Wouldn't this ruin your evening?

[TinkerbellMama]

I am very sorry this happened to you. I don't blame you for moving and for being upset! However, I would not have left, personally. I would have informed her in no uncertain terms that she was out of line and I would NOT tolerate her constant rude remarks throughout the parade. I have a very, well, intimidating tone to my voice, without raising it at all, and I feel pretty confident that I could have gotten the harpie to shut up without causing too big of a scene, LOL. That is just my personality, though...I confront people when they are being ridiculous and they are usually so shocked by the forcefulness of my words that they just stop what they are doing. No shouting, just getting straight to the point and letting them know I will brook no insolence. Hee hee! Guess they figure most people are too nice and won't call them on it, but I am NOT nice!

 

[black562]

This happened to me in 1995 on Christmas day when we were trying to watch the televised parade. I was alone and walked up to a wide open spot and a guy yells at me "this entire curb is taken", and when I asked where his family was he tells me that they're still at the hotel and he came early to get a spot...for 8 people no less. I chickened out and moved and it happened again. You CAN'T leave your family of 8 back at the hotel and reserve an entire curb...the second time I told the guy that if he wanted me to move then he would have to move me. At that point my Dad steps over to him and explains (in his best West Virginia accent) "you touch him, and I'll.....".

Bottom line, I got to see the parade and Dad went walking around the park...that guy never said a word and interestingly enough, I saw no sign of anyone ever claim that curb.

I think the Disney CMs need to do something, as I hear of it happening more and more. If your party isn't there, then too bad...its understandable to hold a spot for one person while they're in the restroom, but not if they're not even in the park...and certainly not for a party of 8 people.

One thing for sure, next time I go at Christmas, I WILL NOT be watching that parade on Christmas Day...I'll be riding rides with no wait times and letting the poor bitter families fight it out on their precious curb.

 

[terribm]

Now, you have to admit, that you weren't exactly Ms Sweetness and Light, either. You made comments about the woman's size. Not very kind. You made an ugly comment back to her as you left. Also, not very kind. And, maybe, just maybe, you have colored your experience a bit since you stated that everyone was screaming at you.

There are two sides to every situation.

I think I would have asked the people sitting next to the vacant spot if someone was sitting there since it seemed to be miraculously vacant in a sea of filled seats before I put my blanket down and staked my claim.

I have had some pretty bad encounters with people at parade time. This has led me to waiting until the parade starts to find my spot, usually in the back where I can see fine. I'm so tired of whining, griping people at parade time that I avoid the entire situation as much as possible.

Deb, was it by any chance you that had the run in with the OP? I know there are 2 sides to every story but come on. The comment about the size of the woman (you?) was in reference to the space she left for her on the curb and the comment she said when she left was mild compared to some and quite classy IMO. I can not believe that anyone other than acutal person who did this or have done something of the like, would take issue with the OP.

 

[disneylizzy]

I think you handled it well. I would have been in her face, but that's just me, it's not always a good idea to have a confrontation. So sorry this happened to you - people are getting ruder and ruder.

 

[pomcoach]

I think I would have handled it just the way you did. You would not have enjoyed the parade with her remarks and what if the family did show up and all start yelling and making a nasty scene. There would be no enjoying even a bit of the parade! I think the worst part is the shaking inside. I do that too. I teach Kindergartners and I'm just not used to dealing with disgruntled people, so it really shakes me up. I guess we just do so much planning, and spend so much money, and want everything to be perfect. And then some big mouthed, big bottomed screaming lady ruins it. The kisses from your sweet children helped, but I bet it messed with you for more than a few hours.
My husband and I visited one summer and had stayed at the MK until it closed in the wee hours!! The park was packed and everyone was hot and tired and way past their bed times! We still could not bear to go home, since it was our last night at WDW.
We started shopping and found a little T-cup and saucer that was so cute. I got separated from my husband, so I got in line. My husband, who always thinks another line is shorter , motioned to me to come to his line. About 2 minutes later, it was my turn, and some lady out of no where starts screaming that she was next. I tried to explain that it was OK, that I did not know where she came from, that I didn't see her. The cast member didn't know what to do. The loud lady yelled insults at both of us. I finally just put the Tea cup set down. It sure wasn't worth that. What a lousy last few minutes at WDW I had. I shook all the way off of Main street and I blamed my husband for making me change lines. But since that nasty lady, we have returned over and over to WDW and met so many wonderful people.
I say, reschedule your trip. Don't let her spoil your fun. Try to pick a less crowded time to go, if possible. You hang in there!

 

[markwake]

I would have told the woman, "You snooze, you lose."

Some people think they own the world.

I agree. "Snooze, you lose."

 

[willis37862]

Some people just suck. I agree you lose the right to a spot for the parades/fireworks if you leave the park or aren't even there yet. Come on! I agree with the poster who said she would have stayed there and explained to the children that that lady was how not to act and what a fool she was making of herself. I think you set a good example though in not getting involved in a fight with her. Sounds like she was the kind you couldn't win a fight with. Hope you go again and it goes much smoother

 

[Sergeant156]

This is not meant to be rude, but you sound like the people who call the police (me) when they have a bad steak at Denny's and want their money back. I always tell them that they are not at Yachtsman's Steakhouse. (They never get it, but I laugh). Its common sense that when you have that many people squeeze in together things happen. It didn't sound like that big a deal to me. If your husband want to cancel your next trip because of a lady mad at her husband for not saving seats, then it just sounds like a convenient excuse. I also don't think that its something that you should have flashbacks about. Now in your defense, I would die for my kids. If I was a cop (security at Disney) and you told me about your kids reactions I would have to arrest the other lady.

My advice to you is to HAKUNA MATATA

 

[Brooknwdw]

Hi, sorry this happened to you. Some people get so crazy acting..like its been posted, they think the world owes them something.

A parade is not a paid for event or something that has assigned seating.
I say if you want your entire party to have a whole curb to yourself, then at least MOST of the people in the party should wait...instead of just one (obviously passive) guy left to fend off "your" space from other parade watchers. Like in this case.

Yes it would have ruined the day for me..or at least the parade, because encounters with screaming, rude or obnoxious people like that really shake me up. It takes me awhile to get over it. I would have moved too, I guess, especially if my kids had witnessed this behavior.

I truly hope you'll reconsider canceling your April trip over it...that would be a shame. Everywhere you go there are people like that! If all the "normal" people let them, they will take over!

 

[Nancyg56]

I am so sorry that your kids needed to witness an adult behaving in such a coarse manner. I would like to think that I would have handled the matter in th e same manner that you did, but I know me. I would have been the screaming banshee carried out of the park in a straight jacket while the mute squatter tried to resussitate his wife. I cannot understand why people must behave as though they are the only people who matter, and for whom the rules do not apply. Everyone who stands in line to see a parade wants to see the parade, everyone who stands in the line for a ride wants to be next. No one is more special by virtue of their existance, and I have no patience for those who bully thers because they usually do not encounter resistance to their obnoxious attitude.

Good for you for providing a good example for your children, one little snide remark when giving the hooligans the curb is better thatn most would have confined themselves to.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I would have gotten a CM and got them moved.

 

[Philadisney]

Some people just suck. I agree you lose the right to a spot for the parades/fireworks if you leave the park or aren't even there yet.

i hate waiting around for parades and shows at WDW to start. so if i go to a parade, i show up 10 minutes early and expect to get a not-so-great spot. if i cared enough to want to be up front i would park myself on the parade route an hour ahead of time, it's about prioritizing. i think you did the right thing and it sounds like you really kept your head in an ugly situation. i hope you are able to go back in april and have a fantastic time!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Deb, was it by any chance you that had the run in with the OP? I know there are 2 sides to every story but come on. The comment about the size of the woman (you?) was in reference to the space she left for her on the curb and the comment she said when she left was mild compared to some and quite classy IMO. I can not believe that anyone other than acutal person who did this or have done something of the like, would take issue with the OP.

Nope, wasn't me at all. I'm not leaving for WDW until tomorrow. It's just that I have been in some of these situations and until you are totally unbiased as an observer, you just don't know the entire story. I still think I would have asked the people sitting next to the open space if it was available before I plopped my family down there.

Still the OP made some snotty comments in her post. How do you know she didn't make snotty comments when she was there that she didn't mention?

There just might have been a little screaming (maybe just loud talking) on both sides of the conversation. I wasn't there to see or hear the problem. So I'm not judging the other person who isn't here to defend herself.

And I don't sit on the curb or wait for an hour for a parade to begin anymore. It's so much easier to just show up as it begins, stand at the back and watch from afar.

 

[Pumbaa_]

My DH is scarier than me, I would have made him sit next to her. She would have quieted down VERY quickly!

But I can sympathize with you. It must have been very unnerving to be screamed at by a total stranger. ANd just not worth it in the end. You set a very good example for your children by not sinking to that woman's level.

 

[BostonRob]

Well I hate to side with the crazy lady, but Disney can set people up for this kind of explosion.

Hypothetically, this poor lady was just trying to make the perfect night for her family, so she staked out a nice big spot on main street early. Then, for whatever reason, her family decides they need something they left in the car - camcorder, medication, who knows? But they figure the lady and her husband will save their space right? So this lady's stressing because she know main street is filling up and she's gonna have to fight off crowds for the space the she staked out early.

Then, all of a sudden, nature calls and she's got to hit the bathroom. Her husband promises to save the spots, but secretly he doesn't want to argue with anybody. She returns from the bathroom and to her dismay, not only hasn't the rest of her family returned from the car yet, but now, the spot that she staked out so early has been taken by some people who showed up late.

Suppose that was the scenario? No, she still shouldn't yell and shout and create a scene. But maybe you can understand how her stress might manifest itself in that way?

The parades are unfair. There isn't enough space for everybody. To get a good "seat" you've got to arrive ridiculously (like more than an hour) early. And you've got to stand there the whole time to protect your space, and you'll still get crowded and crowded. You can try to do the right thing and stake out your space 90 minutes early, but people will still crowd you and push you and block your kids' view.

The parades themselves are breathtaking. But the whole process leading up to them can be painful enough to ruin it before it begins.

I think the parades can be very stressful and I'm surprised we don't see more expolsions like this one.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Good response, BostonRob. You said it better than I was trying to do.

 

[leebee]

I just don't understand why people MUST be in the front for a parade, or a show, for that matter. It seems to me that the short people (i.e., the kids) should SIT in the front along the curb, behind them should be the kids in strollers and folks in wheelchairs/ECVs, and the rest of us should stand in the rear. That way, EVERYONE can see. Nothing makes me angrier than having my kids sit for an hour along the curb and then just as the parade comes into view, the adults on their "parade side" stand up. GREAT...now NOBODY can see! Same thing at shows. We were at the Castle Forecourt on 12/13 MVMCP for the Christmas show. All the kids were sitting, several rows deep, and adults were sitting too, kindly making room to squeeze in more sitting children, etc. About 5 mins into the show, some moronic couple sitting about 2 rows from the front decided to stand up! People started popping up like jack-in-the-boxes, and pretty soon there were a whole bunch of kids buried in a sea of grown ups, unable to see anything. REALLY, folks! If everyone would just use their common sense and play nicely and fairly...oops, asking too much, I guess!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Well I don't like it when we have showed up an hour before a parade, got a great spot and some parent thinks it is okay to shove their little darling in front of us.

 

[Talking Hands]

My DH used a scooter when we were in WDW this past Sept/Oct due to a heart condition. We had planned on having dinner at CRT then attend Spectomagic parade. We had ps's that should have given us enough time to find the handcapped section to watch the parade after dinner. However, CRT was running behind, we ended up on main street about 25 minutes before the parade was to start. We found a spot behind people who were sitting on the curb. Right before the parade started a very thin woman slid directly infront of my DH and stood there. He looked at her and ask her very nicely to please not stand in front of him. She ignored him and waved to 4 more people (two adults and two children to come over) she had them slid from the side so they now were all standing in front of my DH and myself. I tapped her on the shoulder and explained that we had been waiting for the parade before she got there and we were not going to be able to see. My DH again ask her nicely not to stand in front of him. She turned and looked at us and said, "well I might as well stay, when the parade starts the people in front are going to stand up and you won't be able to see anyway. At this point more people have come up behind us and we can't move. I am sure you all can figure out what happened.

We saw the top two feet of the high floats and not much else. The biggest reason for this was not only did the lady stay with her family, but the adults in her group put their children up on their shouders so NO one behind could see much of anything.

From now on we will make sure we are in the WC area for watching the parade early, early, early. The CM's make sure things like this do not happen.

And sometimes they can't even in the handicapped area. At MVMCP on the 15th, there were about 10 in the area set up for sign language interpreting. Myself, my friend and her daughter (all in wheelchairs), her husband, a family of 4 with deaf parents and 2 young ladies. BEautiful spot in front of the bell with a great view of the parade. That was until 2 people decided to push in from the side and block my friend and her daughter. They didn't get to see much at all.

 

[Angel16]

My DH used a scooter when we were in WDW this past Sept/Oct due to a heart condition. We had planned on having dinner at CRT then attend Spectomagic parade. We had ps's that should have given us enough time to find the handcapped section to watch the parade after dinner. However, CRT was running behind, we ended up on main street about 25 minutes before the parade was to start. We found a spot behind people who were sitting on the curb.

Right before the parade started a very thin woman slid directly infront of my DH and stood there. He looked at her and ask her very nicely to please not stand in front of him. She ignored him and waved to 4 more people (two adults and two children to come over) she had them slide from the other side so they now were all standing in front of my DH and myself. I tapped her on the shoulder and explained that we had been waiting for the parade before she got there and we were not going to be able to see. My DH again ask her nicely not to stand in front of him.

She turned and looked at us and said, "well I might as well stay, when the parade starts the people in front are going to stand up and you won't be able to see anyway. At this point more people have come up behind us and we can't move. We saw the top two feet of the high floats and not much else.

The biggest reason for this was not only did the lady stay in front of us with her family, but the adults in her group put their children up on their shouders so NO one behind could see much of anything.

From now on we will make sure we are in the WC area for watching the parade early, early, early. The CM's make sure things like this do not happen.

Yes it certainly is sad that when we are placed in a group setting we as human beings seem to have no consideration or concern for our fellow human. I just don't understand.