Parental Superiority at Disney Parks...

[G00fyDad]

I get where you are coming from. In my experience there are 3 types: those that try to shove their way in front of me, those that ask nicely if their child can sit/stand in front of me, and those that suffer silently behind me. The first type is out-of-luck with me. I'm more than willing to accommodate the next 2 types. (When I line up to watch something, I always look behind me to see if there is some child struggling to see. Again, to me, it's just common sense; short people in front, tall people in back.)

Oh I get that. I would never block some child's view. I'm 6'4" tall. If I am standing, I stand at the back. But if we are sitting on the ground then it is a different story.

 

[quirkle]

Everytime I think of adult "Disney Fans", I always think of the 300 lb. 60 year old woman who physically pushed my 6 year old daughter out of her way at the Mary Poppins Tea Party when the hostess brought out the exclusive Tea Party pins.

I'm upset that Mary Poppins didn't use her superior nanny skills and tell the woman she would have to wait until last.

 

[Goofyernmost]

If I ever have kids they should pray they behave at a park or else I will haul them back to the resort faster than Soarin' fills up in the morning and make them sit there until they learn to control themselves and behave in public. One thing I have taken to doing while in the parks is if I am in line next to a family who's children are well behaved or sit next to them at lunch or whatnot I will make sure I let them know that their children are fantastic and I wish all kids could be like them.

Many years after my kids had grown up, I went with my daughter to WDW. Just she and I. It was her last year in High School and she wanted to go. While standing in line at Buzz, a family was just in front of us. The boy who appeared to be about 9 or 10 was literally screaming at his Father because he didn't get a Fastpass for Buzz. He called him all kinds of names, told him he was stupid and generally made a donkey out of himself.

At one point I looked at my Daughter and asked...What do you think would have happened if you had ever spoken to me like that. She replied, that she didn't have to think about it, she knew that the day at Disney would be over, we would be back at the hotel with no TV and no pool. She was correct. I never made threats that I wasn't willing to carry out. Neither she nor her sister ever tested it. Made my life a lot easier and they were very proud of themselves for knowing how to act, not just in public, but everywhere.

I honestly cannot figure out why a parent would let themselves be treated that way. I don't think I ever will understand it.

 

[Britt]

It's not about the kid, it's about the parent. If the parents ask me politely if their kid can stand in front of me I will let them every time, usually squeeze in so the parent can get through too but if the parents just say "push your way through Johnny" I'll block the kid without a second thought.

The mental image I got of this made me LOL

 

[GoofGoof]

In my opinion the real problem here is people lining up 2 hours before a parade. Go, enjoy the rides and the rest of the park. We showed up about 20 minutes before the start of the MK parade and tried to stand behind 2 women who had "reserved" about 20 feet of curb space. The first woman turned to me and with an attitude said "we have a large group coming that we are saving spots for". I politely said "no problem, we can stand behind you". She shot me a dirty look and then said "we are a big group and plan on standing so you won't be able to see". I said "thanks, but I dont think we will find a better spot, we'll be fine". She wouldn't let it go. She then said "we've been waiting here for 2 hours, you can't just show up 20 minutes before the parade and expect to get a spot". At this point my wife pretty much forced me to move on. If it were up to me I would have stood there just to spite the woman, but my wife is a nicer person than me and didn't want to her off anymore than she was. We moved on and still got a spot to see. It has been my experience that people are very rude on both sides.

I am a big guy so I always try to allow children or short people to move in front of me. We were at a different parade where a teenage girl was standing behind me trying to take pictures of the floats. I offered to switch spots with her so she could get better shots without my head in them. It didn't bother me that I was standing there longer than her so I was entitled to the spot. I could still see just fine. I found out that it was her first time at WDW and she was just amazed by the lights and the floats. She must have taken 200 pictures.

 

[Dads 2 Boys]

My oldest son, during our trip last year, actually said to me after seeing kids acting like complete a$$e$ @ DHS..."Dad, if that was us, you would kill us." LOL I don't even let them get to close to people in lines to teach them about "personal space" (which so many people have issues with).

I can't stand the parents who watching their kids act horribly say to you...."you know how kids are". Ummmm...not really since mine actually behave. LOL I've actually said to someone once after they said something similar..."mine have never acted like that" and we walked away to board RnR.

I'm going in February without my kids and in October with my kids and I can guarantee the experience will be vastly different because of what a lot of people have said. I can generally let peoples poor behavior run off my back so it won't bother me too much.

 

[Monkee Girl]

Wow, I have so many examples of this it's hard not to post them all!

I definitely get the feeling of superiority from SOME parents and it is enough to make you annoyed. I try not to let it bother me though. I do like to watch kids interact with characters and things but I wish people weren't so rude about it.

I think I related the Donald story in another thread but I will post it here. I was in line at the character spot in Epcot with my cousins. We were asked by a cast member if we wanted to meet some characters so we said 'sure.' When we walked in, there were NO LINES, it was awesome. Minnie, Chip & Dale, Max, and Donald were all there. I really wasn't feeling getting my picture taken for some reason but when we got to Donald I got a little excited and got in line with my autograph book and camera. I waited patiently for my turn and when it came, a little kid behind me cut me off and ran up to Donald. I looked at my cousin and we made a face, mine was more of a smile, I thought 'it's ok, the kid's excited, I'll be next.' But I wasn't next because as soon as I was about to walk up, another kid cut in front of me. I thought, "am I not in line?" I was and said, ok, next time. Another kid goes up. Now I was a little annoyed though I tried not to show it but come on! 3 times? Are the parents really that ignorant to think that because I am 25 that their child can cut me off? Anyway, Donald must have saw this because as soon as he was done with the child, he walked up to me, grabbed my hand and pulled me over to him. he then proceeded to give me kisses, sign my book "Donald #1" and made me feel really special. I thanked him, told him he was awesome, and we went on our way. Look, I know people are in a rush but there is really no reason to be rude and the kids, though I don't blame them, need to be taught how to act properly during situations like that.

Now, there are other times where when people are polite to each other, everyone wins and has a great time. I was on my solo trip to Disney this past May and I was on my way to see the Star Wars Hyperspace Hoopla. This event gets so crowded and even though it was my first time, I knew I had to get there early. And I did and got front row, right behind the wheel chair section. Now there is a bit of a wait for this show (I wanna say a good hour to an hour and a half wait). So I occupied myself by talking to random people and looking around to see what's going on. There was a family with 2 small children next to me and these two kids were angels. They sat on the ground and occupied themselves with toys and whatnot. They were dressed in little jedi costumes and were just so cute. Not one 'when's it gonna start' or a 'I'm tired.' Angels. Well, they were so excited when the show finally started, that I told them if they couldn't see to go ahead and move in front of me. They didn't at first but eventually they started inching closer so they could see what was going on. The parent's were so appreciative but honestly, I won out because the faces on these kids, watching them enjoy this show, was worth all the front row seats in any show. They sang every song and danced every dance. They LOVED when Vader came out and it was a real magical moment for me, the kids, and the parents.

Yikes! sorry for the novel! Guess this topic just hits home. Anyway, we all go to Disney to have fun. Be polite and considerate and everyone wins.

 

[quirkle]

Our magical moment was 12/24/09. We had dinner at Chef Mickey's and took the monorail to MK to take the bus to POFQ. As we were passing the gates I turned to DH and said what do you think? He said - let's do it. We walked in in time for Spectromagic. There was a family sitting down and we stood behind them Long story short - we ended up sitting with them. We held a spot while they got food and our kids danced down Main Street USA with their kids in snowfall looking at the castle. We watched the parade together and made a memory.

That is what happens when people get along and don't expect anything.

 

[WWWD]

I view MK different than the other parks - it should be about the kids. Let's face it MK can be a very frustrating place for parents, especially new ones to WDW. I'll let the kids in front with mine, and then tell the parents being frustrated isn't excuse for being rude. I'll ruin the parents day, not their kids.

Now if it's OK to save several spots for a parade, is it OK to save spots for a ride? I can see a parent leaving to get food, but not one or two people saving a huge chunk of real estate.

 

[yankspy]

Kind of torn on this one. I would never let my Son cut in front of people for a parade and I would also apologize for any similar actions on his part. I am always conscious of the fact that not everyone will think he is cute and he has no more right to a spot in a line than anyone else. This is hard to impress on a three year old at times especially when he sees other kids misbehaving. That said, He is a very active boy and finds himself in trouble at times but he is for the most part a good kid. My point is that many kids will have a tantrum from time to time especially when at places like Disney. All kids are different. I get annoyed when my Son is misbehaving and I am dealing with him and I get the "horrible parent look" from people. We were at the Plaza once and he started acting up and I immediately took him outside to discipline him and calm him down. While I got up a woman looked at me and shook her head as if to say that I should be ashamed. I would understand if I let the behavior go, at that point it would be my fault. The big thing is recognizing what situations will cause an uproar. As I said my Son is active and so situations like waiting for a parade or a plane set off alarm bells. Those are the times when I bring my arsenal of favorite items to "Keep him busy". (Leappads are excellent for this) Tiring him out works as well (another difficult task)

There are also a lot of one time situations that happen as well. How many excellent parents have lost their kids in a crowd once or had their kids throw an all out tantrum in public once? (I have been lucky to avoid both so far). The worst one for me was when I took my eyes off of him for a second to grab my luggage from the carousel at the airport and he jumped on the carousel. Thankfully I caught him quickly.

 

[ExtinctJenn]

It's not about the kid, it's about the parent. If the parents ask me politely if their kid can stand in front of me I will let them every time, usually squeeze in so the parent can get through too but if the parents just say "push your way through Johnny" I'll block the kid without a second thought.

Exactly!!!! This this this this! It is, just like most things in this world, all about perception. If you are polite other people react in kind. If you're an , again, other people will (and should) react in kind. I understand that if I don't get there early enough, I and my son have no right to have a better view than someone who did. I also understand that everyone paid to get in just like I did. There is no room for rude people in this world. If everyone was polite it'd be a much better place in so many ways. Unfortunately that's not the world we live in right? LOL!

Now... that said... if a 6' tall guy asked if he could stand in front of me I'd have to say no, polite or not. LOL!

 

[Thessair]

Not going to delve deeply into the whole spot saving thing for a parade, but when I get there 1-2 hours early I only get a spot for myself. If I'm with anyone and they choose not to wait that's their choice. Quite honestly, the only parade I feel worth waiting any amount of time for is the Boo-To-You parade.

That said, as so many others have mentioned, it really boils down to a matter of politeness. It almost seems as though, in relation to the childless bias, some (and I say some, nowhere near all) parents give the impression that they don't have to take the extra step of curbing rudeness to non-parents. I'm not condemning all parents or claiming all not-parents are saints. Unpleasantness exists on both sides of the fence.

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

Wow, I have so many examples of this it's hard not to post them all!

I definitely get the feeling of superiority from SOME parents and it is enough to make you annoyed. I try not to let it bother me though. I do like to watch kids interact with characters and things but I wish people weren't so rude about it.

I think I related the Donald story in another thread but I will post it here. I was in line at the character spot in Epcot with my cousins. We were asked by a cast member if we wanted to meet some characters so we said 'sure.' When we walked in, there were NO LINES, it was awesome. Minnie, Chip & Dale, Max, and Donald were all there. I really wasn't feeling getting my picture taken for some reason but when we got to Donald I got a little excited and got in line with my autograph book and camera. I waited patiently for my turn and when it came, a little kid behind me cut me off and ran up to Donald. I looked at my cousin and we made a face, mine was more of a smile, I thought 'it's ok, the kid's excited, I'll be next.' But I wasn't next because as soon as I was about to walk up, another kid cut in front of me. I thought, "am I not in line?" I was and said, ok, next time. Another kid goes up. Now I was a little annoyed though I tried not to show it but come on! 3 times? Are the parents really that ignorant to think that because I am 25 that their child can cut me off? Anyway, Donald must have saw this because as soon as he was done with the child, he walked up to me, grabbed my hand and pulled me over to him. he then proceeded to give me kisses, sign my book "Donald #1" and made me feel really special. I thanked him, told him he was awesome, and we went on our way. Look, I know people are in a rush but there is really no reason to be rude and the kids, though I don't blame them, need to be taught how to act properly during situations like that.

Had a similar experience just last month at Disneyland Paris. It was DD23 and myself, a little mother/daughter bonding. Anywho, they have a photo op display of the Mad Hatter's chair and the tea table and you can sit in the chair for a picture. We were waiting our turn as the Hatter is one of DD's favorites. Came to our turn, mother pushes her little girl in front. Oh well, we'll go next. Next mother in line, pushes both her kids forward. By the 3rd time, I said (loudly and in my best French accent) "Excuse Me!", DD walked up we got our picture and went on our way. I mean, what did they think we were standing there for?

 

[quirkle]

I have small children and I have taught them to stand in line and wait their turn. At a parade? We either wait or we don't go. Our magical night I speak of we hoped that the people would stay sitting down and if not it was too bad for us. Instead we all had a magical Disney moment together

 

[sacrosby]

Lol...how about the mom last week who jostled her way in front of my family so that the sleeping infant in her stroller could get a better view of the parade at MNSSHP. And bumped me with her sizable rear every 5 seconds. :|

 

[Magenta Panther]

I'm not at all saying adult park fans are without fault. That kind of behavior is inexcusable. There is no reason for pushing anyone, especially a child. But it gets frustrating when parents tell me what I have to do because they have a child and their child must take precedence over an adult.

I hear you. I just wrote a rant about strollers in another thread. The Disney parks are not a freaking DAYCARE. They were not built to babysit your kids. They were built for EVERYONE to enjoy. So if you're a parent, fat chance YOU'LL have at parking your kids in front of me when the Spectromagic parade begins. You'll get told off, and with colorful, highly educational (for your kids) language too. IMO, the Disney parks are too good for kids. To really appreciate them, you have to have experienced the hardships, disappointments and tragedies of life. That's when the Parks become a haven, an escape from the everyday. And adults need that kind of thing MUCH more than your average kid. (I'm not referring to special needs kids, or kids who are having a rough time. THEY understand life all too well, and I'd gladly give up my seat on the curb for them.)

 

[sxeensweet]

I hear you. I just wrote a rant about strollers in another thread. The Disney parks are not a freaking DAYCARE. They were not built to babysit your kids. They were built for EVERYONE to enjoy. So if you're a parent, fat chance YOU'LL have at parking your kids in front of me when the Spectromagic parade begins. You'll get told off, and with colorful, highly educational (for your kids) language too. IMO, the Disney parks are too good for kids. To really appreciate them, you have to have experienced the hardships, disappointments and tragedies of life. That's when the Parks become a haven, an escape from the everyday. And adults need that kind of thing MUCH more than your average kid. (I'm not referring to special needs kids, or kids who are having a rough time. THEY understand life all too well, and I'd gladly give up my seat on the curb for them.)

Totally agree with you!!!! As an adult you get so much more out of the parks. I go like you said to get away from real life for a little while. You truly can't get that feeling anywheres else. Me and my DH do not have children and people always react with why are y'all going and you don't have kids???? Blah blah blah...there is so much more to Disney and of course they have never been alone as an adult so don't judge us that do!! I will Gladly if someone is polite and ask move out of the way or make room. Me being short myself it gets annoying with others coming in front of me when I managed to be where I can kinda see. Lol being nice goes a long way and being rude will not get you far with me or my DH!! I am an extremely nice and polite person and expect the same in return!! Is that so hard to do these days? And about the post where someone said it might be that families only visit ever... Well on that same note how do you know it's not the one and only time that adult will ever be able to visit the world?? Goes both ways so just be polite people!!!!

 

[Br'er Platypus]

When I take my (by then) nearly 4 year old to Disney, I hope, hope, hope that she has no interest in parades. Never understood their appeal, even when I was little. If we do watch one, I'll be one of those tardy parents who show up five minutes until the parade starts. Don't hate me though, I promise I won't cut in front of anyone. If there's not an easy/open/convenient spot. . . we're moving on to something else.

After all, the best part about parades IMO is that it draws people away from Splash Mountain.

Of course, my daughter may want to do the parade more than anything else, in which case I'll be eating crow. And she'll have to be content in the back row. . . up on daddy's shoulders.

 

[sxeensweet]

When I take my (by then) nearly 4 year old to Disney, I hope, hope, hope that she has no interest in parades. Never understood their appeal, even when I was little. If we do watch one, I'll be one of those tardy parents who show up five minutes until the parade starts. Don't hate me though, I promise I won't cut in front of anyone. If there's not an easy/open/convenient spot. . . we're moving on to something else.

After all, the best part about parades IMO is that it draws people away from Splash Mountain.

Of course, my daughter may want to do the parade more than anything else, in which case I'll be eating crow. And she'll have to be content in the back row. . . up on daddy's shoulders.

People like you are not the problem As you do the right thing and is not rude about it and you have the right attitude. It's the entitled rude attitude ones that give people problems. The nice normal families like yours I always welcome around me!! And again too the kids usually are not the problem it's the rude parents. I'm like you and if I can't get a good spot I will just move on and try to get a spot elsewhere. I would never push my way somewhere ever wen if I had children. Thank you for being one I the considerate parents!

 

[GoofGoof]

They were built for EVERYONE to enjoy.

IMO, the Disney parks are too good for kids.

So are they built for EVERYONE or too good for kids? Can't have it both ways.

I agree with you 100% that WDW is built for everyone to enjoy together. That includes parents with kids, adult couples without kids, single people of any age and even bratty teenagers who think the whole world should revolve around them. In my visits I have encountered numerous people from all of the above groups and there are rude and ignorant people from all groups as well as really nice people.