Kids on shoulders

[handicap18]

I cannot believe people are rude enough to bring freaking tripods into a crowded theme park. That to me is the height of ignorance and selfishness.

Who the heck needs to rewatch fireworks after their vacation? Beyond dumb.

as far as tripods go. I find it extremely irritatingto ahve to try to watch parades, fireworks, the nemo musical show, the lion king show, etc. etc through someone elses tablet, Iphone, etd.

I'm certainly not going to worry about keeping a clear path between a camera on a tripod and a parade, fireworks, etc. many feet away so a Cecil B. DeMille wannabe can get a perfect film. really...

how often do you see people trying to get a phot from many feet away.. acroos a busy path? I often accidentally walk between. if I notice it, I'll try to wait, or walk around.. if I have time, I'll offer to take the shot so they can all be in the picture.

hey! what a great plan! I'll buy a cheap tripod and stick a fake camera on it. an tell everyone, "you can't stand in front of me! can't you see I'm filming?" lol

Since you obviously can't tell a person's intent when they write words like this on a forum board, I don't know how sarcastic, if at all, you are being.

As a photographer I always try to find a spot where I'm not in anyone's way. I'm not a confrontational person. I've asked people in the past if I'm in their way.

I like taking pictures. Good pictures. Not phone camera pictures. I have many of my own pictures hanging on the walls of my house. I'd rather not pay huge money to get the kind of picture I want, so I take it myself.

Oh and no, I DO NOT take video of the fireworks. I take still photos....

This one you can see one of the Cat in the Hat size hats I mentioned. I would have rather have zoomed in close to the castle like the first picture above (all 3 pictures were taken from the same spot on 3 separate trips), but then more of the hats would have been in the picture. I didn't say anything, just made adjustments to make it work the best I could.

 

[20yBWDW]

As an adult with no kids who loves the Disney parks, this is what I have taken away from this thread as well. I enjoy character m&g's. I have no hesitation joining the line & having a character attendant take some photos for me when I am touring by myself. No one should feel out of place in the Disney parks. No one should be making others feel out of place, either. It's not all about me or any other individual.

I agree with all who have said that if one wants a prime spot up front for viewing entertainment in the parks, one should arrive at the viewing area early & claim a spot. If one has secured a spot, it is not their responsibility, civic duty, whatever you want to call it, to let anyone in, regardless of age or size. In my opinion, if one asks someone on the curb if a child can join them, it places a lot of pressure on that person. People will hear & watch that exchange. That isn't fair to the person who staked a claim to a spot ahead of time. They should not be pressured to allow it, or vilified if they refuse.

There are many options for viewing entertainment. FP+ is one of them. I have used FP+ for viewing the MSEP. Everyone in the FP+ area sat down & watched the parade. It was lovely & I recommend it.

As for adults putting children on their shoulders, that is prioritizing one person's "need" over that of someone else. It will deprive someone else the experience of viewing the entertainment. No one has the right to place a value on another's enjoyment of the entertainment. Guests with disabilities excepted, everyone is a guest & everyone has the ability to choose a place to watch the entertainment well ahead of time. One may choose to go on attractions during that time instead; one must accept that they may not be able to view the entertainment later.

When one places a child on their shoulders in front of another, that person is saying their experience is worth more than that of those in the vicinity. I feel that is wrong. If one is a parent & wants to ensure that their child is able to view the fireworks, the FP+ viewing area & the dessert party are two options that will allow a family to avoid having to get in a spot early & wait for the entertainment. I suggest taking advantage of those options instead of possibly infringing on others.

This reflects a double standard, IMO. If people line up in the front row at 7, someone with small children arrives at 7:30, and then another group arrives at 7:45, why is the person who arrived at 7:00 entitled to enjoy the view they earned by arriving first, but the person in the second row is obligated to accommodate the people behind them? A child in the second row is likely to be 2-3 feet shorter than the adults in front of them. Putting a child on shoulders usually adds only a foot to the parent's height, if that. Why should the the person who arrived last be more entitled to a good view than that child?

I read the argument about predictability, but every single time my view was blocked by a child on shoulders, it was either completely predictable, or a parent reacting to the people in front of them suddenly standing or adding a few more people, changing the view. This thread, in some places, reads like children should be prioritized after other adults.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

and the deal is, that if you stand for 2 hours to see a parade and then at the last minute let a kid stand in front of you, then Mom and Dad and several other tall family members then feel like they should be allowed to stand there too. You can't separate them from the child, you can't possibly expect them to stand apart from their child, they want to take video, they want to see his or her face.

As for Disneyworld being a place for kids...isn't this the mentality that has adults waiting 2 hours for a parade anyway, because they know a parent will just shove them out of the way and then place a child on their shoulders in the front row, saying "you don't count, only the children count and you shouldn't even be here."

If you want your child AND yourself to have a prime viewing area then you have to wait for a prime viewing area...but then you get parents saying "you can't possibly expect my child to wait that long."

 

[jsh1975]

I will walk with them on my shoulders but when at a parade or something will hold them against my chest so their head is about as high as mine.

 

[AndreaA]

It seems to me any kids are not going to be able to see over any adults standing in front of them. So barring the families that push in 5 minutes prior to parade start...if we have first row sitters, where everyone can see, 2nd row standers where everyone (including kids) should be able to see over the sitters, what makes the 3rd row people who have their kids on their shoulders (so they can see over the 2nd row standers) so rude to the 4th row standers, who I'm thinking got there AFTER the 3rd row people. Doesn't the "I got here first, through proper planning and waiting" argument excuse the behavior of those 3rd row child hoisters?

Yeah, I can't believe this argument is still going on. It seems obvious that hold a child on your shoulders in the front row is rude. After that, I say, whatever works. If you're behind someone holding a child up then maybe YOU, not THEM should have gotten there earlier! Why is that so difficult to understand? If you are blocked by someone holding a child, then the fault is yours for not planning better, not theirs for being rude, unless, as I say, they are right in the front row already.

 

[kaylasmom07]

You can't make people do what you want them to do, and I certainly wouldn't try by saying something to someone who isn't doing anything that is against the theme parks rules. All I can do is look out for my family. I have 3 small kids, and I knew that people standing in front of them would make it so that they wouldn't be able to see anything so I plan accordingly. We line up early on the curb for parades, so we don't have to worry about it. This last trip we couldn't get FP+ for wishes or the dessert party (though I would've if i could) and so we watched the fireworks from the railing in front of CP. We got there early enough to get a spot, entertained the kids with other things until the fireworks started, and we even let some other kids in front of us adults when the show started.

IMO you can plan for things like this to a certain extent.

 

[20yBWDW]

You can't make people do what you want them to do, and I certainly wouldn't try by saying something to someone who isn't doing anything that is against the theme parks rules. All I can do is look out for my family. I have 3 small kids, and I knew that people standing in front of them would make it so that they wouldn't be able to see anything so I plan accordingly. We line up early on the curb for parades, so we don't have to worry about it. This last trip we couldn't get FP+ for wishes or the dessert party (though I would've if i could) and so we watched the fireworks from the railing in front of CP. We got there early enough to get a spot, entertained the kids with other things until the fireworks started, and we even let some other kids in front of us adults when the show started. IMO you can plan for things like this to a certain extent.

If I lined up early with my children, I promise there would be people posting about my terrible child, who has a combination of issues that result in him bumping into people, asking a million questions of everyone around him, and fidgeting and squirming to the point that he makes everyone around him anxious. It would not matter that his older and younger siblings were perfectly polite and well-behaved. The same people who complain about people putting children on shoulders would be complaining about my child annoying them. Because even at Disney World, there are people who have a complete lack of tolerance for children who are still learning how to navigate the world.

 

[Angel Ariel]

If I lined up early with my children, I promise there would be people posting about my terrible child, who has a combination of issues that result in him bumping into people, asking a million questions of everyone around him, and fidgeting and squirming to the point that he makes everyone around him anxious. It would not matter that his older and younger siblings were perfectly polite and well-behaved. The same people who complain about people putting children on shoulders would be complaining about my child annoying them. Because even at Disney World, there are people who have a complete lack of tolerance for children who are still learning how to navigate the world.

Again it comes down to, yes, there are jerks everywhere. Even disney. They aren't the majority.

 

[DisDayz]

Is it not also self centered to expect others to accommodate? Personally I believe it is. I will sit as long as others don't also block my view. However, if I take the personal responsibility to get there early, to claim my spot, and to wait... why can't other people? It really is the same for many of the arguments on these boards and it is the same answer I have always given. Personal responsibility has to happen. And when people complain about how they can't see because little susie is in the back and why can't people let their child in the front... then it shows that some people don't have it.

To me this is where it starts. You have a good spot and someone steps in front of you, someone beside you decides to stand, whatever. Something happens that blocks your view, something that you cannot control or correct. Your reaction is to stand up so that you can see, which is perfectly within your rights and I have no problem. You adapted to an adverse situation. Unfortunately, the small child that was behind you can no longer see. So, should the parent of that child a.) tell you to sit down, b.) just live with you standing up and accept that their child will miss the parade, or c.) place the child in a position so they can see, thus blocking the view of the people behind them?

If I go with option A you will think I am rude and will most probably continue to stand because, after all, you got their first and if you sit you will not be able to see. If I go with option B nobody will think I am being rude but my child will not be able to see the parade, even though we may have waited for an hour thinking you were going to sit the entire time. If I go with option C the people behind me will think I am rude because I blocked their view.

But, in reality, what is the difference between what happened to you and what happened to me? You assumed the people around you would stay seated so you could sit and still see. I assumed the person in front of me would stay seated so my child would be able to see over that person. You have someone move in and block your view; I had someone stand up and block the view of my child. You adapted by changing positions, thus blocking my view. I adapted by changing positions, thus blocking the view of those behind me. You arrived before me so you assume your right to see the parade overshadows my own; I agree with you. I arrived before the people behind me so I also assume my right to see the parade overshadows theirs. I'm not seeing a difference.

 

[mummabear]

This reflects a double standard, IMO. If people line up in the front row at 7, someone with small children arrives at 7:30, and then another group arrives at 7:45, why is the person who arrived at 7:00 entitled to enjoy the view they earned by arriving first, but the person in the second row is obligated to accommodate the people behind them? A child in the second row is likely to be 2-3 feet shorter than the adults in front of them. Putting a child on shoulders usually adds only a foot to the parent's height, if that. Why should the the person who arrived last be more entitled to a good view than that child?

I read the argument about predictability, but every single time my view was blocked by a child on shoulders, it was either completely predictable, or a parent reacting to the people in front of them suddenly standing or adding a few more people, changing the view. This thread, in some places, reads like children should be prioritized after other adults.

Thank you, some common sense!

 

[mummabear]

There isn't any reason for this not to work.

Try having a baby in a front pack and another child who needs to be lifted. A hip carry really doesn't work and why should 3 of us be uncomfortable or my child miss out when we have waited longer than you.

 

[mummabear]

my thinking is, if the kids need to be on a set of shoulders to see then the shoulders need to be in the BACK of the crowd so that they are not blocking anyone's view. one row of people sitting/squatting on the curb. one row immediately behind of all heights standing and the the parents who insists on putting their kids on high behind them.

it's not rocket science.

Why should that parent loose their view and that child have one from more of a distance?
Its actually quite fair, how good your view is is based on how long you were willing to wait

 

[glvsav37]

Yeah, I can't believe this argument is still going on. It seems obvious that hold a child on your shoulders in the front row is rude. After that, I say, whatever works. If you're behind someone holding a child up then maybe YOU, not THEM should have gotten there earlier! Why is that so difficult to understand? If you are blocked by someone holding a child, then the fault is yours for not planning better, not theirs for being rude, unless, as I say, they are right in the front row already.

THANK YOU!!! This is the most spot on post if the thread.

 

[mummabear]

Wow. You're not convincing anyone anything but you being a selfish person. You're part of the problem by being selfish and believing the world revolves around your kids and nothing else.

Also, lack of your planning on your part= not our problem.

Isn't it your lack of planning? You are the one who is behind....
Your right it is selfish to expect the world to revolve around you and yet you expect it to so you can roll up after someone and then dictate your view

 

[Dynamite626]

Yeah, I can't believe this argument is still going on. It seems obvious that hold a child on your shoulders in the front row is rude. After that, I say, whatever works. If you're behind someone holding a child up then maybe YOU, not THEM should have gotten there earlier! Why is that so difficult to understand? If you are blocked by someone holding a child, then the fault is yours for not planning better, not theirs for being rude, unless, as I say, they are right in the front row already.

Posting a comment and not looking back. I agree. Not everyone can stake out a seat an hour before a parade. If you have perfect children who will sit there that long or another adult in your group who is willing to do it, then good for you. I have gotten great spots for me and my GD to have a great view of the parade just to have an adult with no kids to stand up in front of us. Did I put my grandkid on my shoulders? Sure did. Holding her at eye level would have just given her a view of the jerks back as I am pretty short myself. Have also gotten us great seats in front of the castle for Wishes to have another group of adults without kids to squeeze in between us and the castle and think it was ok to stand there like there was no one else in the park. Jerks come with and without kids. Most probably have no idea they are ticking you off. Get over it and enjoy the rest of your day at the Magic Kingdom.

 

[Dynamite626]

Yeah, I can't believe this argument is still going on. It seems obvious that hold a child on your shoulders in the front row is rude. After that, I say, whatever works. If you're behind someone holding a child up then maybe YOU, not THEM should have gotten there earlier! Why is that so difficult to understand? If you are blocked by someone holding a child, then the fault is yours for not planning better, not theirs for being rude, unless, as I say, they are right in the front row already.

thank you!!! This is the most spot on post if the thread.

ditto!

 

[Julylady]

Very interesting and entertaining thread! I am shocked at how many people believe that Disney is primarily for kids and that its okay for you to block my enjoyment in order to improve the situation for your kid. I know people operate this way in the real world, but I was surprised that so many people admitted to it!

I have been on all sides of this argument as my early trips were adults only, but in recent years I have taken assorted nieces and nephews, some as young as 3. A couple of observations. If you sit or stand behind someone who you believe has the potential to put a kid on his/her shoulder, or to stand for the performance, I suggest you ask the people if they intend to do so. I have done this several times. If they say Yes, then I just move on to a different spot. I have never had someone tell me No and then do it.

If seeing a parade is important to me, I will be on the curb early. However, you need to position yourself and your kids appropriately and watch for people to crowd your spot, particularly about 20 minutes or so before the parade right up to the time of the parade. Be vigilant! And....don't let anyone from your family leave during this time as people will take any open spots. People who try to find up front seats at the last minute are stalkers and its quite easy to spot them. They are looking for a weak link, don't let it be you. Make eye contact with them. If you are with more than one adult, actually have one adult facing each way so that they don't come up from the back and surprise you. That being said....if we have extra room and I notice there are little kids behind me, I will invite them up.

For other visits, seeing the parade is secondary. If we can find a good seat 10 minutes before, we will. Else, we just keep walking. A couple of times people have offered to let the little ones go up front, but I have never requested it. I say okay only when I can actually still see them. If my line of sight to them is blocked, I don't.

What I find super annoying is when people put their strollers right up front in a prime position, but then don't have their kids sit in them. Kids are sitting on the curb, but stroller is also taking curb space. I don't understand why you can't put the kids on the curb, parents sit behind them, and then put the stroller behind the parents.

NOTE: Its actually a great idea to make "friends" with your neighbors when waiting for a parade. I have met some interesting people that way and you can help each other block the pushers. You also find out early if they intend to have anyone join up with them at the last minute. If they tell you that they have 4 more adults joining them, and there doesn't appear to be any room, its better to know that early.

 

[isabellea]

That's why I FP+ the FoF parade and got the TTFDP. That way I don't have to deal with jerks AND whiners.

 

[TitanBrett]

Im 6'9", my 10 year old daughter is 5'. When she is on my shoulders we gotta be around 9 foot tall, don't get behind us

We are never in the front of anything nor do we need to be but we aren't in the back either. We are not gonna continually move to the back of whatever growing crowd we are in. It's not like we are trying to block anyone but we aren't going out of our way to accommodate every single person that shows up after us.

 

[ttintagel]

And then there are the lovely people who send their children kicking, punching, stomping, screaming, and clawing their way through the crowd so they can elbow me out of the spot I've been waiting in for an hour. I've even had the little darlings climb up onto my wheelchair, stepping on my broken foot to get a better view. So much friendlier than the usual elbows in the bare thighs when I'm standing.