No more saving seats for the parade

[Winnowill]

When we were there about 17 days ago, seat-saving had already started around 2:00 pm (Soundsational wasn't going). Seriously? Who'd rather waste six+ hours of park time to see a 20-minute parade than actually, like EXPERIENCE THE PARK?!

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I tried to watch for parade watchers when I was there this past Thursday-Friday, but it wasn't easy since I was chaperoning and I wasn't able to be on Main Street at the best times to check. But, I did discover that not all those that appear to be waiting for a parade are actually waiting.

I purposely sat down on Main Street on Saturday afternoon around 1:00 with a cup of coffee. I needed to be out in the esplanade at 1:30 to meet with my school group to head back to Sacramento and there wasn't time for another ride, I'd done the shopping I wanted to do and I decided I just wanted to take in the ambience of Main Street.

I sat on the curb outside of the Emporium across from the Cinema. Within minutes, I had a dad (standing and talking on his phone) and young daughter (eating ice cream sitting on my right) and a group of 4 women seated on my left. People walking by were looking at us, some of them not terribly kindly, and one person loudly said, "Can you believe these people are waiting for the parade already?"

Okay. So, sitting on the curb to enjoy my coffee, all of a sudden not all that pleasurable. The women seated next to me asked if I was waiting for the parade and I told them I was actually heading home in a few minutes. The women told me they were resting their feet while someone finished shopping then they were headed back to their hotel for the afternoon. While I was talking to them the dad and daughter had melted back into the crowd.

So, my take was that there are definitely people who are just hanging out and not necessarily there for the parade when they are seated at the curb.

 

[Uncranky Donald]

This subject and thread boggles my mind...like this is real? People for years have been playing "save-sies" with blankets at Disneyland like it's the multi-purpose room in grammar school? Fascinating that this has been allowed for so long, I'm seriously fascinated!!

 

[StageTek]

It's horrible that people have a different way to EXPERIENCE THE PARK than you do.

 

[pwillunlv]

Thanks everyone for the updates!

 

[Albort]

When we were there about 17 days ago, seat-saving had already started around 2:00 pm (Soundsational wasn't going). Seriously? Who'd rather waste six+ hours of park time to see a 20-minute parade than actually, like EXPERIENCE THE PARK?!

crazy disney fans... my friend sat waiting for fantasmic at 5:00pm. i must admit though, i really did enjoy that view... haha

 

[lcp9]

Ugh. That's annoying that it's not being enforced.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

I told you all that this would not be enforced lol.
I was at Disneyland recently and seat saving was rampant, it is what it is.

 

[agamble]

I wish they would try harder to enforce this. It's not really that hard. Honestly, they could come by when they set up the rope and tell everyone they have to move until the ropes are set up. Yes, some people will still hang out for hours, get up, and sit back down as soon as possible. But I think it would help.

I also agree that some people may just be sitting there for another reason, but if you see people sitting on blankets etc. they're likely waiting for the parade.

 

[mom2rtk]

I wish they would try harder to enforce this. It's not really that hard. Honestly, they could come by when they set up the rope and tell everyone they have to move until the ropes are set up. Yes, some people will still hang out for hours, get up, and sit back down as soon as possible. But I think it would help.

I also agree that some people may just be sitting there for another reason, but if you see people sitting on blankets etc. they're likely waiting for the parade.

I do too. But I'm so sick of it that if they don't enforce it over time, I might just have to pack a blanket of our own next time.

 

[agamble]

I do too. But I'm so sick of it that if they don't enforce it over time, I might just have to pack a blanket of our own next time.

Definitely. If they aren't going to enforce this then I am going back to my original plan which was for my mom and I to hang out on the blanket in the Small World area for a couple hours while my husband took the kids to run around Toon Town.

 

[GeneralTso]

I couldn't believe it when I saw people sitting and waiting at 5pm for the 8:30 Electrical Light Parade. Just not my way of doing things, but hey---it floats THEIR boat.
I think the CMs are sick of being yelled at by the blanket people. I witnessed a few bad exchanges. You get some very entitled folks determined to mark their spot. For some reason, the CMs are not "empowered" to do their job. Clear message I got: if you refuse to budge you get to stay.

 

[mom2rtk]

I couldn't believe it when I saw people sitting and waiting at 5pm for the 8:30 Electrical Light Parade. Just not my way of doing things, but hey---it floats THEIR boat.
I think the CMs are sick of being yelled at by the blanket people. I witnessed a few bad exchanges. You get some very entitled folks determined to mark their spot. For some reason, the CMs are not "empowered" to do their job. Clear message I got: if you refuse to budge you get to stay.

I was afraid that's how it would end up.

 

[agamble]

Clear message I got: if you refuse to budge you get to stay.

This sums up so many things that are wrong with our society.

 

[Leopardstars]

Just spent the last 2 weeks at Disneyland and there are still seats being saved hours in advance of parades. We tried finding seats at 7pm for the 8:30 MSEP and we found some at the very back row in an area by the Matterhorn. About 10-15 minutes later an announcement was made that all viewing areas were full! We had better luck, on the advice of a CM, to come find seats about 10 minutes after the fireworks are over and walk towards IASW, we found a lot of the crowds gone for parade viewing and easily got front row (once again by the Matterhorn!) but it was noticeably less crowded and chaotic.

We were there last week and were very lucky to get a spot to stand right behind a bench by the Main Street railroad. We got there about 7:15 or 7:30. At 8:15 they announced the viewing areas were full for the 8:30 parade.

I think the CMs are sick of being yelled at by the blanket people. I witnessed a few bad exchanges. You get some very entitled folks determined to mark their spot. For some reason, the CMs are not "empowered" to do their job. Clear message I got: if you refuse to budge you get to stay.

I can't say I blame the CMs. If you get yelled at and not supported, why bother. I think if Disney Security backed up the CMs and enforced the "rules" people would get the message.

 

[mom2rtk]

I can't say I blame the CMs. If you get yelled at and not supported, why bother. I think if Disney Security backed up the CMs and enforced the "rules" people would get the message.

I think the point is that the CMs should absolutely be supported. That message needs to come from management and for some reason seems not to be there.