Illuminations Viewing Etiquette

[kidzmom3]

We were just at the World and were later than we wanted to be for arrival for Illuminations. We knew that we would not get a premo spot and were well prepared for it. It was about 8:30 pm on Monday (the day after Easter) As we began to walk around the WS to find a spot, we found an area that had one row of people at the fence. They were all set, so we stood behind them (with plenty of room) Essentially creating a second row. This apparently made others aware that they could do the same. By the time the show started there was a full second row in our area. We had a great view of the show and thoroughly enjoyed it. When the show was over, a woman that was in front of me told me that it was "rude" of us to stand there. That we should have found our own space. Now is it me or was this lady nuts??? We left them to their front row. I kept at least a foot between them and us. We all had a great view, in fact she had a seat because we were near that McDonalds CS place that has the high tables and chairs near the water. What did I do wrong??

 

[clonetothebone]

I vote for "she is nuts"!

 

[PolyPal]

You absolutely were not rude or wrong. Years ago, back when video cameras were the size of small toasters, I was in the "front row" at EPCOT and some jerk in the "second row decided to steady his video camera on my shoulder. Now that was rude!

Another time during SpectroMagic, some guy pushed my pregnant wife and my son in his stroller so that he could wedge his way in sideways along the curb on Main Street USA. He kept hitting the back of my neck with his camera.
Arrrghhh!

 

[richard_andmel]

I vote for "she is nuts"!

Yeah... She was a tad unreasonable and unrealistic...

 

[denecarter]

She's nuts... I'm impressed there was a good spot that was ONLY two people deep. I only get to go at busy times, so the only time I've ever seen Illuminations without a crowd around me was when I got an Illuminations cruise.

 

[DebbieB]

One time during MVMCP we stood behind a family sitting on the curb in the hub. We left at least a foot also, maybe two. Their kids were playing on the sidewalk behind them before the parade started at least 4 or 5 feet from the curb. The mother made a comment about "people are trying to take our spots". I said I wasn't aware that "your spot" covers the entire sidewalk behind you.

 

[FigmentKid]

Um, she's nuts. Definitely. She's lucky she didn't have someone squishing her on all sides. Last time I saw Illuminations the people around me were so close I could smell the margaritas on the breath of the guy behind me, and I could look at the screen of the guy's digital camera in front of me!

 

[DisneyFreaks]

You were certainly not rude. I wish people who stand behind us would be as considerate. One lady nearly pushed me off of the bridge and into the water during one Illuminations show. I swear I had the cement patterns from that bridge tatooed on my stomach after it was over. LoL

 

[Tricia1972]

The lady is nuts. In your case you were very considerate. As others have shared here many are not so nice and considerate. If she wants to see Illuminations privately then she should go on a cruise.

 

[Stacerita]

Cuckoo!

 

[WDWguru]

She's nuts. If we stake out a spot, it's at the little tables next to the crepe cart in france. The chairs are low enough and I'm short enough that I can just see over the wall with about a foot of space between my legs (sitting down) and the wall itself. We've used this space several times and typically end up with a crowd standing behind us. Once, we had a group come up and let their kids stand at the wall, squeezing in front of us. There really wasn't room to begin with, plus the kids were tall enough that it blocked my view. I looked to the parents to say something, and when they still hadn't as the show was starting, I had to say to the kids "excuse me, but I can't see" and they finally did move to the side. THAT was rude (the squeezing in, not the moving).

 

[123SA]

Oh I think I know that lady. I met her in Target 2 weeks ago. I said excuse me and passed her in the shoe aisle. She freaked out! Apparently, she expected me to wait for her to finish shoe shopping before I headed down the aisle.

 

[Hannathy]

She is Nuts. She is very lucky like someone said that no one stood in front of her at the fence if they left anyspace between them and the fence.

 

[SorcererDonald16]

Another "She's nuts" vote.

Actually this reminds me of something that happened to us at Epcot in late March. It was pretty cold that night (in the 40s), and even at 30 minutes til 9, hardly no one was outside for Illuminations. We finally abandoned the warmth of the main shop in China to go get a spot 10 minutes til. It was a little more crowded, but still hardly no one. The area between Germany and the Outpost (I think that was the location) was completely empty, aside from a family of 4 or 5 crammed on a bench. Railing and all were clear. Now, this bench was a good 10 or 15 feet away from the railing. Even so, we walked up to the railing and stood to the side so as not to block their view. More people come up and stand beside us. The lady on the bench proceeds to flip out, rushes up behind us and starts yapping (to us!) about "We can't see! How dare you all stand here!" Umm...

Everyone just ignored her, and she finally just stood there quietly. But after it was over, she turns around and snaps "How rude!" with this nasty look on her face. I so wanted to say "Uh, lady, you realize people will go wherever there is an open spot, right? Especially when you leave 15 feet or so between yourself and the fence by virtue of sitting on a bench!" That was beyond irritating, especially after we tried to even be extra considerate and stand to the side so they could continue to sit. We didn't hold a gun to those other families' heads and say "Come stand here, NOW!" But we were the ones "blamed" for her "poor view." Sigh...

Maybe you and I saw the same person on a different night.

 

[seashoreCM]

some jerk in the "second row decided to steady his video camera on my shoulder.

Another time during SpectroMagic, some guy pushed my pregnant wife and my son in his stroller .... He kept hitting the back of my neck with ...
!

I'm surprised he got a steady picture.

To those eavesdropping, this is easily preventable and also easily curable when you join up with extended family and/or friends to go to Disney together. You'll have to size up the situation with the who uses the room bathroom when and who meets whom when and where that traveling together entails.

Back to the original question, she's nuts.

 

[SarahK]

Another vote for "she's nuts"!

 

[elastigirl]

Definitely nuts. At all standing room shows, parades, etc - the crowd usually goes back as many rows as possible to see. That's normal WDW behavior; I don't know what she thought people should do. If you don't get there to get a spot in the front row, you can't watch? Um, okay.

 

[UGAFan0829]

Another vote here for SERIOUSLY NUTS! You did nothing wrong!

After reading about all the "rude" encounters that happen to all you DIS'ers, I'm starting to get a little worried about our first trip!!

 

[ScottOKW2K]

It's Official - she's NUTS !

Also, she's bonkers.

A few fries short of a Happy Meal,

Her elevator doesn't go all the way to the top,

Climbed the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down.

Couldn't find her hindquarters with a flashlight, map and a gps.

BTW - don't try to match wits with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

Crazy lady. She should be so lucky that you were so polite. Most fireworks/parade watchers aren't. If she wanted private viewing she should have gotten a cruise.

Me and DBF staked out a spot to watch Spectro one night. There was a couple in front of us on the curb. So we sat behind them leaving plenty of room. My back was against the rope that they put up along Main Street. I had been there for at least an hour already. I guess I moved up 3 inches during that time and right as the parade was starting a family shoved their way inbetween my back and the rope. Can you get any more rude?