Lady Bug Release & Maid Parade at Grand Floridian

[JanetRose]

Does anyone know what days and times these two events occur? Thanks.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Does anyone know what days and times these two events occur? Thanks.

The lady bug release is no more.

As for the maid parade......I have heard of it, and if it happens it would be WAY before we get up in the morning. Never seen it. Not sure if they still do that.

Lives4Disney

 

[Cool-Beans]

Subscribing!

I stayed at the GF for 10 days (main building) and didn't see or read about the Maid Parade. But, I've stayed at the Poly a gazillion times and only recently found out about the torch-lighting, which I've also never seen. So, I'm not one for knowing everything.

 

[BCV23]

I've seen the housekeeper parade. It is cute but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it. It was probably at 8:30...maybe 8:20. They just do it on the way to the lodges. Sorry I don't remember which day of the week they do it. Not maids BTW.

Yes, the ladybug release is a thing of the past.

 

[bradk]

ladybug releases only typically happen in epcot now. either during the behind the seeds tour or once a day at the great american farm exhibit in innoventions west.. not sure if it's 10:30 or 11:30 offhand

 

[Minnie&Nana]

 

[Lisann]

Someone is not going to like this, but I found the housekeeping parade condescending....made me think of Gone With the Wind.

I don't know if it made me think of Gone With The Wind, but it seems a little bit 'wrong' to have the housekeeping staff on parade. It seems belittling in some ways; I don't care for it.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

 

[Cool-Beans]

Could someone please explain, for those of us who haven't seen it, exactly what happens here?

 

[BCV23]

Could someone please explain, for those of us who haven't seen it, exactly what happens here?

I've only come across it once and just in passing. What I saw was the ladies walking in pairs if I recall correctly with parasols. They sure appeared to be having fun. But it is really low key. No one was standing around watching them.

Is it mandatory for them? If so, I wouldn't like it either as I don't enjoy being "onstage." But they sure seemed to be enjoying themselves. Maybe they were just laughing at it.

It didn't seem at all inappropriate to me. But then I consider the mousekeepers no different than me...other than they can do turndown so much better.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

 

[BCV23]

BaciBecky, the housekeepers wear those aprons all day so there's nothing different about that.

I think we should all start to ask the houskeepers if they enjoy it or not and if it's mandatory, etc.. I personally wouldn't take the word of one host/ess at GFC as representative of everyone. But if it is resented by the mousekeepers, we could all start to express our concern.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

 

[Cool-Beans]

This just doesn't sound like a big deal. Tons of people have to do stupid stuff at work - like a waitress having to hop up on a bar/stage and line dance, for example - that really has nothing to do with their job. Or sing "Happy Birthday" every 10 seconds to people whose idea of a GREAT time is having servers sing "Happy Birthday" to their friend.

Disney has themes. The staff have to wear stupid costumes and act like they just love doing their job, whatever it is. It's all an Act for them and the staff are in the Cast.

Having to smile and carry a parasol just doesn't sound like anything too horrible, in my opinion.

Would I want to do it? Nope. But if I got sick of it, I could always get a different job.

 

[BCV23]

Cool Beans, good points.

BaciBecky, I haven't really stated an opinion. It's not a big deal to me one way or another. I do think the costumes are pretty at GF and Y&BC but sure wouldn't want to do housework in them.

But I too have stayed at the GF 7 times, dined at the GFCafe many, many more times and don't know why the mousekeepers would be any less honest than a CM at the Cafe.....who may have just been trying to agree with you.

But it is such a minor thing, wouldn't you have thought the union would ask for it to be discontinued if it really mattered to the CMs involved. I mean it's not as if any guest hangs around to see it, right?

But I am curious about it now including some's perception of it being demeaning. Does anyone feel the same about the characters for instance?

 

[Minnie&Nana]

 

[BCV23]

No judgement here either. But what makes you think so many guests find it condescending? I'm only curious. It just seems like such a little thing to me. I suppose it could be like CMs at the Polynesian being encouraged to say aloha. Just part of being on stage. Heaven knows there are plenty of other housekeeping jobs in the Orlando area if anyone really dislikes it. But still I sure hope it's not mandatory.

 

[TammiMcMan]

First of all, I've never seen the GF refer to it as a "maid parade". In all the literature that I've seen, it's called a Courtyard Parasol Parade. Something that's indicitive of women in the Victorian era who always carried a parasol with them. I found this article from Disney which describes it more in depth. In terms of the housekeeping staff, considering that they belong to a union and they are in such high demand right now, I can't imagine that if they were not comfortable with this practice, they couldn't have it removed from their job description or just choose to work at another resort.

 

[Disney Planner Mama]

We just returned from GF and did stumble upon the parade one morning. I think it was about 8 AM. There were a few little girls joining in in the front, and though it was a little odd (we had never heard of it and seeing a long line of ladies in parasols parading early in the morning is unusual), it did not seem demeaning and definitely added to the victorian feeling of the hotel.

We did manage to get one picture as it passed by:

 

[Minnie&Nana]

No one seems to get the point. It is a reminder of a era of which we need no reminder (not upper class Victorian women) - never mind the title, never mind the union - it is offensive to some and seems demeaning.

It is even more disturbing that no one here understands.