The only thing I got upset with. . . .

[Gaiusrex]

These threads crop up from time to time, and we do see some examples of outragous behavior that are unacceptable in any context.

Having said that, there are always two sides to every story. Some parade goers may have some unrealistic expectations when watching one of these events. Parades are by nature social events where you buddy-up to the people around you. If there are a lot of people who want to see the parade, then people will get into close quarters and rub shoulders.

I've seen people stakeing out spaces for the parade that were too big. They want to sit and sprawl out. They want room to move around. They would try to save spaces for people who were coming later. This is no different than saving spaces in queues or not scooting down during the seated shows (like Muppets or Bugs Life). If there's a spot near the rope, I'll try to scooch into it. I may be invading your personal space, but everyone has different zones of comfort. If you're real touchy about people being close to you (or even brushing up against you), you may not want to stand in such a high traffic spot.

The point is that everyone is entitled to see the parade. Bigger people should allow smaller people to move up. Taller adults, and taller children should let shorter people step forward. The more crowded the parades are, the closer you'll be. You may even have to stand!

I have expectations as much as anyone. If someone stands in front of my kids so they can't see, I'll politely ask them to step back. Many people may have no idea what they're doing. If I'm rudely brushed away? Well, then it might be time for the sneezing and mister bottles

 

[llij]

This happened to us last year at the Stars & Motorcars parade. We were waiting for the parade and at the last minute some family comes up and pushes their older kids right in front of our daughters who were 5 & 7 at the time. Well, we nicely told them that we had been waiting there and they were blocking our daughter's view. They ignored us. My father went ballistic and was soooo mad at their rudeness. Needless to say, they left and went on to block someone else's view. It's too bad when stuff like this happens......

 

[gouldmanj]

It was just my son and myself watching SpectroMagic and of course afer waiting about an hour he gives me that "Mama I have to use the bathroom now" We had a great spot and didn't want to loose it so I left the stroller. Of course when we got back the stroller was moved back and another family had moved in. I pointed out what they had done and why I needed to leave they said more or less "too bad, the stroller was empty we moved it - you should not have left" I was BOILING. Fortunately a family next to us, who had also been campoing out the entire time we were there, had one of their more adult members move to the back and stand up and gave a curbside seat to my son and his stoller with me standing behind it. I then asked one of the adults of the group that took my sons spot, where they were from and she asked me why and I said "If you are this hospitable and friendly I want to make sure not to visit."

On the flip side of this, after the parade were the firewords and there was another family and I don't think English was their first language, but they saw that I was alone with a little one and everytime that someone stood in his sight-line they piped right up and reminded the person standing in the way - that they were blocking my sons view. HOW SWEET!!!!!!! It really brought the magic of Disney back to me after that horrible parade experience.

I am usually a huge parade fan, but I think people turn a bit ugly around them at Disney and unless it is very convenient it won't be tops on my to-do-list.

 

[wdwobsessed]

I do think the original poster should have said something .... asked them to sit down. I'm not above saying something. If they nudge ... I nudge back ... sorry but they KNOW what they are doing. I have avoided the parades but this has happened to me at Illuminations repeatedly. They will leeeeaaaaan into you to try to get you to move a little .. then a little more and a little more .. until I get fed up and bump 'em with my big ole' hips ... boom.

Shake my Bon bon.

WDWO

 

[DisneyKidds]

Ahhhh, the parades. One of the most potentially frustrating and "un-Disneylike" experiences in the middle of a world of Magic. Too bad, but we've learned to prepare for and deal with it. Let me tell you. We stake out a spot and most often NOBODY will encroach. We make sure of that, but I do hate thinking that way. One of the biggest benefits of having two strollers at WDW? Protecting your parade space .

As for the original poster, it was naive to think that two feet of prime curb side parade real estate would go unused because someone was on a bench. I would fully expect that space to be filled. We are often tempted to take a bench for viewing a parade, but I know that what seems like a great view an hour before the parade will be no view once parade time arrives. Tough lesson learned. To be honest, I'd probably fill that space myself, but I'd make sure I sat and didn't block the view of those on the bench.

I, too, don't get the whole standing thing. Many times the people right in front will stand. Then everyone else has to stand. It often happens because people are soooooo anxious to see the parade that they stand to see it when it is still a ways down the road. Little did they know that is they just sat still and waited for the parade to arrive where they were, everyone could have sat and enjoyed. Aaargghhhh!!!

 

[PratersloveDW]

Isn't it sad that when you are in WDW and have the total Disney feel, people have to come along and act this way! It isn't rude to politely ask them to move or at least sit down. I think we all know how you feel, though. We seem to always have the problem of people puching to hurry through the parks. No matter how crowded or in which park we are, strollers and parents, kids and grandparents are all pushing and shoving to get through. We always try to move to the side and stay at our pase, not feel rushed by the crowds. Well, hope next trip for you is more pleasant!

 

[leebee]

OK, maybe I'm pushy, rude, and loudmouthed, but I HATE it when grown ups, tall people, and carriages take up the curb space at the parades. I am the mom who is loudly saying, "There's room for everyone, let's put the kids up front, taller folks to the back, could you hold little Elmo in your lap as you SIT on the line instead of take up viewing space with the stroller", etc. MOST of the time people get the hint and decide to play nicely in the sandbox. In general, I think Disney parades are different from the typical parades you see at home...we'd NEVER sit on the sidewalk, NEVER see Disney-sized crowds, etc., at home. I think (hope?) that alot of people don't realize that there is a "sharing" aspect to watching a Disney parade, and take it upon myself to kindly, gently remind people that if we all sit down and do it the smart way, everyone will have a better time. Seriously, I'm nice about it...it seems that sometimes people like to be organized; maybe they're tired of making decisions by late afternoon! If people don't want to cooperate, fine, but usually there are enough folks sitting that I don't have to make pointed comments if someone won't join in- there are plenty of others to do it for me!

 

[Hillbeans]

I know this is sort of unrelated, however if you know Golf, you know that the 17th hole at the TPC is the most famous golf hole on any course. A few years ago(5), my husband and I went to see the TPC and staked out seats across from the 17th green at the rope at 8 AM (the golfers don't come down that hole until about noon).

I sat at the seat all morning, and my husband came back once the players started coming back. Wouldn't you know it, when the good players started coming to that hole, people were actually going under the rope trying to sit in front of us. Someone said "Do you mind?" and my husband said "Yes, we've been in these seats since 8 AM, I do mind". Luckilly the course personnel didn't allow anyone to sit under the ropes however it just goes to show some people could just care less about what is rude and what is not.

If you are on a bench and there is any room in front of you, I would expect maybe some people sitting below, not standing. I'd have asked them to move.

 

[CheshireVal]

Originally posted by leebee
OK, maybe I'm pushy, rude, and loudmouthed, but I HATE it when grown ups, tall people, and carriages take up the curb space at the parades. I am the mom who is loudly saying, "There's room for everyone, let's put the kids up front, taller folks to the back, could you hold little Elmo in your lap as you SIT on the line instead of take up viewing space with the stroller", etc. MOST of the time people get the hint and decide to play nicely in the sandbox.

Let's ease up on the tall folks and childless adults, huh? I'm both of those things: a 30 year old 6' tall woman without kids, and while I won't deliberately stand in front of shorter people, you can BET I'm going to sit patiently on the curb for an hour and a half before a parade, which is what I've been doing since I was, oh, 9 months old.

I think if you're sitting then it doesn't matter how tall or childless you are-- you can't possibly be blocking other people's view.

 

[TallyLassie]

I was at Cinderella's Surprise Celebration and a woman refused to put down her umbrella. A man behind her ask would she please put it down and she refused (she said it had just been painted and the paint had to dry). She really didn't care that she was blocking the view of others.

Luckily, I was beside her, not behind her.

 

[kidzmom3]

i concur with CheshireVal, if I am an adult and choose to wait at the curb, I do not feel I have to give up my seat to them. I sit so you can see if you stand behind me. I also don't see anything wrong with having your child sit in the stroller to watch the parade. the ground can be dirty and most adults and children over the age of 7 can easily see over a stroller.

 

[Carrieberry]

We used to just sit by and let people do this to us without saying anything. It happened everytime we went to WDW and DL. Once my DH was videoing Illuminations (he was standing a good distance back from where all the people were) and someone stood right in front of him. He asked politely for the man to move over a few feet (and pointed to the left) and the guy gave him a dirty look and took a big step BACKWARDS to endure he was blocking the view. My DH just looked at me and we left to find another viewing spot. Of course then you spend the rest of the evening going "I should have said..." Since then we vowed to no longer allow this to happen to us. Now when someone does this or gets in front of us at parades we just look at them with that look we give our kid's when they are doing something wrong in public, and calmy say, "You are blocking us/squishing us and you need to move please." We don't give them a choice, or form it as a question. Between the look and the way we phrase it people get the idea. When they figure we won't put up with it they sure leave in a hurry! Since we started this a few years ago we have not had any problems since even the people that do not speak english get the point.

 

[TDC Nala]

I object to children on shoulders, unless the adult holding the child is standing in THE BACK ROW with nobody behind them.

I know the parents want the kids to see, but the immediate effect is that no one who happens to be behind the 9-foot towering child/adult hybrid is able to see squat.

 

[Karibeth19]

In January, we had finished watching Spectro from the curb in front of Casey's. Wishes would be starting in 45 minutes, so we decided to stand up and lean against the lightpost/mailbox right there on the curb where we had been sitting. Fortunately for us, a few minutes later, a CM came along and taped off the sidewalk and street right in front of us to use as a walkway between the two sides of Main Street, and told us not to let anyone in front of us. The tape line was about 5 inches from our feet, and DH was happy because since no one was directly in front of us, DD could watch the fireworks from her stroller, instead of him trying to hold her. Of course, we had to shoo several people away who did try to stand in that area, but for the most part it wasn't a problem. Then, right as the show was starting, a man, about 6'4" came and stood directly in the walkway in front of us. The CM was standing nearby and came over to tell him he had to stand behind the taped line. He looks toward us, looks down at my DD in the stroller, looks at the five inches of room in front of the stroller, and steps right in front of her! Me, my DH, mother and father, and the family who had been standing next to us the whole time, all started staying, "UH UH, NO WAY!". The CM then told the man, "You need to find somewhere else. These people have been standing here a long time and you're right in front of their child." The man turns, shoots us a dirty look, and leaves. I mean, it's one thing to unknowingly obstruct someone's view, but to look right at a child and THEN stand in front of them is inexcuseable!

 

[Gabrielle]

These stories are why I never wait for a parade or fireworks at WDW. It just isn't worth it. I'd rather hang back and see it from a few rows back then jostle with rude folks. It ruins the spirit of Disney.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

A quick view from the "other" side of the ropes. As a CM on a Parade Audience Control shift, we have to be on the parade side of the ropes. A lot of times, people will ask me to move, and claim that I'm blocking their view ... in most cases, I'm really not blocking them at all, and in any case, there IS a reason I'm standing in that particular spot, and can't move from that spot. I will try (if I can) to kneel down, but I'm not a baseball catcher, my knees can't take kneeling for an entire parade.

 

[Carrieberry]

I would never ever ask a CM to move. I figure if they are standing right there, there is a reason for them standing right there. In that case if I did not feel like I could see, i would move before asking a CM to move or duck down.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

I would never ever ask a CM to move. I figure if they are standing right there, there is a reason for them standing right there. In that case if I did not feel like I could see, i would move before asking a CM to move or duck down.

Just complaining about my Parade Pet Peeve, not saying that anyone here is guilty of it.

 

[Goofyzgurl]

I would've definitely said something directly to them. Some people are to obtuse or just plain rude that you have to be obvious in your feelings for them to get the point. I have learned this being a doormat for the first 18 years of my life. I used to be shy and unassuming, when people were rude to me I would just say okay, and take, now, let's just say when my family and friends want something done, they come to me. I just say it like it is, if it isn't fair, I'm going to speak up. I'm not rude or pushy, but I'm not willing to go through life not speaking my mind. :thewave:

 

[lham1531]

When we were at MK a couple of years ago we had a 4 month old in a stroller, so my MIL and I camped out under the shelter of the upper deck of the train station almost 2 hours before parade time. We pulled chairs up to the rail and held down our spots while everyone else went to lunch and bathrooms. As we sat there, a few families began to arrive who were parents of kids marching in a high school band who were leading the parade. We talked to all of them and had a good time waiting. They, too, pulled chairs up to the rail and we formed 2-3 rows for people to sit, while others filled in standing behind.

I tried to be very considerate of the fact that we were saving several spaces and had everyone in our party in their spots well in advance. Several of the parents had video cameras and one lady, being considerate of those behind her, stood up and went behind the rows of chairs to do her filming while the band came down the street and then planned to sit back down for the rest of the parade (mind you, she had been camped out in a chair on the front row with me for over an hour) - when she got up, even her jacket was on the chair, this older woman pushed her way forward and sat in the lady's chair! The woman's husband was surprised, but no one said anything. The older lady had definitely seen that the chair was "reserved" but when the video lady politely asked for her seat back, the older woman turned her side away from the people around her and didn't speak. She actually made some noise that led us to belive that maybe she didn't speak english, but in any language, she couldn't have missed what she had done!

Well the video lady said something like "you know you've taken my seat and I have been here for an hour" but she didn't push it. However, the crowd around her wasn't going to drop it - several people began telling her how rude she was. Even my MIL, who is extremely sweet and mild-mannered, said a few things under her breath. The older woman just sat there rigid and didn't move - it was really something - and interesting how people responded. When the parade was over, people said things to her as she joined her husband in the back and quickly left - we all congratulated the video woman for keeping her cool. Unbelievable!