Kids on shoulders

[kittyninja]

Read the whole thread and I have to respond! Know that while I may quote someone, I am not specifically addressing you, just using your quote because I found it!

Here's my story as a 20 year old whose family consists of Me: 20, my sister: 26, my mom: 56, and my grandmother: 76, though this only involves me and my sis!!

We were at the 24 hour event (amazing by the way) and we wanted to see the 1am villains pre-parade. We were running later than I wanted (it was like 30 minutes till) and Main Street was packed. We were leaving soon after so we wanted to be on MS to get out quicker. We saw a spot on the curb and asked if we could sit there. Someone thought they were saving it so we stood back. Turns out their friends weren't coming so they let us sit there! I was on the curb with my (4'11") sister behind me because she wanted me to see better. Eventually some kids and parents came up behind us and I assured them that I wouldn't stand so that their kids could see. They were very happy.

Cut to the parade: the people beside me ALL stood up. I was furious but I kept my word to the parents (as I would have even if I hadn't even told them that I would stay seated). I was able to see the parade despite the rude standing curb people and the kids saw it and loved it as well!! My sister did end up standing but she made sure to let the kids in front of her!

So see, all of us non-children people aren't that bad! I do care about the children but I will NOT let you sit there and say that Disney World is not for me! Sorry, but I enjoy it now more than I did when I was 6 or even when I was 12! (Side note: I can't wait to be able to Drink Around the World next year...so kid friendly that Epcot!!)

I will also have you know that my grandmother (in a scooter) at Disney World LOVES the parades!! I mean loves them!! She loves looking at the dancers and the characters and had one of the Cinderella mice kiss her last year! I will stake out a spot for her 1-1 &1/2 hours before to let her see and experience that because seeing her face makes it all worth it!

I got a bit rant-y here but I just have to say that we can all get along and see parades.

In response to the actual question, children on shoulders at parades: please no, stake out a spot; at the fireworks: I'd give you a little more leeway because of the way they're structured!

 

[Angel Ariel]

Disney parks were not tailored for children? I am sorry but It is statements like this that make me wonder what planet some people live on.

Did you not see the quote from Disney himself earlier? "you're dead if you aim only for kids.. Adults are just kids grown up anyway."

Clearly Walt Disney believed in aiming (or tailoring, if you prefer...they are synonymous in this instance) for adults - not parents, but adults - *as well as* kids. He really couldn't state so any more clearly.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Sometimes you do. I start out really polite however I've had people refuse to move, despite them turning up 5 minutes before the parade/show/fireworks and we have been there for 30 minutes or more. You don't have to be mean but you need to be much more forceful and sometimes bordering on "rude"

I don't disagree that sometimes you have to be forceful. Mean is a different connotation to me than forceful..and a different connotation than rude as well.

 

[MattRyan]

Read the whole thread and I have to respond! Know that while I may quote someone, I am not specifically addressing you, just using your quote because I found it!

Here's my story as a 20 year old whose family consists of Me: 20, my sister: 26, my mom: 56, and my grandmother: 76, though this only involves me and my sis!!

We were at the 24 hour event (amazing by the way) and we wanted to see the 1am villains pre-parade. We were running later than I wanted (it was like 30 minutes till) and Main Street was packed. We were leaving soon after so we wanted to be on MS to get out quicker. We saw a spot on the curb and asked if we could sit there. Someone thought they were saving it so we stood back. Turns out their friends weren't coming so they let us sit there! I was on the curb with my (4'11") sister behind me because she wanted me to see better. Eventually some kids and parents came up behind us and I assured them that I wouldn't stand so that their kids could see. They were very happy.

Cut to the parade: the people beside me ALL stood up. I was furious but I kept my word to the parents (as I would have even if I hadn't even told them that I would stay seated). I was able to see the parade despite the rude standing curb people and the kids saw it and loved it as well!! My sister did end up standing but she made sure to let the kids in front of her!

So see, all of us non-children people aren't that bad! I do care about the children but I will NOT let you sit there and say that Disney World is not for me! Sorry, but I enjoy it now more than I did when I was 6 or even when I was 12! (Side note: I can't wait to be able to Drink Around the World next year...so kid friendly that Epcot!!)

I will also have you know that my grandmother (in a scooter) at Disney World LOVES the parades!! I mean loves them!! She loves looking at the dancers and the characters and had one of the Cinderella mice kiss her last year! I will stake out a spot for her 1-1 &1/2 hours before to let her see and experience that because seeing her face makes it all worth it!

I got a bit rant-y here but I just have to say that we can all get along and see parades.

In response to the actual question, children on shoulders at parades: please no, stake out a spot; at the fireworks: I'd give you a little more leeway because of the way they're structured!

Very good post. I also appreciate and enjoy Disney World much more now than I did when I was a child. I like to stake out my spots too, very early, and if I'm on the curb I always make sure to sit so that those behind me can see. I had a similar experience where the people to my left and right stood up, and there was a small group of children behind me, but I remained seated so they could see.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I never said it was only for children but it certainly is designed primarily for children. Your attitude is the one I disagree with. You would not let a 4 year old move up in front of you to see the parade even if it meant no worse view for you just because "you were there first"?

As I hace said before...I.have no issue allowing a young child in front of me for a parade. Their entire family, including adults? No. If the entire family absolutely just has to sit up in front with the kids, then that is *their* responsibility to plan for and arrive accordingly.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Good idea. Next time explain to the 4 year old that even though you could theoretically move to the side slightly and let him see that you will not do that because his parents did not put together a proper Disney touring plan and did not anticipate expected crowd levels and it's really just out of principle that you cannot move over. Nothing personal.

Please tell me how a 4 year old wouldnt be able to stand behind someone like me...5'3" sitting on a curb? My nephew is 4 and when I'm sitting down he is plenty taller than me. Heck, my 2 y/o daughter is almost as tall as I am when I'm sitting down and she is standing, and she has always been in the 20th percentile or less for height. If I'm sitting down on the curb, most 4 year olds will be able to see over me.

If you want to take issue with them not beig allowed in front of curbside people, that's an issue to bring up with Disney as they are the ones who don't allow anyone on the street.

 

[teambeaman]

I presume he is talking about people standing, not sitting. Unfortunately, not everyone on the curb sits, which has been mentioned previously, and I'm sure that is what causes most parents to then pick up their kids so they can see.

 

[Love Tink]

Not surprising that this thread became a "stand your ground at parades" thread, as any thread that even leans in that direction eventually does.

There is a subset of posters on here who jump at any chance to tell their epic tales of being "shoved" or "pushed" aside "5 minutes" before the parade. If you are sitting on a curb, how does someone shove you or get in front of you? I have never understood that - how is it even physically possible? Just don't move. Are they picking you up and carrying you?

We've never had a bad experience at a parade. We even - when my kids were younger - twice had people invite my kids up front to sit and watch with their kids, without us asking (or picking them up and heaving them out of the way).

 

[Angel Ariel]

Not surprising that this thread became a "stand your ground at parades" thread, as any thread that even leans in that direction eventually does.

There is a subset of posters on here who jump at any chance to tell their epic tales of being "shoved" or "pushed" aside "5 minutes" before the parade. If you are sitting on a curb, how does someone shove you or get in front of you? I have never understand that - how is it even physically possible? Just don't move. Are they picking you up and carrying you?

We've never had a bad experience at a parade. We even - when my kids were younger - twice had people invite my kids up front to sit and watch with their kids, without us asking (or picking them up and heaving them out of the way).

I'm glad you haven't had it happen to you. It hasn't happened to me at a parade, because I'm never there to get a curb seat in the first placr, but I have had parents push their kids in front of me to see characters. Given that, yes I can believe something similar can happen at a parade.

 

[BugsDaddy]

Not surprising that this thread became a "stand your ground at parades" thread, as any thread that even leans in that direction eventually does.

There is a subset of posters on here who jump at any chance to tell their epic tales of being "shoved" or "pushed" aside "5 minutes" before the parade. If you are sitting on a curb, how does someone shove you or get in front of you? I have never understand that - how is it even physically possible? Just don't move. Are they picking you up and carrying you?

We've never had a bad experience at a parade. We even - when my kids were younger - twice had people invite my kids up front to sit and watch with their kids, without us asking (or picking them up and heaving them out of the way).

I know that I always look around me a little as a parade is starting and invite younger kids up to the front if possible. There is typically always room to fit at least one or two. I never had a parent try to crowd up with the child when doing this either. I haven't seen a lot of chaos at parades. I think most people are reasonable and some of the more vocal ones on this board who are not so reasonable probably do not make up the vast majority of Disney guests. My guess is that they are the minority.

The bigger issue I have always seen is a little chaos upon exiting the parks at night. Especially Magic Kingdom. It seems like a mad dash to get to the busses and people pushing, shoving, running into people with scooters and strollers. It gets so bad that you certainly don't want your child on ground level.

 

[Love Tink]

I'm glad you haven't had it happen to you. It hasn't happened to me at a parade, because I'm never there to get a curb seat in the first placr, but I have had parents push their kids in front of me to see characters. Given that, yes I can believe something similar can happen at a parade.

But there's a big difference between someone getting excited and rushing a character (and maybe not realizing someone was already waiting) and the stories here where 15 people suddenly bum rush the curb before a parade and physically "shove" their way in.

I'm glad it hasn't happened to me, too. But I'm not really worried about it happening to me because I just can't even picture it happening. If part of the group left the space and wanted to come back? Sure, the space might have gotten smaller. If you were standing? Sure, you might get crowded over a bit. But sitting on the curb? Still don't see how there's any threat of losing your spot (not enough to come on a message board and throw down the gauntlet, anyway).

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

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 as long as your snowflake can see, it is okay to block other kids and adults? That's nice. And this is why we have this thread. It is rude to block someone else's view intentionally, and if they have been waiting longer, it is beyond rude to push in front.

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.

Yeah, okay. Just make sure you get yours, right? Because Bugs is clearly more entitled than all the other kids (and adults) trying to enjoy the park. I think you meant to say you think Disney revolves around YOUR kids.

In my personal experience, I've had far more parents being very aggressive toward me because their precious child is apparently the most important person in the world and deserves whatever it is they are wanting. I would absolutely stand by ground to see a parade, show, fireworks. Everyone is equal at the parks. I paid my money, like everyone else. If I can help someone else see, then I'll move over, let kids stand in front of me, make space for others. However I won't allow my own view to be blocked, by child or adult. Especially when they arrive a few minutes before and I've been standing there for 30 minutes or more. Yes, I might let a few little ones in front of me, however I'm not going to let 3-4, their mother, their father, their grandparents, their uncles. And yes this actually almost happened to us in October. Apparently letting two kids stand in front of us meant the entire family could push in front too.

I have as much "right" to see anything at WDW as anyone else there, including children. If everyone can see, great. I have and will continue to ask people to move or take their kids off their shoulders when people are blocking us, especially when we arrived first.

I used to put my kids in front of me so they could see. Now that they are both taller than I am, I let other people's kids go in front. But even when they were toddlers, I would have never put them on my shoulders - it is just rude. If we arrived too late for them to see, we would try another time. My children know that they are not entitled to something just because they want it.

But so many parents on this thread have forgotten that everyone lines up because they want to see. I'm not sitting on a curb in the sun for an hour because I want to hold a spot for someone else's kids when their parents can't be bothered to wait. I am also not giving up a spot to Snowflake's daddy because Disney is for kids, but I would let Snowflake in front if he/she asked nicely, even if the child arrived late because their parents were far too important to wait.

 

[Mrsjvb]

If you are sitting on a curb, how does someone shove you or get in front of you? I have never understood that - how is it even physically possible? Just don't move. Are they picking you up and carrying you?

My tale albeit not at Disney but at Sea World:

in my wheelchair, waiting a few minutes for the current crowd to move away form the raining near the sea lions. not once, but twice just as one spot opened up large enough to wheel me closer, it is immediate taken over by someone who basically pushed theior way forward in front of me.

finally, I get to the rail and am there maybe 2 minutes when a little boy CRAWLS OVER my foot rests to stand on the bottom of the rail DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. by this time I am fed up and tell my husband to push me away as I am obviously invisible. and yes the father gave me a dirty look and a snide remark about how his son deserved to see too. apparently at my expense. considering he apologized to the couple standing next to us as his child pushed through them to get to my spot but I was totally ignored.

so yes by golly it DOES happen and it is either cause a big kerfluffle and risk being kicked out of the park, or be the better person even though your experience is diminished. you'd be surprised how easily you can be shoved out of your spot by sheer mass

 

[Angel Ariel]

But there's a big difference between someone getting excited and rushing a character (and maybe not realizing someone was already waiting) and the stories here where 15 people suddenly bum rush the curb before a parade and physically "shove" their way in.

I am not referring to someone getting excited and rushing a character and not realizing someone was already waiting. I'm talking about a parent standing behind me in line, then sending their kid to the character when it was my turn and saying to me that Disney is for the kids anyway, adults don't need to see characters. (Not the exact wording, but the gist of what was said to me.)

There was nothing accidental about it. The parent (well parents since it happened twice on the same trip), absolutely knew they were having their child cut in front of someone, and they didn't care.

 

[BugsDaddy]

So as long as your snowflake can see, it is okay to block other kids and adults? That's nice. And this is why we have this thread. It is rude to block someone else's view intentionally, and if they have been waiting longer, it is beyond rude to push in front.



Yeah, okay. Just make sure you get yours, right? Because Bugs is clearly more entitled than all the other kids (and adults) trying to enjoy the park. I think you meant to say you think Disney revolves around YOUR kids.



I used to put my kids in front of me so they could see. Now that they are both taller than I am, I let other people's kids go in front. But even when they were toddlers, I would have never put them on my shoulders - it is just rude. If we arrived too late for them to see, we would try another time. My children know that they are not entitled to something just because they want it.

But so many parents on this thread have forgotten that everyone lines up because they want to see. I'm not sitting on a curb in the sun for an hour because I want to hold a spot for someone else's kids when their parents can't be bothered to wait. I am also not giving up a spot to Snowflake's daddy because Disney is for kids, but I would let Snowflake in front if he/she asked nicely, even if the child arrived late because their parents were far too important to wait.

Who gave you the right to make judgements about anyone else? I never said anything about pushing my child to the front. In fact, I try to make room for others at the front if possible. And what is up with the derogatory "snowflake" comments that several of you try to make. It is not the first time that term has been mentioned in thus thread by those taking the same stance as you. Do you think it is funny to call kids names? You should really be ashamed of yourself and try looking at yourself in the mirror sometime.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Good idea. Next time explain to the 4 year old that even though you could theoretically move to the side slightly and let him see that you will not do that because his parents did not put together a proper Disney touring plan and did not anticipate expected crowd levels and it's really just out of principle that you cannot move over. Nothing personal.

Better yet, why don't you explain to the four year old that the reason he can't see is that you didn't want to wait, even as you saw people staking out spots an hour in advance? Why rely on strangers to solve the problem for your child if you knew the parade was so important to him?

When my kids were little enough to care about the parades, we found a spot early and took a break with a snack to be sure they could see. We explained to them, even when they were as little as two, that if they wanted to be up front, they would have to wait a while. Even then, we would allow little ones to join us if possible. But it is not too advanced for a toddler to understand that he needs to wait his turn and that anyone who arrived earlier will be closer, see the character first, ride the ride first, etc. It seems to be the parents who don't understand the concept.

 

[Love Tink]

so yes by golly it DOES happen and it is either cause a big kerfluffle and risk being kicked out of the park, or be the better person even though your experience is diminished. you'd be surprised how easily you can be shoved out of your spot by sheer mass

I've been in those areas at Sea World. They are awkward and packed for mobile people, and there's no lines, so I'm sure it is very difficult to get to the front in a wheelchair. It's too bad that the small child didn't have more awareness of you, and his father surely behaved badly, but it doesn't really relate to all the stories of people who say they were pushed out of a spot seated on the curb for a parade.

I am not referring to someone getting excited and rushing a character and not realizing someone was already waiting. I'm talking about a parent standing behind me in line, then sending their kid to the character when it was my turn and saying to me that Disney is for the kids anyway, adults don't need to see characters. (Not the exact wording, but the gist of what was said to me.)

There was nothing accidental about it. The parent (well parents since it happened twice on the same trip), absolutely knew they were having their child cut in front of someone, and they didn't care.

Okay - so you had one or two jerks behind you in a character line. I think if I ever had someone say "Disney is for kids" to me I would have no choice but to laugh out loud - both because it is so cartoonishly selfish, and because of all the times I've read stories about it on the Dis and thought, "That doesn't happen."

There's jerks at Disney. There are jerks at the grocery store and jerks at the school pick up line and jerks at the dentist's office. They are - all griping here to the contrary - the exception. I still don't see where holding on to one or two bad experiences and letting them build up into a pre-emptive "Imma get mine!" attitude helps anyone.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I presume he is talking about people standing, not sitting. Unfortunately, not everyone on the curb sits, which has been mentioned previously, and I'm sure that is what causes most parents to then pick up their kids so they can see.

Pick up is one thing. Hold the child on your hip or hold them up piggyback. That way, way, the child has the same view as the parent and you're not blocking the view of anyone behind you who chose the spot because they could see over/around you. There's the added advantage of not risking serious injuryto the child during the exodus chaos described above.

 

[Sparkly]

Who gave you the right to make judgements about anyone else? I never said anything about pushing my child to the front. In fact, I try to make room for others at the front if possible. And what is up with the derogatory "snowflake" comments that several of you try to make. It is not the first time that term has been mentioned in thus thread by those taking the same stance as you. Do you think it is funny to call kids names? You should really be ashamed of yourself and try looking at yourself in the mirror sometime.

Well, I think we've exposed who the real snowflake is here- you!

 

[kittyninja]

so yes by golly it DOES happen and it is either cause a big kerfluffle and risk being kicked out of the park, or be the better person even though your experience is diminished. you'd be surprised how easily you can be shoved out of your spot by sheer mass

Warning:

A bit off topic, but since it's being talked about I'll mention what happened at Universal last weekend to us! We were in the handicap section because we had my grandmother in a scooter. The parade crowd control told us that we could sit in front of her on the curb as long as we did not put our feet over a certain point. We complied but about half way through the Mardi Gras parade we hear my grandmother cry out. A man (also with a handicap individual) had fallen on her trying to catch beads! He didn't apologize to her but when I got up to check on her he apologized to me like she wasn't there.

Again, off-topic a bit but your post reminded me of this. Just shows that the specific section for wheelchairs isn't great either. She ended the night by saying "If we have to park that stupid thing somewhere else I don't care! I won't sit in that section again!" She's a feisty old woman!! lol