting the slides or lazy river or whatever; And no it isn't cool for anyone to touch your stuff. It's just like getting a parking spot. If you arrive at the park at noon, you can't find a spot in the front row (unlesss you get lucky). Likewise, you're not going to get prime pool chairs either. That being said, we usually take up two chairs for the five of us.

I second this. there is usually 5-6 of us and we use 2 chairs. I put stuff on the chairs to reserve them for us. it is our base camp so kids know where to find me if needed. I do the river maybe one or 2 slides and then i spend the rest of the time in a chair. the 2nd chair is for whatever kid of mine comes by and wants to sit and rest a bit. If I saw the park getting very full I would remove my stuff from the 2nd chair, however I have never been when the park was so full there were no chairs available
If it was busy and someone was putting on their shoes on "my chair" i think, I may be confused at first but once they stated their need I would be more than willing to share
If the park wasnt full and someone moved my stuff and took my chair I would be miffed
as far as resort pools, again, we take 1-2 chairs and if things get too busy, we pare down to 1 chair. I have never left the pool area, except bathroom. If it is so busy then you should have gotten there sooner and gotten a chair, but if you see folks not coming back to their chairs and just hogging them, feel free to move their pool towels and take a chair. I have been known to walk by chairs and take pool towels off if I havent seen anyone using the chair in awhile. Figure it is my way of helping someone else find an empty chair

 

[smidgy]

for families, you do need a "base" to meet up. as I stated before, we did so when we came with our boys. but , since they were on the slides a lot, I gave up their seats. hubby and I do use ourseats/ we like to use the slides and lazy river we paid for. we also like to sun bathe (don't want to be in the shade), so we return to the seats we were there at rope drop for.
if I go to the shark viewing pool and hubby goes on the high slide, how are we to meet back up if I just grab an openchair I find, and he does the same elsewhere?
I won't take up a chair just for "stuff".
but I will return to the chair I arrived early for, and politely wait if someone is using it to put on their shoes, and then lounge on it. and yes, we Do like to be near the DSA.
at the resort pools, of course (as I stated) you can't get up early, and claim loungers "for the day", unless you are using them.
however, you ARE allowed to get up to :
1. go to the restroom
2. refill the mug Disney sold you for this purpose
3. use the legal DSA. really? I am not smoking around you. I am going to the DSA so my smoke doesn't bother anyone. I should have to give up my chair to obey disney's rules to smoke in a dsa?

Ok, I guess I should: FIRST, go to the restroom by the pool, then come back and sit on the chair for 2 minutes. THEN, go to the food court and refill my mug.
THIRD return to my chair, sit on it for 2 minutes, then return to the main area to buy a newspaper (NO, I'm not leisurely "shopping" I am quickly grabbing a newspaper).
what is the difference? between this scenario and :
zipping to the main area from the bowling pin pool, using the bathroom, grabbing a newspaper, refilling my mug, and going back to my chair?
Oh yeah! I am having a smoke in the Designated Smoking area while I am up. ok, next time I will return to my chair, sit for 3 minutes, then go to the DSA .
OR: Is it suggested that everytime a smoker obeys the smoking rules (which we always do) we have to give up our chair?
OF COURSE, you can't go out and "CLaim" chairs in the morning, and then go to the parks, or go to the food court to eat! however.. you CAN run and get food and bring it back on a tray, because you are planning on eating there, by the pool.
back to the water parks: when our boys were young and with us, (as stated) I always gave up their "seats" for others. often, they
ended up "sharing" seats with other kids who were doing the same!
but now that we are empty nesters, we like to relax. we have done the parks umpteen times. we enjoy our pool?resort time. at the water parks, we also enjoy relaxing, reading, sunbathing, purchasing an adult beverage, getting up now and then for a legal smoke in the dsa (which is right by the bar). but we also like to use the slides, etc.
we will continue to arrive at rope drop, get chairs in the sun near the DSA/bar, hit a few clides,. retrun, relax, get heated up from the sun, then hit the lazy river, return, relax, read, sun bathe, etc. etc.
and just as we request a room near a DSA, we will choose chairs near a DSA at the water parks. aren't you glad we are following the rules?

 

[smidgy]

As for the water parks I see no harm in using chairs,but hoarding them for people that are not even there is also a big no no.

so if hubby goes to the bathroom, or goes to have a smoke, or goes to get a drink, anyone can take his seat? you have to pay money to be in the water park, and sit and the lounger and NOT move all day?

. As also been said by other posters, staking out chairs at the resorts and then leaving them unattended while you leave the pool area for more that just a few minutes is a No No. It's completely rude and rates right up their with finding and staking out a table at a busy counter service restaurant before you order.

more than a few minutes.. ok, can you leave to go to a DSA, and only smoke half the cigarette?.this is not the same as a table at a CS, because you will eat and leave. we always get our food first, then find a table at which to sit.. but if we are spending the afternoon at the pool , I can leave it for a bit. no, not "running errands" going to the bathroom, refiling a mug, having a smoke in the DSA (where I am supposed to have it, is not an errand. guess I shouldn't have mentioned grabbing a newspaper.aren't we supposed to refill our refillable mugs? what if there is a line?

So honestly, I can't stand people who "claim" seats. Honestly, if someone's gone for 30 minutes and I want to sit down, I will sit down. I don't care if you're smoking or what. The chair is not yours, and you are not using it. There is no reason in my mind for someone to come up to another person using a PUBLIC chair and ask for them to move because they were there first. To me, that's totally a Kindergarten frame of mind. Say "excuse me", grab what you need from your stuff, or use an empty chair if that's what you need.
:[/QUOTE]

ys know, I probably exagerrated when I said 30 minutes. no biggie. usually, hubby is there anyway. my point was the "sprit" of the rule. 2 people who plan on enjoying the resort pool for a few hours (and do get up from time to time, for whatever reason) as opposed to people staking out resort pool chairs fo those still at the park, or eating IN the food court, etc.

Boy does this strike a nerve with me.
To answer the OPs question: No, no decent person will steal the towels.

But to stake a claim on a chair first thing in the morning b/c you will use it later is just plain selfish. To leave your stuff on a chair at a resort while you leave the pool area to run errands or go to the store etc. Just rude.

Sure, grab a couple of chairs for the family when you are back and forth all morning and some are at the chairs more than others. Sure, put a couple of towels on one chair, in the back row, if you are going down slides for a while. But if you've been gone a while, and there's a shortage of chairs, don't be surprised if someone has placed your towels away from the chair and is using it.

IT"S NOT YOUR CHAIR!

TMI:
We have frequently vacationed at Hilton Head Island. It is common practice there for people to wake early (6-7AM!) just to claim their poolside chairs by neatly draping their towels over the back of the best lounges. Then, they head to the beach for the morning expecting their chairs to be waiting for them for their afternoon, poolside. I would arrive to the pool at 9am with my family and having nowhere to sit, even though there were only about 10 people in the pool. IT"S RUDE. AND JUST BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT.

I don't want to sound overly angry, but OMG if people were as kind and considerate AT THE PARKS as they are on these boards, we'd all be one big happy family

we are going to vero beach for the first time this year, and OF COURSE, I won't
"reserve pool seats while enjoying the beach! assated aboe, going to the bathroom is NOT an "errand". neither is refilling a refillable mug (we fininshed our coffee, we are reading, we want another coffee. we aren't ready to leave the pool yet)
going to the DSA is not an "errand" it is obeying the rules and being considerate.
and truth be told, usually DH is in the chair next to my
unused" chair while I run for a newspaper. will an alarm go off in the bathroom if I enter it and use it while I am there? what if hubby runs up to the room to get the sunglasses he forgot while I am grabbing a paper and coffee? sheesh!
"errands" would be: making ADRS at concierge, leisurely shopping for gifts for the grandkids, etc.
guess I should bring a stop watch with me into the restroom!
this is MAJOR difference from a family of 6 throwing stuff over 6 chairs at a water park, and never being there at all!i
in that case, I would "take up" one chair, for a base. (Usually, the mom or dad, who don't care about the slides, anyway.)

 

[12kizuna]

for families, you do need a "base" to meet up. as I stated before, we did so when we came with our boys. but , since they were on the slides a lot, I gave up their seats. hubby and I do use ourseats/ we like to use the slides and lazy river we paid for. we also like to sun bathe (don't want to be in the shade), so we return to the seats we were there at rope drop for.
if I go to the shark viewing pool and hubby goes on the high slide, how are we to meet back up if I just grab an openchair I find, and he does the same elsewhere?
I won't take up a chair just for "stuff".
but I will return to the chair I arrived early for, and politely wait if someone is using it to put on their shoes, and then lounge on it. and yes, we Do like to be near the DSA.
at the resort pools, of course (as I stated) you can't get up early, and claim loungers "for the day", unless you are using them.
however, you ARE allowed to get up to :
1. go to the restroom
2. refill the mug Disney sold you for this purpose
3. use the legal DSA. really? I am not smoking around you. I am going to the DSA so my smoke doesn't bother anyone. I should have to give up my chair to obey disney's rules to smoke in a dsa?

Ok, I guess I should: FIRST, go to the restroom by the pool, then come back and sit on the chair for 2 minutes. THEN, go to the food court and refill my mug.
THIRD return to my chair, sit on it for 2 minutes, then return to the main area to buy a newspaper (NO, I'm not leisurely "shopping" I am quickly grabbing a newspaper).
what is the difference? between this scenario and :
zipping to the main area from the bowling pin pool, using the bathroom, grabbing a newspaper, refilling my mug, and going back to my chair?
Oh yeah! I am having a smoke in the Designated Smoking area while I am up. ok, next time I will return to my chair, sit for 3 minutes, then go to the DSA .
OR: Is it suggested that everytime a smoker obeys the smoking rules (which we always do) we have to give up our chair?
OF COURSE, you can't go out and "CLaim" chairs in the morning, and then go to the parks, or go to the food court to eat! however.. you CAN run and get food and bring it back on a tray, because you are planning on eating there, by the pool.
back to the water parks: when our boys were young and with us, (as stated) I always gave up their "seats" for others. often, they
ended up "sharing" seats with other kids who were doing the same!
but now that we are empty nesters, we like to relax. we have done the parks umpteen times. we enjoy our pool?resort time. at the water parks, we also enjoy relaxing, reading, sunbathing, purchasing an beverage, getting up now and then for a legal smoke in the dsa (which is right by the bar). but we also like to use the slides, etc.
we will continue to arrive at rope drop, get chairs in the sun near the DSA/bar, hit a few clides,. retrun, relax, get heated up from the sun, then hit the lazy river, return, relax, read, sun bathe, etc. etc.
and just as we request a room near a DSA, we will choose chairs near a DSA at the water parks. aren't you glad we are following the rules?

That's fair. I suppose I went a bit overboard in my post, but I think I had that one man on my mind while I was writing it, and his family that had taken up 5 chairs had only used one the entire time we were there.

I understand the need for a base to go back to, and I hope you don't think I have a problem with courteous smokers, I was just using it as an example.

I think the biggest problem that I have with chair-claiming, is those who believe a chair is theirs and only theirs to touch. I would NEVER touch someone else's belongings, but if all chairs are claimed with no one sitting and I would like a seat, I will sit-- on the edge if I have to. If someone comes along who had staked it out earlier and would like to use it, I'll gladly move to another chair. If that person has just come up to me to tell me I am in their chair, and has no intentions to use the chair if I moved, then I find that ridiculous.

Really, I'm a nice person, or at least try to be , so I'm sorry if I was too harsh in my words.

 

[smidgy]

you know what? when at the pool at the resort, we usually go together to have a smoke. at the DSA.

please do not discourage smokers from obeying the rules by insinuating that if they leave their lounger to use the DSA, they will lose their lounger. .... it takes more than a few minutes to walk tothe DSA. then you have a smoke...maybe 5-7 minutes. then you walk backto the pool., another 5 minutes, at least.(esp, if like hubby, you have had 5 foot surgeries.)
what if, on the way back to the pool, you see an anole? (hubby LOVES the anoles) "no, no, your time is up! my stop watch says you have used up your "few minutes"! do not take time to look at the anole.! RUN! back to your chair. your few minutes is up!"
so if you are in the pool with your child more than a few minutes, I can take your chair? you are not IN it.
and if I use upmy FEW minutes, going to the bathroom, or refilling my mug, or having a smoke, then I am not allowed to relax in the pool with a "noodle" because I have used up my few minutes?

see how silly this sounds? the SPIRIT of the "law" is to not let people save chairs for ohters in their family usiing the beach, going to the parks, etc. cause dad or grandad is not going to the park and is "reserving" the seats for much later. NOt for people actually USING the seats, and getting up from time to time for legitimate reasons.

 

[smidgy]

kizuna, apparently you got your post in between mine. my apologies also. no harm , no foul.
wish we were nonsmokers (maybe some day.. easier said than done) but we have obeyed the rules, and it feels like the more we do, the more we are looked down upon.
but we don't stake out loungers for the day at resort pools without using them.. but we Do have to move once in a while.(esp. after that coffee/tea "kicks in"!:rotfl)pun intended, you over 50 know what I mean!)lol