My_Pal_Pluto
Proud DisDad
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2010
- Messages
- 209
So ... have you ever had one of "those" experiences at Disney? You know what I mean? The one's where someone does something so outlandishly rude that you teeter between maniacal laughter at the absurdity of it
, fuming anger over it's sheer rudeness
, or dumbstruck horror (because, who knows what'll happen next
).
So goes our encounter on Day 1 of our last Disney adventure.
The Park: EPCOT
The Event: "Illuminations"
The Victims: Throngs of hopeful onlookers
It went down like this, we had just grabbed a few churros from Mexico and made our way around the corner to grab a seat awaiting the nightly show. Gavin, Ethan, Maddie, and I were happy to discover a spot where we were only one row deep and about 10 smaller kids were in the front row. We had a little while to wait, so everyone was sitting right on the blacktop. The kind gentleman (looked like a proud grandpa with about 7 of his grandkids) at the fence told my kids they could join his group when the show began (SWEEET
)
As we neared showtime (lights get dimmed, drumroll please), the throngs around us had grown to fill the entire walkway ... and all had followed suit and sat down.
Then IT happened!! A group (5 or 6) walked OVER the seated guests ... stepping through the crowd as though we weren't there.
Tempers flared ... voices boomed ... no response from the group. They jockeyed their way RIGHT TO the fence and even cast aside some of the children with the kind gentleman ... UGHHHHH
I am still in disbelief now ... nearly two years later. How can anyone behave like this???
In the end, the CM's at Disney proved their GREATEST training is likely in the arena of conflict management. They stepped in and calmed down the crowd ... two very astute looking CM's arrived and spoke with several parents. Before long, a group of us (about 8 parents) had formed an "arc" around the group of kids (about 12 of them) so they could see the show ... as soon as things were underway and smiles broke out on their faces, all was well!!
It's not like me to write a post that sounds "complaintive" or negative. For me, Disney IS magic and please know that the way this whole scene was handled was, indeed, magical.
So that was the end to our first night on Day 1 of the Hower's 2010 trip. Don't miss my next post where I reveal our Day 1 plans for 2012!!
, fuming anger over it's sheer rudeness, or dumbstruck horror (because, who knows what'll happen next).So goes our encounter on Day 1 of our last Disney adventure.
The Park: EPCOT
The Event: "Illuminations"
The Victims: Throngs of hopeful onlookers
It went down like this, we had just grabbed a few churros from Mexico and made our way around the corner to grab a seat awaiting the nightly show. Gavin, Ethan, Maddie, and I were happy to discover a spot where we were only one row deep and about 10 smaller kids were in the front row. We had a little while to wait, so everyone was sitting right on the blacktop. The kind gentleman (looked like a proud grandpa with about 7 of his grandkids) at the fence told my kids they could join his group when the show began (SWEEET
)As we neared showtime (lights get dimmed, drumroll please), the throngs around us had grown to fill the entire walkway ... and all had followed suit and sat down.
Then IT happened!! A group (5 or 6) walked OVER the seated guests ... stepping through the crowd as though we weren't there.
Tempers flared ... voices boomed ... no response from the group. They jockeyed their way RIGHT TO the fence and even cast aside some of the children with the kind gentleman ... UGHHHHH
I am still in disbelief now ... nearly two years later. How can anyone behave like this???
In the end, the CM's at Disney proved their GREATEST training is likely in the arena of conflict management. They stepped in and calmed down the crowd ... two very astute looking CM's arrived and spoke with several parents. Before long, a group of us (about 8 parents) had formed an "arc" around the group of kids (about 12 of them) so they could see the show ... as soon as things were underway and smiles broke out on their faces, all was well!!
It's not like me to write a post that sounds "complaintive" or negative. For me, Disney IS magic and please know that the way this whole scene was handled was, indeed, magical.
So that was the end to our first night on Day 1 of the Hower's 2010 trip. Don't miss my next post where I reveal our Day 1 plans for 2012!!
) when we go to Disney.
) and thus I forgot about one VERY important "starting line" event for the Howers.
) but alas, our tradition won out (and yes, in the end I'm REALLY glad it did) and we visited the Cape May Buffet on the very first evening of our arrival
It is ALWAYS a treat and our group sits together and talks excitedly about how all the plans in the upcoming days will unfold!! 
.
we'll continue the family tradition of staying overnight before an early morning departure. It seems the costs have gone UP UP AWAY at Dulles airport, but they've come DOWN DOWN DOWN at Reagan ... so DCA it is!!
...
)
... while we had plans to arrive on Sat and depart on Sat ... UGH!!!!
but admit I'm worried !!
for one more day!!!
