I just read through this whole thread. I learned something. I often don't get to the shows or parades to be right in the front - but I have always thought that the people sitting in front intend to stand once the show starts - they're just sitting to rest until the show begins. It never occurred to me that they are "supposed" to remain sitting so the rest of us can have good views.
In the same way I always thought that a seat on mom or dad's shoulders was just that - a seat - not a better view. During the more quiet times that we've been to WDW DH held DS (when he was 3 or 4) on his shoulders (with no one in front or behind us) - It also kept DS "safer" from the characters - he was afraid, but still wanted to see.
I have also been behind the "shoulder riders" and not been bothered - sure my view was blocked - but I could have gotten there earlier if I had wanted an unobstructed view. We have some very funny pictures of AK "Jingle Jungle" Christmas parade. We're about 6-8 people back from the front - and in front of us is a little girl on dad's shoulders showing an incredible amount of butt crack. I never noticed it watching the parade - just in the photo. It goes to show you - I never noticed her way up high on the shoulders - ALL the people in front of me blocked my view - the polite standers (with their arms at their sides - LOL) and the people who move the entire time, the smelly ones, the ones doing PDAs (another great photo - hands down eachothers pants - LOL - I never noticed THAT during the parade either!).
In the same way I always thought that a seat on mom or dad's shoulders was just that - a seat - not a better view. During the more quiet times that we've been to WDW DH held DS (when he was 3 or 4) on his shoulders (with no one in front or behind us) - It also kept DS "safer" from the characters - he was afraid, but still wanted to see.
I have also been behind the "shoulder riders" and not been bothered - sure my view was blocked - but I could have gotten there earlier if I had wanted an unobstructed view. We have some very funny pictures of AK "Jingle Jungle" Christmas parade. We're about 6-8 people back from the front - and in front of us is a little girl on dad's shoulders showing an incredible amount of butt crack. I never noticed it watching the parade - just in the photo. It goes to show you - I never noticed her way up high on the shoulders - ALL the people in front of me blocked my view - the polite standers (with their arms at their sides - LOL) and the people who move the entire time, the smelly ones, the ones doing PDAs (another great photo - hands down eachothers pants - LOL - I never noticed THAT during the parade either!).
