I thought I'd seen it all---

[Uncleromulus]

By way of misbehaving kids at WDW restaurants. Over the years I've seen kids fighting with each other, kids hitting and kicking their parents, kids throwing food and utensils at each other (and on occasion other patrons), kids rolling on the floor, kids running all around the restaurant, kids screaming bloody murder for what seemed like hours on end, even a small infant who's parents stood and watched him/her crawl on the floor almost into the Flying Fish kitchen.

But until this past Saturday I had never seen what looked like to be a 4-5 year old boy climb up on top of a table and proceed to walk all around. There appeared to be an extended family there and they all just looked at him and at each other as he made several circuits around the table. You would have had to see it to believe it.

This was lunch at Olivia's where--when we arrived to late to get a seat at Gurgling Suitcase--we broke our own rule and decided to get a table in the restaurant itself.

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

Wow!

 

[whitney250]

Yikes!

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Yeah...It seems like that has been the norm at WDW restaurants lately. Very sad.

 

[Uncleromulus]

It's why my rule is always eat at the bar in any WDW restaurant where that is possible

 

[Peepster]

Uncleromulus, I always love your posts!
Had to comment on this one as we thought we were the only ones who have questioned the new normal re: dining with kids. Please understand we aren't ones to expect someone else adhering to our expectations but there are some unusual instances that do amaze us. Such as a past dinner at the CRT with two parents, two children who were probably about 6 or 7. Parents were carrying on a conversation completely ignoring their offspring. Children got up and began racing around their table, chasing each other. Meanwhile, without missing a beat, both parents pick up forks, stab food and hold it out as kids race by and grab a bite of food while continuing their run!
We were soooo grateful no one choked or lost an eye in the process that we left as quickly as we could. Can't tell you the number of times servers almost went down!!! Not to mention how many times we or our chairs were collided with.
We do think that your story trumps it! I think we've become a world of low expectations. And to all the parents out there who teach their children, not only acceptable behavior, but consideration of others...kudos!

 

[baler31]

Must be a relative of the woman at The Plaza that took out her electric shaver and shaved her legs at the table while we were dining.

 

[HopperFan]

YIKES, yeah, NO, NO and I think I'm going to throw up.

My mouth would have uttered loudly ... to a manager if necessary to resolve the issue. If that meant buying me off, so be it, but Disney prices are already crazy high we should not be subjected to horrible parenting and health code issues.

If any child had directly impacted my meal, meaning touched my table or chair or me or more, I would have said something to them loud enough for the parent to hear. And yes I have. And yes it stopped.

I have kids, one who has special needs, there are no excuses. NONE. If you are having one of those "years" where you can't deal with it and you wish to vacation from parenting - that is when you eat fast food or stay home.

Reality is .... you are setting the tone for your future. You will be the one crying to teachers, friends and family "I don't know what has gone wrong." This is what teacher appreciation is all about because they don't have the option to leave.

 

[mckennarose]

A few months ago I replied on a thread here about a young child I observed in Cosmic Rays walking on the partition wall between booths while the parents kept on eating and encouraging him. If you've seen those partitions, they're higher than table height and it was a very unsafe to allow, yet alone encourage. My post got quoted by someone who went on to say I was being judgemental, or something to that effect, lol!

I've seen plenty of children at Disney misbehaving, having meltdowns, etc, but that Cosmic Rays thing blew my mind. I have my own ideas of parenting and at no time was it acceptable for my children to walk on tables, scream and run like banshees and disrupt other people. I don't care if it was Disney, a local restaurant or my own dining room. My beliefs aside, it's not judgemental to assess a situation as disruptive, safe or unsafe and the tone at some of these restaurants is all of them combined and more.

 

[HopperFan]

A few months ago I replied on a thread here about a young child I observed in Cosmic Rays walking on the partition wall between booths while the parents kept on eating and encouraging him. If you've seen those partitions, they're higher than table height and it was a very unsafe to allow, yet alone encourage. My post got quoted by someone who went on to say I was being judgemental, or something to that effect, lol!

I've seen plenty of children at Disney misbehaving, having meltdowns, etc, but that Cosmic Rays thing blew my mind. I have my own ideas of parenting and at no time was it acceptable for my children to walk on tables, scream and run like banshees and disrupt other people. I don't care if it was Disney, a local restaurant or my own dining room. My beliefs aside, it's not judgemental to assess a situation as disruptive, safe or unsafe and the tone at some of these restaurants is all of them combined and more.

I guess they are one of those parents.

None of the above behaviors described so far are acceptable behaviors. Period.

 

[disneyAndi14]

Must be a relative of the woman at The Plaza that took out her electric shaver and shaved her legs at the table while we were dining.

Yikes that is just so bad. I am so glad my children now 16&22 would have never behaved like the above incidents, they had great table manners in a restaurant. We were strict about it and it has paid off. My DD 16 and I travel a lot to WDW and we have seen a lot of bad behavior but never someone shaving or walking on the table!

 

[Nancyg56]

I have no words. Well I do, but I cannot post them here.

 

[jimmytammy]

It drives me crazy to see the parents who allow their kids to feed themselves and leave behind a huge mess on table, chair and floor. I know they have to learn, but they learn by example. Apparently the parents learned to eat out of a trough in a barn. Our kids are 23 and 21 now, but they learned manners at a very young age, would get their tails tore up if they attempted to act up. And we and they reaped the benefits through the years because we made them behave. People would see us sit down and you could see the looks on their faces, like "oh no" but we would get great feedback on how well the kids acted and behaved. Now, our kids, even in their young teen years, would notice how other kids were acting at meals, and they would and still do roll their eyes.

My wife will dirty look parents in a heartbeat when their kids are acting like the stories you folks share.

 

[OKW Lover]

Wow Unc! I'm amazed that none of the restaurant staff did anything about an obvious safety issue.

 

[maxiesmom]

A few months ago I replied on a thread here about a young child I observed in Cosmic Rays walking on the partition wall between booths while the parents kept on eating and encouraging him. If you've seen those partitions, they're higher than table height and it was a very unsafe to allow, yet alone encourage. My post got quoted by someone who went on to say I was being judgemental, or something to that effect, lol!

I've seen plenty of children at Disney misbehaving, having meltdowns, etc, but that Cosmic Rays thing blew my mind. I have my own ideas of parenting and at no time was it acceptable for my children to walk on tables, scream and run like banshees and disrupt other people. I don't care if it was Disney, a local restaurant or my own dining room. My beliefs aside, it's not judgemental to assess a situation as disruptive, safe or unsafe and the tone at some of these restaurants is all of them combined and more.

I remember that post. And the person who thought you were making much ado about nothing. It is always no big deal until their child is hurt, and then they throw fits, want their whole vacation comped, and the CMs fired for not stopping the behavior.

 

[winterwhite]

I was at the boathouse today having a nice lunch with some guests and there was a family who let their obviously tired child scream for two hours.

Ask for a check and leave. But no, the kid was crawling all over mom bawling and she was calmly eating her soup. I guess they're used to it but in case it's news, the rest of the world is not used to your child's theatrics.

I was at a pizza hut recently (picking up food for a work meeting) and there were two parents eating while their kids ran on booths and jumped on tables. One of them fell off the booth and screamed, then got right back up to do it again. Apparently neither the kids or parents learn anything.

 

[whitney250]

I was at the boathouse today having a nice lunch with some guests and there was a family who let their obviously tired child scream for two hours.
.
Ask for a check and leave. But no, the kid was crawling all over mom bawling and she was calmly eating her soup. I guess they're used to it but in case it's news, the rest of the world is not used to your child's theatrics.

I was at a pizza hut recently (picking up food for a work meeting) and there were two parents eating while their kids ran on booths and jumped on tables. One of them fell off the booth and screamed, then got right back up to do it again. Apparently neither the kids or parents learn anything.

I hate it when parents have the "I have to suffer through it, so do you" mentality.

 

[Huff]

Worst I have seen is a mom changing her babies diaper on the table.

 

[tarak]

I vowed long before I had kids I would not be one of "those parents." I'm related to one and after a few ruined meals, my husband and I refused to eat out with them.

There was a "kids behaving badly" thread over on the resort side of the board a few years ago. One poster insisted that no one ever had the right to take someone else's child to task. I related a time when I was eating lunch at the Poly with my daughters (3 and 4 at the time) and two kids were running about screaming, chasing the ducks, and crashing into our table. Mom was on her cell phone completely ignoring them. I finally told the kids they needed to stop because we were trying eat. Mom marched right over and told the kids to get away from the mean lady. This other poster reiterated I had no right to correct someone else's kids. Sorry, but if the parent has decided to take a vacation from parenting, I'm stepping in if he/she isn't.

 

[mckennarose]

I remember that post. And the person who thought you were making much ado about nothing. It is always no big deal until their child is hurt, and then they throw fits, want their whole vacation comped, and the CMs fired for not stopping the behavior.

Or sue Disney...

Can you see the headlines: "Disney removes 'dangerous' booth partitions in restaurant due to lawsuit by family of 3 year old who fell off while playing".

Somewhere along the lines rules and boundaries for children became 'bad' and damaging to their emotional health, growth and self esteem?