The Intermittant Parent

[TheManator]

Back when Mission to Mars was still open (at DLR) I was about 4 at that time, my dad wanted to go on it, and as soon as we went through the pre-show I freaked out (that preshow scared the shit out of me) I cried and whined, and my dad dragged me out of an exit door and busted my butt at what I remember used to be a fountain in TL. I don't know if there was one, but I'm 22 now, so this is about 18 years ago. Now I wish I wasn't a big baby then. Oh well.

[SoarWhoreCoCo]

The scareactors will do that, as even though they're paid to scare, they have minds and know when to back off.

Also, Halloween Horror Nights (what you're referring to) is rated PG-13. Why parents would want to bring young children to an event that is scary is beyond me. Then some of these fools go to guest services and try to complain saying a scareactor scared them/their kid.

What is even more scary is that when these WONDERFUL parents leave HHN or Mardi-Gras (food&wine Festival at Epcot too), they are usually drunk and should not be driving (I've seen many having a difficult time pushing the stroller let alone drive a car), but they just pile into the car, usually not even buckling the kiddies in. Or they start fights and arguments with other drunks. What a great lesson to teach their kids.

[IdiotsAreEverywhere]

What is even more scary is that when these WONDERFUL parents leave HHN or Mardi-Gras (food&wine Festival at Epcot too), they are usually drunk and should not be driving (I've seen many having a difficult time pushing the stroller let alone drive a car), but they just pile into the car, usually not even buckling the kiddies in. Or they start fights and arguments with other drunks. What a great lesson to teach their kids.

I don't think the arguements would matter that badly when their cars are upside down off the side of the highway. They should have police giving out breathalyzers out there.

[BTTF4Life]

I know Universal has increased security and OPD all over the place during HHN and has some help with Mardi Gras. If Epcot does the same, that's good.

IDK what happens as far as when people leave, if they have breathalyzers or whatnot. I know there are taxis available...

[WLStephanie]

Found this thread while reading and board and have to give my latest find. Don't get me wrong, I can understand having a child get separated at WDW. That's why WDW has a system in place for it. In fact, I lost my 4 year old for a few moments in a mob at the Hanna Montana concert at TL. Found her in about 2 minutes. Anyhow, we were visiting the park a week ago with our kids, making the most of the Blue Pass. My hubby and I had babyswapped splash, so the youngest (almost 2) and I are sitting in "The Laughing Place" (that might not be it's name, but it's what hubby refers to it as... it's the little wait here playground) There are about 6 kids there and a few parents when I arrived, but it was nearing park closing, so they were thinning out to go watch the parade. Soon, it was me and 4 kids. I only brought one with me. The other 3 were a kindergartener, a first grader, and a third grader. (as they told me) Mom had been gone (by that point) for more than 15 minutes to try to purchase a ride photo from 4 hours ago when the ride had gone 101. (My guess, a ride photo that was likely in never never land). I started a conversation with the little monkeys when their behavior started threatening the safety of my baby. All 3 of them were over the max height for the playground and were playing tag in it. Mom had told them to just "stay here" because she didn't want to take them into the store. Never mind that they are too big to be there. Never mind that none of them are even "adults" in the eyes of Disney ticket booths, much less responsible enough to be left alone. It gets better. As I'm chatting, their Aunt and Uncle come by. "Where's your mom?" they ask. "Oh, she's that way" says the oldest. "Okay!" they walk off to go find her leaving all the kids again with no adult supervision.
Good thing I'm not a pedofile or something.

[Marilou]

I have read on here about parents forcing kids on rides they didn't want to go on, but I had never witnessed it personally.....untill just this month. I was at MGM with my dau age 12 and she really wanted to do TT and RNR. I usually hate rides with extreme heights but I'm feeling brave in my old age so we head over 1st thing. At @ 9:20 am on July 5th this girl was behind us in line w/her dad & gramma. She is crying (around age 11 or so) dad slaps her, & says if she doesnt go on they will go back to the hotel. Her gramma is belittling her, saying she's a big girl, she's not a little 5yo baby. Girl continues to cry and beg not to ride TT. I'm already nervous myself and seeing this horrible parenting and crying girl (who I just want to hug & comfort) is giving me total knots in my gut. We go to get into the elevator car, she is literally being pulled into the car by her loving parent/gramma, and she is crying and shaking her head no. My own dau is looking at her & looking at me as if to say "mom, why are they doing that?....go help her" My dau had all sorts of questions for me when we got off TT. It was upsetting to both of us to see the emotional abuse this poor girl was being subjected to at WDW...I shudder to think how her daily home life is.

I agree with previous poster....people should have to take a parenting permit test! To see if they have the common sense & compassion to raise a child.

[PirateJohn]

I have read on here about parents forcing kids on rides they didn't want to go on, but I had never witnessed it personallyTo see if they have the common sense & compassion to raise a child.

Oh, boy. I've seen quite a lot of it.

Fortunately, on Pirates, since there were no seat belts, we were authorized to kick any child out who was making too much of a fuss, since it could quickly turn into a safety hazard if they tried to jump ship in the middle of the ride. Not to mention that the other guests in the boat wouldn't appreciate a screaming kid for the 17 minute trip.

I had to use that leverage quite a bit. Occasionally the parents would get a bit pissed off at me, but they wouldn't really have much of an argument against me.

[felinefan]

In my earlier post, I started this thing about kids being forced to ride. Now, generally, I feel the same way Zazu does, but then there are exceptions in my experience where the child should ride: 1.) it's a little, slow ride like Huff'N'Puff, which the child controls the speed by pumping; 2.) the Calico Railroad, which is also slow; however, I seem to remember kids being afraid of either the bandits or the noise of the train; 3.) where the child would be left behind all by themselves at the dispatch station (can we say, "Safety hazard waiting to happen?"). There have been times when a child didn't want to ride, and as long as there was a responsible person to keep an eye on them, I would graciously allow the child to exit. I was once forced to ride the Matterhorn Bobsleds, and I still won't go on it, especially since now it has the Yeti and is faster, or so I've heard.

[cujo31]

I haven't seen much yet, but I do have a couple of instances. I work at the Tomorrowland Arcade, and had the 3 y.o. wandering around the arcade. While the arcade is not large, it does have a few games that a child could easily fall off of. I never saw a parent look for the child, but I did have a CM ask if I had seen the child. The next time I saw the child, he was in his stroller, crying.

I also had a guest leave me a present UNDER one of my basketball games. I have to assume it was a child, as it would hard for an adult to squat due to how little room there is. It just made me think "I'm so happy here, I could just $#!%".

"they are usually drunk and should not be driving".

I have worked in arcades most of my career, you'd be surprised how many people come in that way. Then something goes wrong, and they want to argue with me. After a few minutes, they threaten to have me fired, to which I reply: "Please do, nobody else has been successful".

You need a license to drive a car, you need a license to own a dog, but any idiot can have a child.

[Wizard69]

Today a guest at Owl Photo was buying their picture. At the same time, she was arguing with her husband. She kept telling him that "She gets nothing. I have all the receipts and I'm gonna take all her stuff back." I didn't see a "she" but then the guest proceeds to ask me if we have any day care here to drop off her child for the rest of the day.