Waiting/Preparing & Holding spots for Parades & Shows

[kcw]

The only problem I have had was a rude lady beside us at MGM one day. She kept holding her hands up waving and screaming at the characters as they went by, to the point that others were looking at her. I was videoing the parade and it was like she was doing it on purpose. You can see her hands and hear her loud voice on the tape. Watching the video at home reminds me how much I wanted to punch her. :brick:

and did she get lots of attention from the characters? Probably not.... from the characters eyes- Child yelling out the characters names? cute. Adult screaming and crossing the line between enthusiastic and downright obnoxious? not cute at all.

 

[britlightyear]

On our most recent trip to wdw my DS was very excited about the new star wars jedi show in front of ST. Well we got to the stage area about 20 mins before it started and I sat down right behind him so as not to take up a front row spot. Well about 5 mins before it was going to start my DS decided he had to go to the bathroom. My DH who was standing by the stroller took him surprisingly quickly and he got back right as the show was starting. Well when DS was coming back through the crowd the lady standing next to me heard me tell him to come back and sit where he was and she put her foot in his spot and left it there. I said "excuse me he just went to the bathroom, can you move your foot out of his spot?" Well she didn't even look at me so I told my son to sit and he did, he just sat right on top of her foot! She never moved it just left her nasty foot right there while a 4 y.o. sat on it.

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

Sweeeeeettt :ROFLOL::lol:

 

[wdwmomof3]

she didn't even look at me so I told my son to sit and he did, he just sat right on top of her foot! She never moved it just left her nasty foot right there while a 4 y.o. sat on it.

Now that was rude.

 

[Senderella]

Looks like we have all encountered the person who reckons the parades are for kids and so their children should stand or sit in front of you. I'm sorry but I have paid for my tickets too and if I have sat for an hour waiting for a parade and you turn up at the last minute your children can just sit or stand behind me!!

I'm lucky my partner is mean looking...I just point him towards the angry parent and he growls!!

:lol: Same here! My husband can look pretty intimidating. We rarely have problems like this. There's one instance I can think of and it involved a family of French people. Go figure. Anyhow, luckily my husband and the husband of the other family we were kind of "tag teaming" with to guard our space got the French dude to leave without it really even coming to words. We'd stake our spots at least (if not more) than an hour before and we always get right on the curb. We usually end up talking to the family next to us so we've got double the "back up" lol. Since we're usually on the curb, the worst I've had is knees in my back but hey... by that time, I consider it a free massage.

Sadly, I know someone that's "that guy". The "This is for the CHILDREN and I have kids so we win" type. I've tried explaining to her the nuances of WDW parade/show etiquette but it's lost on her. :shrug: She doesn't get it and probably never will.

 

[LordHelmut]

Got a little Captain in You ?

Watch out folks - if the Capt gets there early and stakes out a spot for himself and the family (of four) then blood will be spilt if you try and get in front of us.


Simply, if you can't get there in good time to get yourself a prime spot, don't expect any charity from those of us that have

I'm with the Captain on this one. I have a 2yr old, I do not suffer any fools who believe thru whatever thought process they have that they have any such claim to slide in front, or disturb my daughter, or encroach upon whatever space I have waited for.... And I attended NYE fireworks at Epcot this year. Of course, looking as if you are ready to kill anyone within arms reach helps too... (and I really was in a good mood that day... funny....)

This being said, I am among the first to insure that kids (and only the kids) have access to see the parades if they are immediately behind me. No adult I have met thus far has attempted pass by me yet.

Not a boast, but 99% of folks I have me are fine with the rules, provided they are explained*.


* - ok, sometimes I may explain things with gestures and other body language what do you want from a guy from NJ ? eh.... hey, you looking at me ?

 

[celebrat]

I often sit on the curb an hour before parade starts to watch my daughter in the parade. I can't even tell you how many times I've been asked to let someone's child sit in front of me 5 minutes before the parade starts. I usually just ignore them, but many times they're persistent and tell me that "it's for the children." I just tell them that if they were that concerned about their children seeing the parade in the front row, they would have arrived an hour ahead of time like I did. It's SO frustrating!!

People really can be rude. In the photo below, the large guy in the photo kept hitting my daughter in the head with his large behind :lol: We were waiting to see Dream Along with Mickey:

 

[Ilovewishes]

We once stood on the bridge to Tomorrowland for an hour waiting for Wishes. It was November and I was a bit cold but we waited because we love the fireworks. We were leaning against the railings and were one of the first to get there. Then, as the lights were turned off around the park, these two women and their kids just came and stood right in front of us! The two women tried to squeeze me and DH out of the way and one of them stood on my foot four times before I finally glared at her, daring her to do it again, and then she positioned the oldest kid (he looked about 12) right in front of me. I wouldn't have minded too much as I was taller than him, but he had one of the goofy hats on and I couldn't see a thing! :fork:

That was that and I told them in no uncertain terms to move!

Another time, a couple of grandparents sat down in front of us at Fantasmic and they had the most adorable little boy with them who was so excited about seeing Mickey! He was only a toddler and he was so cute! But then, when the show started, they stood him on the bench in front of me, and him being a kiddy, he would not keep still and wherever I moved to, he blocked my view! In the end, I politely asked his grandfather to move him so I could see which he did and he apologised and I got to watch the rest of the show in peace.

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

I often sit on the curb an hour before parade starts to watch my daughter in the parade. I can't even tell you how many times I've been asked to let someone's child sit in front of me 5 minutes before the parade starts. I usually just ignore them, but many times they're persistent and tell me that "it's for the children." I just tell them that if they were that concerned about their children seeing the parade in the front row, they would have arrived an hour ahead of time like I did. It's SO frustrating!!

People really can be rude. In the photo below, the large guy in the photo kept hitting my daughter in the head with his large behind :lol: We were waiting to see Dream Along with Mickey:

that is the funniest pic I have seen in a long time. U might consider posting it on the WDW pic of the day thread interesting to see what comments you get :ROFLOL::ROFLOL::ROFLOL:

 

[mickeymaniacs]

Oh man I can definitely relate. Last summer my sis and her husband took to me to Disneyland as a b-day gift. He was there on business so I went along. We were sitting on a bench waiting for wishes to start and all of a sudden this guy that weighed like 300 lbs comes up falls face first on my sister and then asks her to scoot over so he can sit down! there was already three of us on the bench! He had been drinking so I just told my sister that I would sit on the ground in front of them so that it didn't cause a riot. I know my sister tells the guy that there wasn't any room but he was pretty forceful so I moved. My SIL was at WDW and had a woman try to crawl between her legs to get to the curb for the parade!Needless to say that was put to a halt pretty fast. I couldn't believe when they told us that she tried to crawl right between her legs. I mean come on it's not that important that you if someone is standing that you try something like that!

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

It never ceases to amaze me how some guests who think that the parks are theirs to act as they want to with no regard to anybody else! Rude outside the parks mean rude in the Parks!

 

[Jayhawkie]

When I was there in November, my husband and I sat down with our three kids and my niece for the High School Musical show in DHS. We got there 45 minutes in advance to have a good seat for the kids. Right before the show started the castmembers asked to let smaller children up front. That's fine but I can't just move to the back and leave my children unattended when the shopw starts and then when it's over everyone leaves and my children are LOST!!!! Anyway, this lady says "Yeah the adults shouldn't be up front anyway" excuse me I got here extremely early if you wanted your child to see you shouldn't have shown up at the last minute. Adults want to see the show too!! Oh well, got extremely squished but I didn't move!!!

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

i dont blame you at all I would have done the same thing. I dont have any sympathy for people who try to squeeze their way in at the last minute under the old "It's for the children" routine. You ought to know when you go to WDW that you need to plan your activities if you want to maximixe your enjoyment. If you are the kind of person who does not like to plan, thats ok, to each his own, but just dont expect others who have been waiting for over an hour for a coveted spot to move for you. FIRST COME FIRST SERVE! :kiss:

 

[lac628]

Just reading these posts is ing me off!!!

 

[TinkerCarol]

Here is a great one. Atleast I think. My sister and I were at MK for fireworks and a young woman was sitting in the middle os Main Street 5 minutes before fireworks starting. Right in the THICK of the crowd. My sister did not see her and tripped on her knee. We looked down and she was nursing (feeding) her new baby while sitting in the middle of hundreds of people trying to get a better spot. Everything hanging out and angry because people were tripping on her and her baby! Had to laugh at that one!

 

[BuzzLite_Fran]

coins a new meaning to the phrase "Got Milk???????????":ROFLOL::lol::kiss::goodnevil:king:

 

[Elonwy]

I had two kind of opposite experiences.....

One time I was travelling with a friend and the two of us decided to watch the parade kind of last minute. (about 20 minutes before start) We saw an empty area on the corner of Main Street and went there but there was a woman with her purse, 2 jackets and a beach bag laid out taking up the space.

We asked if this area was taken and she said yes so we ended up standing on the opposite side of the street behind a family who was seated.

We saw numerous people trying to get in the woman's space and she didn't let anyone (the space was probably about 5-6ft on the length of the curb)

Just before the parade a man came and joined her, she picked up all the stuff and he laid down on the curb with his head on her lap and took up enough space for about 5 people to sit!!! :veryconfu

The other time I lined up for the parade an hour early, got my spot on the curb and sat and ate my ice cream. A man came and asked if his kids could sit there instead (they were pre-teen to teenaged) and I said that I could squeeze down a bit but I didn't know if there would be enough room. So the man KICKED THE ICE-CREAM OUT OF MY HAND!!!

A cast member saw what happened and asked if we needed help...I had Ice cream down the front of my shirt and was kind of stunned and my friend had to explain what happened.

The family was escorted away to who knows where (Disney prison?) and the cast member returned about 10 minutes later with a brand new t-shirt from one of the shops!

That's Disney at it's finest...taking a horrible moment and somehow making it great!

 

[joanna71985]

Ok, now the first one was just plain rude on their part. They should not have been taking up all that space.

But the second one- OMG! That is assualt! I can't believe that "man" would do that.

 

[DISMOM]

Question??? how early do you have to be upstairs at the train station prior to the parade starting? Do those people stake out those spots all day long? :ROFLOL:

 

[joanna71985]

Question??? how early do you have to be upstairs at the train station prior to the parade starting? Do those people stake out those spots all day long? :ROFLOL:

If you want to sit at the Train Station for the parade/fireworks, be prepared to wait at least a couple of hours.