Waiting/Preparing & Holding spots for Parades & Shows

[mousermerf]

During the Holidays, the castle show happened between the Fireworks and a showing of Spectromagic. Most people had no clue it was going to happen, so the plaza at the castle was fairly empty, but people were lining the street for the parade.

The show was to end about 5-10mins before the parade started.

Well, the show starts and lots of people flood into the area. No biggie, but many camped out along the parade route stayed put, just swiveled - makes sense i guess. Then the show ended, and the line of people waiting for the parade just stood there..

Blocking all the people from leaving the castle forecourt area.

After about 5 mins of unsuccessfully trying to get out of the area, i eventually just shoved one guy off the curb (body checked him really) and then the flood gate opened and we were all free. I didn't want anyone's stupid spot to watch the parade, i wanted to simply leave. Sheesh.

 

[mousermerf]

To add to the above, my main pet-peeve about parades isn't people coming last minute (as i dont tend to watch parades) but not being able to move around the park well before the parade. People block the pathways which are clearly marked, and if you need to cross the street they form human walls and wont move.

Again - i dont want your stupid spot, but i might want to get from Caseys to the Bakery in less then 30 minutes so for god sake skoot over two inches and let me walk through.

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

When I was an outdoor foods CM, working popcorn and ice cream carts, at the end of the night we'd have to take all the ice cream and money and sodas back to the garage, which involved a trek through the Hub.

Well, one night right after I started working in MK, we had to get through the Hub at park closing. Two minutes before Wishes started. You can imagine the crowd.

Picture it in your mind: Trillions of people crowding the Hub, me pushing a dolley with ice cream and money on it, being followed by a fellow CM pushing a large soda cart filled with ice and soda. We're halfway between the path to Adventureland and Main Street. And the lights dim - Wishes is starting!

So I'm calling ahead, 'Please move! Cart coming through!' because those soda carts are heavy, and if I stop, he has to stop before he runs into me. And people are looking at me like I'm an axe murderer and ignoring me, of course. And some dishface, instead of moving out of my way, moves IN MY WAY! So I try to stop, the wheel of the dolley hits the curb......



..... and the money box falls off my dolley. And money falls all over the place: bundles of singles, wads of $5 bills, a handful of $10s and $20s. And the change... yes, the change. It's everywhere. In front of guests. With the lights dim and Wishes in the background.

Which is when I learned: put all the change in a paper cup and fold the paper cup so it's closed. So the next time I drop my money box in front of 25,000 people, the change might not go so far.

 

[joanna71985]

Oh man, that really stinks. Sometimes I feel like I'm speaking in a different language at work, because the guests don't pay any attention whatsoever.

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

It's like all the guests have temporary deafness and can't hear CMs at all. Whether you're asking them to move out of the way of a soda cart or fill in all available space, they ignore you. Unless you use the word 'free'.

Maybe they should say 'Please fill in all FREE space!'

 

[joanna71985]

It's like all the guests have temporary deafness and can't hear CMs at all. Whether you're asking them to move out of the way of a soda cart or fill in all available space, they ignore you. Unless you use the word 'free'.

Maybe they should say 'Please fill in all FREE space!'

:ROFLOL::ROFLOL: Maybe!

 

[mousermerf]

When I worked in the parks, i foudn threatening not to shut up until they complied worked best.

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

:ROFLOL: Yes alot of guests just do not listen! I have seen it so many times! If everyone would just obey the rules and LISTEN, then everything would be sooooo much better!

 

[kag1984]

The one instance that probably irritated me the most was at Finding Nemo: The Musical. We got there an hour before the show and waited. We ended up getting really great seats, the second row center behind the tech booth. Well at Nemo they say that you are not allowed to save seats, and this family of three was obviously saving seats for three other people that didn't wait in line and weren't there at the show. So about 15 minutes before the show started the place is getting really packed and they start asking people to move all the way to the end of the row. This family (and I'm pretty sure that the guy was a CM:fork:, which as a former CM really irkes me) didn't move. This Japanese mother and her son come looking for a seat and in broken english ask if they can sit at the end of their row. The guy completely ignores her and won't look her in the face. So I tap on his shoulder and ask if he would move over to let other people in since we have been sitting there for 15 minutes and the rest of his party still hasn't shown up and now there are people trying to find spaces... AND saving seats is not permitted at this show. The guy just looks at me and says that they can't sit there.

So we ended up having a little banter but I think the lady was too embarrassed/polite to take the seats while I was starting to make a little scene with this guy and she left. Well the show starts and this guys party never shows up so there are three empty seats the entire show. So I crossed my legs and kept swinging my foot onto the back of this guys seat the entire 30 minute show. Then as the show ends I asked him if the three empty seats enjoyed the show and proceeded telling my friends how rude people are, don't obey the rules, make people who actually got to the show miss it because they thought their friends were going to show up but didn't. That kids mother and grandmother just looked mortified as I was complaining about their son. And they couldn't say a thing because they knew that I was right.

Oh it makes me mad all over again.

<<EDIT>> I guess I should also mention that this is normally where the roped off VIP viewing is but the area wasn't roped off the day we saw the show. So it's not like I as a regular guest was asking a "VIP" to move.

 

[Philo]

Always get there early OR be willing to have a bad / slightly bad view.

Basically I find it unbelivable. Nobody has the right to see a parade / show more than anyone else. If I turn up early then I should be allowed to be rewarded with a good view. If you turn up late then unlucky, you will have to have what left.

I understand people want to have a great view but it makes me loose faith in the world when people have no empathy for other peoples situations. "Yes, I know you've been waiting in that spot for ages but I REALLY want to see the parade so I'm going in front" doesn't cut it for me.

 

[Dwarful]

We have had this issue on more than one occasion. Once a lady tried to put her two kids into our stroller...in the footwell of the rental stroller so these two boys would have been in front of our daughter in her stroller. We explained to this woman, that..no they couldn't sit there, while her boys were riding rides or see shows for the past 70 minutes, our kids were sitting on the curb enjoying a dole whip and talking about what to do the next day while waiting for the parade. If you want to cram one more ride in, then do that, but don't expect a curb side viewing.
Then Dec. 2006 we were at the train station to get a good view of our niece & the high school marching band and a few minutes before the parade started this family comes up, smelling like they hadn't showered in a month and were pushing and shoving to get to the front of the railing. Very loudly they started in about how "adults should all move and let the children stand in the front and then they could stand behind the children" and they kept pushing the "children" (everyone under 21 I think) to the front. Then about 5 minutes into the parade they decided it was 'boring' and pushed there way back through the crowds to leave!

 

[PeterPan1985]

To add to the above, my main pet-peeve about parades isn't people coming last minute (as i dont tend to watch parades) but not being able to move around the park well before the parade. People block the pathways which are clearly marked, and if you need to cross the street they form human walls and wont move.

Again - i dont want your stupid spot, but i might want to get from Caseys to the Bakery in less then 30 minutes so for god sake skoot over two inches and let me walk through.

Merf, I hear ya loud and clear. Last October, my group decided to head over to MK for EMH RIGHT BEFORE Wishes. Stupid idea, right? Well, yes, especially because someone in my party is in a wheelchair. People would NOT move the 2 feet for 3 seconds so that we could pass because they might lose their standing space. We ended up having to scream PLEASE MOVE. WE DON'T WANT YOUR SPOT.

 

[WickedQueen22]

My personal favorite would be when I stake out a wonderful spot on the curb for my two little girls to have a relaxing view (around 45 minutes ahead of time) and some selfish oaf just stands in front of us. Makes me want to stick needles in the back of his knees. In reality I rant and whine about people and their rudeness until he 'overhears' me and apologizes then moves.

 

[PeterPan1985]

My personal favorite would be when I stake out a wonderful spot on the curb for my two little girls to have a relaxing view (around 45 minutes ahead of time) and some selfish oaf just stands in front of us. Makes me want to stick needles in the back of his knees. In reality I rant and whine about people and their rudeness until he 'overhears' me and apologizes then moves.

You're probably more polite than I would be. I say we get some WDW-approved cow prodders.

 

[PhotoDave219]

After about 5 mins of unsuccessfully trying to get out of the area, i eventually just shoved one guy off the curb (body checked him really) and then the flood gate opened and we were all free.

Wel if that doesn't show your true colors, nothing short of a felony charge ever will.....

 

[mousermerf]

Wel if that doesn't show your true colors, nothing short of a felony charge ever will.....

Yes, because pushing past someone who refused to move in a crowded area speaks volumes of people's personality.

Not quite, i'd say your constant fanatical obsession with me says far more.

Do you dream about me? Is their a strange little shrine to me with all my pictures of SSE? Do you enhance the photos to see my reflection in the glass? Do you wake up in the morning and go "Gosh I wonder what merf is doing today?"

If not, it certainly seems like it.

 

[kimmychad]

Ok this is a piggy back thread from the one about cutting in line at attractions etc. I thought I would start concerning waiting for parades, holding spots for parades, and shows.

This is my question: does anyone have any horror stories about having problems from other guests while waiting for parades or shows etc?

We have been to WDW 5 times now, and each year we make it a point to go see shows and parades etc, as well as the attractions. We know as all of you do that to get a good viewing point (or in some cases a spot to sit down) you have to get where you want to be at least an hour or so ahead of time. for the parades at MK we always like to sit on main street on the curb, so that our kids and us will have an unobstructed view of the parade. I always camcord the parades etc to watch after our vacation. I cannot tell you how many times that We scoped out our spot......sat down WAY AHEAD of time, and then due to bathroom breaks etc from the kids, I have set a backpack down in place where my daughter was sitting. I always stay behind and let my wife take our daughter etc. It never fails, someone arrives and askes "Is this area taken?" which I politely tell them yes the 2 spots next to me are taken.....my family will be right back. This is at least polite by the other guest.... I have actually had situations where other guests take it upon themselves to just take the liberty to attempt to move my stuff and sit down beside me! To which I reply a little more forceful "these two spots are taken!" most of the time they are rude about it etc. Now it is not like I am holding up gobs of space here....just enough room for two people to sit.

I know this has happened to many of you out there. I want to hear your stories. I have also had my hands stepped on, and kicked in the back by other guests behind me. I have also had guests get mad because they showed up 5 minutes before the parade is to start and want to force their way in to making room for all of us sitting or standing their on the curb, which I think is really rude.

What do you think?
share your stories

people never seem to amaze me at parades. we arrive at least 45 minutes prior, for the christams parade we were there 1 and a half hours before, and when people walk up 15 minutes before its supposed to start im supposed to move and make room for them. they of course couldnt just plan better

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

Merf, I hear ya loud and clear. Last October, my group decided to head over to MK for EMH RIGHT BEFORE Wishes. Stupid idea, right? Well, yes, especially because someone in my party is in a wheelchair. People would NOT move the 2 feet for 3 seconds so that we could pass because they might lose their standing space. We ended up having to scream PLEASE MOVE. WE DON'T WANT YOUR SPOT.

yes unfortunately I have seen this happen alot also. I am not defending them just that if so many people did not try to get the spots that are so clearly taken, then people would not be so territorial about it.

Also though I must say that when you go to a place like WDW you should always be mindful that before shows and parades you will not be able to move around very easily. For this very reason we always plan to be in the part of the park we want to be in if we are deciding to not catch a parade show etc....so we do not have to navigate through that mess. Also if we are at a park at closing....we always just sit doen somewhere or shop slowly so we do not get caught up in the hustle and bustle that is the shoving and pushing match while leaving the park. I have been the recipiant of people pushing and shoving behind me to get me to somehow go faster leaving the MK to get on the monorails to go back to the TTC, and let me tell you it is frustrating to say the least. Its like peple act like they are going to miss the last monorail or something. I mean come on that is nuts! We avoid this crowd at all costs! :brick: After it thins out a lot then we decide to go catch the transportation back to the TTC, a whole lot less crowded.

 

[diddy_mouse]

Recently when we saw Spectro was had a spot near the Trading Post in Fronteirland. We had staked it out for a little while, gotten some fries, and were ready to go. A family came up in front of us which wasn't too bad. What made it worse was that all of the dad's friends ended showing up just at the last minute. We got annoyed (as did the couple next to us who ended up moving earlier than we did.) then got up and moved over and found a better spot anyway.

On the same trip we were waiting for the Christmas stage show and found out everyone else was waiting for the parade. We found a pretty good spot near the hub and were surrounded by families who were guarding their kids so they could see. Funny thing was, as the stage show started all the kids went up on dad's shoulders (which didn't affect us too bad because we're both almost 6') but the group of people behind us were so livid. Turns out it was family with their pre-teen son who was so angry he couldn't see the show. He actually tried to get his dad to lift him up on his shoulders. Needless to say, DH and I moved up just a little bit more to get away from them. Everyone else around us was cool.

Later when we got back to the pathway leading from Adventureland to Fronteirland to watch Once Upon A Christmas, we sat down this time right at the ropes and right where they ended. I feel bad for the CM who put the tape down and had to do crowd control with this stupid woman next to me. It's about 2min. before the parade is rolling down the street and they are cording off the pathway so you can't cross. The CM is actually holding the rope at an angle to get this woman to try and cross the street before the parade comes down. She's not budging...totally blocking the open path that I'm sitting next to. Next thing you know, three other Parade CM's come over and try to get her to move. She ends up staying, which was totally rediculous. Not to mention that as this is going on, more and more people have crammed in behind us almost pushing me into the parade route. There was a lady behind me who felt it necessary to yell at full volume to the bell girls in the parade that "I PLAY THE BELLS!! I PLAY THE BELLS, TOO!!!" Thanks lady. What do you think the girl is just gonna hand them over to you mid-parade? Crazy.

 

[shoppingnut]

I will no longer let anyone in front of me or move over an inch. Too many times my good deed of letting little ones in has been taken advantage of, so tough luck on everyone now, those idiots ruined it for you.