Why would someone do this?

[gr8ful4Him]

Can't blame ya there, Anne. I have to agree with what you're saying here, but some feel the need to hop in and take a quick stab. Won't be surprised if the thread is locked soon.

I agree with you too Anne. I remember when my ds was very young and he was throwing a fit at a restaurant. I told him to stop or we were leaving...well...we left! That was all it took. He NEVER acted up at a restaurant again, and he's now 13.
My dd has been a little more challenging, but she doesn't cry,whine,throw food, etc at restaurants, or I take her to the restroom or somewhere away from other people and we have a chat about her behavior. I have allowed her to lay her head down in a booth or something like that, but I would never let her disrupt the other patrons....they don't deserve that!

 

[Lizzy2]

Hey guys, can't we just all love each other a little bit?
While I have great sympathy for the diners who were inconvienced I think you must realize that you are in WDW and the little people are everywhere even in fancy restaurants. Does it make it right to upset everyone in the place? No. Should you have a little sympathy in what is an already stressful situation? Yes.
Bottom line is the rest. mgr. could have taken care of this gracefully- Offered a comp meal at another time when the children were more rested or the like-
In order to make a more pleasing environment for everyone. Believe me , the parents knew that the kids were causing trouble maybe they just needed to be rescued. Maybe they thought the kids would be better once they ate. Maybe they had no idea how fancy the r. was and since food was ordered they didn't know the options. Again, the rest. mgr. should have helped them.

 

[NancyT]

WOW AGAIN! That is just so rude to call them ignorant, and I have never met one child who has eaten out of a trough. Your attitude is just not pleasant at all. I have nothing else to say to you.

Agreed. WOW is all I can say.

I would have empathized with the OP had she not insulted the people ... their kids eat out of troughs?? That is a bit insulting. As is the mindset that people using the dining plan don't belong at the nicer places because they wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise

It's sad that one cannot share a legitimate concern -- meltdown kiddos, without insulting the lower classes, of which I am one.

Bye bye DIS.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Honestly, because you have provided good information in posts. I really believe that and appreciate the information.

But, when you have posts like the ones in this thread that get so ugly, it really turns people off to your message.

It takes real maturity to detail the strengths of someone who seems to miss out on the real lessons that interactive boards provide. Thank you for demonstrating that class has nothing to do with where we dine... it is in how we treat others.

 

[calgarygary]

Just the other day at a local Applebees we saw a table next to ours (and thank goodness they were just leaving) where there had been two families with about 2 kids each. The whole area was a mess--it actually looked as tho the family had eaten off the floor. Food, silverware, glasses, napkins, etc etc.EVERYWHERE. It was such a mess that several Applebees employees had to move the tables out of the way and pick items up by hand--was too much for even the carpet sweepers to handle.
THIS is the sort of thing that has Ducklite upset and when it happens at an "upscale" restaurant like Citricos, it's even worse.

Uncleromulus, I believe that we all understand what has ducklite upset however it is how one deals with it and expresses it that has become the concern. I took great exception to the tone and expressions of the posts and then have found it somewhat amusing that the individual who was referring to others (children, parents, posters) in such a derogatory manner would then threaten.

 

[ducklite]

I thought they were on the other side of the restaurant? How did you hear this from there? Wow. You're amazing. My point is that you don't KNOW. But you think you do. Interesting.

That was a different meal at a different restaurant. I specifically said we were eating at a Signature restaurant, Citrico's. I was giving an example that I have seen in the past at another place.

ANne

 

[scanne]

Just the other day at a local Applebees we saw a table next to ours (and thank goodness they were just leaving) where there had been two families with about 2 kids each. The whole area was a mess--it actually looked as tho the family had eaten off the floor. Food, silverware, glasses, napkins, etc etc.EVERYWHERE. It was such a mess that several Applebees employees had to move the tables out of the way and pick items up by hand--was too much for even the carpet sweepers to handle.

Uncle R,

THIS is an example of "bad parenting." Not teaching your kids table manner and having NO respect for restaurant workers. It makes me shake my head when I see this.

As far as this thread, I do agree with several issues that Ducklite pointed out. Especially the one where Disney should put in some sort of age restriction at the Signature restaurants. My parents will be dining at Citricos on July 21st - and my DH bought them a giftcard to use there because they are so amazing and I really wanted to send them somewhere on WDW that was upscale and classy! I sure hope that my parents do NOT encounter what Anne described whether they are right next to a family like that OR across the restaurant from them.

As far as the other "issues" going on are concerned - some people choose language to describe something they experienced that others may not like. It can come across as nasty, inconsiderate, mean, honest, harsh, etc. Everything is open to interpretation. I have read through this thread and have really been shocked by comments being thrown from one poster to the other. Sheesh! It's ok to agree, disagree, be impartial...but if you don't like what one person says, then what makes it ok to throw other harsh words out there?

I think if there is a moral to this tale it is this.


When you are a parent, you need to realize that your children's needs come first. Plan accordingly and be courteous to others around you when you are in public. And teach your children good manners, self respect and how to respect others.

 

[bsmcneil]

That was a different meal at a different restaurant. I specifically said we were eating at a Signature restaurant, Citrico's. I was giving an example that I have seen in the past at another place.

ANne

Right. I realized it was at a different restaurant. My point, which is funny because I was actually replying to someone else and you jumped in, is that all kinds of assumptions were being made about the family. Dining plan, didn't care, etc. But, you don't know if they were on the plan, so to attribute their behavior to that is a problem.

 

[mickman1962]

When I go to a public restaurant (especially one at WDW), the last thing I am expecting is a private dinner. No matter how upscale the restaurant might think it is.

 

[ducklite]

When I go to a public restaurant (especially one at WDW), the last thing I am expecting is a private dinner. No matter how upscale the restaurant might think it is.

I never said I was expecting a private dinner. If you can point out to me where I even IMPLIED this I'd like to see it.

Anne

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Just the other day at a local Applebees we saw a table next to ours (and thank goodness they were just leaving) where there had been two families with about 2 kids each. The whole area was a mess--it actually looked as tho the family had eaten off the floor. Food, silverware, glasses, napkins, etc etc.EVERYWHERE. It was such a mess that several Applebees employees had to move the tables out of the way and pick items up by hand--was too much for even the carpet sweepers to handle.
THIS is the sort of thing that has Ducklite upset and when it happens at an "upscale" restaurant like Citricos, it's even worse.

You eat at Applebees?

 

[scanne]

You eat at Applebees?

 

[FromVatoDisney]

"Last year, my DH and I ate at Artist Point. Where were our young ones? They were at the WL camp having a blast with their pizza and video games."



That's where ours were when DH and I ate at Citrico's last year! They LOVED it, they still talk about the Cub's Den. BTW, I researched all our restaurants with help from these boards and Citrico's was the only place on our list I would not take them to. They were 9 and 6 then and would not have screamed, and they would have behaved, but I just felt it was an adult atmosphere. People were clearly there for a quiet meal. I didn't feel that way about California Grill or Flying Fish, the two more upscale places we did take them to.

An aside on Flying Fish.... I thought they must definitely welcome children since you have to go through a candy store to get to the bathroom! I'm used to the gift-shop-at-end-of-ride routine of course, but the necessary trip through the candy store in order to reach the necessary room was a bit much, I thought.

Both FF and CG were filled with families, and CG in particular was of course quite loud. Citrico's was, we thought, just a very different scene.

 

[my4kids]

Just the other day at a local Applebees we saw a table next to ours (and thank goodness they were just leaving) where there had been two families with about 2 kids each. The whole area was a mess--it actually looked as tho the family had eaten off the floor. Food, silverware, glasses, napkins, etc etc.EVERYWHERE. It was such a mess that several Applebees employees had to move the tables out of the way and pick items up by hand--was too much for even the carpet sweepers to handle.
THIS is the sort of thing that has Ducklite upset and when it happens at an "upscale" restaurant like Citricos, it's even worse.

Can we get a moderator that has kids?

 

[jgreen]

This reminds me of a vacation that we took to Hawaii about ten years ago. At that time we only had our son who was two, and we decided to eat at an upscale seafood restaurant. A nearby table had three young children that were approximately 7, 5, and 3. All of these children began to start meltdowns of varying degrees, and then the middle child threw a spoon from across the room that missed my head by inches! The parents did not even acknowledge that fact at all, and continued on with their meal as if nothing had happened.

A short while later, just after our meals were served, our son began to get cranky, and we asked that our food be boxed up and we took it all back to our hotel room to finish in peace after putting our son to bed.

 

[notnothin]

Can we get a moderator that has kids?

Yow! Watch out!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

It's going to be a bumpy ride!!!

 

[scanne]

Can we get a moderator that has kids?

You don't think what UncleR described at Applebee's isnit rude and inconsiderate? I have two young kids -ages 2 and 4 - and we dine out with them 2-3 times a week! They never "trash" our table and any messes that are made that I personally feel are more than the server needs to handle, I clean up. I try to wipe up major spills like ketchup, milk, juice, etc. and excess napkins that were used get gathered up and places on a plate so the server isn't reaching and grabbing used napkins. I never let my kids leave ANY place they've been in a "trashed" state.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I do have "kids," they are just big kids now.. I raised my children on WDW. I took them to Victoria and Albert when they were 6, 9 and 12 and they loved it and were well behaved.

Hey, let's face it, we are all kids at WDW....when you go through those gates, don't you feel the excitement as if you were young again.

I think we have to agree to disagree on this one. Whether you like the way the OP presented her post or not, it is definitely one to think about. I do hope we can keep it open and continue the discussion.

I do not eat at Applebee's. Actually, that is not fair, I do not think there are any near where I live. I was just teasing....

 

[phyllis1966]

Citricos is an upscale "signature" WDW restaurant. If your kids are melting down while you are still waiting to be seated, you've got a lot of nerve subjecting everyone around you to that scene.

ducklite's words may sound harsh, but I have to agree with her (for a change ) - even though I have a young DD and love kids, they don't belong in fine restaurants if they are exhausted (or sometimes just plain misbehaved!). Those parents were selfish - they had many other options since they had not yet been seated and their kids were obviously in need of some rest/downtime.

And to those saying ducklite is not being attacked - I recall seeing a post calling her a Privileged Complaining _____...You may not like her "descriptions," but that kind of personal attack when she is in no way attcking anyone here is absolutely uncalled for.