Wouldn't this ruin your evening?

[SueM in MN]

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.

Unfortunatley, it happens a lot. We have had lots of situations where someone stands right in front of DD, who is sitting in her wheelchair. When I nicely ask them to leave because Dd can't see, I have gotten some really ruide responses. Even worse are the people who send their kids to stand in front of the wheelchair, knowing they are blocking my DD.
There are nice people, but the norm seems to be getting to be "whatever it takes to make my trip magical" - never mind if it is inconsiderate to someone else.

 

[Buckalew11]

I wouldn't have had to say a thing. My DH would have been all over her and I am sure we would have stayed put. He takes crap off of no one and what that woman did was wrong. She reminds me of the "chalk people" except she didn't even have chalk! LOL

I am sorry it ruined Disney magic for you. Not Disney's fault, of course, people can just be extremely rude anywhere and everywhere but as someone else said, some people go into WDW and think they own the place!

 

[SALLYSUNSHINE]

Sorry you had such a bad experience!! People can be so rude sometimes!! A similar situation happened to us when we there in June... it was late and we had been at the MK all day, we were on the way back to Pop Century, me and my 8 year old son were joking around and picking on my DH and this lady standing up made a comment about how rude it was for us to be laughing!! At first I paid it no attention, I really was not sure she was talking about us....considering this was me and my child having this conversation!! So she said it once again about how "RUDE" it was of us to be laughing... So I respectfully looked at her and said "honey, I paid $2000 to have fun on this trip with my family, and that is what I am doing!!!" I normally avoid confrontation and don't say a word, but by this point, I just couldn't take it anymore!!! But this happens all the time, there are nice people out there, but when you run into those nasty people, it just kind of spoils it for you and your whole family!!! Hope your next trip will be better!!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

It's not the people who shove the kids in front of you (the kids are short and can be seen over), it's the parents who join them and then turn around and say "you don't have kids, so you don't need a front row spot."

In our case, we were sitting in chairs at the overlook of the Main Street Station. So the kid was in fact blocking our views. And if we stood up, we could have blocked the views of the people behind us, which we didn't want to do, so we didn't. It is rude to shove your child in front of others WITHOUT ASKING, even if they are shorter.

Now, one time we were watching Spectromagic and a mother and son were behind us, we offered to put the the son in front of us, and he loved it. So we are not heartless. I get mad that some parents have that entitlement mentality for their children.

 

[Mom2be]

I've been to WDW 5 times in the last 3 years and I've only bothered to see 3 parades. We saw the 3pm parade in the Magic Kingdom but it was in September during the slowest week ever! So we hardly had a problem getting a curb seat. The 2nd one was Spectromagic where I met a fellow DISER and we had enough curb space for us 4 adults. At the last minute we saw a single mom and her 2 kiddos looking for a spot, we called them back and had the DH's get behind us (plent of room) so that the kids could see the parade. That is what it is all about and we had SO much fun talking to that mom and her kids. Actually for Wishes that night my DH held that woman't daughter up so she could see the show (since everyone stood up and she was only 5). That is Disney Magic people! It isn't about getting the best spot for the parade but sharing in the moment with those around you. The third parade was the Christmas parade for MVMCP - we sat behind a bunch of kids, again we could have sat closer but it was more fun hearing those children yell out to the characters.

I know it is hard to see the Disney Magic when people are being unreasonable but it is there. Sometimes we all just have to stick a smile on our faces and wish people a "Magical Day." and sometimes we may have to move to a different spot. In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter.

~Amanda

 

[Mom2be]

I wouldn't have moved, but that is the type of person I am. DH, I and another couple watched the Christmas Parade the day after Christmas at the MK. An hour before it, we went up to the Main Street Train Station and got chairs to watch it from up there. A few minutes into the parade, I look ever and some kid wedged his way between DH and wife of the other couple (our charis were pretty much up against the railing. The mother asked the guy of the other couple if her kid could sit on his lap. He said no. The kid then asked DH if he could sit on his lap. He said no. The kid was around five years old. Poor DH had his ear yelled into the whole time as the kid screamed out each character's name. Finally DH asked him to quit yelling. What was the mother thinking?

You snooze, you lose is exactly correct.

I would have put the kid on my lap. I'm a sucker for a child and you can't blame the little guy that his mother is unprepared. I know this isn't for everyone but I probably would have been pointing and laughing with that kid all through the parade - make the best of it ya know?

~Amanda

 

[black562]

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?

So if my group is in line for Space Mountain and all but one of us decides to leave the park and go to the car...does that mean we are allowed to jump back in line?

I'm sorry, but especially if they left the park, they gave up their spot...its not assigned seating. When I was there, people were trying to save 10 feet of curb and I think the CM's should have stepped in a couple of times to settle things down...people act as if they can do as they wish and noone else can, like they're better than everyone.

What you should have said was that you "claimed" this spot at 9am and went walking around the park, but now your back and its still your spot. Hey, its the same as her "claiming" it for her family that left to go to the car....how far would you care to take this?

You did good just getting out of the situation, but please don't let your children get the impression that its OK to let people walk all over you...there are times when you need to stand up for yourself. While a parade was probably not worth it, I look back on my Disney trips with Dad and realize that they may have been. My Dad was killed very suddenly and tragically and now those memories take on a whole new and very important meaning.

I hope you return in April and I hope you get the best seats for the best parade your children will ever see...

 

[gppnj]

I feel sorry for the man who is married to that woman, but he chose her.

 

[PaulaSue]

Good For You!

I have a BIG mouth and would have told her where to sit, in a not nice way. I also wouldn't have moved but that is just me.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I would have put the kid on my lap. I'm a sucker for a child and you can't blame the little guy that his mother is unprepared. I know this isn't for everyone but I probably would have been pointing and laughing with that kid all through the parade - make the best of it ya know?

~Amanda

MY DH isn't exactly enamored by children, and personally I wouldn't feel comfortable with a kid I didn't know on my lap. But that's just me.

 

[mic_key_mouse]

I understand what Boston Rob is saying, although I don't 'side' with the lady (and her family) that decided to leave. I am one of those people that would not have left as well. When they got up, they forfeited the seating area- period.

There are plenty of ways to have one person run for drinks, and cycle through a family for bathroom breaks so the area stays reserved- but when ALL of them (save one) get up and leave to do whatever they better not expect to be able to return to those seats (especially if I am the one that grabs 'em up ).

 

[BraveMom3]

I'm confused. I can't get past the part where she went to her car. How do you "run to your car" from the Magic Kingdom?!?

 

[goodferry]

We have found that the best way to avoid trouble at the parades is to stay away from Main Street and the castle hub at all costs. The parade runs clear back to Frontierland, why people feel they all have to be jammed onto Main Street is beyond me. We just got back on the 23rd, and this trip we watched all the parades from a comfy spot in front of the Hall of Presidents and were lucky enough to have wonderful people around us every time and no one behind us.
To the OP, sorry you had to listen to this woman, but it's nice when our kids react in such a kind way, isn't it? Try to keep that memory instead of the one of the snotty woman who probably was just having a bad day.

 

[donaldsgal]

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.

I totally agree with this; people are applauding the OP for being dignified and handling it "well", but did no one else read about the woman's "big fat butt"? That seems irrelevant and unnecessary. I DO agree that she lost her spot since she left it, and her husband should have said something to you when he saw you going for that spot. I DO agree that the woman seemed to lack the Christmas spirit. However, I can't say that the OP handled the situation in an admirable way. Sorry - stand up for yourself and family, yes, but it seems to me the OP acted immaturely here on the DIS and wasn't as dignified as everyone asserts she was.

 

[jonestavern]

You handled it in a very civilized way, I, on the other hand tend to dish out what I get. I probably would have stayed and explained to my children, in an even voice, just loud enough for the offending party to hear, that some adults act very rude in public and reveal their poor upbringing, but you dear child can use this to learn how NOT to act, and see how foolish one looks to others when they act as though the universe revolves around them. I'd not address this boor or acknowledge her presence and leaving only rewards the ignorant. I would have been upset from the moment this banshee arrived and there's no undoing that so standing my ground would be the only choice for me. Sorry for your troubles.
Bill From PA

did this exactly when DNwas7 & experienced a very rude adult female (there was no crowd & she simply pushed my small for her age neice aside! ), only I spoke loud enough for the surrounding folks to hear
I was very controlled speaking in a 'teaching' voice--


they blatantly had no right to more than 1 spot, as that is what the hubby asked for. FYI, as I am a Pooh-sized gal I do always figure for a Pooh-sized space, but nobody would have figured on a whole entourage!
Please don't cancel your trip, don't let this crude & rude whacko ruin your plans. Read one of the Disney magic threads, print it out & let your family & DH read it--so many wonderful, truly touching things happen in the parks.
I love it that you wished them a Merry Christmas, hoping she gave some thought to that

Jean

 

[terribm]

As the OP has stated twice now, the comment about the woman's large posterier was relevant to the point the she made plenty of room for the woman after her husband told her that she was sitting there. Not immature IMO. And she didn't say to the woman, she was saying to us.

Terri

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks, Jenny, for reading and seeing what I saw.

 

[Deb & Bill]

As the OP has stated twice now, the comment about the woman's large posterier was relevant to the point the she made plenty of room for the woman after her husband told her that she was sitting there. Not immature IMO. And she didn't say to the woman, she was saying to us.

Terri

Larger sized or Pooh sized would have made the same point without being rude.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Rude to whom? You? SHE DIDN'T SAY IT TO THE WOMAN.

I'm so glad so many here are such saintly people, they would call a woman who screamed at them "pooh-sized" AFTER THE FACT TO A MESSAGEBOARD. How nice that some of you think we should all use terms of endearment to describe people who are total jerks to us after it happens. You know what? Go to town if you want to. You can get Nicest person of the Year in the karma Olympics. But just because not everyone feels so charitable after being treated badly and screamed at, doesn't mean their story has any less merit.

Go preach somewhere else.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Larger sized or Pooh sized would have made the same point without being rude.

A big butt by any other name is still a big butt. Doesn't change the fact but if you want to be judgemental and have your opinion on my choice of wording go right ahead. It is just that, your judgement call and your opinion.