Parade Etiquette

[WDWprincessloyola]

Just got back from a trip to WDW and went to every parade/show I could! So my family and I witnessed a lot of good/bad parade behavior.

We all try to enjoy the parades and shows, but what are some rules of parade etiquette that people should be aware of?

1) When standing behind the ropes, do not use the slack in the rope as a means to push yourself more into the parade route, even though you are still "technically" behind the rope.

2) Do not offer your infant child to the parade performers by holding them over the rope ala Baby Simba. The performers should not have to stop and tell you to keep your child behind the rope.

3) Do not run in front of the parade to cross the street. Not only for your safety but for that of the performers.
**I almost saw a collision with the first dancer of the MK parade when a man decide to run across.**

3) When an ECV or wheelchair is parked against the rope, please do not position yourself in front of them (once again pushing against the rope) and block the view of the person sitting in the EVC or wheelchair.
**I know there are reserved sections for wheelchairs/EVCs but once and a while my parents (both in EVCs) couldn't get over to that area so we would choose places such as the end of of the Jammin Jungle Parade before the bridge or next to the planters in Frontierland to be out of the way.**

Any others?

 

[LoveKermit]

Parade etiquette is going the way of all the other etiquette--buh bye. Don't get me started on the teenagers in the street at a N.O. Mardi Gras parade (can't remember which Krewe, but it was a popular parade). One lady tried to get them to move (we were behind the barriers), but they just looked at her.

We have the same trouble in our hometown parade. Kids knocking each other out for candy. Oh yeah, adults knocking kids out for candy.

Doesn't it burn you too, that you planned ahead, got your spot early, took turns "cooking" in the sun and the schmo who just happened to notice a parade was starting stands in front of you? That drives DH crazy (at the movie theater too).

 

[rainydayplay]

We found a place to perch for the MK stage show. About halfway through the show, there were several people who stopped and stood right in front of us. And the lady sitting next to me chewed them out, which only put them more firmly in front of me with my DD5.

I guess we should have stayed sitting on the ground in front of the stage so some one could have put their empty stroller in front of us. (Happened at the show in October.)

 

[maddmike]

People should use a little common courtesy to others. Often we have gotten to a parade or show early to get in the front row so the kids could see. Then five minutes before starting time people try to push you out of the way or even stoop so low as to stand in front of you. I have found this happens more with foreign people. Maybe it is common in their country? I don't know but I sure don't appreciate it and always let them know about it.

Last time we went to High School Musical at DHS there were adults without children trying to cut in front of groups with children in line to get a better seat. Thankfully the CM working the show told most of them to go to the end of the line but a few did get through.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I try to place my children on the curb before it starts, and DH and I stand behind them but there are always people trying to get in last minute. The worst thing that happened to me was when some crazy woman stood beside me screaming and waving at each character as they went by. It was even more annoying watching it back on my video of it. She drove me nuts!

 

[claryche]

It drives me crazy it people spend their whole time leaning over the rope to see the floats coming down the road. Just wait until they are in front of us. This happened last year at AK and it was driving me crazy because my DS was in his stroller and was having a hard time seeing because the lady next to us spent the whole time leaning over the rope and blocking our view in a lot of cases. I would have been more upset if I hadn't already planned on staying there to see the parade again as it wrapped around. And what got me with this lady was that she kept looking at my DS and would lean back, but then seconds later she was leaning again. So she knew that she was blocking his view.

 

[Mommytobree]

What really gets me mad is when you arrive early and stake out a spot for your family and someone comes at the last second and tries to squeze their way in and right in front of you!

 

[disneyjunkie]

People who decide to watch the parade or fireworks from a bench need to understand that people will sit/stand in the area in front of them.

I'm amazed at the number of people who expect the pavement & curb in front of their bench to stay empty.

 

[goofy4tink]

Sadly, we have experienced more negative parade experiences than positive ones. Now...we actually go out of our way to avoid the parades. Other people have just ruined the fun times for many. The last parade I actually got to early, in order to get a good spot, was Spectro, about 18 months ago. It was my then 31 y/o dd's first time at WDW and we wanted to get her a good view of the parade. So, we got to that spot, on Main St, by the attractions board (sort of) that is next to Casey's. There is a little garden area, with cement post in the front. CMs were telling people they couldn't stop in front of those posts, so we moved behind them..not too comfy but a nice spot. We stood there for about 30 mins. We watched as the CMs moved those trying to stand in front of us along...telling them no stopping was allowed there, they had to keep the sidewalk open. Well...about 2 mins before the parade got there, two adults arrived. They had their dinners from Casey's with them. They proceeded to lay out their meals, on the cement area of the posts!!!! Right in front of us no less. They had to be about 10" in front of my face. Of course, no CMs were around then. And to make matters worse, when Spectro got to us, these two 'adults' hoisted themselves up on the bottom ledge of those posts...completely obstructing the view of those in the 'correct' spots...us included. Someone yelled for them to move but they never turned around.

I've had people shove their children in front of my dd when a CM in the 3pm parade reached to her to give her a picture...this other child grabbed it and she and her mother ran off...really!!! The CM just looked stunned and said she was so sorry!

I've had a woman who was not English speaking (or so she said) shove herself in front of us at DHS. A CM had asked my dh to be the person behind the corner of the roped area...since he's 6'4", I guess the CM figured no one would mess with him. But, this woman decided that she could arrive just as the parade started and move to the front with her dd...about 6 or so. She just looked at me, and had her dd move in front of my dd! I told her that she couldn't stand there. She just said 'No English' and stood there. Her dd was pushing the rope so far out it was pulling the rope all the way down the street area. I kept jostling her, finally she moved away. Saw her about 20' down the road, having pushed her way in front of those standing there already.

Nope, the parade's hold little interest to me nowadays. I feel badly for those who are there for the first time and have to deal with that kind of thing. Not sure why everyone feels entitled to do what they want to do. I will say that our first time in WDW, back in '99, we went to the MK on our arrival day. We were pooped but stayed for MSEP....still my favorite parade and I wish they would bring it back to WDW for a bit again. So, we were sitting along Main St, across from the flag-pole area, in front of the fire station so to speak. My mom and I were sitting down against a tree, with my dd, then almost 6, at my feet. A nice older couple was sitting on the curb in front of us. The lady turned around and offered to let my dd sit on the curb next to her. How incredibly nice of her. Of course, my dd was horrified when the dancing, lit up bugs came at her..but that's another story.
So now, we try to let younger kids in front of us. But, I'm not putting my own dd aside so that someone else's child can get a better view. If we get there early enough to procur a good spot, then we deserve to have it. But, if there's room for another child, and we see one near us, but without as good a view, we try to accomodate them.
But I have to say, the bad behaviour sure does take away from the fun.

 

[ShannonMB]

People who decide to watch the parade or fireworks from a bench need to understand that people will sit/stand in the area in front of them.

I'm amazed at the number of people who expect the pavement & curb in front of their bench to stay empty.

I agree with this. I read a thread the other day where someone was complaining that a family came up and stood in the way of his camcorder on a tripod when he was trying to tape Illuminations. Of course I didn't see the situation, but my thought it just because you have your camera there, if there is room to stand between you and the ropes/rail, expect someone to take that spot.

I haven't had any problems with people pushing their way in front of us during parades. When we get a spot ahead of time and want front row, we get on the curb RIGHT in front of the rope. Then we stay put until the parade. I don't see how anyone could get in front of us unless they literally shoved us, which thankfully, hasn't happened!

 

[luvpooh]

3) Do not run in front of the parade to cross the street. Not only for your safety but for that of the performers.
**I almost saw a collision with the first dancer of the MK parade when a man decide to run across.**

That's nothing compared to the guy who decided to cross right in front of the Headless Horseman before the Halloween Parade!!! You want to see a buttload of CM's freak out - do this!

What I can't stand is when you are standing at the rope and a kid however far down is whipping it up and down so it starts whacking you, and their parent just allows/ignores it. This goes for when there are chains in ride lines too...

We don't do the parades anymore; I am way too claustrophobic for them.

 

[ShannonMB]

What I can't stand is when you are standing at the rope and a kid however far down is whipping it up and down so it starts whacking you, and their parent just allows/ignores it. This goes for when there are chains in ride lines too...

Good one!!!

 

[SRUAlmn]

I agree with the whole 'people pushing in at the last minute' thing. My family is tall (the shortest of us is 5'8" and the tallest is 6'5".) We often get to parades early and stake out a spot. Almost every time, people will come up right as the parade starts, or even after it's already in progress and stand behind us, loudly complaining that they can't see. If they have kids, they normally push them in front of us (if they'd just ask if their kids could stand there, it'd be different) and then gradually the parents end up working their way in front of us too because they keep leaning up to talk to the kids and yell out to characters to each other. We have even had people say that we can see over their heads and have asked if they could just stand in front of us. Well, I'm sorry, but if I'm 5'9" and you're 5'6", I really can't see over your head very well. Plus, it's the principle of the fact that I've been standing here in the hot sweaty sun for 20 minutes saving this spot, you know? Sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but it is our #1 pet peeve while in WDW because it happens to us ALL the time!

 

[SRUAlmn]

What I can't stand is when you are standing at the rope and a kid however far down is whipping it up and down so it starts whacking you, and their parent just allows/ignores it. This goes for when there are chains in ride lines too...

I agree!!!! We were at Spectromagic on July 3rd and the MK was SOOOOO crowded, so we found a spot in Frontierland about 40 minutes before the parade. Since we were so early, we sat down on our ponchos and waited right behind the rope. These kids about 8 people down from us kept whipping the rope around and it was smacking us in the heads. So my sister and I grabbed the rope so the kids couldn't get it to shake anymore. After about 3 times of us doing it, they stopped

 

[stevepete]

What really gets me mad is when you arrive early and stake out a spot for your family and someone comes at the last second and tries to squeze their way in and right in front of you!

This sends me over the edge. I positioned my family next to a trash can, on the curb, on Mainstreet in order to watch the afternoon parade. Once the parade started, these grown women jumped right in front of my youngest DS. I didn't know what to say other than "OMG, this is unreal", they just ignored me. So I moved on the other side of the trash can with him and left DH and other DS next to the crazy women. They then decided that my DS and DH were in their way and moved in front of us again (oh and they had friends join them). I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Anyway, I held ground for DS and kept a spot for him up front with me behind the trash can. I did say something but they didn't speak English

 

[LoveKermit]

Goofy4Tink

I'm with ya on most of that. In our pre-child days, I was happy to let a child stand in front of me as long as the parents stayed back. I don't mind shoving a kid in front of me (if I'm standing) but nothing's going to happen to your 6-10 y/o during a parade.

We don't always seek out parades either. We do now more with DD, but they're still during naptime. By the time it's not naptime for her, she can stand with us too.

But we're planners--we know to get there early. What's wrong with people?

Anyone notice a "foreigner" theme with some of the replies though. We notice that a lot, unfortunately.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

People should use a little common courtesy to others.

Last time we went to High School Musical at DHS there were adults without children trying to cut in front of groups with children in line to get a better seat. Thankfully the CM working the show told most of them to go to the end of the line but a few did get through.

That is a shame but often time parents send thier kids to stand in front of adults w/out kids b/c they think they should get to see b/c they are kids. I HAVE kids but we travel to WDW many times w/out our kids and this has happened countless times. Just b/c I dont have my kids with me, i didn't stake out this spot for yours and to have your kid stand in front of me and step all over me. (We often sit when we have curbside seat so others can view behind us).

 

[livndisney]

At SWW my DD was sitting on the curb for a good 40 minutes waiting for the parade. As the first characters were walking down some guy pushes his way to the front and SITS on my DD! I could not believe it! I told him to get off my child (and language was NOT an issue) he looked at me as if "what is the big deal?" And then had his wife past their child over several people to sit in his lap. When the CM came over and said everyone needs to be on the curb he tried to make my DD move. It did not happen.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

I agree!!!! We were at Spectromagic on July 3rd and the MK was SOOOOO crowded, so we found a spot in Frontierland about 40 minutes before the parade. Since we were so early, we sat down on our ponchos and waited right behind the rope. These kids about 8 people down from us kept whipping the rope around and it was smacking us in the heads. So my sister and I grabbed the rope so the kids couldn't get it to shake anymore. After about 3 times of us doing it, they stopped

I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't grabbed the rope so the kids couldn't shake it anymore

 

[Tinkerbella001]

This happened to us on Christmas Day in AK. We got there really early to watch the parade. We got a curb by a fruit cart and right as the first characters were coming out of the gate area, a family tried to push in front of us. I held my ground and pushed my weight around to prevent this, but they kept pushing. Then they started talking loudly about how rude I was being, and it was Christmas I should be nicer, etc.... BTW, they were Americans, spoke perfect English.

Only 1 example from many! This is why I will only go in the "off season" from now on!!