Parenting at its finest

[SRT_GB]

This story comes courtesy of a friend of mine.
My friend asked a kid to not sit on the queue ropes at the Stroller Shop. We do this all the time since the queue ropes break easily, or sometimes people will sit on a rope that's attached to a rollaway pole. The kid's mother yelled at my friend, "Don't yell at her, you're scaring her." She started cussing at the cast member at the register, and he asked her to stop using that kinda language since there were children (including hers) around. She went on cussing him out and ended up complaining to our general lead. The general lead told her that the cast members were just doing their job, making sure people don't get hurt, etc. Her response: "Well it's obvious you're not going to reprimand him so get out of my face." Next thing we heard she got kicked out of City Hall because she wouldn't stop cussing.

Which brings me to my point: Wasn't she complaining because we were scaring her kid?

[nitro-junkie]

Remember this: you have to pass a test to drive a car. There are NO tests for prospective parents. wtf?!?!?

[PoohBunniesHutch]

And yet, those who want to adopt have to pass rigorous physical, psychological and financial tests in order to remove a child from foster care and the welfare system....

And then there are parents who give birth, but must not pass any requirements

Go figure. How sad for the many, many children who need a home. And for those children in the homes of an abusive parent....

[Latasian731]

This story comes courtesy of a friend of mine.
My friend asked a kid to not sit on the queue ropes at the Stroller Shop. We do this all the time since the queue ropes break easily, or sometimes people will sit on a rope that's attached to a rollaway pole. The kid's mother yelled at my friend, "Don't yell at her, you're scaring her." She started cussing at the cast member at the register, and he asked her to stop using that kinda language since there were children (including hers) around. She went on cussing him out and ended up complaining to our general lead. The general lead told her that the cast members were just doing their job, making sure people don't get hurt, etc. Her response: "Well it's obvious you're not going to reprimand him so get out of my face." Next thing we heard she got kicked out of City Hall because she wouldn't stop cussing.

Which brings me to my point: Wasn't she complaining because we were scaring her kid?

LOL...I remember that!! Our poor CM's always get yelled at!! See if that kid WOULD have fallen, it would have been our fault!! Remember the guests are always the victims!

[techie-13]

Last weekend, we had a regional volleyball tournament at the convention center I work at. (There's another one this weekend too.) Anyway, while Mom & Dad are very involved in what their junior-high & high school age daughters are doing in the tournament, they are completely oblivious to what the younger brothers and sisters are doing. We had some very bored kids dismantle some handrails, others that were sliding down the hand rails (and using the escalator to go back up) and my favorites, the angels that were playing chicken with the hotel valets down in the parking garage. If you managed to get a hold of one of the kids and took them to the parents, you were more likely to get yelled at than the kid. :roll:
"Oh, I'm sorry Johnny broke that, but he got hurt, so now we'll be suing you because your employees should have seen that he was in danger and stopped him. They really should have been watching better."

[Polar33]

Just once I'd like to see a company sue the parents for damages caused by their child because they weren't paying any attention. Any company to do that will have my devotion for life.

[Tim Gaines]

You know, hind sight being 20/20, I think if that happened to me, and it certainly did when I worked at Autopia, I wouldnt take it. How effective a simple, "Silence." can be... but of course, at the time none of us would say that because we don't wanna get fired, as "Silence" could be taken as BEING RUDE, although we need to grab our ankles while a guest cusses us out, right? Sadly, yes. I've been thinking about working at Disney part time when I get out of the Army, just to rekindle some old friendships, then quitting as soon as I am happy with the ammount of friends Ive made - but BEFORE I go, the FIRST guest who goes off on me or my friends will get their OWN ass-chewin, and a professional one too - from none other than the likes of an Ex-Military Policeman. :D I know my cuss words.

[tourbunny]

i have to tell you, we have called childservices or the police on several occasions because we observed what we concidered childobuse or child obendonment.
here's one of the stories:
i was in the gr lobby, when this woman with her 3 kids came in. none of them were fluent in english, not that that matters much...
she complained that her stuff doesn't fit in any of the lockers. i told her that i can't make any promises but the kennel might be able to help her out. she sayed she'd be right back, mumbled something in spanish to her kids and took off. i yelled after her but she was going too fast and i couldn't leave because i was by myself. so there i was, stuck with 3 kids, between 4 and 11 years old, running havvock in my lobby. as much as i yelled at them to calm the f** down, they didn't understand me.
okay, i sayed to myself, 10 min and she'll be back from the kennels.
after 40 min i got bumped to lunch and the kids were still there.
my lunch breaker asked about them so i told her the story.
when i came back from lunch the police was there arguing with the mother.
as i later found out she had decided to put her stuff back in the car in mickey and friends and grab some lunch on the way back.
she then claimed to the police that i offered to watch her children. she was fined and got a court date. after the police was gone she demanded to speak to my supervisor.
as he came out she pointed her fat finger in my face and sayed "watch out for that bitch, im gonna sue her!"
so right in front of me to shut her up, she got her tickets refunded, a few re-ads and an appology for the time that she had to spend arguing with the police, that my collegue had called on her because she just wouldn't come back.
live was good that day. i er'd so i wouldn't kill anyone!
but ya, we have called police a few times for child obendonment.
parents seem to think that disneyland is 85 acres of free childcare.
I HATE THAT THOUGHT!

[Weeble]

At the hotel I manage we get tons of people come on the weekend and have birthday parties. We always have them sign a nifty Party Policy that says in it that they will be charged if they disturb another guest and we have to make a refund to the upset guest. Think they ever read what they sign? NOPE.

So just about every weekend, when I get an irate guest yelling at me about how the kids in room 636 were running up and down the hallways at midnight and playing ding dong ditch, I politely apologize, refund their money and tack it onto 636.

Invariably the guest will FLIP out. "It's a birthday party, of course they are going to be running around the hotel at midnight!"

Oh really? Is that what you let them do at home? Run around the neighborhood at midnight, knocking on people's doors? NO? THEN WHY WOULD YOU LET THEM DO THAT HERE?????

Then I show them the policy they signed.

:twisted:

[Mr 13]

I know what you mean like the saying guest leave there brains at the Gate. :)

[tourbunny]

well weeble i have a question for you then. after you showed the guest that they had signed such paper, did they calm down and pay up, or did they try and tell you that you tricked them into signing something they have not read thru.
that's mostly what annual passholders do. they come and complain about something and then you show them it's policy and they signed for it when the signed their annual pass contract and then they try and tell you that noone has ever explained to them what they actually signed and then we are supposed to feel sorry for them and make it all better.
question for everyone: when you give someone $500 of you hardearned money, don't you even read the fineprint????

[Weeble]

hehe, of course they don't like it. But at that point I already have their credit card autho and the signed policy. Even if they dispute it with their credit card they won't win.

There are certain people who will take advantage of whatever situation they are in. I had a guy just last week, he had a charge for room service for $145.00. He comes up to the desk and says, I'm not paying this, I didn't order room service. So I look up his signed receipt and it's signed by him but it's actually from the lounge. The person who posted it, posted it to the wrong outlet. So he says...

Guest: well, it's not room service and so I shouldn't have to pay
Me: but you ordered this sir, this is your signature
Guest: right, but not through room service so there is a mistake!
Me: but you drank all this liquor and ate this food correct?
Guest: yes! But not through room service, so this bill is wrong and I don't have to pay!

Needless to say, he had a smug little look on his face that disappeared when I reprinted his bill and...oops! Now it says lounge instead of room service.

:twisted:

[pixiedust]

question for everyone: when you give someone $500 of you hard earned money, don't you even read the fine print????

I actually asked an AP that question once. She owed a hefty amount of money for parking in the downtown lot all day and then trying to tell me we never told her that she couldn't.

I first showed her the writing on the back of her card that said "Parking in Mickey and Friends Parking Structure Only" and she claimed that she never looked at the card. So I asked her if she had taken the time to read the contract she signed when she got the pass, and she said "no... I didn't think there was any reason to." So, I then asked her if she had read the sign that quoted the parking rates on the way into the parking lot. She replied with a resounding and snotty "No. I guess I don't read things."

I explained to her that she DID owe the amount the machine was charging her, and I recommended that she read thing when she signs them, or look for signs when she goes places to make sure she is in the right place. She was NOT happy. :)

[tabacco]

Yeah, I can't tell you how many dozens of guests each day buying tickets at the DTD booth used to ask if we validated parking for the DTD lot.

[Wubbo]

hey weeble we should like start another section of the forum named "Castmembers' IotherI jobs". i work at arbys and working in drive thru makes disneyland look like a walk in the park :? (ummm... yeah) but anyways a typical conversation goes like this:
customer: can i have your 5 for 5 deal?
me: well it's actually 4 roast beef or 3 beef n cheddars or 2 chicken sandwhiches for 5
customer: yeah i want the chicken 5 for 5
me: it's 2 for 5 ma'm
customer: yeah the 5 for 5
me: no ma'am 2 for 5
customer: *yelling* that's what i said the 5 for 5!
repeat 3x
customer: oh okay can i have 2 chickens
me: which kind?
customer: ummm...what kind do you have?
READ THE DAMN MENU!

[Zazu]

I know what you mean like the saying guest leave there brains at the Gate. :)Trust me, I've searched all over the entrance plaza, and not a brain to be found. I don't think the folks we talk about here had one to leave behind!

[flippin_mermaid]

It seems like most parents these days want everyone but themselves to raise their children.

I remember one incident, a couple years ago, when I was working at the Frontierland Pin Cart and happened to witness a boy, about 7 years old, sitting on and leaning way over the wooden fenced railing at the entrance to the land...I knew this would happen...he fell right in. I rushed to the railing but he was retrived quickly by a security guard who'd also been watching the incident. The child wasn't hurt at all and actually exclaimed "That was fun!" but the mother was PISSED. The guard asked her to watch her child more carefully and not let him climb on the railings, for the safety of her own child and then suggested she take him to First Aid just to make sure he was ok and get him cleaned up....and she freaked out on him. When I told her I'd seen the whole thing and that she was standing right there not saying a word to her son, she then turned on ME and told me *I* should have been watching him! SHE was on vacation! I was so baffled I just turned around went back to my cart. I couldn't say what I'd WANTED to say: "Why the FUCK did you even have kids????" :bang:

[ghettommc]

I have an appalling parent story. Sometimes, I swear, can't believe these people.
One day I was working on the cotton candy cart that used to be in front of the castle. A woman came up to the cart and told me that she had lost her son. I directed her to "lost children" and told her they could help her out there since I didn't have a radio. She looked at me like I was crazy and said; "That's too far to walk." I told her it was actually really close and I even pointed out to her the first aid and told her it was right next door. She looked at me again and complained how far it was and then walked away in the other direction! I was shocked! Doesn't she even want to find her kid? Some people are so lazy! :x

[marie]

i was working Fl theater last year and these two women come up to me and tell me that they cant find there kids ages 3, 5, & 7. So i start going through the questions. How long have they been missing, where was the last place you saw them?
Guset answerd : " four hours ago in fount of the main gates. We left them with irresponible people. We have no clue what park thier even in "

Me ( thinking holy crap your at the back of the park ) : "Excuse me let me make a phone call to see where they are at."

my lead was happy to make that phone call so i can make shure that they did not leave. security came out and took them back. apperently they had them for the hole four hours and were waiting to find them.

[SRT_GB]

A few years back I heard of a woman who was separated from her son for six hours. Most of that time the child was sitting at Lost Children. Then the woman had the nerve to demand a refund for not being able to spend the day with her child.

[CujoSR]

Since the subject has kind of skewed in this direction I think I will add my own tale.

I was Cashing at Burr-bank Ice-cream when I heard this lady screaming for her child outside right after the Electric Parade. After about two mins with no-one stoping to help her I finally walked outside asking my lead to call Security and Lost Children. The woman was hysterical and I thought she might even go into shock (there's my CERT training kicking in). It was bad. So I finally got her to sit down with me so I could calm her down before security showed up and she could make a good description. It was right then I realised that her family was there the whole time just staring at her wondering why she was so upset.
HELLO!!! Her child is missing!!
Finally security got there and got a description of the missing girl. Apparently the little girl got swept up in the crowd after the parade and just kept walking. Main Gate caught her before she could leave.
I did get some props from my general lead about how I handled the situation, but now I wonder if it was for helping someone or just shutting up a disruptive guest so it may not interfere with the experence of other guests. Damn now the paranoia slipping in.

[kutisusie]

Parents can make me sick. I hated when I would find a lost child, and they would be crying. I would walk around with them, and miraculously, we would find the parents. The parents would then procede to shake and scream at the child for running away. :cry:

My favorite was the day I was a lead on the routes, and a family flagged me down next to the carrousel. They pointed to a stroller with an infant in it and said they had been sitting there about fifteen minutes, and no one had come up to the stroller. I asked everyone around, and no body had seen anyone with the child. I called security, and after they showed, a man came running up. Apparently, his wife thought he took the baby, and she thought he had the baby. The baby had been ALONE at the carrousel for over a half an hour!!
I am not a parent yet, but I would make dang sure I knew where my infant was at all times!

[EColiOnAStick]

Back in the day when I worked at 'The Park', I always used to get a giggle out of the parents who would put their child on a leash and walk around with them like pets.

2 children later and over 15 years of hearing stories of parents who should never have had children, I never leave the house without those leashes for the kiddies. The one thing that continually amazes me when I take the kids to the park,are all the rude, undrebreath comments that other parents make about those wonderful devices, usually as their children are wandering off to pee in the Rivers of America.

[CujoSR]

Back in the day when I worked at 'The Park', I always used to get a giggle out of the parents who would put their child on a leash and walk around with them like pets.

2 children later and over 15 years of hearing stories of parents who should never have had children, I never leave the house without those leashes for the kiddies. The one thing that continually amazes me when I take the kids to the park,are all the rude, undrebreath comments that other parents make about those wonderful devices, usually as their children are wandering off to pee in the Rivers of America.
Although I am not a parent per-say (I am like a father to my Godson), I completly agree with the use of leashes for small children who have a tendency to run off (just about all of them).

[Ottar]

While I'm not comfortable seeing people leashing their six-year-olds, I agree that infants and kids with tendencies towards uncontrollalble impulses to run away should be kept anchored to their guardians SOMEHOW - either through a leash or like the woman at DLP who had used a tiger-striped adult-toy-style handcuff to attach a little girl to her older brother... :lol:

[SpaceRanger]

One of my managers worked in ODV for her first 10 years with the park... about a month ago she told me another one of her stories from her days in ODV... she was working on an ice cream cart when a non-english speaking couple comes up to her, and the lady holds her baby out to her. Well, thinking that the lady was gonna get money out of her purse to buy ice cream, my manager reached out to take the baby. Big mistake. The couple ended up just WALKING OFF and didn't come back for about an hour. So my manager ended up just holding the kid in one arm, and trying her best to keep selling icecream and handling money with the other... of course the days that something like that happens are the days that you can never find anyone with a radio to call security...

[SpaceRanger]

either through a leash or like the woman at DLP who had used a tiger-striped adult-toy-style handcuff to attach a little girl to her older brother... :lol:

:hammer: *beats very very wrong mental images out of her head*

[Polar33]

I'm ok with the concept of the child leashes. And if your child is a flight risk, it's certainly a better option then loosing track of them. The only thing I don't approve of is that a fair amount of parents let their kids walk at the extreme end of the leash, which causes quite a safety hazard for the other people walking in the crowd.

[Wiseone2980]

One day i was on my way home, and i was walking into Tomorrowland from Main Street. There was a little boy climbing on the rock thingy right in the middle of the entrance to the area. I asked him (nicely of course) to get down, and his mother, who was standing there said to someone as i was walking away "wow, this is great! They even watch your kids for you!" No, you stupid cow, i was not your personal babysitter. I was just doing your job for you. :shock: I could not believe that i heard her say that...

[CujoSR]

Ahhh Rocks... I was walking around the rocks next to Taste Pilot's Grill, a popular place for children to climb, when I saw two kids climbing up with thier mom ready to take a picture of them. I asked her to have them come down and her responce was, "Oh they can't climb?"
No you dolt! She told them to get down and as they came down one slipped and fell right into my arms. No thank you. Nothing. They just sat down and started eating. The kid was no worse for wear so I let it go at that.

[BabyAngel024]

I believe in the leashes, my mom never did it to any of us kids until my baby brother came along, he is a kid who never stops going and used go where he wasnt suspose to, climb what he wasnt suspose to,etc. So my mom found the leash and it worked till he figured out how to get it off. Oh well, it stopped him for a while.

[SRT_GB]

Child leashes/hand-holder straps are a good idea until you get those nuts that use them to yank their kids around. I once saw a lady giving her husband a lot of crap right in front of our shop while their kids on leashes and in strollers were crying. She was pissed that he was doing blah blah blah while she was taking care of the "these brats." Meanwhile she was trying to yank the kids out of the strollers by the leashes while they were screaming and crying because they were still strapped in to the strollers.

Which brings me to the reason why I started this thread....some people should just not be parents. I see the best and the worst of them where I work.

[goose]

Which brings me to the reason why I started this thread....some people should just not be parents. I see the best and the worst of them where I work.

When it comes to bad parenting, we can only hope that people take the initiative to call social services on crappy parents.

[EColiOnAStick]

....some people should just not be parents.

Amen.

[FantasmicBumbleBee]

Whenever I see parents with a kid wearing a leash I jump for joy. I like approaching the guest and start patting the child on it's head and saying, "Good (boy/girl)...." Then I would ask, "What's is it's name?"

One time I did this and the parents felt so embarrased after that because of the large crowd around them that had seen this happen, they took the child off the leash and carried the child.

[coldfire409]

"wow, this is great! They even watch your kids for you!". . . i was not your personal babysitter. I was just doing your job for you.

That used to suprise me, but not anymore. I also used to be suprised by all the parents that would ask me to watch their children while they go on the rides, but I just decied to face it. Most people on this planet are not fit to have any children. Now when they ask me if I'll watch their children I'll reply the price I charge: $100 per minute and I require a minimum up front payment for 1 hour, and I only accept cash. Since most people don't carry $6000 on them they just take their children. Some are disguested that I will charge them that much money to watch their children, but hey they are the parents, and they should watch their own children.

Just because we work for Disney doesn't mean that everybody can be trusted, there are many co-workers that I don't trust.

[TheManator]

There is no way I'd let any of this happen to my son when ever we goto a Disney park...

[sistercoyote]

Re: Offering to charge

I don't know about that - IIRC I always said, "If you leave them here and don't watch them I will have to call Lost Children." Somehow, the parents never wanted that to happen.

Bad Parent Story:

199mumble. I'm working Strollers. I'm the only staff onsite at that point; it was early afternoon (before closing rush, after opening rush) and my lead and the other CM were at lunch (stupid scheduling). A woman comes up to me, her child sobbing hysterically. I'm trying to rush through giving her back her $5 for the stroller because the kid is telling her she doesn't feel well, doesn't want to, is tired...meanwhile, Mom's browsing the souvenirs and generally lollygagging as I'm trying to hand her the money.

So, what happens? Kid pukes. Mom proceeds to look at me sharply and says, "Well, you'll have to do something now."

So, I did. I grabbed a thing of pixie dust and called custodial. :roll:

Also recall a time at closing in the Emporium when a mother shrieked - and I do mean shrieked out her child's name. To the point that she silenced every other person in the shop - all the way back to clocks (I know this because I was in clocks that evening).

So everyone heard the disgusted little voice that replied, "I'm right here."

Finally - stupid parent, good lesson - I was working GC for the EP, and Father walked by me with Child on his shoulders so that Child could see the parade. They were talking about the Peter Pan float, and Dad...well, Dad was looking at the parade, not where he was going. I could see what was going to happen. And, in fact, was trying to get his attention.

He still walked his bits right into the pole. I was impressed - he kept his grip on the kid. (SC: "Oh, sir, are you okay?" Dad, squeaking: "I'm fine.")

When Dad caught his breath he said, "Child, that's why you should always watch where you're walking."

[goose]

That's ridiculous. I have never been asked to watch a kid. I can't imagine someone being that stupid. Is this something that happens a lot in attractions? I'm in foods.

[coldfire409]

That's ridiculous. I have never been asked to watch a kid. I can't imagine someone being that stupid. Is this something that happens a lot in attractions? I'm in foods.

When I work at an attraction with a height requirement I get that at least once or twice a day. At attractions with no height requirements at least once or twice a week. Usually it's because the child is sleeping and the parents don't want to wake them up. Although at the height requirement attractions it's because the parents want to ride and not take turns with a child swap.

[goose]

:o

[techie-13]

I think I posted earlier in this thread about an event at the convention center where I work. Well that was youth volleyball and now we have youth wrestling. :roll: There are about 3500 children running around this facility this weekend with maybe 50 sets of parents that are watching the ones that are not currently competeing. The kids have called 911 on payphones and house courtesy phones (we're a city owned facility and the call goes to the police dispatch) that the police department is threatening us with fines. And these little angels don't just call 911 and hang up...oh no...They are telling dispatch that there are fires and people with guns and accidents and all sorts of creative stuff!!!!! And in some cases the parents are about 10ft away. :evil:

[techie-13]

Okay...so you know how some escalators have those "dots" between them to keep people from sliding down the middle? One of my coworkers just caught 3 kids and a parent sliding down one of our sets that doesnt have the dots. :shock:

As I was typing this, another coworker told me about something he saw yesterday. Two kids running from about 6ft back and slamming themselves into the cement wall of the exhibit hall. Two moms stood nearby talking and watching them while they did this. :roll:

[goose]

Parents have come up to me with their kid while I was selling balloons. I have had so many people lie about losing a balloon. It's not hard to tell.
A woman went on and on about how it flew away (did she keep the string or the weight attatched to it? Of course not, she threw it away. Come on, if you bought a balloon and wanted another, you wouldn't throw away evidence that you had bought one!) The vendor near by me asked where she bought it from. She said over in Frontierland. We told her we couldn't give her one and she had to go to City Hall and see if they could help her. The thing is I was the ONLY balloon vendor at DL that day. My butt never left Mainstreet. She totally lied to me, right in front of her five year old. The lesson: Lie, cry and whine when you can't get something you want.

[SRT_GB]

The lesson: Lie, cry and whine when you can't get something you want.
Great thing we want to be teaching our children these days..... :bang:

[Wizard69]

Reminds me of a guest I had yesterday. They had an NSA for 2 t-shirts. They came up to me and told me their story of how the train broke down and they were stuck in the heat so they asked the CM if they can get anything so they got an NSA for 2 shirts.

People are so fucking cheap. They want anything they can get for free.

[happy ap]

While sharing stories I read about some of the "parents", using the term losely, with my hairdresser, she gave me this one that just happened to her..

After exiting Pirates, with her child, she went to retrive her stroller from what was more of a pile, having to really pull hers out and from under of a teetering stroller laid upon the top of others. Next thing she knew she was being yelled at by a man who had left his child derrrrrrr, sleeping in the stroller. The stroller piled on the top was very near this childs head apparantly. But, of course, it was all her fault. She threw back at him, told him that this wasstroller parking. he still insisted that meant he could leave his child there to sleep! :roll:

Am I mistaken or do people not read the avdice on the rental name tag?

[SRT_GB]

Am I mistaken or do people not read the advice on the rental name tag?
I think we've long established that people don't read anything that's right there in front of them.

[happy ap]

Am I mistaken or do people not read the advice on the rental name tag?
I think we've long established that people don't read anything that's right there in front of them.

:wink: too bad they can not be made to read and sign before renting, then it would be willfull neglect/abandonement

maybe the next time we are at DL I will keep an eye out for kids in strollers.....can security take charge of an child under the circumstances?

I also forgot to mention I think this was on the day temps in the park were 95-100 = abuse and abandonment

[Zazu]

maybe the next time we are at DL I will keep an eye out for kids in strollers.....can security take charge of an child under the circumstances?
Don't know about California law, but Florida law is very serious about leaving babies in the sun (or inside cars). I've seen several kids picked up by the Sheriff from being left in strollers over the years.

[sistercoyote]

IIRC, Security most definitely could take action 1mumble years ago when I was at the park.

[DLSweeper]

maybe the next time we are at DL I will keep an eye out for kids in strollers ... can security take charge of an child under the circumstances?
Don't know about California law, but Florida law is very serious about leaving babies in the sun (or inside cars). I've seen several kids picked up by the Sheriff from being left in strollers over the years.
California is strick about cars with children and pets, but I dunno about the whole sun thing. Maybe DL should put something to that affect in the "policy" behind the tickets.

[DLSweeper]

One time I was sweeping by Village Haus and there was this child who was being yelled at by her mother. This little girl was so red from crying. (Currently foods is giving out these lunch boxes with the kid's meals.) So, to shut the little girl up, the other proceded to hit her over her head with a lunch box. C'mon! You're kid's sad, why hurt them even more?

Someone said about parents loosing their kids and then yelling at them! I've seen that 3 or 4 times. The kid's lost, swept up in the crowd or what have you, and I get the poor scared kid back to their parents. And, wouldn't you know! they yell at their child to never do that again, shake them, or just flat out hit them. Pisses me off to no end. You're child is lost and freaked out beyond beliefe. You finally get them back, and you HIT THEM! Yeah! That's REALLY teaching them a lesson... :evil:

[kutisusie]

I have seen security escort a parent away when they come back to claim a seemingly abandoned child, so they do take it very seriously.

[imissRBT]

so i was workin at bengal bbq one busy day during christmas season and this kid is swinging on the ropes even after cms repeatedly told him not to and he of course falls and hit his head. so what is his mothers reaction "You should make those things safer!"

[Cloud Buster]

so i was workin at bengal bbq one busy day during christmas season and this kid is swinging on the ropes even after cms repeatedly told him not to and he of course falls and hit his head. so what is his mothers reaction "You should make those things safer!"
"I apologize ma'am. Disney imagineers didn't invent this until a few years back, and they used all of their skill to create what's called 'twisted fiber experiment 101', or the street name around here, ROPE. I'm sure they're working on a better version right now...."

[TheManator]

The sad thing is, that these kids that get hit by their parents, or have parents that behave badly, pick it up and will one day probably act just like their parents.

Stupidity is heriditary...

[Grumpy]

One day i was on my way home, and i was walking into Tomorrowland from Main Street. There was a little boy climbing on the rock thingy right in the middle of the entrance to the area. I asked him (nicely of course) to get down, and his mother, who was standing there said to someone as i was walking away "wow, this is great! They even watch your kids for you!" No, you stupid cow, i was not your personal babysitter. I was just doing your job for you. :shock: I could not believe that i heard her say that....
:::smacks the mother upside the head:::: Who in any name that is Sacred, allowed YOU to breed? You oughtta go fix yourself, so you can have fun, and not have to worry about watching anymore of your own offspring!

[SweetAurora]

A week ago, I was doing GC for Fantasmic. I was guarding the brick walls in front of the French Market as well as that platform that is backed up by a 6-foot wall. People of course love to CLIMB up this wall, even though they can walk 10 feet down to the end of the stairs to get on this same platform. SIGH.

Anyway, as usual, I was directing traffic, telling people not to sit on the walls and getting cussed out, and making sure people didn't climb up the fence of the platform. Soon enough, a Vietnamese family (a mom and two boys) proceed to climb up the fence. I stopped them and told them they could walk 10 more feet down the stairs to get up there, so the mom and one boy got down. The other boy (about 13 or so) stayed up on the wall and just stared at me as I told him to get down. For almost a minute, his mother and I kept telling him he needed to CLIMB DOWN. Finally, the mother screamed at him, "YOU GET DOWN RIGHT NOW, OR THIS LADY HERE IS GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!!!!"

The kid got down pretty damn fast, and I turned around to continue working. 30 seconds later, I turned back to the fence, and the SAME FAMILY is climbing RIGHT back up the fence. The same mother, who just spent her time getting herself and her kids down. When I bitchily confronted them, she smiled and laughed and said "Oh, the stairs were too far!!!!"

[GMC]

OH CHEESE WIZ! if i had a dollar for every family that either A: did what i told them, until my back was turned, or B: stood there and nodded their head pretending not to understand, and continued to fail to comply, i would be RICH, and that's in only three months of working here,

I REALLY think that people that come to our park were born on top of the stupid tree, raised in it, and when mama was done with them they got pushed off the top, and hit every stupid limb all the way down to the stupid dirt, which they probly sat there and stupidly ate!

[Canoe30x]

OH CHEESE WIZ! if i had a dollar for every family that either A: did what i told them, until my back was turned, or B: stood there and nodded their head pretending not to understand, and continued to fail to comply, i would be RICH, and that's in only three months of working here,
Haha, ya you guys should charge extra for annoying people. Then it would pay to get people like that.

[FebruaryStar02]

"YOU GET DOWN RIGHT NOW, OR THIS LADY HERE IS GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!!!!"
HAHAHAHA! That's awesome...

"Oh, the stairs were too far!!!!"
Too bad we were too late and she'd already bred ... pity....

[Grumpy]

"YOU GET DOWN RIGHT NOW, OR THIS LADY HERE IS GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!!!!"
Forget that! I'd tell my boy that I'd kick his ass myself if he didn't listen to "this lady." (not really ... but you guys all get the picture)

"Oh, the stairs were too far!!!!"
And you are HOW FAR from the main entrance? You are HOW FAR from your form of transportation?

[Stduck]

I love when guests put words in your mouth. You ask the child to get off the railing then mom says "You better listen to the lady. She said you'd be in trouble" I never said that....

[aliceindisguse]

I love when guests put words in your mouth. You ask the child to get off the railing then mom says "You better listen to the lady. She said you'd be in trouble" I never said that....
I hate it when people do this. Whe parents get on dark rides and don't want their children sitting on their laps so they tell them, "the lady said you had to sit by yourself" I love telling them you know actually they can sit on your lap. They always look soooooooo pissed cause I ruined their plan. Or then theres stuff like the other day when i was walking to the office inside pinocchio and a pregnate lady stops me and asks if she can go on the carrousel. I had to read her eyes to see what answer she wanted me to give her because she knew she could go on but she just didn't want tot take her child on.

[Stduck]

Shame I don't work routes you sound like a lot of fun Alice. :D Yeah same holds true at Pooh. We allow lap sitting, parents get mad when we tell them its ok to lap sit. Jose who used to work Routes once told me they encouraged lap sitting cause of the lap bar and keeping the child seated.

Alas my favorite one is: "Will this scare my 3 year old? (In reference to the Mansion)" Serriously I don't know what will scare your kid. I've seen 30 year olds too terrified to get on and have seen 2 year olds think its the funniest thing in the world.

[leftcoaster]

I hate it when people do this. Whe parents get on dark rides and don't want their children sitting on their laps so they tell them, "the lady said you had to sit by yourself" I love telling them you know actually they can sit on your lap. They always look soooooooo pissed cause I ruined their plan. Or then theres stuff like the other day when i was walking to the office inside pinocchio and a pregnate lady stops me and asks if she can go on the carrousel. I had to read her eyes to see what answer she wanted me to give her because she knew she could go on but she just didn't want tot take her child on.
I hope you told her "Yes, you can go on the carousel." :evil:

[coldfire409]

"Will this scare my 3 year old? . . ." Serriously I don't know what will scare your kid. I've seen 30 year olds too terrified to get on and have seen 2 year olds think its the funniest thing in the world.
I use the exact same line when I work tour guide at the Movie Ride. I'm sick of people who want us to think for them and think that we know what will scare their kids. I also hate it when I'm working gangster and the guest starts to ask me questions about the park. I usually threaten them or something.

[aliceindisguse]

"Will this scare my 3 year old? ..." Serriously I don't know what will scare your kid. I've seen 30 year olds too terrified to get on and have seen 2 year olds think its the funniest thing in the world.
Oh I love it when people get off of Snow White and their child is bawling, then the parent walks up to you and says, "Someone should have told us it was scary." I mean honestly did they now read the name of the ride, Snow White's SCARY Adventure, or did they not get a creepy vibe from the dungeon scene in the queue or the other scary themeing all around them. I mean this ride is scary enough for them to put a, may not be suitable for all children sign up. But noooo it's still our fault for not directly telling them that this was a scary ride.

[coldfire409]

Come on, I think we are all asking for too much for the guests to actually read the name of the attraction and put the name of the attraction togher with some of the elements on it. I mean we never do that. I work at the Great Movie Ride and the question that I get the most is. . . "Is this a ride?" Let me think about that one. Is the Great Movie Ride a ride, I don't know that one. Let me read the name of it for a second. Now I don't have a college degree yet Dr. Stupid, but I'm assuming that it would be a ride you idiot. Somebody should get me off this soapbox soon or I may go on about other stuff that is not so funny.

[Stduck]

Yeah its the HAUNTED Mansion. Not Mickey's House for crying outloud. There are ghosts, spirits...and cast members who delight in scaring guests. -evil grin- Yeah guests expect you to read their minds. I usually tell them I failed mind reading in college....

[aliceindisguse]

But what I love even more than being told it's my fault their child got scared is when their child is kicking and screaming, trying to run away from them and they drag them into the car. Honestly I hate the fact that all I can do is sit there ask if they're going to be ok and then tell them I can dispatch the car until the child sits still. Why would you do that to your poor child?

[GMC]

Shame I don't work routes you sound like a lot of fun Alice. :D Yeah same holds true at Pooh. We allow lap sitting, parents get mad when we tell them its ok to lap sit. Jose who used to work Routes once told me they encouraged lap sitting cause of the lap bar and keeping the child seated.

Alas my favorite one is: "Will this scare my 3 year old? (In reference to the Mansion)" Serriously I don't know what will scare your kid. I've seen 30 year olds too terrified to get on and have seen 2 year olds think its the funniest thing in the world.
i remeber watching the queue past the elevators from the "tower" on a Fantasmic! break, with a nameless CM, who i hired in with, and watching a preteen girl try and drag another preteen girl to the loading area. what do you do if they don't wanna go on, send them back up the elevator?

[Stduck]

Shame I don't work routes you sound like a lot of fun Alice. :D Yeah same holds true at Pooh. We allow lap sitting, parents get mad when we tell them its ok to lap sit. Jose who used to work Routes once told me they encouraged lap sitting cause of the lap bar and keeping the child seated.

Alas my favorite one is: "Will this scare my 3 year old? (In reference to the Mansion)" Serriously I don't know what will scare your kid. I've seen 30 year olds too terrified to get on and have seen 2 year olds think its the funniest thing in the world.
i remeber watching the queue past the elevators from the "tower" on a Fantasmic! break, with a nameless CM, who i hired in with, and watching a preteen girl try and drag another preteen girl to the loading area. what do you do if they don't wanna go on, send them back up the elevator?
Ever notice the door right across the portraits? Or the door back past the load belt? That's door 2A and 2B respectively. AKA Chicken exit and ER3 (if we have an extra cast member and a child wants to ride but is afraid of the ER we can escort them in via door 2) Only guests that get to come back up in the ERs are GAC guests

[hobie16]

We took our two year old daughter to Dizzyland and, of course, used a leash. The best part was when Pluto took her for a walk. We still laugh at the pictures.

[GMC]

We took our two year old daughter to Dizzyland and, of course, used a leash. The best part was when Pluto took her for a walk. We still laugh at the pictures.
i have mixed feelings about the leashes, as long a you don't use it to drag you kid down mainstreet i suppose thier a good method of not losing them, which makes my job easier, making less children comming up to me screaming about how thier mom will never find them at LOST CHILDREN "she'll never look for me there!" kid that's the first place we send lost parents, lemme get someone to escort you.

[Grumpy]

I can see why there are mixed opinions of these "child leashes." I'm sure their main intent was to keep kids from getting lost, but there are some parents out there who will DRAG their kids on them. When I take my (almost) 2 year old to Disneyland, I am soo reluctant to let him out of the stroller, unless wer are in a queue. Even when we are in the queue, he likes to wander (as children do). I just haven't gotten around to getting one for him, but what really gets me, is seeing 6-8 year old kids with them on. . . . that's just like seeing a 3-4 year old with a bottle, pacifier, diapers, etc.

It's the few that make it bad for the many.

[lovethefuzzies]

^^or a seven-year-old being breast fed. :mickeyba:

[Grumpy]

^ that too. My b/f said that he saw that happen before (not sure if it was at DLR or somewhere else). He said the kid must have been about 7 or 8, climbed up on his mother, pulled down one side of her tube top, and just started sucking away. . . some parents. . . . :roll:

Luckily I don't have to worry about that; my son hated pacifiers, and I had him away from bottles; drinking from sippy cups from the time he was 10 months old.

[SRT_GB]

i have mixed feelings about the leashes, as long a you don't use it to drag you kid down mainstreet i suppose thier a good method of not losing them, which makes my job easier, making less children comming up to me screaming about how thier mom will never find them at LOST CHILDREN "she'll never look for me there!" kid that's the first place we send lost parents, lemme get someone to escort you.
I was yelled at more than once by guests when they found out we had stopped selling those things. Actually the ones we sold were the handholder kind, not the ones that went around the kid's body. From what I was told, they were recalled for safety reasons, either some kind of choking hazard or the strap cutting off circulation.

We did have an incident once at Strollers where a mom was completely berating a dad for whatever reason and she kept trying to yank the kid out of the stroller by the leash while the kid was still buckled in, screaming and crying. She kept yelling at him for doing nothing while she had to deal with the two "brats." Meanwhile the dad was being a spineless coward and just letting her do that to the kids. Actually I think I've posted this story before.

[screnwriter]

Here's a story from my character days. I wrote about it for a college class:

On Meeting an Abused Child

"Hi Goofy! Can we get a picture with you?" A platinum blond cherub dances across the red-brick street to stand at my side. Click!. A hug. "Thank you, Goofy. All she wanted to do today was to see you." I send the little girl back to her parents, bright smile, wavy hair clipped back for her day at Disneyland. It's an Easter-perfect morning on Main Street, Disneyland's gateway to the magic kingdom, and I am already turning to hug, pose and wave with the next child, who is already standing at my other side. Click! A hug. I pour out love to the children from a never-emptying vessel, and life-long memories are pressed into little heads as our picture is taken. I kneel in the center of a semicircle of fulfilled dreams, wishes come true. Fresh-scrubbed children, toddlers only recently able to walk, older children, everyone wants to see Goofy. To hug, to get some love, and take it back home with them. ("We had a great time at Disneyland, Timmy is still talking about meeting Goofy and getting a hug!")

When I'm inside my costume, the world is different. There is a spirit of love, playfulness, innocence that comes out of me whenever I wear it. I look at the world through the mouth of the fiberglass head that I wear; it's like looking through an empty oatmeal tube. I see hands that are not mine reach out to people who will never know me; but it is really my heart reaching out to theirs. I am Goofy. I am their dreams and happiness - reality doesn't touch Goofy. They join in the spirit of make-believe, elderly people play "hide-and-seek", teenagers shake hands, adults play charades. No one ever questions why we characters don't talk, but somewhere in their memories they will think that they heard me speak.

I look around this circle, like so many before it! Yet each family is important to me; they've never seen Goofy before, and I treat them as though I was expecting them to show up, and I'm glad they're there. I see happy young couples passing on the best memories of their own childhoods, excited little children eager for their turn to meet me. Their upturned faces, the brilliant light of innocence and wonder that I see in each one is another flawless gem in the treasure chest I keep in my heart. The love alone brings me to work each day. Click! A hug. As I pat a small bottom and send another delighted little one off with a heart full of love, when suddenly an ugly voice shatters the peace of the morning and destroys the innocence of the day.

"Go stand next to Goofy!" The tone is unforgivable. An order, not an entreatment, the voice of a dictator, not a daddy. The circle freezes. I look around, finding the family even though I hadn't seen who was talking. There they are, in the center, father, mother and a little boy. The boy is quiet and slightly built; eight maybe, but no bigger than a six year old. Malnutrition I figure, and his face - too many bruises and scabs to be just from playing. The answer is obvious, he is an abused child. The father looks small, greasy, mean. The mother's hair looks like the stuffing from an old mattress. The three of them are unwashed. They look as if money is never squandered on things like new clothes, the exception being the father's leather sport coat, and fancy new cowboy boots, ridiculously out of place in the California heat.

The little boy hesitates, seems to wonder what to do. Somehow I know he is afraid to disobey, yet at the same time afraid of appearing too eager - to appear to prefer Goofy, for this too could anger his father, and he would be punished for it later. ("You don't like me, do you, you little brat! You want to be back with Goofy, don't you?") The boy puts a cautious foot forward, then slowly shuffles toward me. He feels his father's eyes burning into him, like a gun pointed at his back. The others in the circle remain quiet, the other parents hold their children back. And perhaps hold them just a little closer to their hearts than before. The boy says nothing. I hear neither his voice or his name, but he will remain with me forever.

I open my arms. He comes to me. Turns to face his abusive father for the picture, the idea itself a mockery of what it is meant to be - a happy memory. I put my arm around the boy and try to draw him to me. His body is as hard unyielding as a lamppost. I'm crying inside my costume, trying to be silent as the tears flow. I want to talk to him, to tell him that things will be better, but will they ever be? I've read statistics; should I tell him I hope he lives to his next birthday? The unspeakable ugliness of his life is beyond my ability to console. Click! He has done what he was ordered to do. I've only known of his existence for 12 seconds. I pull him to me, put my arms around him for a hug; trying to break through that fear. His is still rigid, then he melts, throwing his thin arms around my neck and squeezing me back. My costume separates me from this little boy by only a fraction of an inch of cloth, but it might as well be a thousand miles. He doesn't know me; but he knows Goofy. It strikes me; I'm doing the best thing for him that anyone could possibly do. I'm giving him hope, a moment of real, human love that abuse cannot take away, nor cause him to forget.

I must let him go, send him back to his family. My tears still run freely down my cheeks; letting him go is like saying goodbye to a dying relative, yet back he must go. Back to his abusive father, back to a life that is a prison for his soul. Even as he walks back, another child is already at my side; I turn to her, but this time all the love in my heart has already been given away.

I will learn years later, through therapy, the reason I knew the little boy's thoughts; I was an abused child myself. The little boy I saw that day was me, dirtier than I had ever been; more physically abused than I was, but me nonetheless. On that morning I walked with him, in his shoes, as he came to get a little of the love that I was freely giving, the love he had never had before.

[Christopher]

Here's a story from my character days. I wrote about it for a college class:

On Meeting an Abused Child
That was one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful things I've read in a long, long time. Thank you so much for sharing that, I'm grateful to have had the chance to read it especially as I've always wanted to know what the characters' perspective was with guests and this story has my eyes welling up.

[BRWombat]

How incredibly awful and at the same time sweet, screnwriter. My heart is in my throat after reading that. God bless you for the love you gave to that little boy that day. It breaks my heart to know it may be all he ever gets.

[Roger Rabbit]

If I ever become a parent, I'm not going to act like some parents at DL do. It's amazing what they do!

[lovethefuzzies]

It's the character 6th sense. You can tell when somebody is hurt or if they may not come back and you try to make that moment you spend with them as special and meaningful as possible. Good job.

[aliceindisguse]

It's always so sad to think about children being abused, but I'm glad to hear that you were able to connect with that poor child and make him feel loved.

[kimpossible33]

I saw a little girl throwing up in one of the restaurants, I can't remember which... and her mom was hitting her and yelling at her that she was making a scene. She just kept puking.

[Wizard69]

When working at the Haunted Mansion Holiday Cart, a guest sits down on the wall next to the cart and starts breastfeeding her baby right in front of me and the other guests. Yuk!

[abc]

Theres nothing you can do about that, its california law for a mother to be able to breastfeed in public, even on private property (except private residence), even if the child is 12 years old :shock:. I also found out from the very same class at DU that there is nothing you can do if a woman complains about a crossdressing man in the ladie's restroom (well besides calming them down, etc).

[screnwriter]

Theres nothing you can do about that, its california law for a mother to be able to breastfeed in public, even on private property (except private residence), even if the child is 12 years old :shock:. I also found out from the very same class at DU that there is nothing you can do if a woman complains about a crossdressing man in the ladie's restroom (well besides calming them down, etc).
I remember seeing a woman breastfeeding on Main Street, in direct sunlight in August, when it was in the 90's and the poor baby's head was totally exposed to the sun. I approached her and informed her that we had a Baby Center which was air conditioned and cool and comfortable. She immediately looked at me with calculating eyes and said, "Are you saying I have to move? That I can't breastfeed my baby out here?" I assured her she was free to do so, but that it might be more comfortable in the Baby Center. She again tried to get me to say that I was forcing her to move, and I told her, "I'm only thinking of the baby, it's very bright and hot out here." She told me her baby was fine and I went on my way.

I have no problems with breastfeeding, it's totally natural, but this woman seemed like she was trying to set up Disneyland for a lawsuit. Too bad the baby had to suffer for her stupidity.

[Grumpy]

This sent me in complete shock:

I was out at the candy cart in New Orleans. A family was eating behind me (at Cafe Orleans), and the kid (about 9-10), just starts yelling "hey YOU! YOU!! HEY YOU!!!" Finally, I turn around, wondering if he was trying to get my attention, and he says "yeah, I'm talking to you, how much are the Mickey Gloves?" I tell him how much they are (17.24 w/ tax), and he just gives me this dirty look and says "are you f*cking serious?" I couldn't respond to it; the parents looked as if it was no big deal.

[Polar33]

Wow, that's the kind of behavior I usually see from the pre-teen/early teen crowd. That kid is growing up a bit too fast.

Although, the pre-teen/early teen kids that act like that are great because you can talk back to them and win so easily. A not-so-recent example:

Pre-teen Brat: (interrupts transaction with another guest) Hey! I need a Coke.
Me: Just a moment, I'll be with you after I'm finished with this guest.
(finishes first transaction)
Me: Alright, now, what can I get for you?
Brat: I said I need a Coke.
Me: I'm sorry, but here at Disneyland you need to behave a bit better than you would normally.
Brat: Excuse me?
Me: Hmm...that's not exactly an apology, but it's a start. Now, what can I get for you?
Brat: (sheepishly) Um...never mind.

Usually I'm a pretty laid back guy and don't let too much stuff bother me, but I can be an ass sometimes if you piss me off on the wrong day.

[RebuildtheKingdom]

Polar33 said:Pre-teen Brat: (interrupts transaction with another guest) Hey! I need a Coke.
Me: Just a moment, I'll be with you after I'm finished with this guest.
(finishes first transaction)
Me: Alright, now, what can I get for you?
Brat: I said I need a Coke.
Me: I'm sorry, but here at Disneyland you need to behave a bit better than you would normally.
Brat: Excuse me?
Me: Hmm...that's not exactly an apology, but it's a start. Now, what can I get for you?
Brat: (sheepishly) Um...never mind.
Aw man, that's great! Lol :D

I still can't believe that one kid Grumpy. wow. Kids are growing up to fast these days. [In my best "old man" voice] It's that damned "Internets" and video games that are rottin' their brains I tells ya! :lol:

[kimpossible33]

Not really about parenting, but while we're on the topic of teens acting like... typical teens....

I was in the singles line for Splash and I got put in the back, behind a group of other teens. They were SO obnoxious throughout the whole ride (of course, it's a private log and I was the only one they didn't know, a fellow teen and on my own, anyway) and after the last drop before we got back inside the mountain, they started splashing each other. So at first I was completely disgusted, considering all the barf, crap, spit, algae, and probably some little fishies that had been in that water, ew, and I was getting splashed too a bit so I felt like telling them something (and was glad for the moment that I was not "verbally restricted" as CMs are). Fortunately, before I could, a CM said over a P.A. or whatever the heck is on that ride to stop splashing and they stopped. (So thank you, mystery CM.)

It's one thing to get splashed by that water (and duh, it was SPLASH Mountain), but it's another thing to stick your hands in it and throw it on yourself. Also, people don't NORMALLY drink out of the Rivers of America, something I'd like to tell this one disgusting kid I saw.

Teenagers... you give 'em an inch, and dey swim all over you.

[aliceindisguse]

Also, people don't NORMALLY drink out of the Rivers of America, something I'd like to tell this one disgusting kid I saw.

Actually the sick part is that people do drink Disney dark water quite often. It's disgusting and it makes me want to yack everytime I see it.

Edited by Polar33: Fixed error in BBCode

[screnwriter]

It's one thing to get splashed by that water (and duh, it was SPLASH Mountain), but it's another thing to stick your hands in it and throw it on yourself. Also, people don't NORMALLY drink out of the Rivers of America, something I'd like to tell this one disgusting kid I saw.

Teenagers... you give 'em an inch, and dey swim all over you.
Okay, I gotta cop to this. Sorry folks, but as a Cast Member (at the time of this story) I guess I shoulda known better...

I was in the park one FREAKIN' HOT DAY in August of '96, I guess. My best buddy Marty and his cute teenage niece and I and we went on Splash Mountain. I reached down into the water and threw some up on Marty. He turned and said (in a very harsh voice) "Patrick, STOP THAT!!!" then procedeed to SCOOP a huge wave of water over me. That water also splashed the couple behind us in the log (hmm, Freudian imagery? The water in Splash Mountain is as filthy as a toilet and we ride in 'logs'...). Luckily, this other couple got in the spirit, and we all splashed the hell out of each other. By the time we got off the ride, all three of us (and probably the other couple) were SOAKED to the skin. I mean, we couldn't have been wetter if we'd fallen in. A CM took us aside and told us - in no uncertain terms - that we'd be escorted out of the park if we did something like that again.

Luckily for us all - no thyphus, salmonella, venereal disease, and I never ended up voting Republican - so I guess no harm done.

[Zazu]

... and I never ended up voting Republican - so I guess no harm done.
Oh come now. The DL dark water system is disgustingly filthy, but it's not *that* bad!

[GMC]

yeah tween girl today at indy while i was at rotunda, comes up with her party of alot and a wheelchair, i don't care about large wheelchair parties, but this girl starts blabbing about. "this is dumb, i've already seen the safety film!" and then to prove it she starts quoting it, but of course she's nowhere close, and since i really have no liking for girls of her age, because 90% are too ditzy to function, and the other 10 are usually depressed, and bathe... when they feel like it (I can say this because i was friends with alot of them.) So i looks at her a says, "That's actually not the safety film"
"Oh"(embarassed) "well if i flash you will you let me skip it?" (trying to hide embarassment by trying to embarass me)
"I can have Security escort you out of the park if you flash me."
"haha, i was just kidding" (now rather quite embarassedand trying to one up me agian, i go in for the kill)
"and state law requires that EVERY person sees it EVERY time before riding the ride."
And from behind her comes a voice "She knows already"
"Oh hi (fellow Conductor/archeologists name)" so yeah i wound up embarassed, but i didn't quite recognize him at first, mostly because he was dressed normal. And i was too busy to stay embarassed. ( I didn't know that rotunda could ever be quite so hectic!)

[wazowski]

Howdy all, I'm new here but I already have lots to share.

Yesterday I came in around 12:30 and started at Pinocchio's Daring Journey unload. I was giving my usual spiel 'Welcome back from your journey folks, please exit out to your left, watching your step. Enjoy the rest of your day and have a wonderful holiday" and as normal people were just completely ignoring me. No harm done.

Finally I had a group of non-english speaking guests with an english speaking child who really really wanted to ride again. She was pulling away from her mother...my station was beginning to back up...suddenly she gets away from her mom, runs under my unload 1 chain...I hit station stop and grab onto her clothing but she rips away...she runs down the entire station...:evil:...gets to dispatch...finally the mother screams and begins to chase after her child...then, we e-stopped from station backup/guest out of bounds.

As if this couldn't get any better, I begin unloading guests from the track switch back and when I get to the car in the last hold zone the man asks me 'Was that my daughter that caused the ride to stop?' and I just didn't know how to respond in disnified language and just said 'Why yes sir.' and made him get out.

yay my first real breakdown and evac.

[Main Streeter]

Spring Break brings such low IQs. Never seem to get over this fact. Sat. I had a mother pushing a stroller with a cute little girl come over & say; "Watch her while I try on hats." No please, no do you have time, no thank you :twisted: She strolls off & leaves me with the child. This was just after the little FL's girl's kidnapper confessed :confused:

[PirateJohn]

I know what you mean like the saying guest leave there brains at the Gate. :)We have thimbles there to store them.

[PirateJohn]

I think we've long established that people don't read anything that's right there in front of them.When Pirates had stopped issuing Fastpass but still had the machines, we had a BIG sign right at the entrance that said "Fastpass Closed."

I would be standing right next to the sign and people would ask, "do you have Fastpass here?"

I got into an interesting exchange with one guest who was waiting for his family. We were trading creative ways of standing next to the sign when answering the question. Among the most interesting ideas were draping a leg over the sign and holding the sign like a 50's pop singer would have held a microphone.

[kimpossible33]

My sister works at a local park, Playland, better known as the PNE - Pacific National Exhibition. There's an area set aside full of kiddie rides - several of which have hight restrictions with a minimum height of 3 feet and a maximum height of 5 feet.

On this one ride, a helicopter ride - kind of Dumbo/Astro Orbitor-style, there is no height restriction, but a 3-foot minimum. My sister was working here and checking all the doors of the helicopters to make sure they were latched shut, when she came across one with a baby inside it - and no one else.

The little kid was just kind of sitting there - probably less than a year old. And she had to take him out of the helicopter, so she freaked out, holding the baby, calling out, "Uh... did somebody lose their baby?!"

She didn't know what to do for about a minute while no one answered, so she just stood there holding this strange kid, calling out to people. Finally a woman showed up, TOTALLY wasted, and said, "Uh... oh, yeah, it's mine." My sis told her she had to accompany him on the ride or he could not go, and the woman kept arguing, "No, he'll be fine, just let him go," and she refused to take her baby back. She eventually did and left in a huff, apparently getting lost on her way to the ride exit (there is a fence surrounding the ride with two bright yellow swinging doors on opposite sides of the fence, that say "Exit") and coming back, asking for help.

[Captain Josh]

Whoo-Boy, I got to see some of this today up-close and personal.

So I'm Parade Crusading at the end of fireworks trying to make every last crazy in the park keep to the right, when this psycho lady (PL, from now on...) comes up to the fellow CM next to me and starts the conniption from hell.

I had no idea what was going on, but man, there it was happening right next to me, and the PL has like 2-3 kids with her, and she's tossing out enough F-bombs and such to cause a war in a small country.

Next thing I know, our lead magically comes up and tells the CM to take a powder to diffuse the situation. After PL leaves, one of her kids stays behind and apologizes to the CM. How sweet, but I feel bad for that kid.

...On the way backstage I see the same lady yelling at security....

[Papa Smurf]

usually as their children are wandering off to pee in the Rivers of America.

When I was in Liberty Sq. Ops it always amazed me when people let their kids pee off the 2nd (or in some cases the 3rd) deck of the riverboat. Gravity and poor parenting at its finest.... ewww

[LegoDan]

today was loaded with stupid parents.

In Miniland USA there was a kid on the other side of a barrier trying to get to a sunken ship and the parent was standing there watching him, i said "hey get out of there you can't be in there," and the parent kinda mumbled a "yeah, get out of there."

I'd like to smack them, our model builders spend hours designing and building to make things look perfect. and parents let their kids f*ck with it. "Ooh lets see if we can rip this pig's head off, it'll be fun!" :blowup:

[SoarWhoreCoCo]

I was working dock position at Jungle Cruise cold night a WDW JC. A family of 10 got on a boat and left their stoller with all their coats bundled on top of it in the queue. Imagine my suprise when the bundle moved as I approached it...I called our dock lead over and said something was moving under the coats. we moved the coats and found a sleeping five year old asleep under the coats and shivering. We called security and the child was taken to City Hall Immediately (Also found out later that Orange county sheriff and DCF had been summoned by Guest Relations too) when the boat arrived in the dock 10 minutes later the family got off and left the boat and started to head up the ramp B4 they remembered they had forgotten something....They were concerned the stroller was gone because their cameras were on it, when I inquired if they were at all concerned about the freezing sleeping child in it too..they realized they were in deep poop! However in our guests finest moment accused us of kidnapping their child..about that time Gurst relations manager, security manager and Sherrif arrived to tkae the family backstage to city hall. The skippers backstage turned their back to the family as they walked by an booed them. Never got the finale. But Im sure DCF had a few questions. :oweye:

[Mommytomjm]

OH MY GOSH!!!! As a mother (and an adoptive one who had to fight for the right to be one at that) I am truly horrified at not only the stories I read here, but also the ones I witness every weekend on my own.....

One of my favorites is parents who hit their kids in public....now, I persoanlly don't beleive in spanking, but it is one method of parenting) I just don't want to have to explain to my sweet girl (who is pointing at the kid saying boo-boo, boo-boo over and over) that some mommies and daddies hit their kids and no, mommy and daddy would never hit her, argh......

IF you have to spank your kid, please take them into a private area first!

[PirateJohn]

Worst I've seen is a father that called his four-year-old daughter "bitch" right out in the open. I coulda smacked him.

[Ho-say]

Worst I've seen is a father that called his four-year-old daughter "bitch" right out in the open. I coulda smacked him.

:eek: :eek: :eek: I wouldn't care if it was right out in the open or in the privacy of their hotel room. Children do not deserve to be berated like that. That's when you wish another guest would say something to them, so you can sit back and smile and still not get into trouble :D:

[SRT_GB]

I can't believe this thread has gotten so many posts since I've been gone!

I heard a guy in Fantasia the other day threaten to spank his daughter. I saw him follow her into one of our window displays and I seriously thought he was going to do it. Turned out she was just going after a ball that had rolled into that area and I assume he was following her to make sure she didn't do anything in the window display.

Same day, same store, I finally saw it happen: in the 5 seconds I had my back turned to the cashwrap a kid was pulling down on our queue ropes and the stanchion fell down, missing him by 6 inches. Parents and grandparents were just watching while he was pulling down on the rope and saw the stanchion tipping. Fortunately they blamed the boy and not us. Otherwise I would have been fuming.

[Yfoog]

Last Sunday I finally made it to the park to enjoy the 50th B-day celebration. While entering the queue for Matterhorn (right) a cast memeber was desperately trying to hold on to a screaming boy, about 4 or 5 years of age. It seems the youth chickened out at the last minute and refused to enter the bobsled. The parents weren't about to be denied their fun and continued on into the mountain, leaving their freaked out son on the loading platform. Amazing.

[CerasiJ]

Oh My God! I have read this whole thread and I really, honestly, can't believe that some people are so STUPID. Hitting your children... calling them names? Good Lord! I would NEVER do that to my children! And certainly would't leave them in the hands of STRANGERS! When I am with my two neices, those girls do not leave my side!

Although, the other night my family & I sat down and watched our Disneyland home movie and my mom did have to buy a leash for my (at the time) 3-year-old brother, who was a bit of a terror, and if I recall correctly, punched Brier Bear outside of Splash Mountain in the err... umm... "special area"? Heh heh... :D:

[Seussgirl]

Ok, I got one. I was working at over in Seuss Landing at One fish Two fish (for those that don't know what that is, think Dumbo with water) one hot summer day when I was loading the guests on the ride, this kid about 12 or 13 that was obviously mentally handicapped started yelling to his mom "You b**ch!!" "Come back here!". Everyone in line heard him so I went over to him and asked him to please not use that language and where was his mother. He told me on the ride. I asked him to point her out and told her she needed to get off the ride and control her child. She said he was bad so he needed to stay there. I told her again, and she got off and grumbled something in Spanish. About 10 mins later, I was going on break and I saw him again alone, this time he was outside Cat in the Hat. I felt really sorry for him because he seemed to have the mentality of a 5 year old, and I walked over to him and started talking to him and he started crying and saying his mom left him because he was bad. Well, I was livid at this point, called my lead, which call her supervisor. (I hate that damn chain of command, why not just call security?) Well, the mom came out a few mins later and since my supervisor was nowhere around yet (probably in his office, drinking coffee), I proceeded to give her a lecture about how she cannot leave her child by himself. I really laid into her. I didn't care. She walked away and then about 10 mins later my supervisor finally showed up and I told him about the incident. He asked me how old the child was and I told him and he said there was nothing we could do because a child that age can take care of themselves. Excuse me? I told him again how the kid was retarded and he said it didn't matter. What an idiot!

[SRT_GB]

Had a 2 year old little girl screaming her little head off for at least 5 minutes straight in Marina Sundries the other day. All for a small unicorn pop. I bet they could have heard this little girl all the way from Bonita Tower. The worst part was the parents weren't doing a damn thing about it, except to tell her she couldn't have the lollipop. Didn't tell her to be quiet or anything. I rang mom up for something and she acted like nothing was going on. I chose not to shout and spoke in my normal tone in an effort to hint at her to do something about the girl's screaming, but that proved futile. And little miss future golddigger was still screaming as they headed out of the building.

My head hurt after they left. Small store + loud screaming = headache for SRT_GB.

A few months ago at Mickey in Paradise I had a lady come in with some princess item she had bought inside the park and said to me, "I want to return this because my little girl is being a brat and if she's going to be that way she's not getting a toy." I happily processed her return.

Just proves I haven't entirely lost faith in parents who spoil their children.

[PirateJohn]

Had a 2 year old little girl screaming her little head off for at least 5 minutes straight in Marina Sundries the other day. All for a small unicorn pop. I bet they could have heard this little girl all the way from Bonita Tower. The worst part was the parents weren't doing a damn thing about it, except to tell her she couldn't have the lollipop. Didn't tell her to be quiet or anything. I rang mom up for something and she acted like nothing was going on. I chose not to shout and spoke in my normal tone in an effort to hint at her to do something about the girl's screaming, but that proved futile. And little miss future golddigger was still screaming as they headed out of the building.I don't necessarily disagree with this. Very often, children yell and scream because they want attention, so a good way to train them not to yell and scream is to ignore them when they do.

Sure, it causes some headaches along the way, but it can prevent a child from being a brat in the future.

[CerasiJ]

I don't necessarily disagree with this. Very often, children yell and scream because they want attention, so a good way to train them not to yell and scream is to ignore them when they do.

Yup, always worked for me! Well, that and when my Dad told me if I didn't stop crying he was going to leave me in K-Mart. That shut me right up! :D:

[NikkiGrrl]

working McD's drive thru i've seen the worse of the worse.

I've seen people pull up with rap music blaring with all sorts of obcenities coming from the song and the kids int he back sitting quietly. Great, let's teach 5 year olds how to cuss. i've had drunk parents pull in once or twice, or at least they appeared to be drunk. i've had parents yelling into cell phones with f this and that with kids int he back, parents screaming and yelling at kids to "shut up".

i honestly don't know what is wrong with parents today...my parents taught me that it's polite to be quiet when someone else is talking not to "shut the f/hell/etc up"

[Fantasmic_Freak]

I say send all parents through Disney History and culture before they get in the gates, except speed up the process. :D:

[joanna71985]

This story happened at MGM. I had met up with MommytoMJM and friends and we had gone to Playhouse Disney to see the show. While we were waiting to enter outside with a CM was a little girl. Apparently the mother had left her with the CM so she could go on the big rides! :eek: I couldn't believe it. Who does that? (MommytoMJM, if I didn't tell the story right, please help me out!).

[CBeilby]

This story happened at MGM. I had met up with MommytoMJM and friends and we had gone to Playhouse Disney to see the show. While we were waiting to enter outside with a CM was a little girl. Apparently the mother had left her with the CM so she could go on the big rides! :eek: I couldn't believe it. Who does that? (MommytoMJM, if I didn't tell the story right, please help me out!).

That's worse than bad parenting. That could technically be considered child abandonment. We CMs are paid to do our jobs, not to babysit for lazy parents. If she'd tried it with me, I'd have said no, and if the parent had insisted, I would have told a lead and security. :mad:

And that reminds me of a story from when I was working at the Visitor Center at Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. One day, I was at the welcome desk, when I saw a boy of about ten years old sitting by himself. I approached him, and talked to him, to find out that his parents had left him there INTENTIONALLY! I told my manager, who called the Williamsburg Police Department. I'm not too sure about the resolution, but I believe that he and the other child in the family were removed by Department of Social Services and abandonment charges were filed against the parents.

[M6l24m86]

There was a kid who came in and said he couldn't find his mom (he was about 6 years old) He said his mom had let him walk in and pick a toy himself. So we are walking around looking for her in DTD and finally I see her and she is on her cell phone. She didn't even care when I told her that he child was frantic looking for her. She didn't say thank you or console him or anything and just kept talking on her phone.

Not really a parenting story, but there was a girl who looked around 15 years old and she comes up to me and says "I lost my mommy" in this mock child voice. So then I go into the whole lost child questions, (When did you last see her etc.) and she just keeps looking at me stupidly and she says "I'm adopted. My mom is about this high and she's asain" (this girl was obviously NOT asain) and I am humoring her kinda asking her what she wanted me to do and eventually I get sick of her messing around with me because she is A TEENAGER and OBVIOUSLY joking around with me during BLOWOFF at World of Disney with a TON of guests in line. So I tell her that she'll need to look for her mom by herself. I notice her walking away and meeting up with a few of her friends LAUGHING (One of her friends was an ASIAN girl btw) So I was busy so I let it go. Anyways, I forget about it and not too long later I see the girl walking by and she says "I found my mommy" and I say to her "Oh good, I'm just going to need you to come over here with me because we've called security out to verify that you've actually found your mommy" and her face DROPS and she looks so worried but comes with me anyways. My lead needs to talk to me (I didn't REALLY call security) and out of the corner of my eye I see her looking at me worried and she SLOWLY sneaks away from where I told her to wait. I told my lead about what happened and he and I were just laughing that I was able to scare the crap out of her while still being "Disney". It was SO satisfying lol!

[Maleficents Raven]

Ugh, I hate it when parents come in thinking that we can take care of their children. I know I've done it plenty of times, and there are always the exceptions (if I'm in Acorn's, parents are shopping and I'm playing with the kids with a bear puppet we have), but still, I have enough to deal with, please don't add your kids to the mix.

One day, I was working in Acorn's, not too many guests in the store, and this girl comes in and claims that she is going to be my little helper. Her mother was in the bar and the girl was tired of drinking Shirely Temples. The mother said that she could come into the gift shop and just wait for her there, that we would watch her! And of course, the girl follows me like a shadow and goes on and on about anything and everything, stopping only to show me and every guest who walks into the store that she can do the splits.

Me to guest: Hi, how are you today?
Girl before they can answer: Wanna see what I can do?

I tried to politely get to to leave, or at elast behave a little. She ended up starting a guessing game so I could know her name (like I really cared) and when we get to her middle name, she tells me "it's a fish."

Girl: I don't think you can eat it.
Me: ...Um, there are lots of fish out there...
Girl: It starts with an 'h'.
Me: Herring?
Girl: Yeap.
Me: Actually, you can eat those and therefore could eat you, but that would be considered cannibalism and is frown upon in most societies.

She didn't get it, and didn't leave and I was on the verge of going into the bar and yelling at her mom. Poor girl just wanted attention, but I wasn't the person to give it to her and her mom was too drunk to give it to her either. Eventually, she really pushed my buttons. She asked for my cell phone number, asked if she could see my cell phone and right as I was helped a guest with out more expensive pottery began to drig through my pockets trying to find my cell phone.

I'm not being paid to babysit, so parents, please take care of your kids yourself. Vacation or not, they are your's, not mine.

[SRT_GB]

Poor girl just wanted attention, but I wasn't the person to give it to her and her mom was too drunk to give it to her either...I'm not being paid to babysit, so parents, please take care of your kids yourself. Vacation or not, they are your's, not mine.
You know, you can always call Security on people like that. It can be considered child abandonment/endangerment, and, based on what other people on these forums have said, Security deals with people like that pretty harshly.

I do regret not calling APD or security the time I saw a PPH CM leave her 8 year old boy at the Harbor Blvd 15 minute parking on a hot summer day so she could go to the Old Admin building.

[Seussgirl]

I've been asked several times when I was waiting in the babyswap area as a guest to watch someone's else kids so the parents can ride together. Come on, does adreline really mess up your brain that much to leave your kid with a total stranger?

[smart1hermione]

My friend who works in the baby center/lost children at DCA tells me some horrendous stories sometimes.

People who leave for home without their kids. Kids found wandering the parking lots alone. Kids ditched for the vineyard. And about 75% don't speak english, so all she can do is turn on a DVD of Little Mermaid en espanol.

[EeyoresButterfly]

I'm surprised that some of the CMs are agreeing to watch people's children. We are trained specifically not to do that. We could get bumped or rotated out of our position, or have to go assist in a ride evac or something. Who is going to watch the kid then? What if you give the kid to the wrong person? Watching other people's children is definitely not allowed. I realize the CMs who do this are trying to be helpful, but it makes it worse for the rest of us when we (rightly) refuse.

[turkeyham]

Yesterday I was at Disneyland waiting to get on the Matterhorn. This lady's kid was having a major melt down and the mom would not do anything. The kid was about 4 years old. I have never seen kids beat up their parents. This brat was hitting his mom on the face and arms. :twisted:

Then last night I came home and I turned on Nanny 9-1-1. And the kids were even worst. I could imangine Joe-Joe in the park correcting parents and kids. I could see lots of naughty chairs throughout the park. It would be something to see.

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

I was at DL today and I overheard the parents tell their kids to RUN, not walk to get their Dream Fast Passes!!! What fine parenting that is!!!

[accioetoile]

At M:S, I would have kids screaming and crying because they were too afraid to go on the ride. I remember this one mother forced her son, who was probably around 7 or 8, to go inside the ride, forced down his restaint on him, and expected us to let him ride like that. When I got to that capsule, to close it, the kid was still freaking out. I told the mother that we can't let the kid ride while crying, and she started yelling at the kid to calm down. I had to let them both out, and she walked out, still yelling at her kid, because he ruined the ride for her.

[smart1hermione]

At M:S, I would have kids screaming and crying because they were too afraid to go on the ride. I remember this one mother forced her son, who was probably around 7 or 8, to go inside the ride, forced down his restaint on him, and expected us to let him ride like that. When I got to that capsule, to close it, the kid was still freaking out. I told the mother that we can't let the kid ride while crying, and she started yelling at the kid to calm down. I had to let them both out, and she walked out, still yelling at her kid, because he ruined the ride for her.

Maybe these people are revisiting their horrible miscreant childhoods and forgetting about their actual kids.

Disneyland: Where you are still required to be a parent

[SRT_GB]

Disneyland: Where you are still required to be a parentI think that one belongs on the "Tag Lines" thread.

[mechurchlady]

Too often adults live throught children or even objects, pets, or pixels. It could be an uncle, neighbor or a teacher and not just a parents. We have seen the soccer mom screaming at her kid and belittling the tyke for a little oopsy mistake. The pop warner dad who goes bullistic over a referee's call.

In parks the parents are going to do a list of things even if the kids are exhausted little zombies being drug from place to place. Melt downs happen and the parents are embarrassed or get mad for the trip interruption. WE are riding that ride. It does not matter what the others think, WE, are going that way and then eating over there and finally WE are watching the parade over there. All that despite the fact that 90% of WE do not want to do any of that.

I would love to be a kid in the parks but not with most parents.

[PirateCSI]

As I was typing this, another coworker told me about something he saw yesterday. Two kids running from about 6ft back and slamming themselves into the cement wall of the exhibit hall. Two moms stood nearby talking and watching them while they did this. :roll:

If I had seen that, I think I would have stepped in and said, "I'm sorry, but platform nine-and-three-quarters is that way."

[Sarah Magdalene]

if i had seen that, i think i would have stepped in and said, "i'm sorry, but platform nine-and-three-quarters is that way."

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

[LittleDollClaudia]

Hey, if you know the way to Hogwarts, you had better speak up!

:D:

[kurtisnelson]

Hey, if you know the way to Hogwarts, you had better speak up!

:D:
Go to a magical place called Suess land and head west.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Can't you just use that floo stuff??

[EeyoresButterfly]

The Floo Network (which uses chimneys) does not normally connect to Hogwarts. Special permission was given in book 6 due to atacks on the students, as a safety precaution. You also cannot apparate or disapparate on Hogwarts grounds, and if Muggles approach they see a mouldy old ruin with a signage along the lines of "Danger, no trespassing". The best way to get there is via the Hogwarts Express. You can also apparate into Hogsmeade and walk, fly on a thestral (Dumbledore used them for longer trips), a broomstick, or a flying car, etc. Clearly, I have no life.

[DevilDuckie]

The Floo Network (which uses chimneys) does not normally connect to Hogwarts. Special permission was given in book 6 due to atacks on the students, as a safety precaution. You also cannot apparate or disapparate on Hogwarts grounds, and if Muggles approach they see a mouldy old ruin with a signage along the lines of "Danger, no trespassing". The best way to get there is via the Hogwarts Express. You can also apparate into Hogsmeade and walk, fly on a thestral (Dumbledore used them for longer trips), a broomstick, or a flying car, etc. Clearly, I have no life.


Furthermore, one must get special consent from the Ministry of Magic to connect a Muggle residence to the Floo Network.

It is worth noting that house elves can apparate to and from (and within) Hogwarts as their magic is different and not subject to the restrictions.

I have always wondered whether a mixed household (like the Grangers) can be connected to the network. Perhaps only if the magical member is of age or the homeowner.

[joanna71985]

If I had seen that, I think I would have stepped in and said, "I'm sorry, but platform nine-and-three-quarters is that way."

HA!!

The Floo Network (which uses chimneys) does not normally connect to Hogwarts. Special permission was given in book 6 due to atacks on the students, as a safety precaution. You also cannot apparate or disapparate on Hogwarts grounds, and if Muggles approach they see a mouldy old ruin with a signage along the lines of "Danger, no trespassing". The best way to get there is via the Hogwarts Express. You can also apparate into Hogsmeade and walk, fly on a thestral (Dumbledore used them for longer trips), a broomstick, or a flying car, etc. Clearly, I have no life.

Aww, yes you do. You are a fan (just like me).:D:

[Notatourist]

Go to a magical place called Suess land and head west.

Suess Landing, honey and it's slowly coming up....yay!

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Furthermore, one must get special consent from the Ministry of Magic to connect a Muggle residence to the Floo Network.

It is worth noting that house elves can apparate to and from (and within) Hogwarts as their magic is different and not subject to the restrictions.

I have always wondered whether a mixed household (like the Grangers) can be connected to the network. Perhaps only if the magical member is of age or the homeowner.

Of course, all these "rules" will go away in the next book:

"Harry potter meets the women who needs another castle!"


hehehehe

[EeyoresButterfly]

I'm sure mixed households could- I mean the muggle members of the household are quite aware of the magical world. Most of the restrictions are to keep muggles out of the loop, clearly it is too late for these muggles.

Okay- question: We have established that side-along apparition is possible, right? So, what would happen if a human attempted to side-along apparate with a House Elf? Would the house elf's magic be strong enough to apparate them both?

[Mayonnaise]

I think the ELF would have to be the one taking someone side-along, which may not be a skill they have. Recall we've only seen side along a few times. If it was easy then the Weasley's could have used that to avoid flooing to Diagon and all that... I think it's an added skill beyond apparition yourself, that probably has to be practiced very thoroughly. At least... that's how we regard it at erters.org *Shameless Plug.*

If the house elf doesn't actually know side along, I think there's a really good chance of getting splinched.

Ow.

8^S

[Shorty82]

I think the ELF would have to be the one taking someone side-along, which may not be a skill they have. Recall we've only seen side along a few times. If it was easy then the Weasley's could have used that to avoid flooing to Diagon and all that... I think it's an added skill beyond apparition yourself, that probably has to be practiced very thoroughly. At least... that's how we regard it at erters.org *Shameless Plug.*

If the house elf doesn't actually know side along, I think there's a really good chance of getting splinched.

Ow.

8^S

That's pretty much what I was thinking. There was that one time that Roy got a little splinched when using side-along apparition with Hermione which shows how dangerous it can be.

I'm thinking that house elves might not be able to use side-along with a human (if at all) and even if they could I wouldn't be surprised if the magical charms around Hogwarts and other no-apparition areas stop humans from apparating at all, be it directly or via side-along with a house elf.

[Mayonnaise]

Roy?

*Eyebrow Arch.*

'8^|

[DisneyMom]

Didn't they use port keys for transporting more than one person at a time?:confused:

[Shorty82]

Roy?

*Eyebrow Arch.*

'8^|

GOD! I'm an idiot today! I meant Ron!

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Wouldn't it be eaiser to just use a point to point transporter beam?

[BRWombat]

Um... Don't hurt me... but you all do realize that this is fiction we're talking about, right?

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Um... Don't hurt me... but you all do realize that this is fiction we're talking about, right?

Ssssssshhhush....you MIGHT make them angry!!!


hehehehe


RUM?

[Big Wallaby]

Wouldn't it be eaiser to just use a point to point transporter beam?

I can hear it now, "Weasley to Enterprise..."

[Shorty82]

Um... Don't hurt me... but you all do realize that this is fiction we're talking about, right?

Fic...tion? What is that word? I don't know it. :p:

[Mayonnaise]

Um... Don't hurt me... but you all do realize that this is fiction we're talking about, right?

Yes. And?

Don't mind me... I'm an avid Potterverse RPGer. To an RPGer it matters... much like the mechanics of DnD magic matters if you play DnD.

8^P

[DisneyMom]

Um... Don't hurt me... but you all do realize that this is fiction we're talking about, right?


Everyone :D: at the Muggle........

[accioetoile]

Everyone :D: at the Muggle........

everyone point and laugh at the muggle...:ridicule:

haha, as some of you might be able to tell, I'm an HP fan. The biggest day of my life was when I met JK Rowling.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I can hear it now, "Weasley to Enterprise..."

Hmmm, If they are all powerful Witches and Wizards, can't they create the Enterprise?

Hmmmmm?

[EeyoresButterfly]

I think the ELF would have to be the one taking someone side-along, which may not be a skill they have. Recall we've only seen side along a few times. If it was easy then the Weasley's could have used that to avoid flooing to Diagon and all that... I think it's an added skill beyond apparition yourself, that probably has to be practiced very thoroughly. At least... that's how we regard it at erters.org *Shameless Plug.*

If the house elf doesn't actually know side along, I think there's a really good chance of getting splinched.

Ow.

8^S

Harry had not passed his apparition test, or really apparated at all when he tood Dumbledore on side along apparition following the incident in the cave. Come to think of it, in DH didn't Dobby apparate out of Malfoy Manor and take Harry with him, making it a side along apparition? (I'm re-reading the series now for the upmteenth time. I'm on OOTP, I'll have to pay attention to that when I get to DH).

Didn't they use port keys for transporting more than one person at a time?:confused:

That was one of many options. There are several cases of side along or multiple apparitions: Harry, Ron, and Hermione managed to apparate together to Grimmauld place following the incident at the Ministry. They even managed to bring a Death Eater with them- so side along apparition does not have to be intentional. Of course, Harry apparates with Dumbledore to visit Slughorn, and to go to he cave.

Other options include the Floo network (like in COS when they go to Diagon Alley,) Brooms (going to Grimmauld place in OOTP), train and other enchanted methods of travel such as flying carriages and magical boats (GOF), Thestral (OOTP), magic carpets (as long as you don't live in Britain, GOF). I know there was another I was going to say and now I've lost it, hmm, I'll have to come back to it later.

[joanna71985]

Okay- question: We have established that side-along apparition is possible, right? So, what would happen if a human attempted to side-along apparate with a House Elf? Would the house elf's magic be strong enough to apparate them both?

I believe they could. Dobby got them all out of Malfoy Manor in Book 7.

[Mayonnaise]

Harry had not passed his apparition test, or really apparated at all when he tood Dumbledore on side along apparition following the incident in the cave. Come to think of it, in DH didn't Dobby apparate out of Malfoy Manor and take Harry with him, making it a side along apparition? (I'm re-reading the series now for the upmteenth time. I'm on OOTP, I'll have to pay attention to that when I get to DH).

I checked... Dobby apparated Luna and Dean actually... so yeah, I suppose with a house elf, one could apparate in Hogwarts... I sometimes forget just how powerful house elves are.

I still maintain that side-along is likely an additional skill, tho. Harry's doing it with Dumbedore was an exceptional case. He's done magic beyond his years on previous occasions as well, especially when it was absolutely life or death critical.

8^)

[EeyoresButterfly]

The whole incident with them accidentally bringing a Death Eater to Grimmauld Place makes me think that it is not a separate skill. I would think if it was Hermione would have been ableto prevent the Death Eater from coming with them rather than having to wait until they reached their destination, shake him off, and then apparate somewhere else.

[Mayonnaise]

The Death Eater also apparated then, but made contact with Hermione in order to follow her to her destination. Remus Lupin explained in chapter 11 of DH that it's impossible for anyone to know where you apparated, and follow, unless they are in physical contact with you at the moment of apparition. I've taken that to be more a piggy backed apparition than a side along, since the Death Eater was also capable of apparition.

It's like when Harry and Dobby apparated together to Bill's. They both apparated, but Harry wasn't sure when he disparate if he knew where he was going. Dobby had been there once before tho, so he was able to help, though mortally wounded, and they did in fact land near Shell Cottage.

8^)

[accioetoile]

But all throughout book 7, they use side-along apparition to get from hiding spot to hiding spot, don't they? That's how they're able to get from place to place. It's usually Hermione doing it, and both Ron and Harry are holding onto her. I think it's just that it was a big deal when Harry apparated with Dumbledore because he was still underage. You probably still have to be of age to sidealong, too.

[DisneyMom]

Not intending to stop the apparition discussion, but on the subject of evil Parenting.....
I got tired of asking the boys to clean out their closets, so today I TOTALLY EMPTIED THEM OUT and put all of it downstairs.
Anything they want to keep will require being found, put on a hanger, and brought back upstairs to be neatly hung up......
Anything left downstairs when I return from work tomorrow goes to Goodwill!
Muwahaha!:twisted:
Thank You for listening!:D:
Please resume.....

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Not intending to stop the apparition discussion, but on the subject of evil Parenting.....
I got tired of asking the boys to clean out their closets, so today I TOTALLY EMPTIED THEM OUT and put all of it downstairs.
Anything they want to keep will require being found, put on a hanger, and brought back upstairs to be neatly hung up......
Anything left downstairs when I return from work tomorrow goes to Goodwill!
Muwahaha!:twisted:
Thank You for listening!:D:
Please resume.....

Thats a GREAT idea, I wonder if it would work on DW? I could move all her stuff downstairs, then tell her that if she wants to keep....

wait a second...

I would have to carry it all back upstairs...

and my stuff would be outside later that day...


Hmmmm

[DisneyMom]

Thats a GREAT idea, I wonder if it would work on DW? I could move all her stuff downstairs, then tell her that if she wants to keep....

wait a second...

I would have to carry it all back upstairs...

and my stuff would be outside later that day...


Hmmmm

Just stick to Rum, and you won't notice all that extra stuff upstairs!;)
Don't recommend the Psycho Mom act for everyone!
You should have seen the looks on my boys' faces when I told them my evil plan, it was priceless!:p:

[GaTechGal]

Not intending to stop the apparition discussion, but on the subject of evil Parenting.....
I got tired of asking the boys to clean out their closets, so today I TOTALLY EMPTIED THEM OUT and put all of it downstairs.
Anything they want to keep will require being found, put on a hanger, and brought back upstairs to be neatly hung up......
Anything left downstairs when I return from work tomorrow goes to Goodwill!
Muwahaha!:twisted:
Thank You for listening!:D:
Please resume.....

I've done something like that twice. I asked the kids to clean up and when they said they were finished, I went through the room with a trash bag. No warnings. Everything left was gone. Only had to happen twice and they realized that I was serious when I said clean up. Now they do a pretty good job themselves. It doesn't take using powerful parenting very many times to make your kids know that you're serious. If they know you're going to follow through with your consequences, they will usually behave when required.

[joanna71985]

But all throughout book 7, they use side-along apparition to get from hiding spot to hiding spot, don't they? That's how they're able to get from place to place. It's usually Hermione doing it, and both Ron and Harry are holding onto her. I think it's just that it was a big deal when Harry apparated with Dumbledore because he was still underage. You probably still have to be of age to sidealong, too.

Yep, they do. Hermione is the one who takes them to all the places. And I don't think age matters for side-along.

OT, but how did we get onto the HP discussion?

[EeyoresButterfly]

Somebody (Grumpy Pirate?) mentioned "floo stuff" and it was all downhill from there.

[BRWombat]

OT, but how did we get onto the HP discussion?Remember, at SGT every thread is the ADD thread!

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Somebody (Grumpy Pirate?) mentioned "floo stuff" and it was all downhill from there.

Isn't floo stuff, germs that make you get it?

[joanna71985]

Somebody (Grumpy Pirate?) mentioned "floo stuff" and it was all downhill from there.

Ah, I see.

Remember, at SGT every thread is the ADD thread!

So true, so true.

[DevilDuckie]

Wouldn't it be eaiser to just use a point to point transporter beam?

Don't be ridiculous.

Transporter beams are pretend.

[ktulu]

Don't be ridiculous.

Transporter beams are pretend.

But my time machine is not...

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Don't be ridiculous.

Transporter beams are pretend.

No there not! Its just that the ones we have now, have to be encased in big aluminum tubes and requires so much power that they have to attach these big jet engines to power it up. And because of the lack of computer space, it can sometimes take many hours to de-materialize and re-materialize at the destination. which has to be out in an open area so that it wound cause an accident.

Sheesh, I though EVERYONE knew this!!

[EeyoresButterfly]

If I had seen that, I think I would have stepped in and said, "I'm sorry, but platform nine-and-three-quarters is that way."

Found it! This was how we got onto Harry Potter. It's all the pirate's fault.

[1team1dream]

File this one under "Silly Guest Logic"

Here is a conversation I heard at Coffee House this morning while waiting for my coffee...

Mom - "What would you like for breakfast?"

* Child was looking at the chocolate chip cookies!

Mom - "No you can have a cinammon roll, but you cannot have a cookie!"

Thank goodness mom is an authority on nutrition!:confused:

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

File this one under "Silly Guest Logic"

Here is a conversation I heard at Coffee House this morning while waiting for my coffee...

Mom - "What would you like for breakfast?"

* Child was looking at the chocolate chip cookies!

Mom - "No you can have a cinammon roll, but you cannot have a cookie!"

Thank goodness mom is an authority on nutrition!:confused:

As long as she let him have a double expresso to wash it down!!!

hehehehe

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Found it! This was how we got onto Harry Potter. It's all the pirate's fault.

oh sure, its always a pirates fault whenever things don't go your way!!!


hehehehe

who ya gonna call??

[Shorty82]

who ya gonna call??

Ghost Busters! :)

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Ghost Busters! :)

Something strange in yer neighboorhood?

hehehe

[hobie16]

It sounds like you've got at least two or three people in there already.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

It sounds like you've got at least two or three people in there already.

It was something from my childhood, something so good...