Is there a reason why people find the need to stand during Parades/Fireworks/Stage shows

kyomagi

Mouseketeer
Joined
Oct 3, 2011
We were at MNSSHP last week and for the first time in a long time, we were not front row. Normally during the parade we sit and typically everyone behind us sits as well. When waiting for boo to you, everyone was seated and we could see the the street with no issues, same for the stage when waiting for Hocus Pocus, but as soon as the music started EVERYONE in the very front stood up, for literally no reason, causing everyone else to stand as well. Everyone could see just fine from my point of view when we were seated, and i was 4-5 people back. Luckily we have seen the parade many times, so we really just hung out and kept our spot for the fireworks show.

In stark contrast, at Tokyo Disney/Disney Sea, everyone sat for the shows. Views were good, even 10-15 people back. So polite too, they collapsed strollers and made sure there was room for everyone to get a good view. I feel like we act so entitled to something like a good view that we dont care about those around us

Honestly i feel disney should recommend people stay seated during the shows

 
In my personal case i can't sit on the ground since i have knee problems, i do arrive very early and stand the entire time so people behind me know I'll be standing.
As PP said there's also a matter of safety, if some are standing and some sitting it creates an unsafe environment in the case of a mass stampede
 


We were at mnsshp a couple of weeks ago. We were in the hub area and everyone near us was standing. For the 2nd parade we were on Main Street. People that were right at the curb were sitting but everyone behind them was standing. In all our trips to Disney I don’t really ever remember sitting unless we found a table somewhere or bench. I think most people always stand
 
For the safety of guests, all guests are to stand during parades and fireworks. Cast members actually direct you to stand. During the fireworks and night time performances lights are dimmed. (You definitely wouldn't b e happy if you or a family member was hurt, when someone was trying to leavd , for whatever reason)
 
Seems to be a cultural things of sorts too. WDW parks tend to have mainly standing for everything. Parades you'll see people sitting on curbs though.

Look at a place like Tokyo and pretty much everyone sits for things out there. Its definitely interesting to see how these things go.

I know on a non-busy night at DHS once they let us sit for the movie magic show no problem but for the Star Wars fireworks they did want us to stand.
 


Related side story (feel free to skip)...

We didn't have any standing rule when I worked at Disneyland many years ago, so I'll have to check if that has changed. I'd understand you don't want people sitting in the middle of a high traffic zone when others are walking around, but I remember working in the hub for the Main Street Electrical Parade, and if you were inventive enough, you could get guests sitting for fifteen rows all the way back from the curb into the hub. (It took a LOT of work though, and it was never an official policy. Just something a few of us decided to do one summer to let more people get a clear view. Every few seconds, new guests would walk into the hub and think, great... I'll stand here in the back... and you'd have to explain that everyone sits so that more people can sit behind them.)

The Japanese guests would kindly follow directions and understood that it was for the good of everyone. The American guests were a bit more individualistic and would listen after a good explanation, though some even flat out told me it was their right to stand, in which case I kindly suggested many other places to stand but we were creating a place where people could sit. It didn't occur to some people that if we hadn't been doing what we were doing, they wouldn't even have stopped in that spot because their view would already be completely blocked.

I learned a great deal about cultural differences that summer. And it felt good when the parade started to see so many appreciative kids and parents being wowed by the parade in this section we had created, each with an amazing view of the parade down Main Street.
 
When I watched the star wars fireworks at HS everyone sat down. Was that a one time thing? Or do people normally sit during those specific fireworks?
We had the dessert pkg and we were told to sit for that, but it’s because standing blocks the view of those outside the viewing area. During MNSSHP we were allowed to sit for the show but only because we were right in front of the stage.

Years ago at DLR, everyone up close sat for fireworks and it was wonderful. I’m convinced they make us stand to pack more people in.
 
I’d rather sit as well, but understand the potential risk of being trampled if people move around in the dark and don’t see you.

As an OT addition, years ago I took the kids to Port Aventura in Spain. Their show is at a lagoon and lots of people sat on the fairly high wall around the lagoon which had a steep, rocky drop off into the lagoon. During the show they had little rubber speed boats zipping along the water edge because people fall in on a regular basis and they go fish them out!
 
Its the same with sporting events. At the Chiefs games people have an incredible view from the bottom but 75%+ stand the whole time. I actually saw a fight over that last year. A very pregnant women was sitting in front of me. Her husband asked everyone in the 5 rows in front of her not to stand as she could not stand/sit/stand sit. Well everyone but the women directly in front of her said sure. This woman flipped off the husband. It was quite a show watching security haul her off. For that reason and others I always try and sit and allow the people behind me to see.
 
I don't want to get trampled. For HEA we usually sit for a while once we find a spot, but when you get closer to the show there are so many people trying to cram in that it's just not safe to keep sitting.
 
As a short person, I hate parade viewing and fireworks viewing because I can never see anything. I even have children who are taller then me trying to get in front of me and stand. I would love the option to sit and not have to worry about someone in front of me! In DL fantasmic viewing is on the ground, and if you do a dining package you get a small cushion to sit on. This was sooooo nice and controlled and no one tried to stand. The angle made it perfect for me to see everything, comfortably seated on the ground. I wish WDW would set up “ground seating only” sections allowing people who wish to sit.

Usually I avoid parade viewing or fireworks...cause for me it’s “back of the head in front of you” viewing.
 
We were at MNSSHP last week and for the first time in a long time, we were not front row. Normally during the parade we sit and typically everyone behind us sits as well. When waiting for boo to you, everyone was seated and we could see the the street with no issues, same for the stage when waiting for Hocus Pocus, but as soon as the music started EVERYONE in the very front stood up, for literally no reason, causing everyone else to stand as well. Everyone could see just fine from my point of view when we were seated, and i was 4-5 people back. Luckily we have seen the parade many times, so we really just hung out and kept our spot for the fireworks show.

In stark contrast, at Tokyo Disney/Disney Sea, everyone sat for the shows. Views were good, even 10-15 people back. So polite too, they collapsed strollers and made sure there was room for everyone to get a good view. I feel like we act so entitled to something like a good view that we dont care about those around us

Honestly i feel disney should recommend people stay seated during the shows



Really??? I never seen this behavior for the big parades. At the most you will have the front row sitting on the curb and EVERYONE besides that stands up. I have never seen a mass group of sitters ever.
 
There is more sitting at DL than at WDW, I have noticed that. For example, at DL's Fantasmic. I avoid the night shows because of the crowds, just my personal preference not to attend most of the time. We just did the Frozen dessert party last week, that was pretty good, and at DCA we have done the WoC dessert party.
 

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