So you're sitting at Epcot's Electric Umbrella, or MK's Tortuga Tavern enjoying a casual afternoon lunch. The place is packed. You are very fortunate to have a place to sit & enjoy your meal.
About 1/3 of the way into your meal, you get the sensation you're being watched...very closely! You can almost feel the breathing on the back of your neck. You turn around to find a family of table buzzards hovering over where you're currently sitting. Their eyes peer down at you like you're prime enemy #1. You can see it in their soul that they hunger so desperately for your spot. You're afraid to even adjust your sitting position in fear of them swooping in to snatch your seat from beneath your very buttocks. So you just continue to enjoy the meal which you payed for. You know they're still there right behind you. Sometimes they may walk around the table; circling their prey. You hope & pray you don't have to get up for extra napkins, condiments, or anything until your meal is complete. You know your seat is precious gold, and you will not give it up until you are rightfully finished. So you continue to feed...knowing your every move is being watched closely.
A "Table Buzzard", for those who don't know, is an individual or entire family of tourists who cannot find a seat at a WDW quick-service restaurant. Rather than standing aside politely & waiting for a table to come open...they zone-in on where they want to sit & just hover until said place becomes free from it's current occupants. Like buzzards, they may circle their prey; walking in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction around the table, in hopes their presence will intimidate the eaters to hurry up & exit. Their buzzard-like eyes usually remain fixed on the victims upon which they want to leave the premises. An attack may be provoked by simply taking a brief exit to grab another straw, napkin, or utensil...only to return & see your table (with your belongings still on it) snatched by these buzzards.
Your safest bet in handling table buzzards is to keep firmly glued to your seat, and show no indication of leaving your spot until your meal is finished. Showing false indications of leaving may provoke them to swoop in for the steal.
Have any of you ever dealt with a table buzzard when feeding at WDW? What tips do you use to make sure your seat is protected until you are ready to leave? Has your seat ever (heaven forbid) been a victim of a table buzzard?
About 1/3 of the way into your meal, you get the sensation you're being watched...very closely! You can almost feel the breathing on the back of your neck. You turn around to find a family of table buzzards hovering over where you're currently sitting. Their eyes peer down at you like you're prime enemy #1. You can see it in their soul that they hunger so desperately for your spot. You're afraid to even adjust your sitting position in fear of them swooping in to snatch your seat from beneath your very buttocks. So you just continue to enjoy the meal which you payed for. You know they're still there right behind you. Sometimes they may walk around the table; circling their prey. You hope & pray you don't have to get up for extra napkins, condiments, or anything until your meal is complete. You know your seat is precious gold, and you will not give it up until you are rightfully finished. So you continue to feed...knowing your every move is being watched closely.
A "Table Buzzard", for those who don't know, is an individual or entire family of tourists who cannot find a seat at a WDW quick-service restaurant. Rather than standing aside politely & waiting for a table to come open...they zone-in on where they want to sit & just hover until said place becomes free from it's current occupants. Like buzzards, they may circle their prey; walking in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction around the table, in hopes their presence will intimidate the eaters to hurry up & exit. Their buzzard-like eyes usually remain fixed on the victims upon which they want to leave the premises. An attack may be provoked by simply taking a brief exit to grab another straw, napkin, or utensil...only to return & see your table (with your belongings still on it) snatched by these buzzards.
Your safest bet in handling table buzzards is to keep firmly glued to your seat, and show no indication of leaving your spot until your meal is finished. Showing false indications of leaving may provoke them to swoop in for the steal.
Have any of you ever dealt with a table buzzard when feeding at WDW? What tips do you use to make sure your seat is protected until you are ready to leave? Has your seat ever (heaven forbid) been a victim of a table buzzard?
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