saving spots for parades, Wishes etc - what do you think?

[momlee4]

We are a large family of 6. Is it "okay" to get DH to park himself and the stroller somewhere to save us good spots for a parade? This is for our trip in February. Maybe we don't even need to save spots since its low crowd time? Its sometimes hard to save a space for a large group. Do you hate it when you see people doing that? Do you start to squeeze them out? I hate being the one to save the spots, I always get looks or rudeness or people just ignore me and move my stuff.

 

[sdenis]

But you may have to fight off the people who really don't understand.

 

[mickaholic4077]

We are a large family of 6. Is it "okay" to get DH to park himself and the stroller somewhere to save us good spots for a parade? This is for our trip in February. Maybe we don't even need to save spots since its low crowd time? Its sometimes hard to save a space for a large group. Do you hate it when you see people doing that? Do you start to squeeze them out? I hate being the one to save the spots, I always get looks or rudeness or people just ignore me and move my stuff.

I see nothing at all wrong with saving seats for your party. Go for it!!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

No. Saving of spaces is officially not allowed. The only normal exception to this is if a person has to temporarily leave for a short-term reason such as going to a restroom (or an adult taking a child). Just holding spaces for others who are at an attraction or even shopping is similar to line cutting.

 

[bwilcox]

Lots of people do it and I don't have a problem with it. However, getting a spot for parades can be brutal. You can be sitting in your spot for and hour before the parade with your entire family, and there is still a good chance that someone will try to crowd you out or stand in front of you at the last minute. You have been warned!

 

[yellownovawife]

I think it is fine for dad and stroller to save a spot for your immediate family as long as you return before the parade starts (15 minutes or so.) This is reasonable and people should not complain about it. I do think it is rude for one or two people to hold large numbers of spots or to hold them right until the parade starts as the crowd needs to fill in and needs to see where the spaces are.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have to ask...merely out of curiousity. At what point does it become 'wrong' to save spots??? Is it the person who is saving 3 spaces, or is it when they save 13?? I have seen someone sitting along the curb, with blankets spread out..on either side of them. Someone stopped and tried to sit down. They were told that those spots were taken..and this was about 45 mins before the parade. There had to be room there for 20 people!!!
I can understand not wanting to sit there for an hour, with your kids...but, I just can't see someone taking up that much space. For a few people?? Okay. All it does is serve to get people all in a tizzy.
It's just part of seeing parades/fireworks/shows. You have to wait, just like everyone else. Get some popcorn and a drink and sit and people watch. If junior has to use the little boys room, then a parent can take him, while the others hold those two spots, for 10 mins.
But to have dad hold spots for an hour, for a large number of people, well...not so cool. Especially if I have my entire family with me and we are all prepared to sit down and wait..together.

 

[Schmeck]

How can one person with a stroller even hold a space big enough for 6 people?

 

[Hooked_on_Mickey]

I don't think there is anything wrong with it but I sure wish him luck trying! A dad with a stroller trying to defend a spot for 6 is like trying to fend off tide water. He should be ok until about 15 minutes before showtime, then all bets are off.

 

[lllGurulll]

Heck, we walked right up to the parade in Liberty square in June 2008 and got front row curb side just as the parade got to us.

 

[NJ2Boardwalk]

To me it doesn't make a difference, BUT I agree with others above, he won't be able to. People will naturally fill in available space as more people try to settle in for a parade. I find the best method is if everyone takes a spot, then one by one (or 2 by 2) goes to the bathroom, gets a drink, etc. This way you've established your area and can justify defending it.
Good Luck!

 

[declansdad]

No. Saving of spaces is officially not allowed. The only normal exception to this is if a person has to temporarily leave for a short-term reason such as going to a restroom (or an adult taking a child). Just holding spaces for others who are at an attraction or even shopping is similar to line cutting.

Is this an official WDW rule? Is there a rule book or something?

OP, many people save spots but I agree with some of the other posters, 1 person would have a difficult time saving spots for 6 people.

 

[fireman1]

personally, I think the people whose spots are being reserved should be sitting there and saving it for themselves. exceptions being restroom breaks etc.
That said, I wouldnt complain to anybody that does save spots but i'm sure some people would.

 

[rstamm]

We take a blanket and set it out just enough for the 3 of us.

There are a lot of people with blankets, coats, strollers that set up their boundary.

5 or 10 minutes before the parade is when people will try and push up or push their kids in front of you, so make sure everyone is there at least 15 minutes before it starts.

 

[ibela]

Back in Nov we had dinner at CP and parked our double stroller by the stroller parking area. We got out of dinner at 7:55 and I wondered why everyone was just standing around, then realized Wishes was about to start. I said to DH "oh, this is a great viewing spot" while I got some annoyed looks from others, then I figured since the stroller was already parked there in a great spot, there was no sense in moving it so I strapped the kids in (dd3 and ds1) and stood back a little so as to not crowd others who had clearly been waiting a while. I felt a little uncomfortable because of the looks I got and we didn't even take any extra space (I don't think). Normally, "in the real world", I'd think nothing of it but people seem to be very sensitive to that sort of thing at WDW I think.

 

[DisneyWisher]

I rarely watch parades, but during one of the rare times I did it was at DHS, it was myself, DD11, my niece, her hubby and their son. Great Nephew was in his stroller and we had our spots, everyone there, used bathrooms before finding a spot. A woman comes up and pushes her 2 duaghters (ages about 8-10) to stand in front of the stroller. My Great Nephew was 4 at the time. They went back to their mom for a moment and we filled in the area so they couldn't block his view. I am not a confrontational person but when the mom complained my niece said well they were blocking my son's view and we were here first. I was on the left side of the stroller and the parade was coming from the right side. I told the little girls to stand in front of me and not to block the little boy's view. Being a single mom I know how hard it can be taking the kids to Disney alone but your joy shouldn't be at the expense of others.

This is one of the reason I avoid the parades. Only one I like is Boo to You during MNSSHP, I always wait for the 2nd parade and watch from Frontierland.

 

[mousireid]

An hour before, saving a spot for SIX. I think you will be fine coming and going up until 15 minutes beforehand. Hopefully it won't be too busy BUT if it is a madhouse be prepared for the enslaught! One stroller (parked side on) an hour before might not gather much attention but if no-one is in it little kids will sit in front of it along the rope, I betcha!
Sure take turns one adult to one child running to the bathroom, or getting snacks/drinks, if you have a fastpass TWO people could probably get away with nipping off. Be warned I think you will be squished. One person holding a spot for SIX. Good luck!

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

We are a large family of 6. Is it "okay" to get DH to park himself and the stroller somewhere to save us good spots for a parade? This is for our trip in February. Maybe we don't even need to save spots since its low crowd time? Its sometimes hard to save a space for a large group. Do you hate it when you see people doing that? Do you start to squeeze them out? I hate being the one to save the spots, I always get looks or rudeness or people just ignore me and move my stuff.

Doesn't bother me at all. What does bother me are the people who show up at the last minute and expect people who have been waiting to accommodate them and their family.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Nope. No seat saving. We were a family of 5 and sat upstairs at the train station to view the parade. Four of the 5 of us were there as my teen son was riding space mountain and was to meet us. I offered a woman standing his seat. He was kind of mad when he got back but I explained I didn't know if he would make it back and the lady should have the seat. He was young and could go sit somewhere else.

 

[goofy4tink]

I rarely watch parades, but during one of the rare times I did it was at DHS, it was myself, DD11, my niece, her hubby and their son. Great Nephew was in his stroller and we had our spots, everyone there, used bathrooms before finding a spot. A woman comes up and pushes her 2 duaghters (ages about 8-10) to stand in front of the stroller. My Great Nephew was 4 at the time. They went back to their mom for a moment and we filled in the area so they couldn't block his view. I am not a confrontational person but when the mom complained my niece said well they were blocking my son's view and we were here first. I was on the left side of the stroller and the parade was coming from the right side. I told the little girls to stand in front of me and not to block the little boy's view. Being a single mom I know how hard it can be taking the kids to Disney alone but your joy shouldn't be at the expense of others.

This is one of the reason I avoid the parades. Only one I like is Boo to You during MNSSHP, I always wait for the 2nd parade and watch from Frontierland.

I'm like you. I tend to avoid the daytime parades now. And even the evening parades I don't bother. I just pretty much walk up and try to grab a spot to the rear of the groups. I'm 5'8" so it's not a huge deal.
But, it does get annoying when you are standing on the curb and others try to move in front of you. Then, they say....'well, my dd is so small she won't be able to see if she doesn't stand in front of you all.' well, perhaps you should have gotten there more than 2 mins before the parade started!!
The last time I took a spot for a parade was about 5 years ago. My dd was about 11. We were standing on Main St., in front of the Emporium. The CMs had put up some roping beside us, with an opening, for those who needed to cross, right on the other side. So..we had roping beside us. Well, the parade started, and we stood there enjoying it all. A CM in the parade (one of the ones who did the drawings as they pedaled their bikes in the parade then) pedaled up to dd, and held out a drawing. Out from behind us swooped a mother and her dd (about 8ish)...right down that roped off area. The mother shoved her dd past us, right onto the street, the dd grabbed the drawing and off they ran. There stood my dd, with her hand out, feeling like an idiot. The CM just looked at her and said she was so sorry. But that CM had to keep moving..no way could she stop and do another drawing.
Nope, I refuse to stand there anymore. It's just too stressful. I had similar experiences at DHS for their afternoon parade as well...in fact, a CM asked my dh if he would mind standing in one particular spot since he was so tall (6'4")..he figured that no one would mess with him and try to get out in front of him. But, that didn't stop one woman who kept shoving past us, completely obscuring our view. After dh stepped on her feet, repeatedly, she finally got the message and went off to find another spot. The funny thing?? She kept speaking in a foreign language as she tried to move in front of us. But, after the repeated foot mashing, I heard her muttering 'I can't believe how rude some people are.' Too funny.