Saving Space for Fantasmic/Parades

[KCMiller]

This was posted on another thread, but I was hoping to get some feedback from other DIS'ers about this. I don't know how I feel about this...

I'm shocked, yet intrigued . . . .

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Quote:
Originally Posted by iceskatejen (and this is just a small part of the post - iceskatejen did indicate that if they don't fill up the tarp, they let other people onto it at the last minute)

"I am now the proud loanie of my friend's tarp while he's at WDW for the next 3 weeks, so I'll be putting it out on Saturday, June 11 and if any Disers are going to be there and would like a front and center spot for Fantasmic w/o the long wait (there'll be about 3 of us to take turns waiting while others go get food/use the restroom/or even hit a ride), post here or pm me and let me know you'd like a spot, which show, and how big a group you have. It's a 9x12 tarp and I can easily fit about 15 more people on it.... "


Do they really let you do that? Put down a tarp that big and just have one person sitting on it at a time to hold the space? I don't know whether I'm happy or shocked . Has anyone ever done this before, or seen this? When we were at WDW, and were waiting for our children to be in a parade down Main Street, I had a vinyl table cloth with me, and folded it in half the long way so we could sit on it, and I did save my husbands spot when he went to get something to drink, but 9'x12'??

I need to hear if this is OK, because I'd LOVE to have that much room. I'll drag a tarp from Ohio, if I can use it like that (well, pick one up at the Dollar store while I'm there . . . . I'm not THAT obsessive . . .. )

Thanks,

KC
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[WebmasterMaryJo]

I know there is a man who does this, and probably iceskatenjen's friend, but he typically invites others to sit with him.

Locals and Fantasmicphiles tend to stake out their spots hours ahead of time (I'm talking 5pm for a 9pm show) to watch Fantasmic from the "front row." They don't typically put out huge tarps, though.

 

[lntsmom]

any advantage for me. If you are saving space and don't need that much room, the beach blankets that fold and zip up and become a small tote might be a more reasonable amount of room.

I am seriously noncompetative, so I wouldn't put out such a large tarp, knowing I would surely be challenged about the amount of room I was using.

For my boys and I, three chairs at the rail of the Stagedoor Cafe were plenty.

My weary old bones appreciated the chair anyway, lol!

 

[yeartolate]

I have been seriously disgusted in the past two years about the onslaught of the tarp and blanket people. Maybe 90 minutes before the show - fine - but the walkways are littered with campers three and four hours ahead of time. I have always thought that you should be able to "defend your space". If you cant reach it you can't save it. But when people start putting out huge blankets and tarps they need to get a grip.


There have been blankets and theings unattended as well. I swear that the next time I see the unattended stuff I will give it to security to send to lost and found.

 

[poohj80]

While at DL last month, I was shocked to see blankets laid out around the hub before 4 PM for the 7 PM parade and 845 PM fireworks. What surprised me is that there was no one at least sitting with the blanket nor was there anything on it to signify that someone was around. I'm sure many were tempted to just move/dispose of the unattended reservation.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I just want to give 1 tip, this last trip to WDW I bought the blow-up bathtub pillows at the dollars store to sit on while waiting for parades......and they lasted me the whole trip ! When deflated they take up almost no room in a backpack.

 

[Snow Brite]

When we were there Memorial Day weekend there was a new thing for Fantasmic than I had seen the last time I was there. We were at the 10:30pm show, so I don't know if they do this for the earlier show also. There were roped off blocks of space closest to the water. There were castmembers there not letting anyone into that space. Then about an hour? Maybe it was a half hour? before the show started they let in people that wanted to sit. So all the people inside the roped area had to be seated and all the people behind it were standing. This was great! It allowed so many more people to have a good view. But there would be no way to save a space like is being talked about this way. (Which I have to admit I think is a good thing.) While we were there waiting there were a one or two in each group that would pop out for popcorn or something, but the majority of the people that were there stayed there and there was no room to add anyone at the last minute.

I do then to feel though, that Disneyland is too expensive to spend 2, 3 or 4 hours sitting on your butt holding real estate down for a show that lasts 10-15 minutes tops. I have never had a hard time finding a spot to watch at the last minute, maybe not the "best" spot, but good enough. If it is something that I love, then I will wait an hour to get a good spot, but never more. There are so many better things to do with your time at Disneyland!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I do then to feel though, that Disneyland is too expensive to spend 2, 3 or 4 hours sitting on your butt holding real estate down for a show that lasts 10-15 minutes tops. I have never had a hard time finding a spot to watch at the last minute, maybe not the "best" spot, but good enough. If it is something that I love, then I will wait an hour to get a good spot, but never more. There are so many better things to do with your time at Disneyland!

Yes but if you are an Annual Passholder and get to go a lot then you have more opportunities to make your experience how you want it! I am not local but I do go enough to know that some things are worth it to invest some time in. I have seen lots of tarps not only at Disneyland but over at DCA for the electrical parade (more of the blanket variety over there). I have to say however Epcot is amazing with this sort of thing. People begin to lobby for those good spots to watch Illuminations and it can be pretty competitive! We got a bench about an hour and a half before Illuminations last month. We were all sitting then stood up to put on some bug spray, jackets etc and I heard this thundering of footsteps. I turned around and saw a group of folks running towards me! I guess some people thought we were leaving and stampeded over to get our bench. I hated to break the news we were merely getting ourselves all ready for the show!

 

[iceskatejen]

Yes, they really let us do that. And we did it Memorial Day weekend (I was there both Saturday and Sunday and we had the tarp folded on the ground around 4:15 and unfolded not all that long later, by around 5--we needed to too as there were others doing the same). We never, ever leave the tarp unattended--there is always at least one person there, and usually more of us there at all times.

Security does indeed take unattended blankets--saw this last Saturday. A lady and her kids left a blanket, stroller and a small cooler by the river. We told her not to leave it and that no, we wouldn't watch it. A security guy came over and asked about it. He stood with the stuff for nearly 45 minutes. When she didn't come back, he put all the stuff in the stroller and told us to tell her to go find at lost and found. She came back about 10-15 minutes later and we told her what happened.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Yes, they really let us do that. And we did it Memorial Day weekend (I was there both Saturday and Sunday and we had the tarp folded on the ground around 4:15 and unfolded not all that long later, by around 5--we needed to too as there were others doing the same). We never, ever leave the tarp unattended--there is always at least one person there, and usually more of us there at all times.

Security does indeed take unattended blankets--saw this last Saturday. A lady and her kids left a blanket, stroller and a small cooler by the river. We told her not to leave it and that no, we wouldn't watch it. A security guy came over and asked about it. He stood with the stuff for nearly 45 minutes. When she didn't come back, he put all the stuff in the stroller and told us to tell her to go find at lost and found. She came back about 10-15 minutes later and we told her what happened.

It doesn't bother me when people stake out a spot and stay there. There's a lot of room, and a lot of areas to watch the show. I am bothered by the unattended ones, and I'm glad a security guard took it away.

 

[KCMiller]

It doesn't bother me when people stake out a spot and stay there. There's a lot of room, and a lot of areas to watch the show. I am bothered by the unattended ones, and I'm glad a security guard took it away.

I think I'm good with that, too. This reminds me, though, of threads over on a cruise board I used to spend a lot of time on - every once in a while, a raging debate would break out over whether you could 'save' deck chairs.

I'm going to compromise - I'm bringing a vinyl tablecloth, emblazoned with shamrocks (ya get them for 90% off after holidays at Target !), and I'll stay with it the whole time. I'm very fond of sitting and watching the crowds, having a snack. But I'm only bringing the smaller tablecloth, not the 'table for 20' size - my attempt at being middle of the road !

Thanks, and see you all at DL next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday!


KC