Beware the Path to Frontierland!

[bean]

Hi all..We just got back from a week long trip and had a great time. Yes, it was crowded but if we made rope drop it was very very doable. We got on every ride we wanted and with fast pass etc. we had no real waits. The scariest thing that happened though was Wednesday night. We were at MK and finished riding Splash and were ready to leave (grumpy kids). I always take the wooden path along the water in frontierland to get out when the parade is going on. At the end of the wooden path is a stone path that is about 2 strollers wide with stone walls on each side. So....parade is going on and it was crowded and we take this path. I have never been so afraid! People were pushing..scary pushing. People came down the path in those scooter things which don't fit and just kept ramming into strollers. One lady just kept screaming "move" (on her scooter thing) and was running over people. The scariest part was when people were trying to use my friend's stroller as a step stool to get off the path (with her sleeping one year old inside!!!!!) It was truly a mad house and very very frightening. Thanks to the very tall man behind me who tried to stop the scooters and keep young children from getting hurt. When we left we were actually sent behind Main St. to get out. I'm glad Disney had an exit strategy at the entrance. Although I tried to keep my eyes shut It doesn't look magical at all behind there!

 

[OB1]

that is a scary story. We all hate to get stuck in a crowd, but if we are going to visit WDW, we are going to wait in lines. Not much way around this.

 

[housetomouse]

We took that same route out of the MK during the parade, except we didn't get routed behind Main Street. That path by the stone wall was very crowded, but thankfully not the scary experience you had. I kept thinking there must be a better way to do this. I suppose not leaving during the parade might be the way, but sometimes it's just the time you have to go when the kids are falling apart.

 

[jmskinner]

Sorry to hear about your experience. I'm learning to try to avoid Frontierland during the parades, it is just a disaster. You noticed I said learning, I keep forgetting and ending up over there. I also worry about all those parents that let their kids sit on those rock walls during the parade. With all the people coming through I worry someone could accidently push someone off.

 

[serene56]

oooo- everything I read says to watch the parade in frontier land because that is where the parade starts. After the parade it is easier to exit as the parade winds its way through the park-
Is Frontier land a not so good place to view the parade?

Or people leaving during the parade is what causes the mess?

 

[yaddo121]

Got stuck in the same area during Christmas and you're right, it was really scary. People had stopped back there to watch the parade (despite the poor CM's encouraging everyone to keep moving) and clogged up that whole path. I saw a few people jump down off the stone walled path and go under the Liberty Belle dock so I think people are using that as an escape route from the parade chaos

 

[drcmk]

Is Frontier land a not so good place to view the parade??

I want to know this, too. What is a better (safer) suggestion?

 

[JLC5266]

Wow, thanks for sharing this story....My family will be there in June and was going to watch from that area based on tips....interesting.....We will be very careful and maybe watch from a different area...

 

[Axel]

I want to know this, too. What is a better (safer) suggestion?

Wow, thanks for sharing this story....My family will be there in June and was going to watch from that area based on tips....interesting.....We will be very careful and maybe watch from a different area...

oooo- everything I read says to watch the parade in frontier land because that is where the parade starts. After the parade it is easier to exit as the parade winds its way through the park-
Is Frontier land a not so good place to view the parade?

Or people leaving during the parade is what causes the mess?

I have watched the parades (Christmas, Spectro, P&P, and regular park parades) almost religiously from Frontierland. But, after several bad experiences watching from the Splash Mountain/BTMRR side of the "road", we learned quickly that it is much safer and much more hassel-free to get there a little early to get a spot on the shops side of the "road". Our favourite spot is over by the Shootin' Arcade. There's a raised platform and we usually go out of our way to get there early and grab that spot. Usually my mom and dad hold down the fort and I'll go get Mickey Bars or Dole Whips or something.

 

[jmskinner]

It is a good spot to watch the parade, just don't get stuck over there if you don't want to watch the parade. The only way around from say HM to BTMRR is the narrow walkway the OP is talking about during the parade. If you are sitting there watching the parade, not a problem.

 

[Robo]

Is Frontier land a not so good place to view the parade?

Excellent viewing location.

Or people leaving during the parade is what causes the mess?

Yup.

 

[MelanieC]

WOW- that is very scary. People (like the lady on the scooter) just need to have patience and not go where their scooters don't fit.

 

[sharadoc]

Can you take the train out of that area during the parade time? That would seem to be a perfect solution, but I didn't know if they stopped running.

 

[Texas Rob]

Half the crowd problems i notice personally as an eye witness involve those stupid scooter things. I wish they would ban them and make people use a wheel chair.

 

[shellybaxter]

WOW- that is very scary. People (like the lady on the scooter) just need to have patience and not go where their scooters don't fit.

I agree that the lady on the scooter sounds as if she needed patience, but she was probably scared too. I've been on that path with my scooter and it fit just fine, but if a bunch of people had parked strollers there then it would be a tight fit. Once you are committed to that path - you are committed - you have to keep going.

As an aside - why is it that the scooters don't fit - but the strollers do?

 

[maxiesmom]

Half the crowd problems i notice personally as an eye witness involve those stupid scooter things. I wish they would ban them and make people use a wheel chair.

That has not been my experience. The problem is a simple one, a lot of people trying to leave where there is not a ton of room to move.
The people using ECVs are not the cause of that. Any many people couldn't visit the parks without them.

 

[disneynutsss]

Half the crowd problems i notice personally as an eye witness involve those stupid scooter things. I wish they would ban them and make people use a wheel chair.

this is like saying "a person from texas (or anywhere or anyone) was pushing people and stepping on stollers, they should ban texans from the park!"

 

[SPAM]

I had the same experience at the same place. Now I avoid it like the plague.

 

[Boardwalker]

Can you take the train out of that area during the parade time? That would seem to be a perfect solution, but I didn't know if they stopped running.

Yup, sounds like the perfect solution to me! Especially if you are leaving the park... ride right around to the front of the park.

As far as the ecv us stroller vs people from Texas thing, there but for the grace of God.....

 

[DonaldTDuck]

this is like saying "a person from texas (or anywhere or anyone) was pushing people and stepping on stollers, they should ban texans from the park!"

Don't ban them till they secede.