Waterpark etiquette ???

[ChuckGA]

I think your example (the one before the highlighted area) cannot be used as a comparison. The only way this example would be relevant is that if the OP had put their items in such a way that it impedes these people's passage to get to or from a location. And if that's the case, then, I agree, they should be able to move it to the side and walk over. But this is not the case, the OP's belongings were on/around chairs and these people moved it away so they can use the chairs. I think the highlighted part would be closer to a comparison, and as you mentioned, you wouldn't be allowed nor, most likely, even consider doing such a thing.

You did not understand my example. People have claimed that the simple act of touching someone else's stuff is rude and is the basis why they cannot take the chair. I show there are perfectly reasonable times to move someone else's stuff when it is very clearly correct to do so. The only question is whether the chair is saved or it is not. If the chair is not allowed to be saved then the original occupant's stuff is in the way of someone else and they can rightfully move it out of their way.

 

[Biggreen19]

I agree...people think they are entitled to a lounge chair for a full day even if they only use it for a small fraction. Etiquette would dictate that the chair should be shared so many families can use it for multiple fractions of the day.

In my book, etiquette would dictate that if there is stuff on the chair, please move along and find an empty one, not discard the rented towels someone left there and paid for.

 

[Lexie]

In my book, etiquette would dictate that if there is stuff on the chair, please move along and find an empty one, not discard the rented towels someone left there and paid for.

And etiquette would also dictate that you share limited resources...or do you not care if someone "Reserved" the swings at the park just because their kids might want to use them part of the time while they were playing.

 

[minnierealtor]

I really can't understand the "use of limited resources" comment. This is like going to the movies. You need to get there early to get seats together if there is more than one of you or you want a good seat. When we go to a waterpark, we get two seats for the adults and our DD usually isn't there long enough to sit anyway. The entire family goes on the rides and we have a meeting place to come back to. Who would go to a locker to get their towels and then put them back in. Yuck! If you can't find a seat, then you should have been there earlier. When we go again in June, I know it will be busy in the Waterparks and we are probably going to send our DD and her cousin (both 15) alone. They will need a place to put their stuff while they are on the slides and I'm sure they will do their fair share of sunning. Two teen girls would be no match for a poaching family. Hopefully something similar will not happen to them because this would be a "magic killer" in my eyes.

 

[CdnDad]

I always thought the early bird gets the worm as well. In the past, our family would arrive at a water early to set up base camp as well, grab a few lounge chairs to our liking and park our non-valuables under and on the chairs. We could easily leave our chairs for 45 minutes + riding the slides, or even just grabbing lunch.

I may be mistaken, but the impression some posters are leaving here is "If there ain't a warm body in that lounge chair, then its fair game and it's mine!” Heck, I might as well throw out the arrive at the park early concept, stay out late the night before, roll into the water park say early afternoon, and sit my butt down on the first lounge chair I like absent of a human body.

The last time I checked, there is nothing on your water park admission ticket that states you are entitled to a lounge chair, or any chair for that matter. You want to secure a lounge chair, then get to the park early. Can't get to the park early? Then wait till the crowd starts to thin, then find an open lounge chair.

To me, the root of the problem here is lack of etiquette, and the sense of entitlement.

Rant/off

We need to get early to many of our Disney attractions because of our youngest. It makes it a lot easier for her with crowds and noise. With areas like waterparks we need to have a place for comfort and enjoyment. We make sure we go out of way to make life a little easier. If we had to pack up and leave every time we wanted to have family magic she would get stressed. Routines are essential!!!!

 

[Lexie]

I really can't understand the "use of limited resources" comment. This is like going to the movies. You need to get there early to get seats together if there is more than one of you or you want a good seat.

The difference is that theaters don't typically sell more tickets than there are seats.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Question for debate. When your in the waterpark with your family of five three children under twelve and everyone wants to go on a ride or on the lazy river. Does this leave your chairs and loungers open to be taken or your area where you set up to be taken over? Here was our situation. We were at BB for a few hours and we set up in the kids area with all are belongings. Decided to all do a family ride and do a trip around the lazy river. We did take turns in the morning going with the children on different rides and had one of us at the base with all our belongings. All are towels,clothing and food was on or by the area we were set up. When we came back there was two adults laying on loungers and removed our articles to the side next to garbage, but left one chair vacant. We were confused and asked them why they took over. The 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. The children did not why we could not sit back in the chairs where we were. My wife wanted to leave the park. My youngest has Autism and of course needed extra attention with eating ect... After about a half hour they got up and said we were ignorant in not so many kind words and could see why because of our youngest. I am leaving the exact quotes they said because I do not want them repeated on the forums. Sorry for this being so long. What would you of done or think is common sense.

I don't think a lot of people posting here have been to the waterparks when they are full. 45 minutes is not that long if you get in line for one of the slides and then hit one other attraction. It might have been better if you had gotten a CM to help you move the interlopers out of your chairs.

You were totally right in putting your stuff on your chairs and heading out to the attractions. Not much different than being seated at a table and then heading to the buffet line.

To the people who carry their towel with them, how to you play in the wave pool at TL with a towel in your hand and keep the towel dry??? That's really absurd to me. Staking out a claim at a water park is part of the water park procedures. It's pretty much expected that you will find a spot to put your stuff down and play. Otherwise why would they even need any chairs or loungers at all? They could set up a few benches here and there like in the theme parks for people to sit down once in a while.

If you want to sleep late or do a theme park and then arrive around noon or 1PM and expect to get a prime spot, you need to wake up from that dream.

If it is the case that all loungers that are unoccupied are up for free grabs at any point, there are going to be some gang wars and mass murders at the water parks. When we arrive, it's not unusual to see every lounger vacant with a few towels on them while everyone who has camped out is now in the wave pool or on the slides or in the lazy river.

 

[BelleChick]

Chairs are on a first come first serve basis...just like almost everything else. At the local water park where I live, I know to get there before the crowds if I want a chair. Most of the time I do. When I choose to sleep in and get there later, I don't get mad that I don't have a chair...it was my own fault for not getting there in time to get one. I do think that people should only take as many chairs as they need though... I never get my 2 year old niece her own chair because she wont sit in it much and when she does, she is small enough to share mine.

 

[webstah]

This is like going to the movies. You need to get there early to get seats together if there is more than one of you or you want a good seat.

So if you go to the movies, and pick a seat, do you get up and leave your seat for 45 minutes to an hour?
Would you leave your stuff there if you did?

 

[mattsdragon]

See, that's why you should do what I do.

Don't bring a towel, just find a convenient family, and drip dry over their pik-a-nik basket while they're off enjoying the park.

"Look at all da' lazy people on da' lazy rivah"

 

[BelleChick]

So if you go to the movies, and pick a seat, do you get up and leave your seat for 45 minutes to an hour?
Would you leave your stuff there if you did?

But a movie only lasts for 1 hr or so. When you compare your total time watching the move to your total time at a water park, then the amount of time you take to go to the bathroom would be very comparable to the time you would take to go down a slide or take a swim.

 

[webstah]

That's kinda my point, the movie comparison doesn't fit because you are not there for any reason other than to watch the movie, whereas at a water park, you are not there specifically to sit in a chair to watch the water. Most of your time is spent in the water.

 

[DAZY3BYZ]

I don't think a lot of people posting here have been to the waterparks when they are full. 45 minutes is not that long if you get in line for one of the slides and then hit one other attraction. It might have been better if you had gotten a CM to help you move the interlopers out of your chairs.

You were totally right in putting your stuff on your chairs and heading out to the attractions. Not much different than being seated at a table and then heading to the buffet line.

To the people who carry their towel with them, how to you play in the wave pool at TL with a towel in your hand and keep the towel dry??? That's really absurd to me. Staking out a claim at a water park is part of the water park procedures. It's pretty much expected that you will find a spot to put your stuff down and play. Otherwise why would they even need any chairs or loungers at all? They could set up a few benches here and there like in the theme parks for people to sit down once in a while.

If you want to sleep late or do a theme park and then arrive around noon or 1PM and expect to get a prime spot, you need to wake up from that dream.

If it is the case that all loungers that are unoccupied are up for free grabs at any point, there are going to be some gang wars and mass murders at the water parks. When we arrive, it's not unusual to see every lounger vacant with a few towels on them while everyone who has camped out is now in the wave pool or on the slides or in the lazy river.

AMEN!! It's absurd to expect people to carry their towel around all day. You get there early you get a chair. If you get there late you have to expect that all the good spots and chairs are now taken until people start to leave for the day. Kind of like going to the beach. This is why Disney sets up SO many chairs to begin with and allow you to bring in coolers. They expect you to use it like a beach. After my family has been swimming together in the ocean, we don't expect to come back to our spot to find people sitting there or to find our stuff moved. That's just plain rude!

 

[BelleChick]

That's kinda my point, the movie comparison doesn't fit because you are not there for any reason other than to watch the movie, whereas at a water park, you are not there specifically to sit in a chair to watch the water. Most of your time is spent in the water.

That's very true!

 

[kim_d]

Am I the only one who doesn't find 45 minutes to be a LONG time away from your chairs? If it was crowded that might be the time it took to get on one ride and make their way back to their stuff.

I am under the impression that water parks and resort pools are "first come first served". If I go to SAB and put my towel and items down on a lounge chair and then go swimmming, play in the sand with my kids, and then go down the slide and return 45 minutes later I would expect my items to still be on the chair when I returned even if it was crowded. Would it be ok to move personal items at a pool resort? Why would the "rules" at the water parks be any different than a resort pool?

 

[buffettgirl]

I guess I can see both sides. If you get a chair it's yours. I think it's fine to reserve one chair, maybe two and put all your things on it. I get a little peeved when I see 5 or 6 chairs all grouped together, all with one towel on them and you never see anyone in the chairs..all day...

For me - we are there in the summer anyway, so we keep our towels in the locker and don't bother with a chair. I'd spend all day worrying that someone was going to steal our things.

 

[dvcdisney]

You did not understand my example. People have claimed that the simple act of touching someone else's stuff is rude and is the basis why they cannot take the chair. I show there are perfectly reasonable times to move someone else's stuff when it is very clearly correct to do so. The only question is whether the chair is saved or it is not. If the chair is not allowed to be saved then the original occupant's stuff is in the way of someone else and they can rightfully move it out of their way.

I believe I did understand your example. However, I suppose I don't think that moving someone's stuff because you cannot drive your car out (without damaging their stuff) is the same as moving someone's stuff because you want to use their chair. But I understand what you mean by using the phrase "no one should touch my stuff". However, in the context posted by the OP, those people should not have touched their stuff. If their stuff was covering the only way for those people to move around, then yes, they could have moved it.

I don't think people would be upset if they moved it for that reason. But they moved it in order to take the chairs.

 

[ChuckGA]

However, in the context posted by the OP, those people should not have touched their stuff. If their stuff was covering the only way for those people to move around, then yes, they could have moved it.

I don't think people would be upset if they moved it for that reason. But they moved it in order to take the chairs.

Then you simply believe that chairs can be saved and therefore the people had no right to them and it has nothing to do with "touching their stuff". The stuff is in the way if chairs cannot be saved and is therefore perfectly acceptable to move it. As I said, it is all about whether the chairs can be saved or they cannot be saved and has nothing to do about "touching their stuff".

 

[duffy]

I like this one....

But this brings up the question that if when you come back and someone is there, do you ask them to leave?

(I had said that we put our stuff under the chairs.)

If I come back to the chairs and someone is sitting there, we politely ask if we can get our stuff. The people sitting there are always polite and explain that the chairs were empty, so they sat down. We always say we don't mind, we think people have a better right to the chair than our towels and other stuff. My towels etc., won't get tired and need to rest.

But usually we don't NEED TO, because people usually avoid the chairs hiding our stuff. If it's so crowded that all the chairs are taken, we'd want to leave anyhow. Who wants to stay at a park that's so crowded, you can't get a chair anywhere??

If someone IS in the chair hiding our stuff, and on our return, we wish to sit, we just take our stuff and move to empty chairs. Any time we're at a park and can't find a place to sit...well, it's time to go.

 

[Tinkfan10]

I don't think a lot of people posting here have been to the waterparks when they are full. 45 minutes is not that long if you get in line for one of the slides and then hit one other attraction. It might have been better if you had gotten a CM to help you move the interlopers out of your chairs.

You were totally right in putting your stuff on your chairs and heading out to the attractions. Not much different than being seated at a table and then heading to the buffet line.

To the people who carry their towel with them, how to you play in the wave pool at TL with a towel in your hand and keep the towel dry??? That's really absurd to me. Staking out a claim at a water park is part of the water park procedures. It's pretty much expected that you will find a spot to put your stuff down and play. Otherwise why would they even need any chairs or loungers at all? They could set up a few benches here and there like in the theme parks for people to sit down once in a while.

If you want to sleep late or do a theme park and then arrive around noon or 1PM and expect to get a prime spot, you need to wake up from that dream.

If it is the case that all loungers that are unoccupied are up for free grabs at any point, there are going to be some gang wars and mass murders at the water parks. When we arrive, it's not unusual to see every lounger vacant with a few towels on them while everyone who has camped out is now in the wave pool or on the slides or in the lazy river.

THANK YOU! Okay so after reading this thread and getting mad, then walking away, then coming back and reading more, then walking away and coming back I am going to put in my 2 cents. I have grown up in Disney and have been going to TL since it opened. Etiquette: You go early, bring your stuff (we always had our own towels to find our chair), nothing of value, find an area, for the 4-5 of us we only ever took up 2 chairs put your stuff down and enjoy. This is what everyone does and has always done from my experience of 25 years whether it is a resort pool, river county, or TL. Now that being said if you are gone from your section for more then an hour, you must be sun burnt. Return to your station periodically, rest, apply sun screen and then go off and enjoy again. TL is large it could take 45 minutes on a busy day to get from our chair to the other side to ride a slide then come all the way back. To anyone who thinks they have the right to touch anyones personal items YOU are mistaken. Personally I would have gotten the first CM, it is all in how you handle it. To the rest of you who have posted and I can't believe some of the comments I have read coming from my loved disboarders, don't go to a water park if have a problem and leave the chairs empty for those of us who know how to respect others and share magic. I remember many times when families have walked by obviously having no place to go with kids and we have shared our space with them, it is the place of pixie dust so come on.....share a little. Okay done with my comment and I hope that I don't get flames here, I just felt the OP needed to be backed up a bit.