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msgmg68
01-03-2007, 08:21 AM
I just had to share this will all of you...my cousin and I were heading to lunch at Tomorrowland Terrace on Saturday. As you can imagine, seats were hard to find. After scouting for a few minutes I noticed a family that looked like they were leaving. I asked if they were and they said yes. I waited patiently for them to discard all of their garbage and vacate the table. Out of nowhere, a woman sped up and ELBOWED me right in the bicep area and took the table. I couldn't believe it! In all my years of going to DL I have never been physically assaulted for a table. Needless to say, I politely said to the woman "It is people like you that ruin the DL experience for others." She said that she had kids and needed the table. I went on to tell her that she didn't need to physically assault me in such a manner. She didn't apologize or anything. As a side note, she didn't have any kids with her and I didn't see any sitting at her table as I was leaving later on. I have a purple bruise on my arm - I still can't believe it. I am not a petite person either - I am 5'7" and 170 lbs.

I just couldn't wait to share this experience here. I know that when things are crowded you get bumped, pushed, toes stepped on, etc., but this was just plain done on purpose.

Of course, I didn't let that ruin my trip - I love DL!

Rteneyck
01-03-2007, 08:27 AM
WOW!!! It never ceases to amaze me how some people can be so pushy and rude. I am glad that it didn't ruin your trip though because then that would have given her power and she is obviously not worthy of it.

DisneyDustin22
01-03-2007, 08:30 AM
You should have sat down beside her and chewed with your mouth open. :p

Crazy4DL
01-03-2007, 08:55 AM
You should have sat down beside her and chewed with your mouth open. :p

LOL! no kidding!



msgmg68, sounds like you handled yourself with class. I like your attitude. :)

MouseWife
01-03-2007, 09:07 AM
I wouldn't have given it up either. Especially after being patient and polite to the people who left the table. I wondered, briefly, why they hadn't said anything but then I realized they would not know who was in your party.

I am so sorry this happened to you, I do not understand how some people think. It is a shame. I am glad you still had a good time.

And what a grrr thing, you have a bruise to keep reminding you of it. :(

And, Crazy4DL is right, you did handle yourself with class.

Lekta
01-03-2007, 09:11 AM
Gosh, what kind of a person is that rude at Disneyland. And on to p of that, she lied about having kids with her?? WOW

tonytone
01-03-2007, 10:25 AM
I'm impressed that you showed considerable restraint, considering what that woman did to you--i.e., I wouldn't have faulted you if you had gone off on her. I mean, what she did could be construed as borderline battery...especially given that you have a bruise to show for it and she apparently wasn't apologetic, to say the least.

Bolivar
01-03-2007, 10:50 AM
I work at a ski resort on weekends and we have a real issue with space in the lodge. Especially at lunch time there is just no place for folks to sit down. One problem is that the parents of the kids on the race team camp out at tables all day long. One parent might hold an entire table all day. Others just spread stuff out with no one there holding the table all day when they actually use it just at lunch and a bit at the end of the day.

We have new management and I really like what they are doing to address the problem. They are providing staff to find tables for people. So when you walk out of the cafeteria with your tray of food, someone comes up to you and asks how many in your party. That person then finds you a table.

If there are empty seats, these folks fill them. If the people at the table say they are saving the seats, they are told they can't. The staff keeps their eyes out for who is almost done and who is next to get a table.

They are doing a terrific job and it is really making a big difference.

Perhaps Disney should do something like that. Just when it is crowded each place having one person at $8/hour wouldn't cost much and might make a difference.

MammaSilva
01-03-2007, 10:56 AM
We have had several really good experiences with CM's helping at meal times in different ways like that, but back to the OP situation, I would have just sat down and said well, we have x number in our party, you're welcome to join us. Then chewed with my mouth open and talked with food in my mouth (both things drive me NUTS BTW LOL)

Bolivar
01-03-2007, 11:01 AM
The thing I always remind myself in those situations is that I had to experience that vial person for a few seconds, maybe a minute at most. She has to be with herself 24/7 -- it can't be a happy life.

Donald Duck Fan68
01-03-2007, 11:19 AM
I must agree that you handled yourself with much class, more than the offender deserved, IMHO. I'm glad that you didn't let it ruin your trip, but this woman's behavior is just another example of the "me first" selfish attitude that permeates our society. She felt she was more deserving of the table than you, even though you were there waiting patiently and clearly were next in line for the spot. However, the fact that she had to assault you and then lie to justify her entitlement verifies all the more she had not right act as she did. You were very noble in choosing the higher ground. I don't know if I could have been as self-controlled as you. I likely would have followed her to Pirates and snapped flash-photography in her face during the ride just to "get even." :)

MouseWife
01-03-2007, 11:40 AM
I don't know if I could have been as self-controlled as you. I likely would have followed her to Pirates and snapped flash-photography in her face during the ride just to "get even." :)
:p

MammaSilva~ Yep, that is what I'd have done, I like to think. After many years of being 'nice' and experiencing these 'me first' people one too many times I can't help but, if I am rightfully first, let them know it.

I've taken the higher ground many times in an effort to show my kids the proper way to behave in society only to have them see the me first people not behave properly.

Be firm and be fair, that is how I try to be. Treat others how you'd like to be treated.

Sadly it seems we are ending up having to 'parent' other adults who are selfish brats.

Crazy4DL
01-03-2007, 11:45 AM
Be firm and be fair, that is how I try to be.

I agree.

Fair, firm and calm does amazing things a lot of the time. :)

goffy #1
01-03-2007, 11:55 AM
That woman was just a pure "hater" and I would have sat down in one of the other chairs and continued on with my lunch, but that's just me. :p

Disney Vault
01-03-2007, 12:21 PM
You should have sat down beside her and chewed with your mouth open. :p
I would recommend just coughing and sneezing like crazy. But you have to be sure not to cover you mouth though.

motoxprincess31
01-03-2007, 02:03 PM
On monday when we were at disneyland, it was the first time I had seen a lot of rude people, over all our whole trip was great but people seemed a lot less patient probably becuase of the crowds. I was waiting with my daughter to meet goofy and a lady jumped right in front of me in line, I said ohhh theres a line, she just ignored me and looked at my daughter and said "ohhhh your get to meet goofy in just one minute" another time a cm had to explain to a lady about 10 times that the line for minnie had ended and that minnie would be back in half an hour. I felt so bad for the CM having to deal with her, she had every excuse in the book of why he should overlook her in the line.

tonytone
01-03-2007, 04:04 PM
On monday when we were at disneyland, it was the first time I had seen a lot of rude people, over all our whole trip was great but people seemed a lot less patient probably becuase of the crowds. I was waiting with my daughter to meet goofy and a lady jumped right in front of me in line, I said ohhh theres a line, she just ignored me and looked at my daughter and said "ohhhh your get to meet goofy in just one minute" another time a cm had to explain to a lady about 10 times that the line for minnie had ended and that minnie would be back in half an hour. I felt so bad for the CM having to deal with her, she had every excuse in the book of why he should overlook her in the line.
I could never understand this; how can someone NOT notice that there is a line? Or is it that they do but cut in anyways, thinking that no one else might speak up? I saw this happen just the other day--we were waiting in line so that we could get a family picture taken right in front of Sleeping Beauty castle, next to the "Happy New Year 2007" sign; next thing I knew, a group of folks decided to plop themselves in front of the sign, oblivious to the fact that there was a photographer CM standing next to it who was assisting w/ those folks who wanted their pictures taken in that spot. Needless to say, more than a few of us in line politely but firmly informed them that there was a line...

danyoung
01-03-2007, 04:08 PM
I got to meet a new kind of rude guest on my last visit just before Christmas. I was hanging out with my CM brother while he was working in a shop in DCA, and a large man came in, strode right up to my brother nose to nose, and announced "PIN TRADING!" My brother was expected to jump to and display his pin lanyard. He didn't have it on at that time, and the man, without another word, turned and strode on to the next CM. I saw this behavior in varying degrees from 3 different guests that day. It totally amazed me, their sense of entitlement, that my brother should just drop everything instantly and take care of their pin trading needs! Very sad.

disneyrox
01-03-2007, 05:29 PM
Sorry you had to experience such a rude person. I know if that had happened to me, I probably would have been so shocked that I would have walked away to find another table, probably with tears in my eyes, all the while muttering to myself.

Luckily, our dining experience on Sunday evening was much nicer - we got our food at Plaza Inn and then started looking for a table. There were no inside tables available and we were trying to decide what to do when a very nice man asked how many were in our group and would we like to share his table with him. It was a bit squished (5 at a table for 4) but it was just so incredibly nice of him to share his table with us!

Disney Vault
01-03-2007, 05:56 PM
I could never understand this; how can someone NOT notice that there is a line? Or is it that they do but cut in anyways, thinking that no one else might speak up? I saw this happen just the other day--we were waiting in line so that we could get a family picture taken right in front of Sleeping Beauty castle, next to the "Happy New Year 2007" sign; next thing I knew, a group of folks decided to plop themselves in front of the sign, oblivious to the fact that there was a photographer CM standing next to it who was assisting w/ those folks who wanted their pictures taken in that spot. Needless to say, more than a few of us in line politely but firmly informed them that there was a line...
Oh they notice and they know exactly what they are doing. :mad:

Park Freak
01-03-2007, 06:39 PM
I think that we as a society need to step up to these people. As long as they get away with it they will still do whatever the heck they feel like doing. I don't mean to fight with them personally, but in the op's situation, I would have gotten a CM and told them that this woman had just assaulted me!! Just because you are at Disneyland doesn't mean you can't press charges, or at least threaten to do so. We need to do something or these kinds of people will (literally) walk all over us. IMHO

Malcon10t
01-03-2007, 08:01 PM
We saw an interesting one. Tuesday we had just seen the 2:35 Billy Hill show. After it was over, out came one of the Billy's and he taped a sign onto a small table that said "Reserved for 4pm Show". He made the rounds visiting people in the room. We were sitting next to the table he put the sign on. Several people came up to the table, saw the sign and walked away. Then here comes this woman with 2 teens who look around, wait a few minutes, then they take the sign off the table and tear it up into little pieces. We left when the Billy came back out and was talking with them. But, I guess it's the same as someone laying a blanket down to reserve an area and walking off.

MouseWife
01-03-2007, 08:02 PM
I think that we as a society need to step up to these people.

While I agree that these people need to somehow learn, and, while I said I would stand my ground, we weren't there and we aren't this person.

That said, I really am appalled she sustained such abuse, physical and verbal. Probably shock and her normal decent behavior kept her from
smacking the person and so she stepped away.

I don't know, if that were me, what would I have done if I were hit? Probably not believe what happened and in that split second I would probably revert back to my normal self and just try and talk to her, like the op did.

Or flip out back at her.

Okay, this is really off topic but it does have to do with the public and what they think they can get away with.

A friend was at a Charger game here in San Diego, against the Raiders. He was wearing a Charger jacket. As he was leaving, a Raider fan chose to start a fight with him, him throwing the first punch. Well, what he didn't realize is that my friend was a mighty tough dude and turned around and totally wiped the floor with him.

I don't condone fighting but I really love this story.

MouseWife
01-03-2007, 08:03 PM
Same as a blanket but the saloon is an establishment and there was a sign on it. Disrespectful to take it off.

But, did they move when he asked them? Or did he not ask them?

june1st1997
01-03-2007, 08:13 PM
msgmg68...

I am so sorry you were treated that way. :(

Stories like this make me not want to visit the park and that makes me sad.

I begin planning my daugthers first birthday tomorrow... we are having it at the park and the thought dealing with someone like that on my daughter's birthday... ugh.

Of course, this will not deter us... But it makes me appreciate the challenge of raising a respectful, kind thoughtful kid who will not let people like that break her spirit.