Parade Etiquette: Was I right or were the masses?

[TigerLaw]

While hopeing I will not get flamed to death, I am dying to know what everyone thinks on this issue. While I think you have to have some context I will give a short version of the issue and then a longer version:

short: does a person up against a rope line have the right to stand to take pictures of spectro when no one else around him is and he therefore is blocking other people's view?

long: here's the background - see if it changes your answer at all

1. I love taking pics (just got back and took over 800)
2. got a new digital camera and actually practiced low light pic taking to get ready for spectro.
3. this was going to be on eof the highlights of my trip.
4. my wife and I got to the rope line 1 hr beforehand.
5. I did tell a couple people who sat right behind me while waiting for spectro I was going to stand up to take pics.
6. I stood up about 5 minutes beforehand and the heckling started almost immediately.
7. a lady was less than 10 ft away from stood the entire time w/o incident.

eventually, I just couldn't take it anymore and sat down (to appaluse) and got what pics I could. (while the lady next to me stood the entire time)

my belief is I waited an hr. for my right to this spot and people who came up later simply don't have the right to complain. did I want to block the view of others - of course not, but why do others get to dictate how I view the parade, if they wanted to make sure they got an unobstructed view, they could have waited like I did for an hour.

needless to say, my spectro experience was ruined. the masses made me feel guilty for ruining their kids' view and I truly was unable to enjoy anything the rest of the night.

OK everyone, what's your take?

 

[DisneyFan0304]

If you were sitting when everyone came up behind you, they picked that spot at least partly because they would have a view over you. When you stood up and blocked their view, I think they did have the right to get annoyed. If you knew you wanted to stand to take the pictures, you should have stood the whole time like the woman next to you did.

Sorry, but having been in their position several times, I've learned that if I intend to stand to take pictures of a parade or show, I stand while I'm waiting, so anyone who comes up behind me knows their view will be blocked.

Sorry it ruined your night, but I do feel they were right.

 

[Allison]

Okay-you asked-I think you were wrong.

You weren't standing the whole hour to indicate to others you intended to keep standing. You stood up 5 minutes before after everyone was in their spots.

Pictures are great but so is taking the time to soak it in and not viewing everything through a lens. I would have just sat down, not let it ruin things and take pictures while sitting.

Just my opinion.

 

[PaulaSB12]

How about this one. I was siting at the front near the rope so the children behind me could watch, when the child a couple of people away looked down the rope and deliberatly started to twang the rope in my face. He looked directly at me and grinned before doing it so I Know it was deliberate. I ended up holding the rope up so he couldn't but I definatly felt like doing something horrible to him.

 

[ssonley]

Just my opinion, but standing for the entire show I would say would be a definate no-no. Standing to get a better picture of specific floats should not be as much of an issue.

Out of curiousity, could you not have taken pictures from a kneeling or sitting position - I mean would ~3 feet vertical have made that much of a difference?

Anyways, that's my opinion, but I think I smell some smoke - flames are likely to follow...

 

[BlindTyldak]

They were in the right. If you wanted to stand the whole time, you should have asked a CM to recommend a place where you wouldn't be blocking the dozens of other people for whom Spectro may have been the highlight of their trip as well.

 

[Boncho]

Sorry, but you should have been standing while you were waiting so that people would know that they were not going to be able to see;they took their positions on the supposition that you would remain seated.

 

[Sabrina90744]

IMO, the way to get around this is to be standing the whole time. When people come up to take a seat behind you tell them I have been standing here waiting for my parade spot for an hour, I plan on standing throughout the parade, you might want to look for another spot. It's hard when you stake out a spot and you park behind a person who is sitting, to only find out they are going to stand as soon as the parade starts.

 

[wendy46001]

Honestly you do have the right to stand....that being said if your intention was to stand you probably should have remained standing for your entire wait (yes long and uncomfortable)....that way the people behind you would have know your intentions...I always find if you sit then stand people get upset...but if you stand and when someone asks you to sit you can state you intend to remain this way, they either move or stop complaining....but popping up 5min before the show doesn’t give the people in the back time to move, even if you did tell the lady right behind you

I can see both sides though
and for a show like illuminations where it’s far away I would have stated sitting would not effect your pictures…but for the parade it’s a valid reason

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Sorry, I'm with everyone else on this one. When we pick a spot behind someone who is sitting, we assume they will be sitting for the duration.

 

[Fantasmic303]

As a photo lover (and video taker) myself, I hear what you're saying, but I would've been with the crowd on this one.

The way I get around this is usually to pick a spot near a (clean) trash can. In other words, one that isn't stinky. If I sit next to it, I can make sure no one gets in my shot. If I want to, I can stand behind it, and since no one could've sat in front of it anyway, no one who lines up after me will have any reason to think I'd be sitting down. When my family does this, someone usually grabs some curb near the trash can, and we switch off sitting and standing if we're going to be there for a while. As long as you're not in the way of people trying to throw things away, it's actually a good system and ensures that you'll have your personal space!

 

[mickeyfan2]

short: does a person up against a rope line have the right to stand to take pictures of spectro when no one else around him is and he therefore is blocking other people's view?

Yes they have the right to stand since they were there first.

 

[MelanieC]

I realize it's tough because you were there first. I do have to agree that you should have stood for the entire time if that was your intent. When your searching parade routes, it really isn't fair to get into a spot you think is ok to find out the person in front is going to stand. By the time you stood up it was too late for others to find a good another spot because it's now completely pitch dark.

For me the worst is when you have been standing in line for an hour and at the last minute parents push their kids in front of your own kids who have been standing there patiently waiting. Some parents are so inconsiderate.

 

[willis37862]

Tigerlaw I am in agreement with you. If you are there an hour before and people come up ten mintues before it starts and then complain I'm sorry I don't care. That may seem rude but I just put an hour of my time into saving a spot to see and take pictures and they didn't. It is a sore subject with me as I get sick to death of people showing up right before they start and shoving in front of me or standing on top of me. I do sit in my chosen spot for awhile but I usually stand 10-15 minutes before it starts so anyone who comes up can see I am standing and they need to go elsewhere if they can't see. I don't get angry with others that stand so why should they. And when I do stand I try to stand where I will not be blocking lots of people, I always try to be considerate. Which is more than I can say for the people who show up as it starts and push their kids in front of you and about knock you over. Anyway I don't want to argue with anyone I just wanted you to know I saw your point and I agreed with you.

 

[CarolB]

does a person up against a rope line have the right to stand to take pictures of spectro when no one else around him is and he therefore is blocking other people's view?

In my opinion, yes, if you were there first. That said, I always stand when watching a parade, whether I am taking pictures or not. But, I also always stand when holding my spot. My DH and the rest of the family sit sometimes and usually stay seated. I stood at the rope for the Halloween Parade on 9/29 - but I stood while waiting, too. People on one side were standing, on the other side sitting (all but the guy right next to me). But, we were standing to begin with. Some people behind us stood up when the parade started, others stayed sitting, but I didn't hear any complaints.

So, I suggest for the future, you stand the whole time to feel safer. Or, let the family sitting behind you come and sit in front of you once you stand to take pics....

(I was sitting at the train station for Spectro and halfway through the parade, decided I didn't like watching from the seated position....So I invited the boy standing behind me to stand at the rail once I stood up - actually, I asked his mom if he would like to come up in front. I just don't like watching from a sitting position.)

 

[Kimberly815]

I understand where you are coming from. . .but I have to agree with most people here.
Standing up right before the show wasn't fair to the people behind you. I also think as a general rule that it is good for the first row to always sit- It allows more people to see the show.

Next time I would suggest seeking out a trashcan as suggested above, or maybe even just standing behind your wife.
Good luck.

 

[willis37862]

I



(I was sitting at the train station for Spectro and halfway through the parade, decided I didn't like watching from the seated position....So I invited the boy standing behind me to stand at the rail once I stood up - actually, I asked his mom if he would like to come up in front. I just don't like watching from a sitting position.)

That is a nice way to handle it.

 

[taximomfor4]

We might have just gotten an over-exuberant CM but we were along the rope, and were told that we all (the first row of parade-viewers) HAD to sit down, except the smallest children, who could still stand. They even went up and down the rope reminding people, whenever someone stood up in that front row.

 

[TigerLaw]

Honestly, I thought I would have more defenders here, but oh well!

I think it is interesting to say the least though that the general response is that I should have stood up for the entire hour, thereby announcing essentially my intention to stand, as I really don't think that I still would not have heard it from all of the people behind me come showtime.

As for taking pics while seated, remember that there was a rope a foot away from my face?!? what I ended up doing was basically kneeling like at church and having my camera over my head, so the view from behind me was still obstructed.

My view (which I guess was in error) was that I waited for the hour and didn't go on rides, didn't shop, but staked my spot. then, "they" came in behind me after doing what they wanted to do for and expected me to be accomdating to them.

what I don't get is that the lady beside me was doing the same thing-stood the entire show, and got no comments.

 

[DisneyDadFaNaTic]

Just give them "THE LOOK"!

Just kidding. I'm always saddened by how much courtesy goes out the window during the parades. If you wait there for half the day to get a particular spot, you still get people who get there with 5 minutes to go and try to push around you. And heaven forbid that you say anything to them, because you KNOW they are going to comeback with a sarcastic and angry comment no matter how nice you try to be while reminding them you have been there for over an hour. I honestly believe there is no right or wrong answer. You aren't going to please everybody (as a matter of fact, you won't please anybody) no matter what you do. The people in the back will still be upset that they aren't closer, even though they didn't think it through enough to get there early. You are very nearly in a lose/lose situation. I liked the advise about finding an obstruction (i.e. - trash can) to stand near. That seems like the advice that would affect others the least.

I always fall back on "THE LOOK!" (ha)