@Sewingbea I am guessing I will never want to do it again too! The good thing is that my fiance doesn’t agree with the way his daughter “parents” (or lack thereof) so he and I are on the same page and have talked about how we will handle things should they go sideways while we are down there. Fingers crossed everyone will be on their best behavior because we don’t spend much time with them (they live far away) and this is a once in a lifetime trip for them (at least that’s what I keep telling myself 
)
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It’s good that you’ve talked about it and you’re on the same page.
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Most of the time when I see kids misbehaving, I look to see what their parents are up to. Usually they are too busy typing away on their phones to notice any problems. Probably on one of those forums or something…
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We did this in 2016- went better than I expected. I did fill my bag to take to the park with things for the grandkids (2 and 6) to do while waiting in line. I also brought cups with lids, extra diapers, etc. pretty much as if they were totally my responsibility.
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I could not agree with you more. Kids are at WDW, I get it, and I deal with it. But my biggest peeve is badly behaved kids in signature restaurants. When I’m paying $75-plus per person for a “fine dining” experience, I don’t want to deal with (a) a 25 minute screaming tantrum, (b) tag between the tables knocking over my wine glass, and © being hit in the back of the head with food thrown from a neighboring table (yes, I’ve experienced all three of these things, at signatures). And don’t get me started on kids sitting at bars… And I’m so tired of the “Oh, but it’s Disney World” comment that in some people’s minds is excuse enough for “anything goes”. Sorry. End rant.
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This is why we love, love, love Alamo Drafthouse theaters. Many theaters (most) say “No talking, No texting” … but I haven’t seen any enforce it. Even if we complain to management.
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I used to feel the way that you do. Then I had kids. My kids are good 95% of the time. But meltdowns do happen, especially when they are overstimulated. And parenting is harder than it appears. And sometimes NOT reacting to your kid when he or she is having a meltdown is actually the most efficient way to handle the situation. And sometimes it isn’t but you think it is and you are not perfect. And sometimes, unbeknownst to you, a kid may be autistic or have a condition you cannot see just by looking at them.
I was not there and am not saying that the parents you reference in your specific stories should not have done more. I am just saying that I try really hard to make the right judgment call and I have good intentions but sometimes do not make the right one.
And it is Disneyworld. So there are going to be kids, of course, and you shouldn’t expect there not to be kids. Good kids, bad kids and good kids who are generally good but having a bad moment.
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I am going to disagree with you slightly - as the OP gave examples of kids on the JC getting up and the CM having to stop the boat and make them sit down. I don’t see how that has any grey area.
I have children also & many nieces & nephews - meltdowns do happen, you are completely correct that sometimes not reacting is the best way to handle an issue - but when it is effecting other people regardless of the fact that it might not be the best option, than a parent has to take the child out of the situation that is impacting others - to a significant degree.
Of course there are going to be kids that get upset about things - but keeping a kid in a show while they are crying, or letting them continue to disrupt shows or rides seems pretty clear cut to me.
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So I just got back from a non Disney Cruise. When we went on the shore excursion, we went back to the boat and were lined up to get on. This lady came through and pushed her way to the front. People started to ask what she was doing and she said “I have a special needs child”. The two guys in front of me looked at each other and kind of laughed. I told them that I do to, but that doesn’t mean that I get to jump to the front. My daughter has autism. We can wait. Now, I understand if the kid was in a wheel chair. He wasn’t. I understand if the kid has autism and is having a meltdown. He wasn’t. This was a mom trying to use her kid’s disability (or just saying that he was - if he was it was “invisible” like my daughter’s autism.) The two guys said that we could go ahead of them and they understood because they were related to someone with autism. I told them no thank you, but I appreciated the gesture. We can wait, just like everybody else. I guess I would have appreciated it a little more if they she had just asked and not pushed her way back on.
I know this isn’t the same thing, but I kind of thought it was related and it just rubbed me the wrong way. It is just people in general. For the most part, I think my kids act great. I think I am in the minority that I will be a parent and ruin the fun rather than a friend and let them run wild.
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Interesting thought:
I have Ds16, DS13, and DD10.
They’ve all been taught how to behave, and how to act when out in public.
They look at kids their own ages who are “running wild” and tell me they have two thoughts:
- they look like they’re using up energy without doing anything fun
- they’re glad they were taught how to interact with people, because it means they get to do all of the fun things, rather than just run in circles.
I guarantee, by the time kids reach high school, they know full well who is in charge, who is responsible, and who is not. And as much attitude as they (occasionally) give me, they know full well that they have more privileges and “responsible opportunities” than some of their friends who have been ‘owning the house’ for years.
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Yup, I get it.
My son is on the spectrum. Most people would never know and he rarely needs accommodations outside of school so I too would be one to stand in that line like you did.
On the flip side of this issue, is my hesitancy to ask for or utilize accommodations when they can be helpful, because I don’t want to be seen as that parent that is taking advantage of their child’s disability. Unfortunately, these decisions can be a thin line to walk…
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So, I have two special-needs kids. One with extreme ADHD and one which we found out later had bipolar disorder. My kids didn’t always act great in public (especially the second one). However, I would be the very first person to pick up the offending child and walk with purpose out of public places. If I were at a grocery store and one would have a melt-down, I would leave my groceries in the cart and leave until he or she were calm. (again, still the second child). There are certainly places you can’t leave the situation. if I were on a ride such as JC, obviously I could not leave the situation. However, I would do my very best to try to defuse the situation. Obviously, standing in that ride is dangerous, and I would keep them sitting if I had to sit on them. But I was also very good at knowing when meltdowns were likely to happen. Now, the one with ADHD would be more likely to be the one wanting to get up and move around. However, I would not be nonchalant about that.
Even with mental illness, there are correct ways to handle things and there are inconsiderate ways to handle as a parent.
I might add that I would never have taken those two to WDW during those harder years. It would not have been a pleasant trip for me at all.
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i came within about 2 inches of getting t-boned in Staples yesterday by a 6-yo redheaded tryant traveling at approximately 80 mph. she came flying out of nowhere – just about gave me a heart attack – and ran directly to her mother (grandmother?) who was paying no attention whatsoever. if only i had been holding the binder out another 3 inches …
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Can I bring the adults into this? A couple rants from my trip. First one I was seated in the garden area for HEA fireworks via the dessert party. Everyone was acting well and was seated well and then right when the show started this woman with a gigantic sun hat just stood in front of me. Absolutely no regard for anyone around her.
Second was at Indy stunt show, I was seated beside a family with both adults wearing mickey ears. During shows take those off people!!! Ugh.
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I also would like to interject my adults are butthole’s too comment.
I’m tired of getting a spot on main street an hour before a parade up against a trash can only so some childless woman in her 40’s can wedge in the 5 inch gap between the can and my then two year old son. (If I wasn’t there my wife was gonna smack her)
I’m tired of Middle Aged childless adults taking selfies in line not paying attention to their surroundings and stepping on my then 3 year olds son feet.
I’m tired of older men with no children of their own in sight touching my daughter telling me she’s an angel. (And if my wife wasn’t there I was going to curb stomp him).
For the record Disney world is for kids and families but in some cases the kids may not be old enough to know better. The adults acting like kids do.
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@Jason1981, As a childless woman in her 40’s, I believe Disney World is just as much my place (which I have been going to since I was 4 years old) as it is a 2-year-olds place! There is no age limit or restriction on who Disney is for, hence the magic. However, people of any age should be respectful and courteous; aware of their surroundings and self-aware enough of their own actions. I was at the last showing of the Main Street Electrical parade and staked out a spot on the curb for an hour in advance only to have a family walk up 5 minutes before the parade and push their kids in front of me…um, no. That’s not how this works. Just because I don’t have kids doesn’t mean I should enjoy it any less (I am only 5 ft tall so I knew in order to get a good view, I needed to line up early).
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I was hopeful that I could read this thread. I was wrong.
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Too much whining for you amiga?
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I wish I could click that heart multiple times. (Hi, fellow short childless woman in her 40s. 
)
Disney World is not just for children and families, it’s for everyone. We all owe it to each other to be courteous and check our senses of entitlement at the door.
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Even better is to have RESPECT for everyone. People can be courteous, but have no respect. If, however, we all try to have RESPECT for our fellow man, regardless of differences, it makes it so much easier to treat one another courteously. 
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