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

We definitely got chatting to the team after we’d been to a couple of activities. One was quite small and after that the reps running it stopped to chat. We also did a couple of exercise classes. We don’t massively want to chat but one let me know there was spaces on an activity I wanted to do.

I do think it you look like you want to be left alone they’ll notice that.

That’s what the resorts call them.
I don’t know a better word to describe the team that put on entertainment for adults, children and families, run cultural workshops, leisure and sport activities etc.

That’s what European AI resorts, campsites and cruise ships call them. I’ve seen it in several countries and types of setting.

Every hotel has guests who think the staff are genuinely their friends and not just doing their job/trying to maximise tips. Next time you go away have a look at TripAdvisor and you'll spot them again. It's a bit sad.

They will take your lead, I don't go on holiday to hang about with people working, we tend to go out and explore even at AI resorts we always have a hire car. Some people turn up and spend 7 days by the pool get to know the barman and kids club leader by name and sign up to everything, they will naturally be on first name terms. I like that animation teams are lead by the guest. If I'm laying by the pool reading I don't want to be encouraged to play tennis or engage in a quiz.

You get it with some resorts so people can ask questions of people who've stayed there before. I've not joined one but was recently recommended one on FB for a hotel we've booked.

No idea when the name came in to being, but they were definitely animators when I was on holiday as a child in the 80s.

How much energy does it take you to think? Most people are capable of pondering things where their experience doesn't seem to match others without straining themselves in the slightest.

😬

That is not a holiday. It is just an extension of your regular life.

People who think hotel staff are their besties give me the absolute ick 🤣🤣🤣

The etiquette is purely that if you are interested in the kids club and activities, the animators' job is to pretend to be your friend and think your (white blond blue eyed???) kid is the cutest little darling ever.

And if you turn down the activities and don't send your kids to the clubs, they should recognise that and not hassle you.

It’s a throwback to Club Med, it’s French

She doesn't mean the rep, she is talking about the animation team eg the group that do all the activities, mini disco, kids club etc.

I suspect it’s a direct translation of animacion, which in Spanish has more connotations of fun, enthusiasm, liveliness and entertainment than animation does in English.

And yes I have witnessed those people that are all over them as if they are besties, having photos taken etc
I find it tricky as I like the aqua fit and my kids like the mini disco but we are not social people so when they approach us for small talk it's a bit awks!

Varies by hotel but generally if you engage with them they engage back. Was on a cruise rather than in a hotel but we ended up late night drinking with the ents team in the late night buffet on the second night so for the rest of the week we were pretty engaged with them, helped it was ai cruise.

I bet they breath a sigh of relief when they eventually go home.

Yes definitely called the animation team in the 90s when we used to holiday with the kids in France, Spain and Italy, so not a new thing.

Surely having the ‘animation’ team ignore you is peak flow state?

Hotels would be better without them. No I don’t want to do aerobics in the pool at 10am, or meet for a cycle at 3pm. Just fuck off and leave me alone.

Me and DS (then 16) went on our first AI break last year after his GCSEs (cheaper!). It was an adult only, very small resort with only a couple of animators (?). We didn't do any of the games at pool side, but I would have joined in the morning yoga if I'd been around when it was on. There was a pin board with the days activities - go if you wanted. There was no engagement from them unless you chose to.

In French, animateur is an activity leader, recreation coordinator, or camp counselor who organises games and entertainment for groups of children or adults.

What sort of weirdo is getting that friendly with their resort rep? That would be enough for me to get on the next plane home. I’d be grateful that they left you in peace.

.

"They practically kidnapped my white blonde, blue eyed three year old child in Portugal" Erm........