Really, how nice are people (advice needed)

[catherines_mama]

Okay.. I have read horror stories about poor attitudes and pushiness come parade time.

I see that Spectro is only running 1 night the week we are at WDW. I am concerned that this may cause everyone to go see it that night. This is our MK day anyway, so we will be in the park.

I am planning to grab a snack for DD and maybe a souvenior to keep her busy and have a spot 1 hr in advance. My main concern is .. What if she has to go potty? She is a toddler, and they are pretty definate when they have to go. DD and I will be in WDW on our own, so I will not have someone to keep our spot while we run to potty.

Are people really as bossy as posted about, or will a kind stranger throw pixie dust on me and volunteer to hold our spot (on the curb I hope)? I am hoping maybe I can find a DISer to help me out closer to.. I just don't know.

Thanks for any advice or war stories!
Deedee B.

 

[TreeOfLife]

It is like opening a Pandora's Box... Some poeople are nasty, while others are friendly and warm enough that you feel you can trust them right from the start.

I've had both experiences... People impatient around my ansy children and a mother kind enough to watch one of my sons while I rushed the little one to the bathroom at the most inconvenient time...

Play it by ear.

 

[Jestocost]

I have seen it go both ways. In the past I've watched strangers hold spots for others in need or offer toddlers a space in the front row. Last week, however, an adult moved from the back of the pack and actually sat in my DD's spot on the curb while DD was dancing with the brooms in the afternoon parade! In July 2002 we staked out a great spot at a table by the railing of the train station platform on Main Street for Spectromagic. We let some kids join ours at the railing, but also had to keep an eye out for someone pushing in front of us or taking our chairs as the parade time got closer.

You've got a tough call with the potty break issue. A spot near where the floats exit the street (over on the left side of the circle as you enter) might be good, since there are restrooms right behind you and it might be easier to convince someone to hold your spot if you only had to step away for a minute. There are some other locations in Frontierland and Liberty Square that are close to restrooms. Since the parade starts there you may have to stay in one place for less time too. I've never watched the parade from back there, however, so I don't know how soon the crowds form or how crowded it gets.

I'll bet you could find someone to do it for you if you strike up a few conversations while you're waiting. I know my DW could!

 

[goofy4tink]

You may be lucky and have some nice folks next to you. When we were there for our very first trip, we were on row of people back from the parade route. A very nice older couple asked me if my dd, then 6, would like to sit on the curb beside them. Since it was right in front of my feet, I said thank-you so much and she was a very happy child. I have encountered really rude people and some incredibly nice people. You just never know. When we were there 3 yrs. ago, a CM asked my dh to stand at a corner spot during the MGM parade. He's 6'4". I guess the CM didn't want people shoving past that spot. One lady did try to get by me. She said her poor dd couldn't see as well as my dd. I let the child in, so the mother could stand right behind her, as I was doing with my dd. Nope, not good enough for her. SHe kept trying to creep in front of my dd and me!!! Kept saying..."I don't understand English. I don't understand....!" You try to be nice but someone always wants to take advantage. So...make sure you have a potty break just before you pick your spot. Don't offer any drinks at that point. And most important...have fun. Don't let the ruder folks get to you. THere are a lot more nice people out there.

 

[cindy21494]

I have experienced both sides of the coin.

Once we were waiting for the parade to come (we got there late and were standing behind people) and the people in front of us would not let our DD sit on the curb in front of them. I remember an off hand comment about that they waited an hour and that was their spot. I wasn't asking for all of us, just my 6 year old DD.

All the other times, we actually met very nice people and talked to them about how their day was, where they were from....

I have held a space for someone when they needed to get a drink for their child. Try to get a spot next to another family that has children close to your DD's age. They have probably been in that situation too, and will be more willing to help out.

BTW when are you going? We will be there in February.

Pixie dust to you and your DD.

 

[catherines_mama]

Thanks everyone for the great stories and advice. I am a pretty A+ personality, so now I feel a bit better about the situation.

Cindy21494... we'll be there Feb 7 - 13th. The night Spectro is running is the 10th I think. I think we are there the same time! How cool? How old are your kids? Catherine is 2 1/2. Her Bday is the 1st week of April so this trip is her Christmas/Birthday gift. I grew up 30 min from Disney and went ALL THE TIME. But I have not been since 95 when I moved to NC. I cannot wait to go again and to share the awesome memories I have from WDW with Catherine.

Anyway.. I think we are there at the same time! *pixie dust* LOL

Deedee B.

 

[hammertime]

I would be one of the nice one that holds your spot. But I'm like that even when I'm not at WDW.

Good luck!

 

[Familymoon]

You can always pull the "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" routine.

Just scope out a nice family with small kids your DD's age or around there...you should be able to strike up a conversation and if you offer kidness first, surely it will be returned!

 

[cindy21494]

We will be there Feb. 6th and leaving early on the 10th. We are going to see Spectomagic on the 7th.

We have two DD's, they are 3 1/2 and soon to be 10. This is actually a surprise birthday trip for my older DD, she turns 10 on the 14th of Feb.

We are staying at AKL (DD's favorite). How about you?

I'll have my bright green dis fanny pack, maybe we will bump into each other.

 

[tjmw2727]

I am often in the same position as I travel to wdw with my two dd's now 6 and 8. We usually do ok as I make sure we do the potty stop and get anything we need before we find a spot. It is the most stressful part of my trip though and at least once we did have to leave a parade spot for an emergency run. Even though the family next to us tried to hold our spots they just couldn't do it. I felt bad for them as they looked as dissapointed as we were when we returned to find a very large (#of people) family crammed into our 1a/2k spot. We were very lucky and found a great last minute spot by the country bears jamboree.

Another time I had a women try to stand on my youngest dd while she was in the stroller to get a better picture during spectro. She really didn't understand what my problem was either. The CM made sure she understood thankfully and kind of hung out by dd for the rest of the parade.

For the most part its been ok, try and find a less popular spot, main street and the hub are always mobbed so try the other end if you can. With a little one in a stroller you can just park her by the curb and stand behind her - this usually works for me.

The other hard part for me traveling as the solo adult is Fantasmic and my oldest LOVES this show. We can never manage to wait the 1 1/2 hours without needing a bathroom or snack. Leaving a poncho, jacket or something on the seats makes it easy for those around us to hold our seats. We have never had a problem with Fantasmic. You can always to the dinner package as well to cut down on the wait time for that.

Hopefully things will work out well for you at the parades and I know that you and dd will have a terrific time!!

TJ

 

[phamton]

Hmm...I'm thinking I could have a great part-time job. I could be hired out to take my family to the parade/fireworks and stake out a place for 4. I could arrive early with my husband and two teenage sons and sit down for a hour or so waiting for the family who hired me to show up. They could then arrive 5 minutes before the event and I would surrender my spots to them.


But seriously, most of the time others will try and save your spot for you. I was upstairs at the main street train station for the Spectro parade and then Wishes. A man standing next to us asked us to hold his spot for a few minutes. I just stood up and stradled two spots until he got back. It was easy to do as I just swayed back and forth to the music so no one inched too close.

 

[MinnieGi]

Catherine's mama - The 10th should be a decent night to view the parade without major crowds. We were there last year during that time frame and seriously sat down in our Main St. spot right in front of the train station with only 15 minutes before the start of the parade. There were loads of empty spaces on the curbs there until just before the parade began. It is a great time to visit! You may want to start haning around the Main St. area an hour before the parade maybe checking out curb seating but I don't think you'll have to be parked for a full hour before the parade. When it starts getting a little full take Catherine to the potty and then you'll be good to go!!! Oh, okay I know Catherine may not want to go then if she is anything like my DD! But if she is also like my DD she can hold that little bladder of hers for near record times!!

We are going the first week in February and leaving the 8th and hoping to view Spectro on the 3rd and possibly again on the 7th. I'm soooo looking forward to that time of year!! We just came back from the last week in October and the Saturday Spectro andWISHES was so PACKED.

Enjoy her first trip!

 

[CarolA]

I am going to say something that will get me FLAMED! However, I would have NO problem holding your spot while you and your child sprinted to the bathroom.

I do have a problem if you show up 5 minutes before the parade and want me to let your 6 year old come up front. Yes I have waited and don't think that I should be asked to move. Also, all too often as has been pointed out here, first the child comes and them Mom needs to come etc.... And my final point. I don't want to be responsible for someone's child. If you are a few people back it is going to be very hard for you to keep an eye (and if needed a hand!) on your child.

Hey Phantom mom! There is a job like that already, LINE STANDING, but it is in DC! Senators and Lobbyists pay people to stand in line for them for seats in big hearings!!! Maybe you could export it to Orlando. Could pay for your vacations. Especially if you were willing to do the big holidays! LOL!

 

[phamton]

Originally posted by CarolA

Hey Phantom mom! There is a job like that already, LINE STANDING, but it is in DC! Senators and Lobbyists pay people to stand in line for them for seats in big hearings!!! Maybe you could export it to Orlando. Could pay for your vacations. Especially if you were willing to do the big holidays! LOL!

I had no idea that there really are people who stand in line for others. Leave it to our senators to have something like that. I live in Orlando and we all have PAPs so we don't need to have vacations paid for. We're at the parks at least once a week anyway.

My husband and I were joking about staking out a nice bench with a view for a family. We were sitting on a bench in front of Canada by the lagoon. We gave it to another family carrying a tired child because we can see illuminations anytime.

A couple of weeks ago we had the rocking chairs on the porch at Liberty Tree Tavern which was an excellent view and comfortable for watching the parade. No one would dare push us around as both of my teen sons are 6 foot and my husband is 6'2".

We'll be on an illumination cruise tomorrow (Dec, 6) but I'm not giving up my seat there.

Bev

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by CarolA
I am going to say something that will get me FLAMED! However, I would have NO problem holding your spot while you and your child sprinted to the bathroom.

I do have a problem if you show up 5 minutes before the parade and want me to let your 6 year old come up front. Yes I have waited and don't think that I should be asked to move. Also, all too often as has been pointed out here, first the child comes and them Mom needs to come etc.... And my final point. I don't want to be responsible for someone's child. If you are a few people back it is going to be very hard for you to keep an eye (and if needed a hand!) on your child.

I agree with you.

I think it's rude to show up at the last minute and expect to have others make space for your child. If someone offers to
let the child come in fine, but it shouldn't be expected.

 

[dparksfan]

catherines_mama,

We actually will be in the MK the same day, just happened to be the day I had planned for our itinerary, and lo and behold, only day for Spectromagic! I would be happy to help you out. I have a 3 1/2 year old and a newborn and even though I will have dh and others with us, I know how it is to be alone with a kid somewhere and not have help! We will be at LTT for dinner that night but I could help you within the 1/2 hour before Spectro if you need it. Let me know, I think I've received enough help from people on these boards to help others out in return!

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by CarolA
I am going to say something that will get me FLAMED! However, I would have NO problem holding your spot while you and your child sprinted to the bathroom.

I do have a problem if you show up 5 minutes before the parade and want me to let your 6 year old come up front. Yes I have waited and don't think that I should be asked to move. Also, all too often as has been pointed out here, first the child comes and them Mom needs to come etc.... And my final point. I don't want to be responsible for someone's child. If you are a few people back it is going to be very hard for you to keep an eye (and if needed a hand!) on your child.

Hey Phantom mom! There is a job like that already, LINE STANDING, but it is in DC! Senators and Lobbyists pay people to stand in line for them for seats in big hearings!!! Maybe you could export it to Orlando. Could pay for your vacations. Especially if you were willing to do the big holidays! LOL!

ITotally Agree but ........ I must tell one more story to this. The day we lost our hour long spot on main street due to a potty break (discussed above). Despite a great family trying to but unfortunatly not being able to .... hold our spot. We encountered some unbeleivalbe hostility... after waiting the hour on main street we wandered down toward frontierland to see if we could find something....second tier at this point would have been great. Every time we saw an opening perhaps big enough for two we were "SCREAMED" at for even asking... can we squeeze in here?

We got such foul mouth people telling us how long they had been standing there. One "gentleman" had my dd in tears and asking to skip the parade there were too many mean people in the parade.

I know that they didn't know we had already had a main street spot for almost as long as they had but some people were really mean. One couple had their legs spread and hands on hips and refused to let dd beside, not infront, but beside them. Enough space for a family of 5, but that's another story LOL.

Sooooo.. although I have had my fair share of front of the pack sneakers, I will never assume the worst as I have now been in the last minute situation. I was lucky that time and found a spot at the end of a rope by the walkway and got great viewing (I was only hoping for good).

We try and get a good spot if we want it but there are those that either from lack of understanding or "force of nature" that don't or can't get spots 1 hour in advance. I am understanding but still not a complete pushover either.

TJ

 

[jann1033]

Originally posted by phamton
Hmm...I'm thinking I could have a great part-time job. I could be hired out to take my family to the parade/fireworks and stake out a place for 4. I could arrive early with my husband and two teenage sons and sit down for a hour or so waiting for the family who hired me to show up. They could then arrive 5 minutes before the event and I would surrender my spots to them.


kind of like when someone needs a potty break at an awards show!
too bad it seems like some people do not seem to get the "magical place" concept at all.
I would save a spot for some one in that situation but also have tried to do that and had people shove in anyway so I would try to potty first and hopefully it would last !

 

[Kallison]

If you move an inch, someone will jump in your place. I don't think it would be possible to push your way back up into your spot. I personally wouldn't sit for an hour, I think you could cut it closer and still find some good spots. Last Spectro, DH and I stood up to stretch our legs and we couldn't sit back down again, some kids pushed up and were right on our heels. It was horrible! We used to stand behind the fence at Pecos Bill's and get great character interaction, you could run up at the last minute. Last trip, the CM's wouldn't let you do that any more.

 

[jcemom]

Is Spectro really worth so much trouble?
We were planning to skip it... Should I rearrange our schedule to fit it in? The only night we could go would be Saturday, Feb 7th, as we have Cirque tickets for Tues the 10th. I really didn't want to fight crazy crowds, but if it's THAT good and really worth it, maybe I'll reconsider. (Obviously, we've never seen it.) I've seen some pics and thought it looked okay, but not incredible. Maybe it's something you just have to see in person to get the full effect?