Seven Dwarfs Loading - Bizarre Things

[srwarden1928]

Reading these words made me so sad. I am so very sorry for your loss. I always tell my husband that I hope he outlives me...I have no idea how I'd go on without him.

I really, truly hope you have a fun trip. My heart goes out to you.

Thank you for your kind thoughts. The solo Disney trip is a part of the healing process for me. I am really looking forward to it.

 

[CinderDuffy]

Are these enough?

These are statements about strangers. They are not discriminatory statements about all solo adults.

 

[JacknSally]

Issue is, you still have a problem if both kids are under 7.

Not if you (as the parent) are in the row behind them in the same vehicle. The post you quoted says ..."someone FOURTEEN OR OLDER be in the SAME ROW or in the row behind them in the SAME VEHICLE."

Option 1: Be in the same row
Option 2: Be in the row behind them in the same vehicle

If you take your 6 year old and 5 year old, the two of them sitting in one row with you immediately behind them in the next row in the same vehicle (so they couldn't be in the back row of a car on 7DMT and you be in the front row of the car behind that one - they would have to be in the front row and you immediately behind) would satisfy option number 2, thus adhering to the policy just fine.

Now, if you're a single parent who takes 4 kids all under the age of 7, then you have a problem. And also my sympathies.

 

[BrianL]

"The NEW policy is that if a child is UNDER SEVEN, someone FOURTEEN OR OLDER be in the SAME ROW or in the row behind them in the SAME VEHICLE."

So put the kids in the row together, parent rides in row behind them. Problem solved.

On 7DMT though this rule doesn't apply. The adult cannot sit one row behind on this, even though on most other rides they could.

 

[BrianL]

These are statements about strangers. They are not discriminatory statements about all solo adults.

Yeah, but you gotta admit though that there is an air of hostility toward solo riders, particularly adult males, in this thread. It is disheartening for some of us who are often the solo rider.

 

[winthropf]

Well said. I will be a solo traveler at WDW this fall. I am a fifty-some man who happens to be widowed. If you have never been through the pain this causes personally, you just do NOT understand. I will not be able to ride ANYTHING with the person I would like to ride with. I don't have any choice as to who I ride with or even IF I ride with anyone. That is determined by the CMs. TSMM is certainly more fun when you ride with someone, even a stranger.

Furthermore, the CMs are hard-working people who are trying their best to make the best possible experience for EVERYONE. Believe me, I always try to do the best I can to follow their instructions because I know that this is the best thing for everyone. If a CM tells me to take a particular seat on a ride--ANY ride--I am following that instruction. I am in Disney to have a good time, and will tend to be in a good mood. When I am seated next to someone, I will tend to be friendly. Certainly someone who gives the impression they want to be left alone, I will do so.

If you don't like me sitting beside your child, that is YOUR problem, not mine. I am doing what the CM said to do and trying to have a good time. It is NOT my responsibility to sit out because you don't like where the CM put me. I am not trying to be a downer to anyone's time at Disney, but if you act so entitled, I will not budge.

Well said. I'm sorry for your loss that will never go away.

For those that don't want one of us to ride as a single with your group, you can wait for the next ride. Why should we have to wait?

 

[Happiest.Haunt_999]

I've had this OP's issue on our trip this past January (minus the rude other guests thank goodness)!
I always have to ride the coasters by myself because DBF doesn't like roller coasters in general, I've never had a problem on any of the other ones in WDW, but 7DMT was different and I found it very odd that I got put with a stranger (or a strangers kid) both times.

 

[ShellieMimi]

DH or I, whoever is the odd one out in our party, will always check with the other family before riding with their child. We are adults and we can wait one extra ride cycle. There is 0 reason a kid/family should feel uncomfortable because of awkward ride loading policies.

That said, we have never been told that it bothered the other family. A few times, a shy child swapped with a sibling or parent. Everyone was happy.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Are these enough?

My particular comment was in response to someone who was comparing putting a kid next to a stranger on a ride in the row directly in front of a parent to leaving a kid in a room with a stranger.

The former, I would do. The latter, I would not. And honestly, I don't know any parent who would feel comfortable dumping their kid in a room with a stranger and walking away.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Not if you (as the parent) are in the row behind them in the same vehicle. The post you quoted says ..."someone FOURTEEN OR OLDER be in the SAME ROW or in the row behind them in the SAME VEHICLE."

Option 1: Be in the same row
Option 2: Be in the row behind them in the same vehicle

If you take your 6 year old and 5 year old, the two of them sitting in one row with you immediately behind them in the next row in the same vehicle (so they couldn't be in the back row of a car on 7DMT and you be in the front row of the car behind that one - they would have to be in the front row and you immediately behind) would satisfy option number 2, thus adhering to the policy just fine.

Now, if you're a single parent who takes 4 kids all under the age of 7, then you have a problem. And also my sympathies.

On 7DMT, an adult (over 14) has to be in the same row as a child under 7, not just the same vehicle, based on all accounts I've read here.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Can you quote these blanket statements that were made about ALL solo adults? I read the entire thread this morning and didn't see any.

Are these enough?

@winthropf, you don't appear to understand what a "blanket statement" is, as you quoted mine below as an example. This is specifically saying that this is what I WOULD HAVE DONE. That is the opposite of a blanket statement. Multiple other posts I re-stated that this is my preference -- that I respect any decision made by a parent as to what they are comfortable with. Perhaps be more selective (and thus accurate) when quoting people to make your point?

I'd have skipped a ride rather than have my 3-5 yo next to an adult stranger.

And FYI, to your male/female upset, if you've read the whole thread, you see that I specifically said that male/female wouldn't make a difference to me personally. Even above I said ADULT STRANGER -- not ADULT MALE. I am a fan of stats, though, so I do recognize the difference in people's feelings on this.

Again -- I'm in the camp who'd ride with my young kids or skip a ride -- gender wouldn't be a deciding factor for me, but stats obviously show one is a more likely threat (i.e. greater risk). Overall risk still small in this circumstance, as has been discussed a good deal.

 

[Kellykins1218]

So take that chance with your kid so that they can ride a roller coaster..

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

As 50 something male solo traveler who children are now grown and on their own, I tried to stay on the sidelines for this discussion but enough is enough. The statements made by many in this thread are nothing short of absolute discrimination and prejudice. I find many of the statements about solo travelers to be absolutely hateful and hurtful.

Ridiculous. Differences in feelings about males vs. females on this subject are the opposite of discrimination based on gender -- it is based on an understanding of statistics and facts. Odd to take that personally.

"It is estimated that women are the abusers in about 14% of cases reported among boys and 6% of cases reported among girls." I.e. 86% of abusers of boys are male, and 94% of abusers of girls are male.
http://victimsofcrime.org/media/reporting-on-child-sexual-abuse/statistics-on-perpetrators-of-csa​

We should at least try to have a discussion based on some facts. No matter how we personally FEEL about something.

• Such abuse by strangers in a public place is rare ("14% of children who suffered sexual abuse were violated by an unknown perpetrator" - same source as above - and this doesn't even narrow to "in a public place", so likely even rarer than 14%). Based upon those stats, most are comfortable letting a minor child ride with an adult stranger.
• Some prefer not to take the admittedly very small risk to have a minor child ride a theme park ride -- that is not a necessity like sending your kids to school, etc. is -- those people would probably just skip the ride if solo with young kids (this is where I sit, for very young kids)
• Some are more comfortable having their minor child sit next to an adult female, but less so (or not at all) with an adult male. That distinction is supported by facts/stats (above) -- that isn't gender discrimination -- and it isn't coming from a place of being "absolutely hateful".

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

On 7DMT though this rule doesn't apply. The adult cannot sit one row behind on this, even though on most other rides they could.

On 7DMT, an adult (over 14) has to be in the same row as a child under 7, not just the same vehicle, based on all accounts I've read here.

So again, this means an adult stranger riding next to that minor child is responsible for them in some way? Doesn't that seem crazy, and like something Disney cannot do: i.e. assign responsibility for someone else's child to a random adult??

Just doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Frankie Nova]

Is it possible that people are just given there opinion's without targeting anyone or trying to offend anyone?
The statement I expect you to protect your child but don't discriminate or stereotype. In your efforts to protect are you not in a sense doing so? What are you protecting them from? What do you mean Protecting them?
And molesting and being hurtful and segregation from doing laundry and drinking fountains is a stretch in my opinion

 

[hp_lovecraft]

Every time I've rode the ride with an odd number group, someone sat with a stranger. I've always just assume that it was a consequence of a popular ride trying to move the line quicker.

I usually try to keep my kids in front of me, but that would also mean they got stuck with the stranger. But I've never given it much thought. I give my kids the choice.

The usual dilemma is that most odd groups never seem to understand that they will be grouped with another odd group. So they is occasionally a tense moment at loading, where people are confused and irritated with the seating.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Ridiculous. Differences in feelings about males vs. females on this subject are the opposite of discrimination based on gender -- it is based on an understanding of statistics and facts. Odd to take that personally.

"It is estimated that women are the abusers in about 14% of cases reported among boys and 6% of cases reported among girls." I.e. 86% of abusers of boys are male, and 94% of abusers of girls are male.
http://victimsofcrime.org/media/reporting-on-child-sexual-abuse/statistics-on-perpetrators-of-csa​

We should at least try to have a discussion based on some facts. No matter how we personally FEEL about something.

• Such abuse by strangers in a public place is rare ("14% of children who suffered sexual abuse were violated by an unknown perpetrator" - same source as above). Based upon those stats, most are comfortable letting a minor child ride with an adult stranger.
• Some prefer not to take the admittedly very small risk to have a minor child ride a theme park ride -- that is not a necessity like sending your kids to school, etc. is -- those people would probably just skip the ride if solo with young kids (this is where I sit, for very young kids)
• Some are more comfortable having their minor child sit next to an adult female, but less so (or not at all) with an adult male. That distinction is supported by facts/stats (above) -- that isn't gender discrimination -- and it isn't coming from a place of being "absolutely hateful".

But...what % of abuse (as a whole) occurs on theme park roller coasters with the parent sitting immediately behind the child, regardless of the gender of the adult or the child? I think the situation has to be taken into account here.

 

[KrazeeK120]

So again, this means an adult stranger riding next to that minor child is responsible for them in some way? Doesn't that seem crazy, and like something Disney cannot do: i.e. assign responsibility for someone else's child to a random adult??

Just doesn't make any sense to me.

Agree. I mentioned that upthread. I'm not claiming responsibility for any child that isn't mine.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

But...what % of abuse (as a whole) occurs on theme park roller coasters with the parent sitting immediately behind the child, regardless of the gender of the adult or the child? I think the situation has to be taken into account here.

Yes. I had already clarified for that very point in my post above before you posted this (probably right after you quoted and started writing!).

Doesn't change my point: some will choose not to ride rather than taking even the very smallest risk. It's just one theme park ride.

Some will ask Disney to seat their minor child alone rather than next to a stranger. And I suspect Disney honors that most of the time because it's good business.

 

[whiporee]

For those that don't want one of us to ride as a single with your group, you can wait for the next ride. Why should we have to wait?

Because a) they were there first and b) it's human decency to not want to force someone else to be uncomfortable. I don't know why you'd want to force another family's experience to be less than it could be so you can squeeze next to an unfamiliar child in order to save 20 seconds of your day.

Yeah, but you gotta admit though that there is an air of hostility toward solo riders, particularly adult males, in this thread. It is disheartening for some of us who are often the solo rider.

It's not hostility. it's caution. There are actual examples on this very thread of abusive things happening to kids on rides. It does happen. A theme park like WDW is a PERFECT place for predators, and you've got to know that. There are people -- a very low percentage, I'm sure, but an actual one -- of sexual predators who go to WDW because of the opportunity it presents. And you can't expect parents to ignore that unpleasant reality.

I for one refuse to give in to your stereotype that all of us singles are out to get pleasure by inappropriately groping your children in public.

But some do. Some go to WDW for that specific purpose. And as much as you might resent the implication, even you concede the possibility. So why not just take away the chance to make someone uncomfortable? You talked about seats on busses -- yeah, you ought to think about it before you sit down to a kid on a bus. Yeah, parents ought to show caution before they send kids off to bathrooms unaccompanied. It may be unfortunate reality of society, but it is a reality that single men can be seen as a threat, and it seems to be to be a reasonable bit of kindness to understand and at least show a bit of compassion to that reality and adjust behavior accordingly. And sometimes that means standing on a bus, and sometimes it means waiting for the next car. I think WDW would be well served to make it policy that solo riders are allowed to sit alone if they choose.