Is there some all-inclusive social etiquette I seem to have missed?

[packingcubes]

Just curious really…

I’ve just got back from holiday and all the reviews and Facebook groups absolutely RAVE about the animation team- how friendly they are, how inclusive they are and how they chat with everyone, they are the second family etc.

Meanwhile, I got asked once if I wanted to do aqua aerobics and once if I wanted to buy a kids T-shirt… and that was it. I kept seeing them sitting and chatting with other guests very regularly, hugging there children etc so I started wondering if there’s some kind of secret all inclusive social code that I completely missed. Even my kids were pretty much ignored (although they couldn’t care less or even notice)

I’m genuinely not annoyed, just a bit baffled because I’m friendly and chatty and was by myself too with the children… yet I somehow seemed to be invisible.

It did have me wondering whether there’s some kind of all-inclusive etiquette I’ve somehow missed… or whether I just really am the least interesting person on the resort

Did you do the aqua aerobics?

I don't even know what an animation team is, OP. So I think I'd have to join you in missing whatever etiquette applies here!

No as I couldn’t leave the kids by themselves. It was on the very last day though so not sure it was the deciding factor

I think if you send your kids to the kids club they get to know your kids - and you at pick up - which means they are more likely to approach you later. Is also a sign that you are keen to join in with the activities and entertainment. Some people just want to be left alone so they’ll be careful to not bother people.

If you engage with them and go to the activities, they'll get to know you and stop by your sunbed or whatever to talk to you. It's part of the job. If you don't seem interested they will leave you alone (also part of the job).

Me neither until I was looking at the Facebook group and reading about how everyone seems to love them like there own family and friends for life and I thought this is curious indeed I must look very dull

Never felt my all inclusive rep became like family.

Always found them approachable and competent when I asked them a question.

i go on holiday to spend time with my family not all that bothered by the reps becoming my besties.

Yep I agree
the Facebook group is very…intense but did leave me pondering if I missed something

The 'animation team' will take their cue from you. There are absolutely people who prefer to be left alone and you might have looked like one of them. So the way to break that would be to join in, ask questions and be open to their activities.

I think.

How can you possibly have the energy to worry about your level of interaction with these people, let alone conclude that this infers some kind of criticism of you personality.

I think animation teams are different from resort reps aren’t they? They’re like entertainment / Butlins style red coats. I only encountered an animation team for the first time last year at an AI in Turkey. At a set time in the morning they would walk around the pool blowing whistles and shouting hello. We didn’t get to know them or become besties but one of them did come over and tell us all about the kids club and activities and seemed friendly.

I don’t think that at all. It really wasn’t that deep.

it was only a light hearted query as I was scrolling through the Facebook group and was musing

i think you’ve got the tone of my post wrong, it was just pondering about AI resorts

I find the sort of people that join a hotel FB group are die hard fans who go to the same hotel every year. The same sort who write reviews mentioning every member of staff by name as if they are old friends.

The animation team sounds tiring, along with facebook groups.

Dh and I take an AI holiday once a year without the dc, we keep to ourselves and absolutely do not engage with anyone who might offer us yoga on the beach or jet skiing. Mostly the places we go to don’t seem to have staff that hound which is helpful for us!
we tip generously though to people bringing/making drinks and we have noticed that the staff engage with us at the bars because they recognise us for the big tips.
I figure the staff are encouraged to go above and beyond for anyone who is handing over additional money in AI, so tipping on top for kids club, at the end of performances, extra cash for tennis coaching or for your masseuse, tips at bars and restaurants, that type of thing. Or they just see the money and think it’s worth their while spending more time cultivating a ‘friendship’. I’m not judging here, it’s just what I’ve seen and have sort of deduced. I respect the hustle!

Yes there was a lot of whistles!

Yes!! I’m really glad people enjoy the hotel, we had a lovely time but I’m just surprised by all the intensity myself

The etiquette is sending the kids to the kids club and daytime activities thats all. Best ever animation team we encountered was in Portugal, they practically kidnapped my white blonde blue eyed 3yr old when we dropped the eldest for archery. They actively seeked our kids out in the afternoon.

I think the animation team behave rather like well trained sales assistants. If you appear to be lost or looking around for something they will approach and ask if you need any help. Then its up to the customer to say they are just browsing if they want to be left alone. Confident shoppers who are actively examining the goods probably know what they want and will ask for help when they need it.

The only times we've been chatty with the animation team is when the kids where little so in kids club and at the kids disco every night and doing the activities in the day. Now I'm very much leave me alone and they do.

They usually ask to be named in reviews so that's why you see people gushing about staff by name as if they are best friends. The staff are probably judged on these reviews and pressured to get them

Exactly, sounds like you had a lucky escape! Do people set up facebook groups if they happen to be on the same holiday? Seems odd.

also just back from an AL resort had a good time but back to self catering for next time anyway yes the animation team asked me and my partner thr first day to join in an activity and we declined so they didn’t bother with us again which suited me. The kids club was right up one of my kids street so he went along every day and at the end was at hugging level with the team so yeah think it just depends how engaging you are with them. Also what I noticed was it only seemed to be French kids getting offered the swimming lessons in the pool no other nationalities seemed to be asked not sure why

Since when did people start calling them an animation team?

Also noticed on trip advisor of the hotel we where at nearly every post mentions the animation team and how great they where it made their holiday ect