Kids on shoulders

[mom2rtk]

I do not think you are under an obligation to stay seated if you are unable to see the parade--whether due to people around you standing and leaning into the walkway or whatever. If you have to stand to get a better view, I would expect you to stand to get a better view. If someone in front of me has a child who cannot see after the parade starts, then I would not expect that person to say, sorry, kid, it's more important for the lady behind you to see than for you to see. I just wouldn't. And I seriously doubt your butt would stay on the curb if you realize after the parade starts that you cannot see.

Actually at Disneyland they come down the parade route before it starts and tell people that if they are seated on the curb they have to stay seated.

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

If you have not guessed by now, yes, I have no problem with my 3 year old on my shoulders. But I would only do it if I am behind or in the middle of the crowd where there is absolutely no way for him to see. If we were in the front row for parades, we all sit. But the is no "front row" for wishes or any fireworks. And while it's not ALL about the kids, trust me they have a hell of a harder time being 40 inches tall and trying to see around full grown adults then it is for you to see around the extra foot and a half on my shoulders. .

There are "front row" spots for Wishes and IllumiNations. The areas right up against the rails on the bridges in MK, the areas on the castle side of the planters in the hub, the rails on the walkway to Tomorrowland Terrace. Do you want me to go through all the ones on the rails around World Showcase Lagoon?

"but why don't you carry them on yo hip?". Have you ever held 45lbs of anything on your hip for close to an hour??? In the hot and sticky Florida humidity ??

Having them on my shoulders is no joy either, but it's a lot better then on the hip. Plus, they are filling the spot between me and the person next to me, exactly where the row behind us should be looking. .

Yes, I have held a kid on my hip through Wishes in July. Every year until she was big enough to stand on her own. She sat in the stroller until the show started and the I held her for the less than 20 minutes that the show lasts. As for the parade we always seemed to be able to get a great spot right against the rope in Frontierland. Just push the stroller right up to it. No need to make people behind us unable to view it.


A pet peeve of mine are the bobbing balloons that people tie to the stroller handle and let wave in front of everyone.

 

[livndisney]

I do not think you are under an obligation to stay seated if you are unable to see the parade--whether due to people around you standing and leaning into the walkway or whatever. If you have to stand to get a better view, I would expect you to stand to get a better view. If someone in front of me has a child who cannot see after the parade starts, then I would not expect that person to say, sorry, kid, it's more important for the lady behind you to see than for you to see. I just wouldn't. And I seriously doubt your butt would stay on the curb if you realize after the parade starts that you cannot see.

You would be wrong! On the rare occasions that I do watch a parade-if my butt in on the curb-it is staying. If I am on the curb-how am I not going to be able to see? The parade is going to pass right in front of me.

 

[Luvscrappin]

The practice of putting your child on your shoulders is just dangerous. Last year we witnesses a child approx 4 yrs old fall off his dad's shoulders while watching Wishes. The child fell back and hit his head on the concrete, luckily he appeared to be ok, but it scared the crap out of me. My favorite was the person who walked up 2 minutes before Wishes...after we had been sitting there in front of The Plaza for over 2 hours and asked if his son could stand in front of my camera....Um NO, I am sorry but I haven't been sitting/standing here for 2 hours for the fun of it.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I tend to agree with this. Maybe I am old school but I think parades like this are primarily for the children. I know some will disagree and throw out that "children of all ages" stuff but I personally think adults standing in the first row, especially those without any kids, should be ashamed of themselves and back off so that more little kids can move up. I would even make my teenage kids move back for smaller children. If there was just a little more common sense and courtesy, this thread would not need to exist.

It's this kind of attitude that had parents at DLR pushing their children in front of me while I was in line to see a character. DLR's meet and greets aren't as structured as WDW's, and the lines (on that visit) were free forming, and there were not character handlers present. The first time, Snow White/Cinderella/Belle were out by the floral mickey head, no handlers, and no one paying any attention to the line that had formed. I was like the 4th person in line, and people kept pushing their kids in front of me, despite me politely saying I was in line - and their response was "this is for this kids anyway." It got to the point that Belle actually had to say something (in character) about there being a line because people were being so rude. Something similar happened in DCA when I got in line to see Sulley, but of course Sulley can't talk...but Sulley did a great job of handling it when he saw what was happening.

Both Belle and Sulley got awesome compliment cards from me at Guest Relations that day. I may not be a child, but I have every right to meet the characters, see the parades, and see the fireworks just as they do.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I am sorry if all those annoying kids (at a kids parade) trying to LIVE their childhood is distracting you from revisiting yours. And, as much as you don't want to admit it, Disney DOES revolve around kids. Are you kidding me? Without kids and parents, there would be no Disney and certainly no Disneyworld.

Walt Disney certainly understood the need to appeal to adults as well.

"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway" ~ Walt Disney

 

[mom2rtk]

Walt Disney certainly understood the need to appeal to adults as well.

"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway" ~ Walt Disney

 

[kelconic]

The practice of putting your child on your shoulders is just dangerous. Last year we witnesses a child approx 4 yrs old fall off his dad's shoulders while watching Wishes. The child fell back and hit his head on the concrete, luckily he appeared to be ok, but it scared the crap out of me. My favorite was the person who walked up 2 minutes before Wishes...after we had been sitting there in front of The Plaza for over 2 hours and asked if his son could stand in front of my camera....Um NO, I am sorry but I haven't been sitting/standing here for 2 hours for the fun of it.

I saw something similar last year, except when the child fell backwards his head hit my son in the head. I was not very happy because it was quite a knock, but I was thankful my boy broke the fall onto pavement that child would have had:/

 

[Angel Ariel]

In Walt Disney's time, no one could probably even imagine an adult pushing a kid out of the way to watch the Mickey Mouse float go by. It just didn't happen. Now, people without kids seem to have some sort of irrational aggressiveness towards people with kids, even in places primarily designed for children. It amazes me when people go to a theme park built for the enjoyment of families and then complain about all the annoying kids. It is not even rational.

IME, there's a lot of irrational aggressiveness from parents towards people without kids.

Before I had my daughter, I had parents push me out of the way - physically - to see characters (see the aforementioned Belle and Sulley incidents). More than once I heard the "well you don't have kids" line of reasoning.

Meanwhile, before I had my daughter, I had no problems doing whatever I could to accommodate a *child* and *the child's ability* to see.

 

[amg35]

Walt Disney certainly understood the need to appeal to adults as well.

"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway" ~ Walt Disney

And there are quite a few kids who would never even see WDW unless the adults liked it so much!
Two of my nieces would have never been able to go had it not been for their grandparents (my parents) who took us all because they still love going. My niece's parents(my sister) don't like Disney so would never have taken them.

My other sister would go even w/out her kids if she could.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think the way they built the new daytime parade is good...with everything UP so there are more good spots. (I havent seen it yet, but it seems that way) Maybe they need to make all of the parades like that.

I guess my point is this is really a problem of an extremely overcrowded theme park full of hot and tired people. I don't believe that people are overall rude or inconsiderate. Its impossible to meet everyone's wants in a situation where they can't all be met.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I am saying they are no less "every man for himself" than the parent who puts his child on his shoulders so the child can see. Both parties are looking out for their own interests. That does not mean I think the person in the front has any obligation to give up their spot. It just means I do not think they can claim any moral high ground. If you're staking out your spot two hours in advance so you can see a parade, you are being hypocritical to judge a parent who puts a child on their shoulders. In both cases, you want to see or want your child to see, and your actions prevent someone else from getting a prime view. It's fine to do it, but don't get up on your moral high horse about it.

I'm sorry, but no...if I'm staking out a spot 2 hrs ahead of time, I'm sitting on the ground. I don't stand up when the parade starts, I stay sitting. That does not prevent children, or *anyone* else around me from being able to see.

Someone putting their child on their shoulders 2 mins before the show starts *is* obstructing someone else's view in a way that the parade scenario I presented is not.

(Just to be clear, I personally do not stake out parade seating 2 hrs in advance..it's just not worth it to me to do that. Were I to do that, though, and I were sitting on the curb or near it, I would not then stand when the parade arrived...unless instructed to by a cast member for safety reasons, and in that case I would let the kids who were behind me stand in front of me.)

 

[Derby]

I think I'd rather have to work around kids on shoulders than the many, many people holding cell phones up in the air trying to record every second of MSEP. This happened on my last trip and it was so frustrating trying to see anything through all the arms holding cell phones high up in the air. It's one thing standing behind people just standing there; it's another when they've added so much height to themselves because of their arms being over their heads.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My husband always puts our son on his shoulders at parades ( we live in New Orleans so this is at Mardi Gras parades). With disney I'm sure he will do the same. The parades and fireworks are for the kids and if he is blocking another child's view (or wheelchair bound) he would move over or I will be happy to let the child stand in front of me and I'll move to the back or side whatever need be. But if a grownup whines that they can't see I'd probably laugh. We all paid to be here. There is no assigned seating. If you can't see move. It's about the kids and the fact that they can't help being small and not seeing. That's just my opinion. I'm not going to have a child not be able to see to not offend a grown adult.

So you think it's humorous that an adult who paid to be there wants to be able to see what they paid to see? Interesting.

I am sorry if all those annoying kids (at a kids parade) trying to LIVE their childhood is distracting you from revisiting yours. And, as much as you don't want to admit it, Disney DOES revolve around kids. Are you kidding me? Without kids and parents, there would be no Disney and certainly no Disneyworld.

Well, without parents there would be no Disney. Walt didn't rise from the dust. Is it possible you mean that without adults or indepeadently wealthy minors there'd be no Disneyland/Walt Disney World?

I seriously hope you are being sarcastic, if not, i would love for you to try this to me one day. Please I hope you are behind me and try this ****, trust me it would be the last time. Who the F gives you any more right to get physical with anyone over their right to hold their child any GD way they choose

Tell me...what exactly would you do to someone physically while they were holding their kid?

And everyone says people with kids on their shoulders are the entitled ones?????



If you have not guessed by now, yes, I have no problem with my 3 year old on my shoulders. But I would only do it if I am behind or in the middle of the crowd where there is absolutely no way for him to see. If we were in the front row for parades, we all sit. But the is no "front row" for wishes or any fireworks. And while it's not ALL about the kids, trust me they have a hell of a harder time being 40 inches tall and trying to see around full grown adults then it is for you to see around the extra foot and a half on my shoulders.


"but why don't you carry them on yo hip?". Have you ever held 45lbs of anything on your hip for close to an hour??? In the hot and sticky Florida humidity ??

Having them on my shoulders is no joy either, but it's a lot better then on the hip. Plus, they are filling the spot between me and the person next to me, exactly where the row behind us should be looking.

Not to mention, there is no place else I want him during the god awful stampede out after wishes where he could get swept away or trampled by the hordes of people who absolutely must make th next monorail.

I love how everyone screams the I am stupid, ignorant, lack respect, whatever for holding my kid on my shoulders, yet you have no issue telling anyone else how YOU WANT them to behave. I'm sorry if you are disabled or otherwise, I have no problem working out a solution with you if you ask kindly, heck I prob did not realize you were behind me. But you bigger issue is with WDW and why there is no disabled viewing areas.

What I am thankful is that there are places my family can view the fireworks from where I don't have to deal with the people who feel its their right to tell me that I'm wrong bc I'm ruin their enjoyment. Its worth the extra cost.

Piggyback. It distributes your child's weight more evenly across your body andputs their eyes on the same level as yours. And if they they slip, they're far less likely to be injured or to hurt someone else than if they fell from your shoulders.

The issue with not realizing any person in any situation is behind you is that you appear not to have any consideration that there's anybody in the world except you. And there are wheelchair viewing areas - but not everybody fits.

 

[mbgrace]

So you get to decide who gets to see? And I'm a little lost. Because some adult ran over your kids' fingers, you're going to block the view of some other random adult?

Nope. Did it to the jerk who stepped on my kid.

 

[queenofhartz]

I think if I had an option to move or confront people, I would move. Look, there are several things that happen at Disney that can be mildly (or crazy) annoying...I've had kids and adults cut into lines, watched many parents yelling at their kids, strollers running over my foot, and one time, my friend and I were in line laughing about a photo we had taken the night before when an obese woman who must have been struggling to fit into a turn style (not sure if that is correct) turned around and cursed us out for "laughing at fat people" (her words). We hadn't even noticed she was having any difficulty.

At the end of the day, it's just not worth it to me to go about confronting people on my vacation. There's always someone that could be more considerate and conversely, I think, always people that could be more tolerant. So, if you can try to move or confront, I would say move.

My husband, however, is a different story. one of us has to be the voice of reason!! (Its me in case you were wondering)

 

[natalieguy]

The best parade viewing for me if from inside the Starbucks on Main Street. Standing at the counter that runs along the window, in the air conditioning, with a lovely caffeinated beverage in my hand, no one else in the place except for my family and the CMs giving out trivia bits about the parade, HEAVEN on earth!

Good tip! Thanks!

 

[Kristine316]

In Walt Disney's time, no one could probably even imagine an adult pushing a kid out of the way to watch the Mickey Mouse float go by. It just didn't happen. Now, people without kids seem to have some sort of irrational aggressiveness towards people with kids, even in places primarily designed for children. It amazes me when people go to a theme park built for the enjoyment of families and then complain about all the annoying kids. It is not even rational.

Sorry to be blunt but, this is utterly ridiculous. Oh yes, all those childless adults at WDW being mean and aggressive to the kiddos.. sorry but, this is laughable. I explained my story.. we were pushed out of our spot during Illuminations from a very rude and aggressive mother with two children and not even all that young of kids, more like grade school aged.

I suppose you think my husband and I had no right to stand where we were... right... because we are just adults and WDW revolves around your children.
The sad fact is that many parents who have an attitude like yours are not pro children.. they are simply pro THEIR children and who gives a flip about someone else's kid.

If someone puts their kid on their shoulders so that the child can see better, chances are you will be blocking the view of not only adults but, also other children. I guess the idea that WDW is only for kids and adults who want to enjoy themselves are heartless, falls flat when the person you could be blocking with your child could be another child.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We discovered a solution to this issue that may not be popular with the stroller rental companies, but it works for us. For Wishes, we have our kids stand in the stroller (with the brake locked), with their arm around a parent. This elevates them just enough so that they're at adult height, albeit a short adult, and we're not stuck holding them.

For parades, we just roll the stroller right up to the rope in Liberty Square or Frontierland and then stand behind it. We've tried staking out curb spots before, but due to the lack of courtesy from other guests, we've given up on that. No one has tried to force their way in front of our stroller, but plenty of people have either forced themselves (or their children) in front of our kids when they're sitting on the curb without the protection of the stroller. It's very frustrating.

I do agree wholeheartedly with the poster who said the second MSEP is the way to do. No jostling for position with that one, even during summer.

 

[teambeaman]

I haven't actually stopped to watch a parade anywhere since I was a child. I am an elementary teacher and the mother of a 3yo. I find it sad and amusing that an adult that knows full well that these are paid performers in costumes is upset that a child that believes these ARE the actual characters dancing around in front of them believes they are more entitled to see this "show" than a child. Disney is absolutely for children. It ignites their imagination and wonder...they believe this stuff is REAL! It blows my mind that this conversation is even taking place. If you think that kids are worse these days, it's because adults are worse these days (and I'm not just talking about parents). I am teaching my child to be respectful and considerate of others, but often question why I bother when others are not respectful and considerate of him.