What would you have done? Saving pool chairs dilemma.......

[Laurajean1014]

We saw this happen alot at Vero Beach! People getting up at 8:30 am to claim their spot and then don't come down til 12:00 to sit there.

The cm's from time to time would go around and remove the towels. It was funny to see other people sitting at "their table" when they would saunter down.

As for the smoking: well, I'm at WDW now and yesterday I walked by a woman smoking. She exhauled as soon as I was approaching (not intentionally). I took in the smoke and a few minutes later, still had the smoke taste in my mouth.

You can say whatever you want, but second hand smoke is pollution.

Is it ok to take up 10 chairs? One for your cooler? One for your Stuffed animals? One for your beach bag?

We were at Typhoon Lagoon yesterday and this sort of thing happens, however, they have an announcement come on every hour about sharing chairs.

I agree that CM's or lifeguards should police the area to take away towels that are not occupied. Even if the person returns in an hour from being in the ocean (VB) or whatever, they do have to realize others can use it while it was not being used.

It's only good manners.

 

[JimC]

I think the OP was correct. I am not sure what I would have done when they sat down and started smoking. But dousing the fire with water is one that comes to mind.

I noticed the chair saving at VB when we were there in May. Now I must admit to being somewhat guilty. My wife and I would go to the pool before our two college daughters and we would get towels and chairs for the family. If you were there I was the one saving my chair as I was sleeping on it with a good book on my chest My wife would be in the pool floating with one of those noodle things. But the girls would show up within an hour (what is it that they do to get ready to swim besides put on a swim suit???).

Seriously, we did see people come out in the morning before the pool opened to mark their territory and not show up till after lunch!! One day I was going back to our unit to get a dry shirt to put on for lunch and I saw a group of the early morning pool chair savers coming up from the beach!

I liked the idea of a towel card system mentioned by lurontravel and certainly support something that gets a handle on this.

I also support no smoking in the pool area. I thought that was the policy. Does the new Florida law cover that?

 

[floridafam]

Ususally there is a group of lifeguards down at the VB pool in the early morning either cleaning it or conducting lifeguard drills. They must see the people come in and save chairs.

They can put up a sign, inform people at check-in, have the lifeguards pick up towels and have a card/towel system.

I'm all for the card system if it prevents this kind of thing. I wouldn't mind it one bit.

I can only dream of the things my DH would have done when that guy lit up at your table.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by floridafam
I can only dream of the things my DH would have done when that guy lit up at your table.

.............

..................

...................

 

[slp87]

One thing I've learned about visiting our local pool, water parks, resorts poots, etc, is that we do not need a chair for every member of the family. I usually use 2, one for myself and one for my husband. Kids are not out of the water enough to need a chair and they can sit on the end of mine for those few seconds. If we are eating, they put a towel on the ground and have a picnic. It drives me crazy to see people saving tons of chairs when they are in the water the majority of the time.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

I would have done the same thing as the OP AND pointed out to the couple that I had been sitting there for 2 hours and there was no way they put their towel there 15 minutes before. As far as them pulling up to the table - well, I don't have any problems sharing. As far as the smoking, I would have told them to put it out, if they refused, I would have gotten a manager involved. Their behavior was unbelievably rude! How do they know CMs didn't come around and remove towels?

One thing I've learned about visiting our local pool, water parks, resorts poots, etc, is that we do not need a chair for every member of the family. I usually use 2, one for myself and one for my husband. Kids are not out of the water enough to need a chair and they can sit on the end of mine for those few seconds. If we are eating, they put a towel on the ground and have a picnic. It drives me crazy to see people saving tons of chairs when they are in the water the majority of the time.

We are the same way. I normally don't swim very much, so most of my time is spent on the chair. There are 4 of us and unless the pool is deserted, we use 2 chairs. If we are taking up more and someone needs one, we give it up. It's just common courtesy.

 

[dvcdudes]

My fellow DVCers.
Be Forewarned

If I see a table or chairs with towels on them (SAVED) and there are no others available. I will wait a moment or two... Remove the towels... Place them neatly nearby... and Sit My A** in the chair. If someone comes over within 10-15 minutes, I'll gladly get up and start my search again, but 20-30 minutes go by and NOW someone strolls by and tells me I had those chairs save, they will be told to go scratch.
Of course if they are dripping from being in the pool for this time I would gladly move even if it were 45 minutes later. But people comming from the hotel or from outside the pool area are out of luck.
I'm so tired of seeing a prime table (in the shade) left unattended with a few towels over the back of the chairs. An hour later and they're still unattended.
We stayed in Universal (Portafino) and got a lounge chair on the beach there. I saw the pool crew every 30-45 minutes removing towels and food from tables and chairs. This opened them up for people arriving. Thats the way to do it. If you leave for an extended period (30-45 mins) You'll have to find a new spot to sit.

 

[Dean]

You should have excercized your morning sickness rights as they sat at the table. I would have gotten a CM and asked them to intervene or gotten a manager. If they had started smoking at my table, I would have gone postal. They would be the one needing help, either drying off or standing up.

 

[ripleysmom]

You absolutely did the right thing.

The smoking thing is another issue. Normally I don't mind if people smoke if they ask my permission. I do have to say that second hand smoke does not concern me as much as the possibility of children being burned by a negligently waved cigarette.

 

[NEM]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the votes of support. I just so was not in the mood for them or their pool saving in the morning. As far as the previous questions:

-The lifeguard did tell them that they could not save chairs with towels, but they pulled up and sat in one of the empty chairs at the time at said table and then the husband just took one from a nearby table (that group, was, in fact, in the pool). Basically they occupied 1/6th of the table and we were pretty much taking over the rest.

-I did not ask the lifeguard to move them. I did not think that was fair to draw them into the battle I started - I was actually suprised this couple had the nerve to confront me after 2 hours. I just rode it out. I can be stubborn - particularly when provoked. I am not sure how the lifeguard could have handled the situation. It does seem there should be an official policy or sign posted (there wasn't-I looked). They manage to have sorted the wristbands for the pool, it seems at least they could post a sign saying chairs cannot be saved when you are not at the pool or something to that effect.

-I, too, would have moved if someone would have turned up in 15-30 minutes. This was 2 hours they were not around - and it was obvious that it was "saving-the-table". They even admitted they came down and put the towels there before they went to breakfast and changed into their suits, so that was not in dispute. In their mind breakfast and suit changing took 15 minutes....NOT!!!!

-Fortunately the wind (or more like breeze) was in our favor, so the smoke was not horrible, but more annoying. Their *&itching was even more annoying. I sent the kids off to play when they started up and then I politely told them to put a lid on it and please feel free to share the table with us if they wanted.... which started them off and running again about how we were sharing "their table" - boring after a while, really.

-I did ask the lifeguard about smoking when I went to get another towel and they told me smoking is allowed at the pool - anywhere - no designated area....that seemed weird to me, but oh well. Hopefully that will get sorted out soon - a designated area seems only appropriate - it can even be a "good" area - but it seems there should be a smoking and non-smoking section.

-No husbands around to handle the smoke - just us chicks....But there was one spilled orange soda that got a little out of hand on the poor lady's book....One of the hazzards of 18 month olds....really, it was an accident. A fortunate accident, but an accident, none-the-less. They did not find it funny, but they did not leave the table either.

And finally, I have to confess. The couple was in the pool when we left and my sis and we did leave them a little party favor on the table in the form of a used swim diaper. Nothing gross, but just a token for them to remember us by. Please dont crucify me for that one....., please....

I know it is awful, but we could not resist. They were really a piece of work.

I really hope DVC works out a system soon. This seems to be a problem that is getting worse, not better. And my philosophy is if Disney isn't going to do something, then it does fall to us owners. I'd like to believe that if we dont "let" people save chairs, then maybe they will get the point that it is not okay.

Thanks again for the support and I hope you all have great trips home soon. Everything else was great about our trip.....

Best,
Michelle

 

[donald@home]

I am going to start travelling with a squirt gun so if the rude people from the original post sit next to me and light up I am going to start squirting them with it. When they ask me what I am doing I will tell them "It is a nasty squirt gun habit I picked up when I was a teen ager. I have tried to quit, but I just can't. And besides, I am not sitting in a No Squirt Gun Section so it is my right to squirt my gun if I want to. And plus I am outside, so what is the problem. Sorry if the water gets on you, but you have the right to move if you want."

 

[floridafam]

NEM,

I encourage you to write/e-mail DVC or Disney about what you experienced. It couldn't hurt to let them know that you aren't happy about it.

I'm not sure if you would have to address Disney or DVC about this because I don't know who is in charge of SAB.

Maybe they will put up some signs or inform people at check-in if they realize that this is a big problem.

Please let us know if you do write/e-mail someone and what the response is.

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by Dean
If they had started smoking at my table, I would have gone postal. They would be the one needing help, either drying off or standing up.

......better watch that temper Dean.

 

[lurontravel]

I agree with floridafam, NEM (OP) should write/call/email DVC/Disney about the problems with "chair/table saving". In fact, I think that all of us who posted here should also contact DVC regarding this matter. If we don't tell them our problem and potential solutions, we can't expec them to guess what our needs are. It seems that there are a lot who have experienced this problem, and if we can manage to get our act together and let them know about this issue the way we did here, something will very likely be done about the unpleasant situation. I do not personally have the contact information for them, but am sure someone out there has it. I suspect that if we go to the DVC member website there will be contact info, but I have to take care of my laundry now so I can go to work in a clean uniform later!
Please post contact info my more educated fellow Disboard DVCers, and everyone, please contact DVC regarding this plight. I think this issue will be addressed if we notify them!
Laura

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by lurontravel
......(snip)......everyone, please contact DVC regarding this plight. I think this issue will be addressed if we notify them!
Laura

I also wish that the CMs/Lifeguards/Pool Attendants would do some minimal policing of the chairs. However, I do not look for it to happen no matter how many of us contact DVC. If Disney decided to eliminate most advance room assignments due to guests who didn't want to accept the check in time of 4:00 p.m., why would they want to get in the middle of a "no-win/likely to initiate a confrontation with a guest" situation?

IMHO, we are all better off to just do as NEM did and several other posters say they do. If it is obvious that the chair and/or table has been "saved" by a towel and the savers are not present in the area, just sit down and politely stand your ground when/if the boors come back and complain. FWIW, few of them actually confront you based on my experience. I think NEM's experience is quite rare.

The practice of "saving" pool chairs ahead of time with a towel only works if others respect the right of a towel to hold a chair.

No federal, state or local law I ever heard of says anything at all about the rights of towels. IIRC, there are no towel rights mentioned in any of the DVC papers I signed at purchase. None of the etiquette/good manners books mention towel rights. In fact, I doubt if there is even one single group in these United States (and maybe in the whole world) whose platform includes promoting the rights of towels.

TOWELS HAVE NO RIGHTS AND THAT"S THE WAY I LIKE IT!!!!

Flame me if you like. I won't change my mind!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I like the way you think Carol! We have not had this issue, since we usually travel in January and only go to the quiet pools at OKW. I also usually only go for the hot tub, so the only need for a chair is to put my things on while I am soaking. I often just use the garbage can for my towel and shoes. Plus, we are usually down there long after dark, so it isn't a problem.

 

[JohnNJ]

I'm not arguing the point about people saving chairs with towels and not actually being by the pool but...

I know that I have put my towels and shoes by the chairs and have been in the water for two hours with my kids. That slide is way too much fun. If someone came along and asked loudly if anyone was using my chairs, I might not hear them if I'm up on the slide. Would I be upset if someone moved my stuff? Yes, but I usually leave some personal things like shoes, books, glasses, shirts, etc., not just towels. I only save two chairs for me and my wife because I know the kids are not going to lounge.

Basically, what I'm saying is if there's more on the chairs than just towels, like personal items, leave it alone. It could be my stuff and I don't want anyone ruining my Disney mood.

 

[MattIL]

I also have seen this problem but not just at Disney. I think if you went to resorts in many locations you would see this type of behavior. My wife and I witnessed it at the Mirage in Las Vegas in June and have seen it at Caribbean resorts. I believe I have even heard it mentioned on the Travel Channel.

I think the idea that we don't respect the right to save a chair to a unused towel is a good one but I believe we can go a step further. When you leave the pool area if there are unused chairs next to your party that are being "saved" with towels pick them up and put them away along with your own towels. If you are down at the pool for any length of time you will know if the chairs are being used or not. Help clear the area for fellow visitors.

If enough of us refuse to accept this practice it will begin to decline in use.

 

[kathleena]

When I was at Luna Park pool last May, I saw two CMs picking up used towels and they were both wearing protective gloves.

I'm not sure that I will be picking up anyone's used towels.

 

[wdwdvcdad]

JohnNJ has a good point. If that were to happen after I used "his" chair, I would surely move. If we all use courtesy, the problems will be minimal.