Waterpark etiquette ???

[kymom99]

Yes,or put it in a locker.

At the waterpark near me, they advertise that a gold membership gets you early entry to "grab a chair" before the general crowds come in. Are you seriously supposed to lock up your beach towel while you swim? On the real beach people stake out a spot for the day.

On the other hand, I find it irritating at teh Disney resorts when people use the resort towels and leave them on the chairs so that you cannot tell if the chair is occupied or not. It would be nice if they dumped the towels in the recepticles when they leave the pool area.

 

[triplejen]

. . . The[y] replied " you cant leave your stuff and walk away and the chairs do not belong to you or have your name on them". We explained what we did and we were gone for about 45 minutes. The park was packed and there were no chairs left. The one lady flipped me off. Let me say I started to lose it. I sat in the vacant chair turned and faced them and the kids sat next to them and we opened the cooler and ate our lunch we brought and continued to invade the space. . . . After about a half hour they got up . . .

If someone moved my things I would be annoyed. However, if they moved my things after I had been gone for 45 minutes -- on another ride in a different area -- then I would be disappointed, but would understand that I had no right to deny other park patrons the opportunity to enjoy a seat merely so my possessions could occupy the space I myself had decided to leave.

The most shockingly rude behavior described in the post is the OP's. Faced with behavior that some may consider to be appropriate, and others might consider to be rude, OP chose to engage in an extended passive-aggressive assault on the people he felt had wronged him. Not cool. And definitely not a good example to set in the presence of kids.

That's my take on the etiquette question, anyway.

 

[Photoguy]

I never understood why people need a towel at a waterpark anyway...aren't you there to get wet? There's usually enough Florida sunshine that everyone dries off quickly enough provided you don't keep going back for more.

We always rent a locker, and we make several trips back and forth to get wallets, cameras, sunscreen, etc. I also get frustrated walking thru the park and seeing row after row of empty lounge chairs with a towel or flip flop on them. I also don't think arriving early entitles people to more priviliges...after all, my park ticket wasn't discounted for arriving in the early afternoon.

I can see the OP's irritation at having their stuff moved, but I really do believe that is what lockers are for. I agree with the post about the bench for the parades or fireworks in the MK...I see it as the same. If you really want to hold a spot, you need to be actively using it, not just storing items. Chairs are for sitting, lockers are for storing.

 

[rngrblu9]

 

[MissionMouse]

I think most people when they go to their local city watepark select chairs and leave their personal belonging there and get in the pool. Wallets, id and other more sensitive items are stored in the lockers

I think people visit a Disney waterpark with the same thought, since Disney again is passive whenever it comes to things they actually create by not providing sufficient seating or guidance.

Disney promotes and state the following on their site, "Renting a locker for your personal belongings is highly recommended, especially if you plan on experiencing the big thrill attractions—since it may be difficult to keep track of your hats, glasses, jewelry and things while plunging down a nearly vertical 13-story high, 360-foot long flume through a darkened tunnel at speeds of 50 to 60 miles per hour."

They also allow coolers, including ones with wheels, noting no cooler storage is available. This would imply guest are expect to store them somewhere else.

 

[Lexie]

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[maxiesmom]

If someone moved my things I would be annoyed. However, if they moved my things after I had been gone for 45 minutes -- on another ride in a different area -- then I would be disappointed, but would understand that I had no right to deny other park patrons the opportunity to enjoy a seat merely so my possessions could occupy the space I myself had decided to leave.

The most shockingly rude behavior described in the post is the OP's. Faced with behavior that some may consider to be appropriate, and others might consider to be rude, OP chose to engage in an extended passive-aggressive assault on the people he felt had wronged him. Not cool. And definitely not a good example to set in the presence of kids.

I 100% agree with you. Forty five minutes is waaaay too long to be leaving you stuff on a chair, without you anywhere in the area. Especially when the parks are full. I think the OP was the rude one.

 

[WeCantWait]

We love the water parks and frequent them every time we visit. We get to the park early, claim our spot, leave our belongings and ride the slides. We have never had somebody move our belongings and take our seats, I think that is completely rude. On one visit we did not get to Typhoon Lagoon until 1PM, it was packed, as expected there were no seats. We got a couple of towels and sat in the sand. Very simple.

 

[Bongi22]

Simply put, if Disney put out as many chairs in the park as there are people being admitted, then fine... first come first get... but that isn't the case and quite frankly my family and I don't sit enough to need a place to call our own.

The mentality of we were here first and "own" this spot for the day is exactly what caused parks like Splish Splash up here on Long Island to create little pay per day cabana's and things like that.

Would I move anyone's things? No... That is rude... but at the same time assuming you have the right to occupy two spaces ( the one on a line or ride and the one where your stuff is ) is kind of rude as well.

If there are other chairs open within eyesight, then they should have left your things alone and went there... but if nothing else was available I think the rule of "first come first served, this spot is mine until I leave the park" gets trumped by "I'm here, you aren't and my body ( and the admission price I paid to be here ) needs this seat more than your towels, shoes and bags do"

Let's flip this around a little and pose it this way.

If you went over to a ride, and saw there was no line, but a bunch of towels on the seats of the ride... so you got on line.. then a bunch of people came over ( enough to fill the ride so you couldn't get on ) and said we were here first, but just went to chill out on another ride for a while, but we are back so you can't ride.... what would you think about that one?

Rides or lounge chairs... in my view it's one per admission...

Again... I would rather squat up against a tree or a wall than move someone elses stuff... but it's rude for anyone to assume that they can reserve areas of a non-private entity and call it there own.

If you aren't using it... you risk losing it.

 

[Bullseye]

What that other family did was crap. If you leave the stuff on the chairs, you've staked out your claim on them until you remove the stuff.

Yep, end of story. If you put your stuff on the chair then its spoken for.

I remember one year we had our stuff on our chairs. The family in the chairs next to ours didn't have enough chairs for their whole group so they kept sitting on our stuff with their wet suits on. We could see them from the swimming area. So I kept running over to tell them to get off my belongings and they acted like it was no big deal. Hey I don't know you, how about keeping your cooties to yourself!!

 

[CdnDad]

I would never move or touch someones belongings.

 

[lugnut33]

I would be mad when I got back, but probably would have knocked the guys block off after getting the finger.

 

[CdnDad]

I would be mad when I got back, but probably would have knocked the guys block off after getting the finger.

I never posted the comments made as well. They were nasty and trust me it crossed my mind. I thought I took the less aggressive approach and I am still the wrong according to others posting.

 

[jm106]

When I go to a water park, if I know I am not using the chair and going to use the rides, I find a place off to the side or a corner or seat area to leave my things- a railing if its wet, or the ground. I wouldn't leave them on a chair, except to run to the bathroom. I wouldnt however move someone elses things off and I wouldnt leave anything expect towels and sunblock. If I am not using the chair, there is no need to hold it for "after" whenever I feel like going back. There are ppl who get stuck standing to eat or sitting on the ground(I have been that person) while many a chair hold up a towel or a lone shoe for a length of time.

 

[Bongi22]

At the waterpark near me, they advertise that a gold membership gets you early entry to "grab a chair" before the general crowds come in. Are you seriously supposed to lock up your beach towel while you swim? On the real beach people stake out a spot for the day.

Fair enough example...

But where I live, all the beaches by me simply expand the guarded area further out as the beach fills up.

Yes, the people who arrive earliest in the day get the prime spots, but as the beach fills up they move the "do not swim past this" signs further out, creating more and more area to claim.

Until I see Disney start bringing out more and more chairs to be claimed as the existing ones get "reserved" the comparison doesn't really apply.

Maybe next time I go to the water park, while others are staking their claims on chairs I'll stake a claim on a tube at the lazy river so it's always there at my disposal whenever I want to use it.

 

[jayandstacey]

I 100% agree with you. Forty five minutes is waaaay too long to be leaving you stuff on a chair, without you anywhere in the area. Especially when the parks are full. I think the OP was the rude one.

If there was a system to allow for fairness/equal access to chairs, then such an edict would make sense. There is no such rule, and therefore, I believe it really should be "early bird gets the worm".

This is the general, unwritten rule right now. But lets assume your premise: that no rule is written, and that people begin to think that others are rude when they leave their stuff on chairs and should be allowed to clear the chair for their use. The result would be, well, a park full of incidents like the OP described. Stuff would be moved, then the people who got moved would simply hover, waiting for one person to leave for the bathroom or a 2 minute dip and retake the territory. It is an anarchistic approach.

In short, it would quickly become mahem.

So, while the ideal is that Disney would provide seating for all, the next best thing is the early bird rule. It isn't perfect and it can be frustrating to see empty yet taken chairs. But it really is for the best.

 

[jayandstacey]

I never posted the comments made as well. They were nasty and trust me it crossed my mind. I thought I took the less aggressive approach and I am still the wrong according to others posting.

I really liked your approach.

As if to say "OK, you're right...no one has any special claim to space here. These are community chairs. So I'll just stand right here next to you as you lounge in the chair I was using before. Opps...sorry...did I just pass gas in your face? Luckily that's OK in a world where we share like this. And yes, you're absolutely right - I DID have a hot dog for lunch!"

 

[Bongi22]

Yep, end of story. If you put your stuff on the chair then its spoken for.

I remember one year we had our stuff on our chairs. The family in the chairs next to ours didn't have enough chairs for their whole group so they kept sitting on our stuff with their wet suits on. We could see them from the swimming area. So I kept running over to tell them to get off my belongings and they acted like it was no big deal. Hey I don't know you, how about keeping your cooties to yourself!!

See... now this brings up a whole new question.

Which is the greater transgression? To move someones things off the chair so they can rest, or to actually sit on their things.

For my money, I'd have to go with the latter.

Imagine if they started trying on your shoes and socks too...

 

[~Kik-Kik~]

Oh-my-gosh. I am speechless. Honestly and truly. What the frick? How awful of a person must you be to do that? If your stuff is there then it's common sense that it's taken. That's how it is at the beach, the pool, the movies, and everywhere else! If I were to leave a movie to pee and leave my drink then come back to find it on the floor and someone sitting in my seat I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

I'm so sorry you dealt with such awful people. Some people are just stupid. And if they called you ignorant in that context that proves their stupidity because they used it wrong.

I love all the people in here waving their righteous wands in the typical DIS manner. I wonder if they've ever told a lie?

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Wow, some people should be ashamed of themselves! Booooo to rude people!