Theme Park Etiquette Poll?

[Joe's Girls]

A couple of years ago, we were in a good enough spot in front of the castle for fireworks that my 2 daughters got to sit down on the ground. My 6 year old accidently sat on some 20 something women's foot. She yelled at me to move my daughter off her foot. I looked at her in such disbelief for her intolerance that before I could say or do anything, the women's friend said something for me. She started arguing with her about why she did'nt just move her foot and why she acted that way over a child. My husband & I just smiled and enjoyed the show.

 

[disnut8]

Well, did you see the fireworks and did you enjoy them? Or were you too concerned about what happened before?

I have a very quick trigger and I know it. I have become so mad at Disney World (years in the past) that I've missed enjoying things because I've been fuming. No, the guy wasn't right in what he did and it would have been nice for him to realize that but you know what? He was a jerk. Yes, you should have said something to him when he toppled you over into the next guest but then when he reacted the way he did, I think you should have chalked it up to "rude idiot".

As far as teaching kids a lesson, it could have been done back at the resort. Not right then and there. The guy was not going to listen to anything.

I would have moved on in this instance.

 

[bumbershoot]

To me, give way or don't is moot etiquette-wise, because I think it's heinous to put kids on shoulders *unless* you are at the very back! Makes it like there's a 7 foot monster in front of you...very difficult to have the view you would have had if that person hadn't stood in front of you. And you'd never *choose* to stand behind a 7 foot person, but with kid-on-shoulder-people you don't know until the end, when it's too late, when they put the kid up there.

 

[mattsdragon]

I'm 6'2" and over 200 pounds. People usually don't try to shove their way through me.

That having been said, if someone asks politely, I will frequently let them go past me as I don't want to block their view with my giant head and Mickey-esque ears.

 

[goofy4tink]

And people wonder why I never go to parades or fireworks shows at WDW anymore. Seriously....I have had parents who squish in front of me..into an open space about 1' square. Then, they put their kiddo up on dad's shoulders. Well, my photos are now ruined...as is my view. I can deal with someone tall, but not when they put a child up there as well. And the parents that squeeze on through, only to stop in front of you with their balloons. Oh, that one frosts me. No way to situate yourself so you're sure you have a decent view...dang thing keeps moving!!

So, do I move if asked? Not usually. I sweetly turn and say...'I would move if I could but there's nowhere for me to move to. Sorry.' And go back to what I was doing. I have gotten a nice area to stand and watch....no one in front of me. Stood there for about 40 mins. A CM told me she was thrilled to have a tallish adult stand there since she was going to be setting up a pass through area there...and many people would try to squeeze in there. So, I would be a deterent since I had been there for so long. I was more than up to that task. Well...about 10 mins before the parade was to pass by, a largish family arrived and took their spots behind me...strollers and all. They had a child in the stroller, about 8ish, who was sound asleep. They asked me if I would mind changing spots with them so their stroller bound dd could see the parade when she woke up!!! Seriously??? The fact that my dd and I had been standing there for 40 mins meant nothing? I told her that my dd was looking forward to seeing the parade as well. Okay...so this same woman goes to that same CM and tells her that her family can't see past me...I'm too tall. Ummm, only 5'8''...not a giantess. Anyhoo....CM comes over and asks me if I would mind sitting down..on the pavement. Well...by this time the woman had pushed her stroller so far forward that my dd and I had about a 3 square foot area to plop in. I looked at the CM and asked if she would be bringing in help to get me back on my feet at the end of the parade since my knees and hips had been giving me trouble...I'm not a spring chicken. Down I sat..not happily. And of course the other CMs come along and tell you to be sure you keep your feet and legs behind the rope. You know..that rope that is now just about eye level for me...great vantage point for photos.


So no...I don't move. I stand my ground. Well....if and when I actually go to a fireworks show now. I usually just walk to a distant area now....one where there aren't any rude guests who are going to ask me to move so they can see better and to heck with my view.

 

[delaneyc52]

I just wanted to say I try to avoid the congested areas like that to watch fireworks. It's like trying to catch a parade in the Hub--just way too many people competing for too small a piece of real estate. What a hassle.

I agree. We don't look for or hold any spot. Most of the time we keep moving around and are able to see everything we want anyway.

 

[moray26]

I have never understood people who don't want to wait, but then shove/muscle their way to the front. If I get there early, obviously it's cause I want the spot I am standing in. I did not wait 1+ hours to give you my spot cause you showed up 2 minutes ago.

Now before you think I am a complete rude obnoxious person, obviously I give way for disabled or special needs guests regardless of when they arrive.

Last fall waiting for the Electric Parade...we got there an hour early. Got decent viewing (in the hub by the Tomorrowland bridge), but then got bumped & moved around. Finally got tough & held my ground. Whoa....the late parents who showed up 2 minutes prior to the parade start didn't like that! Well I am sorry, but I want to see it too. They are yelling at us (our whole area decided to take a stand since we had been standing together for an hour) & blaming us for ruining their child's day & what was wrong with us & how were they to know parades are like this (seriously, you think everybody gets front row VIP seating?) & they are tired/hot/hungry/whatever. It was totally absurd! I do have to say we had an excellent CM posted by us who was polite yet persistent to people that came along & tried to shove in...they were told to "keep walking" & "keep the path clear" (again amazing how many people just stop a stroller along a 2 person path & create traffic pile-ups oblivious to it all).

I am more than happy to watch the fireworks while we are doing rides still. Saw them from BTMRR once while whizzing around...that was cool! And it avoids the crazy masses.

Lol, when last fall were you there? I was there the two middle Saturdays in October, and one of those nights I was at MK waiting for the parade and it was PACKED...it's amazing how people's tempers flare!

 

[parrothead365]

I'm not a tall guy but I am on the "wideside". I could take up alot of space if I needed to. We always made it a point to arrive early and I would put my lovely bride and son in front of me. Most folks that don't know me will say I look pretty scary (it's the beard) so I just put the "Do not EVEN think about it" look on that seemed to work. How ever since the knothead has grown older and we have seen the parades and fireworks a bunch, I have been known to let families with small kids in front of me and enjoyed watching them watch the event more than the event itself.

 

[sue Z]

thats one of the reason's I like standing near the trash barrels I stick my bag on top and use it as a tripod for the camera and the only time i have to move is if someone has to toss something., noone gets in front of me either!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Life is too short, and my time in WDW too valuable, for me to let this stuff bother me. I would have said excuse me to the man, then moved on with my evening.

 

[Colleen27]

When my mom & I took my girls without DH & DS we watched the fireworks from the upper level of the train station for just that reason. Both my girls are small for their ages and I not only worry about them getting tripped over in the crowds, it is very easy for some inconsiderate adult to block the view that we spend our time to make sure we got. And with it just being me, the girls, and my 60-something mom, holding our ground isn't something I'd even hope to accomplish... Now when DH & (adult-sized) DS13 are along, that's a different matter; then we have the girls outnumbered and we might try for the "good" spots on Main Street/in the Hub. But when they're along people don't seem as inclined to push past us. Something to be said for having a couple of strapping men around, I suppose!

 

[Wadecool]

Last Monday night my DW, DD3, and I camped out on a bench off to the side of the Partners Statue (toward Tomorrowland) about 2 hours before the Electrical Parade. Early on the crowd was non existent, but I kept warning DW that when the parade was close to starting, we would have to "defend" our position from late arriving folks. She laughed, but I had done my research here on the DIS and knew what was coming. Sure enough, about 10 minutes before the parade began, several large families came from 2 directions and began to push and shove us into the bench we were standing in front of. DW is very petite and she was having a hard time holding her ground against family shoving behind her so had her and DD3 stand on the bench and I used our stroller and my 6'7 360lb frame to block the crowd behind me. It wasn't hard for me to keep the crowd at bay and I actually had to laugh a few times at one gentleman in particular who continually would charge up from behind only to connect with the sharp end of my elbow. However, DW was really upset at the behavior of these folks and really didn't want to deal with that again. The next night , we watched wishes from behind the castle near Dumbo, which is kind of neat because from that vantage point, the fireworks are coming from 2 directions and are all around you.