Parade viewing locations

[slkant]

I know there are special viewing areas in each park for people with disabilities. What are the advantages to using these versus staking out your own spot? Which viewing locations are best for each parade? Do you prefer the sections for people with disabilities or finding your own spot?

 

[SueM in MN]

I'll start out and I'm sure you'll get some other replies.

Advantages:
- the handicapped viewing areas are usually in spots that have a good view of the parade.
- the areas are monitored by CMs, so you won't get someone standing in front of you halfway thru the parade.

Disadvantages:
- for Illuminations, sometimes the wind blows the fireworks smoke right into the handicapped viewing areas.
- if it's busy, you will need to get there early to secure a spot and once the person with a disability goes into the area, they may not be able to leave without possibly losing their spot.
- if it's busy, it's possible that at least some of your party may not be able to stay in the area with you.
- the wheelchairs are usually lined up almost touching each other across the front of the viewing area.

We usually prefer to find our own spots. DD doesn't like to stay in one spot and she especially doesn't like people parking next to her close enough to touch.

 

[slkant]

Thanks. I'm guessing we will probably find our own spots too since there are 8 of us. But in case we do use the special viewing areas, I wanted to know how they worked.

 

[Nanajo1]

We look for our own spot as well. It seems to me that some of the trees in HP viewing areas are getting over grown.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks. I'm guessing we will probably find our own spots too since there are 8 of us. But in case we do use the special viewing areas, I wanted to know how they worked.

That might work out best if you want to stay together. The special viewing areas usually will allow no more than a total of 6; 5 plus the person with a disability. When it is really busy, they may limit it to 1-2 people plus the person with a disability.

 

[OKWMom]

Advantages:
- the areas are monitored by CMs, so you won't get someone standing in front of you halfway thru the parade.

This alone was a huge advantage for us during the MK parades. We were not there during a particularly busy time, so there weren't chairs parked side by side, touching. My daughter would not like that either. However, we were able to enjoy the parade without her being shoved aside or sat on as she was in the regular viewing areas. In the special viewing area we still had two people try to shove her aside or sit on the arms of her chairs (one woman almost struck my daughter in the face with her purse trying to get a good view), but before I had time to address these guests, the CM was making them move.

 

[slkant]

It's a shame that people will try to get in front of you at the parades. I hope that won't happen to us. I hope the parks won't be too crowded. For Illuminations, we'll be in the Grand Gatherings area. For Spectromagic, I'm guessing we'll want to stay together and hope for the best. There are only a few Spectromagics the week we're there, but hopefully it won't be too crowded.

 

[ChrisZ]

Would someone with bad RA and an ECV (and GAC) qualify for one of these spots?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Sure!