HwdStudio
Well-Known Member
I would object. Sorry. You can have the chair but if I want a guest to join us for our meal I will invite them.
If I found the situation too imposing I would see a cast member.
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Bringing your own food to the food court!!
- Thread starter BuddyThomas
- Start date
If I found the situation too imposing I would see a cast member.
Bpmorley
Well-Known Member
Oh yeah, some people get real possessive with their tables. One time me and DW sat at a picnic table that really had room for 6, but 2 people decided to sit on opposite sides. I asked if anyone was sitting with them and just got a look like i was kicking his puppy or something so I just plopped down next to the guy and then DW next to me. They both stopped talking/eating and just stared for a minute. They were visibly ticked, but I didn't care, I thought what they did was very rude in a crowded area. They actually picked their stuff up and left, by the way was their own food in a cooler, not that it matters as it's not breaking any rules. All they had to do was answer yes or no. I guess I was the rude one. After they left, we saw another couple looking for a spot and said they could sit with us. Had a nice chat over lunch. And before someone brings it up, the first couple was american. You know somebody on here was gonna say maybe they weren't from here and didn't know the language.
And to be honest, if we were a group of 3, we would have no issue with someone taking spot 4. I'd rather see that then 1 person taking a whole table. I mean this when it's crowded, obviously nobody cares when there is no crowd and there is plenty of room.
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jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
All of this is just common courtesy. During busy times it is ridiculous to have people walking around waiting for a table to open up while their food gets cold because a person does not want to share a table. There is nothing "uncomfortable" about it unless a person makes it uncomfortable. Of all the times that I have shared tables with people they have, after the initial greeting, just gone on with their meal the same as I have. There has been nothing awkward or uncomfortable about it. I actually find that non-Americans are actually better with this since communal tables are more common in other Countries. Americans are uptight over stupid stuff.
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DarthVader
Sith Lord
I would politely ask you to leave, while no one owns the table, its common curtesy not to invade other people's spaces. Personally, I would not permit someone that I do not know to sit with my family, i.e., wanting to keep my kids safe.
DarthVader
Sith Lord
I think its more about not taking them everywhere to fill up, i.e., only works at your home resort.
What are they going to do, steal your kids' fries?
DarthVader
Sith Lord
There's a lot of sickos in this world and if a complete stranger sits down next to myself and kids, I would have an issue with that.
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
Sharing a table isn't any more "dangerous" than sitting next to strangers on a bus or in a ride vehicle.
At worst, it's rude, but then so is sitting at larger than necessary table, wasting seats.
DarthVader
Sith Lord
I'm not against being with my fellow man, but when I'm at a food court or restaurant and a man walks up and sits down next me or my kids. That's different. I've been at places where someone asks, but that's not what the other member implied, he was going to sit there regardless. It may not be dangerous but it does raise a red flag.
Lensman
Well-Known Member
There's nothing wrong with not wanting to be with your fellow man at times.
I do think it's natural to want to protect one's family, but as described it does sound a bit over the top. @Bpmorley isn't a serial killer, after all.
I'd probably first look around to determine whether sitting at "my" table was a reasonable course of action for someone desperate. If it wasn't, I'd probably leave the table, as confronting a person who is clearly targeting me and my family is a bad idea because their intent was obviously to provoke a confrontation. If it was reasonable, I would engage them in some conversation to suss out whether they have a good story - though if it were just me and the kids, I'd have to be careful to not start ignoring the kids. But given that this is Disney, I'll assume that my wife is there and I don't have to worry about kidnapping.
But really, I think this whole example is a bit concocted and hypothetical. There are almost always tables available with spot 3 open for singles. I mean @DarthVader, has this really happened to you? It's never happened to me and my family. And certainly never at Disney.
Disclosure: I've never had to do this at Disney, mostly only airports. And I'll always "ask" in my most charming way, though usually my asking will be as I am seating myself because I want to maximize the probability of them saying yes as I am desperate to sit and eat before making my flight. I've never been turned down. That said, my friend did say she recently saw a giant confrontation at an 8 person table at the club at Citi Field. I'd say something snarky about Mets fans, but I fear reprisal.
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Phonedave
Well-Known Member
I am not sure how I would feel. In college we used to call them "eating buddies". Sometimes you were the eating buddy, and other times an eating buddy would join your group. At certain times our dining halls were VERY crowded. So having both had eating buddies at my table, and having been an eating buddy myself, I would like to say I would not be put off by it.
However, most of the time an eating buddy would be at a table for 6 or 8, that had at least two open seats at it.
We never had a eating buddy complete a 4 top. That is just a little too close for comfort. It also puts them right in the middle of my conversation. I may be talking about things with my family or friends that I really don't want some stranger listening in to.
-dave
Lensman
Well-Known Member
I was trying to remember how this worked when I was in college.
I don't think things were as crowded but we also had smaller dining halls and they were rarely so crowded. I seem to recall that there was some push to get to know other people so it was actually more common for a single to be joined by another or a small group rather than the other way around.
But this experience definitely a different case because it was a relatively small closed society - 1000 at most, I think.
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
My experiences with table sharing have been mostly at Yak and Yeti outside seating and the new area in the Africa section. Those tables easily hold 6-8 people and it is silly for a single traveler or even a 3-4 people to take up the whole table and refuse to share the other half. I see a lot of table sharing there and have never seen anyone have an issue. I doubt the first thought that comes to people's mind is that someone is going to attack their kid. Most just want a place to sit and eat their food and leave. I have never had an issue but I am an middle age woman and probably do not look creepy enough to bother anyone.
DarthVader
Sith Lord
Not to beat a dead horse, but I want to explain my position because I think I did a very poor job.
I'm not talking about someone coming to a table and asking to sit - If they receive. a no and moving on, or joining us, if we gave permission. We've been in situations where there may be one or two of us at a long table and we share it then.
Based on an earlier post, it seemed like that person was sitting at a small table either without asking or ignoring the negative response and sitting. Its at that point a red flag is raised and I'm concerned.
I'm not talking about someone coming to a table and asking to sit - If they receive. a no and moving on, or joining us, if we gave permission. We've been in situations where there may be one or two of us at a long table and we share it then.
Based on an earlier post, it seemed like that person was sitting at a small table either without asking or ignoring the negative response and sitting. Its at that point a red flag is raised and I'm concerned.
Tony the Tigger
Well-Known Member
Yeah, nobody is sitting at my table, sorry. This isn’t Biergarten. (Unless it is.)
Think Tink
Premium Member
- In the Parks
- No
I'm totally fine if people ask. I've had it happen last trip in May when the tables were few. If someone asks, I have no issue. If you just plop down next to me, I tend to have RBF and you will see me stair you down until I am ready to leave. I just think it's common courtesy to ask first.
Bpmorley
Well-Known Member
I would ask if anyone was sitting there, if you said no I would sit. Now if you said yes I may move on or I may ask who, what where, etc... It may all depend on how long I've been walking around looking. Maybe I noticed that nobody has been in the at seat for 10/15 minutes. Maybe I'm hot, tired and hungry and just want to sit. Way more than one factor involved. Even if you asked me to leave, i wouldn't. To be honest this will probably never happen to me again as I avoid any busy times and really don't eat on property anymore This really is in the extreme circumstance that there is really nothing else.
righttrack
Well-Known Member
Those of us who are older remember WDW being a place where you paid admission and for your book of tickets. Disney wasn't all-consuming where they provided your food, transportation, lodging etc. It was a place you gained access to and paid to ride and for anything you bought. You likely split your time with Seaworld as well. As we have morphed into this week-long vacation, all-encompassing immersion into WDW culture, things have changed. I've never brought food to WDW but I can see where some people would. Interesting topic.
Bpmorley
Well-Known Member
We don't bring our food to the parks, but being DVC members we always stop at the supermarket and bring food for the villa. We usually have a full pool day where we bring a cooler and BBQ by the pool