[Chat] Cranky Kids?

[Aisuki]

I understand that Disneyland is a big thing for the kids so they often become overwhelmed, tired out or scared on certain rides. I don't really mind the kids whining or crying in line, sometimes I'll even jump in to reassure that the ride isnt as scary as they think it is or its actually really cool.

But there was an incident recently while I was in line for ToT, there was a family of 4 waiting to get into the video room with us and the other people. Thier child was on the floor rolling around, kicking, crying and screeching. He was even kicking other guests in the process and we all kind of scooched back to make room so no one else would be kicked. The parents on the other hand didn't say a word, they just stood there facing the door, holding thier child's hand while he was on the floor. They pretty much dragged him into the video room afterwards. He cried throughout the video as well. I was kind of relieved to be put in a different elevator as that family but I wonder if anyone shouldve said anything?
I feel it may have angered the parents if anyone had spoken up to discipline thier child, the CM looked like he didnt want to get in trouble and I understand that.

What would you do in that kind of situation?

[frollofan]

Re: Cranky Kids?

If I was the CM I would have escorted the family off the attraction and given them fastpasses for another ride

[sbk1234]

Re: Cranky Kids?

If it was my child, I NEVER would have dragged him kicing and screaming onto any ride. Especially a scary one.

[Juni]

Re: Cranky Kids?

You never know what someones individual situation is. I don't say anything. The parent is dealing with enough, they don't need my two cents added in.

[Santoanderson]

Re: Cranky Kids?

This is why whenever we take a vacation with little kids, we make sure to have a hotel room close to property (in case someone needs a time-out) and book a stay with an extra one or two days (so we don't feel like we have to do everything immediately).

My parents dragged my then 9 year old sister on Big Thunder Mountain more than twenty years ago. She kicked and screamed the whole time. It sort of ruined the ride for all three of them.

[chris001]

Re: Cranky Kids?

I have seen this occur on this ride on several occassions. I almost always bite my tongue when I see other children behaving differently than I expect my children to behave in public. We all have different norms and values. But when it gets to a point that a child is so terrified of a ride (I am assuming a lot here, it could be for a whole bunch of different reasons) that they are lashing out and affecting others, I would have said something.

I might have said out loud to the CM, can a parent wait right here and get on the next elevator if a kid decides they don't really want to go on the ride after all?

Last trip I saw a young girl, maybe 5, continually say she didn't want to do the ride, her parents assured her it would be ok. When we looked at the photo afterwards, she was clearly passed out. I didn't say anything to the parents as they hurried by, I wish I would have.

[Stormy]

Re: Cranky Kids?

Parenting fail! Whether the child was frightened, overly-tired, or just a brat, the parents should have removed themselves and the child from the queue. It's one thing to have a child that may be crying & need reassurance or some cuddling to calm down, it's another when a child is throwing themselves around, kicking, screaming, & hurting others. My own boys learned at a very early age that such behavior was unacceptable & resulted in immediate removal from wherever we were & a good talking to & a 'time out'. As a result they learned early to behave in public.

The CM should have asked them to leave & given them fastpasses to return later saying "I can see that your child is upset. Why don't you take her outside to calm down. Here are fastpasses to return when she is feeling better". This way the parents would have been told in a roundabout (polite) way that her behavior was causing a problem and not to come back until she was ready to behave.

I doubt if I would have said anything to the parents myself, since they probably would just tell me to mind my own business, UNLESS the child had kicked me. Then I would have spoken clearly and loudly to the parents "Hey, your child just kicked me!! Can you please control her?"

[calsig31]

Re: Cranky Kids?

I would have done nothing. What if the child was special needs? They could have been pitching some kind of a fit which may have been calmed after they were on the ride. Sometimes in those situations it is actually worse to try to drag the kid to the exit. Therefore, without all the facts, I wouldn't say anything.

[Santoanderson]

Re: Cranky Kids?

Also, in defense of the parents, sometimes little kids beg & plead to go on a certain ride, and once they get to the loading area their nerves get the better of them and they throw a monster fit. What do you do as a parent, when your kid has been talking non-stop about this particular ride for ages, and suddenly has a meltdown at the front of the line?

[Sheriff Lightyear]

Re: Cranky Kids?

First, I would try to reassure the kid. If that doesn't work, I would definitely let the parents know maybe it's not the best idea to be dragging this kid into something he doesn't want to do, kicking and screaming.

[Juni]

How do you know it's that the kid doesn't want to go on? It could just as easily be a child with autism who is having a meltdown over something totally unrelated to the ride. Parents who know that it will be over shortly.

Like I said before, you never know someone's individual situation. Don't judge until you have walked a mile in their shoes.

[Malina]

Re: Cranky Kids?

As a guest, I wouldn't have done anything, unless the child kicked me. Telling parents how to deal with their kids is a a very dangerous endeavor.

As a CM or any other employee in a situation like that, I might have quietly asked the parents if they needed anything. If a kid is having a meltdown you have no idea what is happening. The kid might be autistic. The kid might have some sort of developmental disability. The kid might simply have something like an ear infection where they're not feeling good and that's how they're expressing it. Asking the parents "do you need anything? You can step to the side if you need to" gives them an opportunity to step out and give their kid a time-out until he's calmed down, or decide what to do, without being confrontational. It also gives them a chance to ask for help.

If a kid is melting down in a situation like a movie or ride where people are trying to listen, say, a movie outside the park, or a Broadway show, or something like the Tiki Room or Aladdin inside the park, I do think it's extremely rude to let the child sit there and scream, regardless of the situation. It's not pleasant for any parent to deal with a meltdown but it's also unfair to those who paid if their show is ruined by a screaming or disruptive kid.

In a case like that, I think it's appropriate, and necessary, for the CM to ask the family to step outside. There's always a way to phrase that politely, ie, "let's get you to a quiet area so he has a chance to calm down."

And having said that, I think it's bad parenting to force a kid to go on a ride they don't want to go on. The world will not end if your kid is scared to go on Thunder Mountain or ToT or iasw. I remember being on Matterhorn and seeing a small kid who was in a panic. They got off the ride and walked out in front of me, and the dad was saying "so should we go on again?" and the girl wailed and cried. It was not a joke to her. I'm sorry, that's mean.

[BC_DisneyGeek]

Re: Cranky Kids?

How do you know it's that the kid doesn't want to go on? It could just as easily be a child with autism who is having a meltdown over something totally unrelated to the ride. Parents who know that it will be over shortly.

If the behaviour is bad to the point that the child is kicking other guests, it is incumbent upon the parents to do something, whether they "know" it will pass shortly or not. If not, it would be entirely appropriate for a cast member or guest to say or do something.

If the parents "know" this is something that will be over shortly, they could certainly say something. The fact that they stood there doing nothing is not appropriate.

[Sheriff Lightyear]

Re: Cranky Kids?

If the behaviour is bad to the point that the child is kicking other guests, it is incumbent upon the parents to do something, whether they "know" it will pass shortly or not. If not, it would be entirely appropriate for a cast member or guest to say or do something.

If the parents "know" this is something that will be over shortly, they could certainly say something. The fact that they stood there doing nothing is not appropriate.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Malina]

Re: Cranky Kids?

If the behaviour is bad to the point that the child is kicking other guests, it is incumbent upon the parents to do something, whether they "know" it will pass shortly or not. If not, it would be entirely appropriate for a cast member or guest to say or do something.

If the parents "know" this is something that will be over shortly, they could certainly say something. The fact that they stood there doing nothing is not appropriate.

I do totally agree with this. Regardless if your child is special needs, they shouldn't be permitted to physically strike other people. It's just not okay. And if your kid is doing it, it's up to you to stop it, move them, and apologize to the people they hit.

[ohmyjustin]

Re: Cranky Kids?

If you think you've seen cranky kids here, take a second look at Walt Disney World on a hot day. :P It seems that the cranky kids have even crankier parents.

In this situation, I probably would have bit my tongue. If I wasn't the one getting hit, then I figure I should stay out. Once I am physically involved, I speak to the parent. They aren't oblivious. An simple "excuse me" and a glance at their tantrum-throwing kid is enough to let the parent know that something is wrong. I'm sure that eventually I'll send the wrong message or they'll receive something offensive, but it's worked for me so far.

[bayouguy]

Re: Cranky Kids?

My wife took some control when it comes to being close to a situation: we get out of the line and we wait, especially when she notices how the parents handle or not handle the situation. Especially when there's a downright rude child.

[Stormy]

Re: Cranky Kids?

My wife took some control when it comes to being close to a situation: we get out of the line and we wait, especially when she notices how the parents handle or not handle the situation. Especially when there's a downright rude child.

I can see what you're saying, BayouGuy, but why should you have to get out of a line that you've been waiting in (maybe for an hour or more) because some one else won't control their child?

I really feel for the CMs. From what I've read on this & other threads & sites, they're damned if they do & damned if they don't. Either the kid's parents may complain to City Hall because they were asked to leave the line, or bystanders may complain because they weren't. It's a no win situation for them because it sounds like mgmt doesn't back them up when they make a decision that has a negative effect on a guest, no matter how justified that decision is. I've been in that situation myself and you do get to the point where it's easier to just ignore the troublemaker because you know you won't be backed up by your supervisor. In fact, you may get chastised for it!

[Juni]

Re: Cranky Kids?

I do totally agree with this. Regardless if your child is special needs, they shouldn't be permitted to physically strike other people. It's just not okay. And if your kid is doing it, it's up to you to stop it, move them, and apologize to the people they hit.

I definitely agree. My reply earlier was mostly to give a different perspective ont he comments that the kid is rude or a brat or is being forced on the ride. If you (general) don't know that family, then you can't know what the reasons are for the acting out. And it totally could just be a brat kid and uncaring parents. But it could just as easily be an autistic or special needs child who cannot control their actions in certain situations.

The parents should definitely have taken some sort of action though.....at the least an apology. However when you have a child with that sort of behavior issues, they may have learned that even if they try to explain or apologize, people generally don't understand. There is still a big segment of the population that believes that special needs kids could just be fixed with one good spanking.

[ttintagel]

Re: Cranky Kids?

It ruins the ride for everyone, including the parents themselves.

I know at WDW, the CM's are allowed to say they can't start the ride if a kid is screaming, crying, or in distress. They don't always do it, but I've seen it happen. I think it should be standard operating procedure.