Parade etiquette question

[DisneyFive]

We staked out a spot for the second showing of the parade a few nights ago. I sat on the curb about 30 minutes before the parade. Butt was pretty sore by the time the parade started. I highlighted in yellow where we sat on the curb. Actually, my daughter and future son-in-law sat on the curb when the parade started, and my son and wife and I stood behind them. I thought it was an awesome location to see them from. The parade starts right there. You get a great front view of the floats and then the sides as they curve next to you. Once it’s done, you can leave the park immediately because you are right there at the exit. If anyone decides to sit here, just ask cast members where they are going to rope off The street because you want to be in front of that rope. (there are little brass circles in the black top that they will put posts in that rope stretches between.)
I’m not sure exactly where the rope goes, but I put a red line across to approximate. you want to be more towards the train station from that rope if you want to sit on the curb


Here’s where we were

 

[DebbieB]

I saw it Thursday night, 11:00. We were at the hub, technically no curb. I can’t sit because of bad knees but my friend sat at the “curb” when we got there after the fireworks. Others were sitting. When the parade started, most stood up.

 

[slo]

That's what I was thinking when I saw all those people sitting!
It was actually a mix of people sitting and standing down Main Street.

Maybe we'll find a garbage can to lean on while we wait so we don't have to sit.

Just as long as it’s not the garbage can we commandeer to do this when we’re there . In all seriousness…..garbage cans are the best to stand by before parades and fireworks - they’re a table for snacks as you wait, somewhere to throw away your snack trash when you’re done, something to keep your drinks on, somewhere to set your electronics to charge them, something to lean on and most especially beneficial for not allowing anyone to stand directly in front of you Garbage cans are the best! Below is a picture of our favorite Main Street garbage can taken in March. If you can get a doubler, like what’s below, it’s even better

 

[japanese maple]

Just as long as it’s not the garbage can we commandeer to do this when we’re there . In all seriousness…..garbage cans are the best to stand by before parades and fireworks - they’re a table for snacks as you wait, somewhere to throw away your snack trash when you’re done, something to keep your drinks on, somewhere to set your electronics to charge them, something to lean on and most especially beneficial for not allowing anyone to stand directly in front of you Garbage cans are the best! Below is a picture of our favorite Main Street garbage can taken in March. If you can get a doubler, like what’s below, it’s even better

View attachment 987640

Nice! We used a garbage can to put our stuff on back in the day when Festival of Fantasy got large crowds. Worked out great.

 

[Isthisnormalatdisney]

If you get a spot early for the parade while others are riding rides, eating or doing whatever you can do whatever you want at that moment or when the parade starts. If people get upset that you stand when the parade starts maybe they should have been there early so they were in front or in control of the situation. As I say this I'm a very social and talkative guy so I would be talking with everyone around me probably about Disney or sports.

This is a bad take. Don’t do this OP. At the very least look behind you before you completely change the dynamics of the entire situation. For all you know there’s someone in a wheelchair who took up the spot behind you and well now you are blocking them and there nothing they can do.

 

[imbelle]

Just as long as it’s not the garbage can we commandeer to do this when we’re there . In all seriousness…..garbage cans are the best to stand by before parades and fireworks - they’re a table for snacks as you wait, somewhere to throw away your snack trash when you’re done, something to keep your drinks on, somewhere to set your electronics to charge them, something to lean on and most especially beneficial for not allowing anyone to stand directly in front of you Garbage cans are the best! Below is a picture of our favorite Main Street garbage can taken in March. If you can get a doubler, like what’s below, it’s even better

View attachment 987640

Taking bets to see how long before Disney monetizes "Reserved Refuse Receptacle" parade spots (with up charge for the "double-wide bins of course).

 

[Disneylover99]

If I’ve staked out a front row spot for a parade, I’m always going to tell whoever is behind me that there is a possibility that I may stand during the parade.

If I’m standing behind someone who is sitting, I’m always going to assume that at some point they may decide to stand. But I will also ask them. Many will also tell me that they’re saving spots for additional friends/family who will be squeezing in, and at that point I’ll decide if this is still a good spot for myself.

 

[bbsearchlight]

I saw it Thursday night, 11:00. We were at the hub, technically no curb. I can’t sit because of bad knees but my friend sat at the “curb” when we got there after the fireworks. Others were sitting. When the parade started, most stood up.

Is it crowded at the 11:00 performance? We are going next week, and was wondering if it was a lot less crowded at the 11:00 versus the 9:00.

 

[obsesseddisneyfan]

I think It would be very rude to take up the front row standing and not allowing children who are smaller then you a chance to see the full parade. If you stand be prepared to invite some smaller children to watch the parade in front of you. There parents can stand behind.

 

[DebbieB]

Is it crowded at the 11:00 performance? We are going next week, and was wondering if it was a lot less crowded at the 11:00 versus the 9:00.

We did rides during the 9:00, caught the fireworks in Tomorrowland, then looked for a spot trying to get past the crowds. We found empty spots at the hub.

 

[Isthisnormalatdisney]

I think It would be very rude to take up the front row standing and not allowing children who are smaller then you a chance to see the full parade. If you stand be prepared to invite some smaller children to watch the parade in front of you. There parents can stand behind.

I agree, plus a benefit of small children being infront of you is the characters are more likely to wave your way.

 

[imbelle]

I think It would be very rude to take up the front row standing and not allowing children who are smaller then you a chance to see the full parade. If you stand be prepared to invite some smaller children to watch the parade in front of you. There parents can stand behind.

I would agree that the curb space is probably better utilized by folks who are willing to stay seated so that more people can have a good view. But if some one wants to take the time and effort to stake out a spot and then inform the people behind them that they will be standing once the parade starts, I'd say that they are within their rights to do so (unless a Cast Member tells them that they have to stay seated).

While it would be a generous gesture to allow children to stand in front of you, no one is under obligation to do so. I often see people show up right as a parade begins and rudely push their kids uninvited in front of people who have been patiently waiting in their spot for some time. If it's important to the parents that their children have an unobstructed view, then it is their responsibility to plan accordingly and stake out in their desired spaces in advance.

 

[japanese maple]

If we watch on Main Street and get a spot at curb, we will just stand while waiting so there is no confusion. I've watched a couple live streams now and MANY people stand along Main Street for this parade.
Or maybe we will watch in Frontier Land.

Either way, we won't sit then stand.

 

[Isthisnormalatdisney]

I would agree that the curb space is probably better utilized by folks who are willing to stay seated so that more people can have a good view. But if some one wants to take the time and effort to stake out a spot and then inform the people behind them that they will be standing once the parade starts, I'd say that they are within their rights to do so (unless a Cast Member tells them that they have to stay seated).

While it would be a generous gesture to allow children to stand in front of you, no one is under obligation to do so. I often see people show up right as a parade begins and rudely push their kids uninvited in front of people who have been patiently waiting in their spot for some time. If it's important to the parents that their children have an unobstructed view, then it is their responsibility to plan accordingly and stake out in their desired spaces in advance.

Little kids waiting an hour sitting still in a busy area also isn’t a great solution.

as long as the people who are sitting then standing inform the people behind them within a reasonable time before hand. Idk what it’s like I never stake out spots like that.

 

[imbelle]

Little kids waiting an hour sitting still in a busy area also isn’t a great solution.

as long as the people who are sitting then standing inform the people behind them within a reasonable time before hand. Idk what it’s like I never stake out spots like that.

An hour sitting is probably no worse than a hour standing in a line. They could feed them, play games, work it like a swap and trade off where part of the party saves the needed spaces. If it's a priority, they just need to work out a plan of action ahead of time. As Judge Judy would say "Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."

 

[Dug720]

unless a Cast Member tells them that they have to stay seated).

I have actually seen that before. The CMs going along the route to clear feet have said if you're sitting remain sitting so that those standing behind you can see. I can't remember if it was DL or WDW, but I have seen it before.

 

[lovethattink]

The good thing about this parade is that it’s easier seen from a distance than up close. The floats really are up high. I sat in front of guest services on a ground level bench. And my view was pretty decent. There were two kids in a stroller sitting beside me. Neither of them stood. Mostly they sat nearly laying down in their stroller. We didn’t see the ground level people, but we did see their lights.

 

[Isthisnormalatdisney]

An hour sitting is probably no worse than a hour standing in a line. They could feed them, play games, work it like a swap and trade off where part of the party saves the needed spaces. If it's a priority, they just need to work out a plan of action ahead of time. As Judge Judy would say "Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."

doesn’t this board hate when people “save spots?” because that also brings with it a host of other related issues. Like how many spots can one person save, two people save, when do the people who have the spots saved have to show up. What if the person saving them doesn’t say anything? It just seems like the start of another issue

There is a difference for one the barrier and movement of people is one directional such as here aren’t (or at least there shouldn’t be) an endless amount of people moving past the groups waiting and there are no clear barriers like in a line.

 

[Miffy]

I saw the 11 p.m. parade last week from a spot outside the Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square. I sat on the curb before the parade, but stood for the parade. There was nobody behind me. In fact, there were very few people in the area at all. It's possible I just got lucky, but this was the first week of the parade, so I was expecting a bigger crowd.

ETA: The parade didn't arrive there until about 11:20, and some of the people who'd been waiting in the area gave up before the parade arrived.

 

[Genie+]

Honestly I’m surprised by the responses here. We’ve always expected the possibility a party might stand up once the show begins. I feel like it would be weird to get upset at them for doing that. My choice is to ask them if we felt it was important, or get a spot earlier in the front row. And when our kids were short - if we wanted to get them a good view - we’d arrive early to get that. The way I’ve always seen it is either you prioritize your time doing other things, arrive later and accept your view may suffer… or prioritize your view and arrive earlier.