Just off the Dream: Deck Chair HOGS

[sevenofeleven]

Just off the Dream Feb. 10. A fantastic trip with 100% satisfaction - except with families and deck chairs.

It seems that if you 'claim' a deck chair with a book, mug, t-shirt, flip-flops, pacifier, or other personal item, you keep the chair indefinitely. From the first night (of the Super Bowl) every deck chair facing the big screen and pool on the main level was taken. Some folks left their lounge chair time after time to take a dip or get food. But no-one could dare take the unoccupied seat because of personal junk left on it. You might have a chance if there was just a white towel.

Each morning we saw Grandmas or Moms set up personal things on four or more reclining chairs, while the family was grabbing breakfast. They then would camp out for the day, going to their room, or kids zones, and not even take their junk with them. They had a front row for the shows, games, movies, and trivia.

There must be a guideline on this. It is beyond asking someone "is this seat taken". If it is without a body on it - GRAB IT. No one should be allowed to 'claim' a deck chair for the day.

Again, this is just the pool and big screen area. The adult lounging areas had seats to spare.

On our next trip we will bring throwaway 'props' like t-shirts, books, and a colored beach towel. And just try to stay out of our way - just try!

SOE

 

[MissReeRee]

I agree, this is so frustrating!! It was impossible to find a chair anywhere near the pool so I could sit and be able to actually SEE my kids swimming. When we would go up poolside I only grabbed ONE chair and put all of our stuff on it, my kids never used one, just came and went for shoes or whatever else I had shoved under my chair.

 

[Kim&Chris]

That's ridiculous.

Haven't been on the Dream...yet, but when we were on the Wonder, people were doing the same thing. DH got really angry after a while, and removed a few of the DCL towels from the chairs that had been empty for a while.

No one approached us regarding what he'd done. I have no doubt he'll do it again on the Dream in a few months, if he sees that nonsense happening again.

 

[Maryrn11168]

Last year when we were on the Magic I was awake early and took a walk around the ship. It was so nice to see it empty, watch the sun rise, etc. Around 7am I started noticing people coming up to the pool deck and throwing towels and bags on chairs and then leaving. I returned to my room, put on my bathing suit, grabbed my book and pool bag, left a note for the family and returned to pool deck and parked myself in a chair. I never left the chair unless my husband came and sat in it, but I was amazed that by 11am there were chairs that NO ONE came to use. I started pointing these chairs out to families searching for a place to sit. I had been there for 4 hours and never saw the person, that's so unfair! I see it at the resorts too! Throw a towel on chair, go to the Magic Kingdom, return to a chair!

If you want to save it, sit in it!

 

[FJS961]

That sort of rudeness is nothing new ... "saving" or "claiming" seats/chairs in advance.

 

[jeanico2000]

Last time we cruised was on RCCL's Oasis of the Seas, and they actually have a policy in place now, stating that if chairs are left unattended for x amount of time (I think it was 2 hours), things would be removed from the chairs and would be brought to a kind of "lost and found" area on deck for safe keeping. To enforce this policy, they had wonderful people patrolling said decks and removing things that were left by the chair hogs so that everyone had a chance of getting good chairs by the pools. It was brilliant, and it worked! I hope Disney will follow this example too. We will be sailing on the Dream in April, and I am curious to experience what this beautiful new ship has to offer!

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Do the deck chairs on the Dream have the "No Saving Seats" on each chair similar to the Wonder or Magic? Regardless, it's still printed in the Navigator each day.

This is just one of many "rules" that many people tend to ignore as they have the mentality of "it's my vacation and I'll do what I want".

 

[mmouse37]

I agree people should not claim a chair and then disappear for long periods....but on the flip side....if I choose to spend my day at the pool and leave it for a few minutes to take a dip, I do want to come back to my same chair. If I want to plant my butt in that chair it all day I should be able to. That is how I choose to spend my vacation time.

Still do not understand why DCL did not install cubbies for people who just want to put their things down and not actually use a chair.

We saw CM's constantly placing new white towels on the chairs that looked unoccupied.

MJ

 

[Lake_Mary]

Last time we cruised was on RCCL's Oasis of the Seas, and they actually have a policy in place now, stating that if chairs are left unattended for x amount of time (I think it was 2 hours), things would be removed from the chairs and would be brought to a kind of "lost and found" area on deck for safe keeping. To enforce this policy, they had wonderful people patrolling said decks and removing things that were left by the chair hogs so that everyone had a chance of getting good chairs by the pools. It was brilliant, and it worked! I hope Disney will follow this example too. We will be sailing on the Dream in April, and I am curious to experience what this beautiful new ship has to offer!

This. Great enforcement is key. IMHO, one hour is plenty of time to be allowed to claim an abandoned chair and put the items in lost and found. Just got off the Magic and that was our biggest struggle. I was alone a lot at the pool with one or both of my kids and saw lots of chairs sit empty with stuff left behind.

Disney has signs that request no saving chairs... But without enforcement those signs are useless.

 

[stevenpensacola]

On our next trip we will bring throwaway 'props' like t-shirts, books, and a colored beach towel. And just try to stay out of our way - just try!
SOE

Just bring a disposable diaper and a pack of chocolate pudding.

If you do this right, no one will think about touching your chair.

 

[MenashaCorp]

Just bring a disposable diaper and a pack of chocolate pudding.

If you do this right, no one will think about touching your chair.

Ew.

 

[JennLK]

There does have to be some kind of balance though. If I leave my chair to ride aquaduck (and have to wait in a 20 min line) I would not be happy if someone moved my stuff to the lost and found. I would never think to grab 4 chairs and hold them all day - but would grab one to keep our towels and coverups on so that when we are done swimming I have somewhere to lay to dry off.

What irked me a bit was pirate night everyone grabbed lounge chairs and laid on the decks to watch. Not for the shows but for the fireworks. This took up ALOT of space for not alot of people. I just wanted to stand and watch them (had my son in his stroller since he fell asleep) and basically had to stand almost on top of someone in a chair since there was no standing room. I am sure I could have gone up to Dec 12 and stood up there but I already squeezed into my spot and did not want to attempt to navigate that with the baby and stroller. Maybe people did the same thing with loungers on Deck 12 though? I am not sure. Would have been nicer if people sat in the regular chairs - I mean honestly there were 3,700 of us trying to see the fireworks.

 

[plutojudy]

I agree people should not claim a chair and then disappear for long periods....but on the flip side....if I choose to spend my day at the pool and leave it for a few minutes to take a dip, I do want to come back to my same chair. If I want to plant my butt in that chair it all day I should be able to. That is how I choose to spend my vacation time.


MJ

Me too!

 

[lmhall2000]

There does have to be some kind of balance though. If I leave my chair to ride aquaduck (and have to wait in a 20 min line) I would not be happy if someone moved my stuff to the lost and found. I would never think to grab 4 chairs and hold them all day - but would grab one to keep our towels and coverups on so that when we are done swimming I have somewhere to lay to dry off.

I don't agree with those at all who say they want a chair all day long. I've NEVER had a beach chair...why? Because there were NONE to have the 4 hours I hung out by the pool to watch my kids swim....I absolutely think it is selfish and self-serving to expect that you can have a chair the whole day and run back and forth to get food/drinks/breaks...if your seat is not in the chair, even for an aqua duck...you either get someone to sit in it while you wait or you release it to someone else. People, there are 3700 people on that ship who might like to lounge for 1-2 hours..but b/c you feel you should have the right to have a lounge chair for yourself for more than that..you've just usurped their ability to have the same luxury...if there were 3700 lounge chairs I wouldn't have a problem with it...it's called consideration for others...simple as that.

Tara

 

["Cinder" Ella's Mom]

Just off the Dream Feb. 10. A fantastic trip with 100% satisfaction - except with families and deck chairs.

It seems that if you 'claim' a deck chair with a book, mug, t-shirt, flip-flops, pacifier, or other personal item, you keep the chair indefinitely. From the first night (of the Super Bowl) every deck chair facing the big screen and pool on the main level was taken. Some folks left their lounge chair time after time to take a dip or get food. But no-one could dare take the unoccupied seat because of personal junk left on it. You might have a chance if there was just a white towel.

Each morning we saw Grandmas or Moms set up personal things on four or more reclining chairs, while the family was grabbing breakfast. They then would camp out for the day, going to their room, or kids zones, and not even take their junk with them. They had a front row for the shows, games, movies, and trivia.


There must be a guideline on this. It is beyond asking someone "is this seat taken". If it is without a body on it - GRAB IT. No one should be allowed to 'claim' a deck chair for the day.

Again, this is just the pool and big screen area. The adult lounging areas had seats to spare.

On our next trip we will bring throwaway 'props' like t-shirts, books, and a colored beach towel. And just try to stay out of our way - just try!

SOE

I too understand your frustration, but I think we will see more of this with the Aquaduck. If I get out there early and get a chair, place all of my belongings on it and stand in line for the Aquaduck, I want my stuff to be there when I return. Where else could I put it? I also think that people should be allowed to USE THE POOL and still keep their chair. The other examples, I completely see your point!

 

[lvstitch]

Last time we cruised was on RCCL's Oasis of the Seas, and they actually have a policy in place now, stating that if chairs are left unattended for x amount of time (I think it was 2 hours), things would be removed from the chairs and would be brought to a kind of "lost and found" area on deck for safe keeping. To enforce this policy, they had wonderful people patrolling said decks and removing things that were left by the chair hogs so that everyone had a chance of getting good chairs by the pools. It was brilliant, and it worked! I hope Disney will follow this example too. We will be sailing on the Dream in April, and I am curious to experience what this beautiful new ship has to offer!

When we were on the Oasis in November and there was an unoccupied for 30 minute time limit (even stated it in the cruise compass). 6000 people on board and never had a problem finding a chair, so the policy worked. I just wish they would put cubby holes or lockers around the pool so I have a place to put my stuff.

 

[JennLK]

I don't agree with those at all who say they want a chair all day long. I've NEVER had a beach chair...why? Because there were NONE to have the 4 hours I hung out by the pool to watch my kids swim....I absolutely think it is selfish and self-serving to expect that you can have a chair the whole day and run back and forth to get food/drinks/breaks...if your seat is not in the chair, even for an aqua duck...you either get someone to sit in it while you wait or you release it to someone else. People, there are 3700 people on that ship who might like to lounge for 1-2 hours..but b/c you feel you should have the right to have a lounge chair for yourself for more than that..you've just usurped their ability to have the same luxury...if there were 3700 lounge chairs I wouldn't have a problem with it...it's called consideration for others...simple as that.

Tara

I don't feel I have a right to a chair all day long but do expect - since given no other option - that if I put my towel and belongings down while riding Aquaduck or for a quick jump in the pool to have it there when I return. During the whole cruise I never saw people without lounge chairs or searching for them. There was always a CM directing people to an open lounger. Maybe they did not get a "prime spot" but people never went without so I don't think it is that big of an issue.

 

[truck1]

Maybe this is just me, but I think that in life generally there are a lot of people who have no regard for anyone else. It used to be that if you went somewhere, and a kid acted up, the parent would say something, and that pretty much was the end of it. Occasionally, the offending kids would disappear with a ticked off parent. If you walked in a door, the person in front of you, held it for you. And whatever happened to Thank you, and excuse me?

Ill agree with most of the above, in that, if I go to a pool, and we claim for lack of a better term 4 seats, as long as we are in the seats or the pool, there shouldnt be a problem with us coming back to it. If we decide to go see a movie or go to get food somwhere else and we are going to be gone longer then say an hour, I have no problem with giving up the seats to someone else. If my kids go to a club and my wife and I stay near the pool, someone can have the other 2. Last time I loked it was called common courtesy, and my grandmother would chew me out 3 ways to sunday if I forgot my manners.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I agree people should not claim a chair and then disappear for long periods....but on the flip side....if I choose to spend my day at the pool and leave it for a few minutes to take a dip, I do want to come back to my same chair. If I want to plant my butt in that chair it all day I should be able to. That is how I choose to spend my vacation time.


MJ

I agree with you 100%. I read a post from a guy that feels if you leave the chair for a dip you forfeit your chair. He would even take thinks off and put them on the new towel spot. We would go to Flo's and grab something to eat for lunch and it it at our chairs. We try not to abandon the chairs for long periods plus we rotate through our group.

 

[Fleury]

I don't agree with those at all who say they want a chair all day long. I've NEVER had a beach chair...why? Because there were NONE to have the 4 hours I hung out by the pool to watch my kids swim....I absolutely think it is selfish and self-serving to expect that you can have a chair the whole day and run back and forth to get food/drinks/breaks...if your seat is not in the chair, even for an aqua duck...you either get someone to sit in it while you wait or you release it to someone else. People, there are 3700 people on that ship who might like to lounge for 1-2 hours..but b/c you feel you should have the right to have a lounge chair for yourself for more than that..you've just usurped their ability to have the same luxury...if there were 3700 lounge chairs I wouldn't have a problem with it...it's called consideration for others...simple as that.

Tara

i agree!