need to check out the "rude factor"

[luvsTink]

How do folks "stake a claim" to viewing spots for Parades, fireworks and such? How rude would it be to bring a blanket to take up the space the 5 of us will use, have one or two people sit with it so the others can catch a couple rides? I am concerned about keeping a 4 and 6 year old happy while waiting.

And how far ahead of time for a late Saturday Spectro?

Thanks for your opinions, I really don't want to be rude or any more obnoxious than what comes naturally

Anne

 

[WDWAurora]

That definitely happens, and I don't really find it super offensive. Try to get near a trashcan, it tends to make it easier since you have a "guard" on that side. Do consider, however, that it will be difficult to keep the spots, and there is a definite possibility of people moving in on you more easily since all the spaces aren't filled. I have seen people sit on other people's blankets...and asking people to move from "your" spot can invite some rude replies. I started going at least once a year, starting when I was 3 and kept going until I was in my midteens. We always sat as a group from beginning to end, maybe with 1 or 2 at a time going to take a bathroom/shopping/get snack break, but always back within about 15 minutes.

 

[HaleyB]

I agree that while I don't think it is rude to try to save spaces, I am not sure you will be able to. We always seem to need at least two adults to hold ours. If you have a stroller use it to help keep space open. Be aware that as the parade times near truely rude people will push in on your space. There is no good way that I have ever seen to stop this.

 

[Kallison]

As the parade gets closer and space gets tighter people will be pushing in on your blanket. I don't find it rude, but most people do not respect personal space when waiting for a parade. For instance, DH and I stood up to get the kinks out of our legs while waiting for Spectro. Once we stood people immediately pushed forward and filled in the space, we couldn't sit down again. Once my DD and I were sitting facing each other with our legs stretched out to hold spots for DH and other two sons. A family pushed their stroller up literally millimeters from our legs and kept going on and on about the wonderful spot they had "just" found. Finally I looked up at them and said Sorry we are not budging and when the rest of my family gets back from the restroom they will be standing where our legs are now, so you can pretend you dont' see me all you want but that is what is going to happen. Without a word they turned around left. The behavior during these shows never ceases to amaze me. You have to be TOUGH!!

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by luvsTink
How do folks "stake a claim" to viewing spots for Parades, fireworks and such? How rude would it be to bring a blanket to take up the space the 5 of us will use, have one or two people sit with it so the others can catch a couple rides? I am concerned about keeping a 4 and 6 year old happy while waiting.

And how far ahead of time for a late Saturday Spectro?

Thanks for your opinions, I really don't want to be rude or any more obnoxious than what comes naturally

Anne

Some people may think it's rude for you to hold space for others while they're riding a couple of rides. Most won't mind if you'll holding the space while the others run to the bathroom or go grab a snack.

 

[CheshireVal]

I think it's fine to hold a space that large if you're there REALLY early. However, as others have said, when the street starts becoming crowded, your whole party should be there except for trips to the bathrooms or food vendors.

People WILL try to crowd you out-- that's guaranteed.

 

[Disneefun]

One time we sat for two hours guarding our primo viewing spot, front row where the parade turns in front of the castle (our whole party was together for the last hour). Well, about five minutes before the parade started, this huge group came and sat down right in front of us (and several other people), pushing us back so that they could fit behind the ropes and not get in trouble for being in the road. Well, the CM who was working the intersection directing traffic saw this happen. She also knew that we had been there all that time, especially since we had talked to her earlier. She came over, told them to get up and get out. She called security and had them ejected from the park! I wish I could remember her name, but she was the greatest.

Point being, people are rude and when it gets close to time and on busy nights people get desperate (or stupid) and do bad things. Be prepared to defend your spot, stay together the closer to time it gets, and make friends with any CM's who happen to be in your vicinity. They can help you if they know you've been defending a spot for a long time and someone suddenly cuts in on you.

 

[mommyflower]

I encountered another type of rude behavoir during a parade in MGM. We came in just as the parade was about to start. We saw a spot on the curb right where the street turns to the dead end where the parade ends. So we stand there, myself, DH, and DS in the stroller, getting ready to sit down. We overheard the people behind us sitting on the sort of wall in front of that store right there. They were complaining about how we were rude for blocking their view. Well we just sat down and enjoyed our spot. Having been to WDW I know you have to sit on the curb to get a good seat and I don't think anyone should expect to sit three or four feet from the curb and not have some one sit in front of them. Also they were sitting on the wall and we were on the ground so I don't see how we blocked their view. I'm I wrong? Now I don't push people over or anything like that, but if I see a place where no one is clearly sitting shouldn't I be able to sit there? (And I don't mean the two inches of curb that is between you and the edge of the street) Needless to say a lot of other people ended up standing behind us and the family sitting on the wall moved and tried to sit the child with them on top of a trash can. A CM quickly told them to take him down. What does everyone think the proper parade etiquette is for WDW?
Also I don't think there is anything wrong with saving seats as long as it isn't one person for a very large group.

 

[fmed845]

Our family of 8 along with 3 other families staked out a spot at MGM about an hour and a half before the parade started. 5 minutes before the parade starts a small group from Brazil came over and stood in front of us on the parade route. A cm came by and told them they had to get behind the lines. They lined up in front of us and slowly started pushing back to get behind the lines. Luckily one of the other families had someone who spoke their language and they had some words. They told him since most of them were shorter then us they should have the right to be in front. Fortunately there was a cm near by who saw it happening and came over and made them move. But during the parade some of them that moved behind us were still trying to push past us to the front. Had a hard time holding my temper that day.

 

[seashoreCM]

(copied from another post)

Regarding your staking out your space just behind the ropes, contrary to what the driver on the bus says, you gotta don't please move back.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[loriandmatt]

Oh my, I love the parades at WDW, especially Spectro (and my all time fav - the MSEP - sigh!)

Because of our intollerance for rude folks (coupled with the fact that we have done WDW several times in the last few years) we tend to avoid them anymore.
When we do truely want to catch one, we reserve ourselves to a few simple facts:

stay as a group - bring along an item or two to keep the little ones attention while waiting.

Socialise with others around you - folks are less likely to cram in on your space if you just spent the last half hour getting to know them. This also works well for everyone - we generally let all the kids (ours and the ones in the group we just got to know) up front and the folks with the cameras behind them.

If things just get too salty - try a different spot or give up. Playing "who's the bigger horses ***" is not the makings for a good vacation. We only ever had to resort to this once, but this option was better than having my son remember his mom or dad going postal on someone at Disney World. I did discuss with him after we leave though, that in some cases, it is better to prove you are a better person by walking away. (This is usually followed by a comment by my DH that starts with something like..."There is a special place in Hell for......"

- lori

 

[kevind65]

Im guessing im in the minority on this issue, but, I can't for the life of me understand what makes people soo crazy when it comes to these parades...It's only a parade people!!! Is my hometown the only one in the US of A that has parades? I've seen parades before....they're OK I guess....
I really don't care for(or understand why) people staking out and saving spots for the parades 1.5 to hours 2 hours beforehand. I hate how it blocks the walk ways and the shops when it's already crowded...and it's these same people who do it that act like the own the whole street just because they've been sitting there for 2 hours.
Even though I don't care for or understand why people stake out spots so early, I don't really find it "rude". I do however, find it rude when one or two people try to save a large area for a group that's out riding rides...If you want to save a spot for 5 people, then 5 people need to be there the whole time saving the spot...just my .02

 

[sk!mom]

I have to agree with kevind65.

It's only a parade and you shouldn't save a large area for people who will show up at the last minute. If the parade is so important then everyone should be there to hold their own spot.

Having said that, we really haven't ever encountered extreme rudeness. Just a couple of instances of irritation.

My pet peeve, is the people who will show up at the last minute and then try to put their children in front of people who have been waiting. Now, I have invited small children to move in front of me many times, but I don't enjoy having them shoved in front of me.

 

[FredS]

Originally posted by sk!mom
...My pet peeve, is the people who will show up at the last minute and then try to put their children in front of people who have been waiting. Now, I have invited small children to move in front of me many times, but I don't enjoy having them shoved in front of me.

Aaaargh! That seems to be what happens to us the most. We don't get crazy, but do usually grab a spot in advance. At the last possible second a family comes through and tells their kids to "go stand at the rope" and these children squeeze in front of us, stepping on toes and making it hard to even breathe -- talk about no respect for personal space!

I have just told the parents that I was sorry, but that there wasn't room for anyone else. Twice, as I recall, I got dirty looks but the parent pulled the children back. Once the parent just ignored me, but that was probably the worst experience of being literally stepped on and having no room to move. We were sitting down and after the umpteenth time of being stepped on, and then some strange preschooler plops down, sitting on my leg, I, as calmly and with as much of a "happy voice" as I could muster, guided the child up and behind me, saying something like "sweetie, there's not enough room right here and you are getting too far from mommy" as I did so. Then I just turned around and tried to forget about it. I expect that I would be dead if looks could kill, but.........

Those are the worst because these people bank on you being "nice" and not saying anything to upset their children. At the same time they apparently have taught their children zero about being polite to others so they ruin the experience for those whose spots they swipe.

 

[hannahryan]

Last month at MK, my brother in-law & nephew were holding 6 prime spaces on the curb in front of the castle for the Christmas parade. My sister and I took the little ones to eat. 15 minutes before the parade started, we got a frantic phone call on the cell phone, "get back here now, these people are crazy!!". My brother in-law had never experienced a Disney parade nor will he ever again!

 

[gravymom]

Well, my experience was not for a parade but for viewing Wishes last Friday night. It was a cold day and about an hour before the fireworks, it started to rain. We finished riding rides and made our way to the train depot at the entrance so that we could wait for the fireworks without getting soaked. I had the stroller next to one of the columns of the train station and I was holding the baby and leaning against said column, with DH behind our stroller. My 5yo fell asleep in the stroller.

As time for the fireworks approached, we kept getting pushed closer and closer together. At one point I took half a step to the stroller to wake my daughter up and a lady plopped herself right in my spot, her back now against the column. I was ticked to say the least. She was with a group (at least 7) non-English speaking, very aggressive people and she would not move. Almost had to call security on that one.

Why do people think they can come 5 minutes before something starts and just muscle in on the people already there???

 

[DizBelle]

Originally posted by gravymom
Why do people think they can come 5 minutes before something starts and just muscle in on the people already there???

Because 99.5% of the people on the planet have a mantra that goes something like "Me, me, me..... it's all about meeeeeeeeee." And they can't even let it go when they are at the happiest place on earth.

These people really make me

 

[Sinderella]

GRRRRR...... Parades...... Although I would love to see them, I just can't justify the frustration when I'm on vacation or at home. Can't stand the crowd thing. You can have my spot, I'll be on the rides! Now if I was standing next to all of you people, I would love a parade!

 

[DizBelle]

Originally posted by Sinderella
Now if I was standing next to all of you people, I would love a parade!

You're on! Will you save a spot for the other 50,000 of us???

 

[mom2boys]

took the little ones to eat

We have found that works better for us, if someone goes and brings food back for the group to eat at the parade spot. This will be our first trip without strollers, so it will be just us humans staking our claim alone the parade route.