Strange Question

[Twinkletoes77705]

Ok...youve had a LONG day at the park...You decide to go early to secure you a FRONT ROW spot for the parade...next thing you know...a mother comes and wiggles her way in and pushes her kids infront of you. Hmmm...how do you handle this? I mean how much could it hurt to let a child enjoy being in front ...hmmm....but why didnt the mom try to get a spot and wait an hour like you did. ..hmm...I know I am not a child...but deep inside I feel like I am while at Disney and in all reall I wanna stomp my feet and say..."hey thats not fair I was here first" ...sooo what do YOU do? Just wondering..I have never even watched one yet...but plan on doing it this time...I know this happens at parades here too...lol.

[Ed]

That's not at all uncommon, unfortunately.

We've had it happen to us in the past, and we've handled it by politely - but firmly - advising the 'intruders' that we made a point of arriving and staking out a spot extra early so that we'd have an unobstructed view of the parade, and suggesting that they move to another location. So far, it's worked every time, although some times accompanied by a lot of whining and occasionally cursing from the offending party.

[Iluvpooh]

We had this happen to us last year at MNSSHP. We parked our double stroller sideways behind the "Partners" Statue. DH sat with the kids and I went and got snacks. I came back and a family had actually let their kids stand up in the seats of my double stroller. My DH just looked at me like-What could I do?!
I told the people that they didn't need to stand in the stroller because the wheel locks were broken and it would roll. (the truth) and they acted like they didn't speak English. I then firmly and probably a bit rudely told them to get their kids down now, that we had been sitting on that wall for 45 minutes and I planned on letting my kids sit in the stroller to eat their snack before the fireworks started. Believe it or not-then the mother could speak English or at least a few choice words.

[Dsnygirl]

I came back and a family had actually let their kids stand up in the seats of my double stroller.

Wow. That is just beyond amazing... imagine being that bold!! I think you handled it very well... and to think they were upset that you wanted to use your own stroller!!

Okay - back to the question... We always stake out a good spot for the parades, and we do have children, so I just make sure that my vantage point is right behind them, as I can still see over their heads. (But not for long, I think, my DD11 is getting quite tall! ) So, I can't answer for folks w/o kids who get pushed out of the way for other people's children -- I just think that is very rude of the parents to assume that their children take precedence over someone who's held their spot in advance.

But I will tell you what gets me -- people who want me to move back away from my OWN children so they can put their kids in front of me, as well - and then proceed to guide their kids almost in front of mine. I have had to ask parents to not do this, but they usually try to ignore me... so we have most often just had to stand our ground and refuse to budge an inch, pretending they're not even there and we don't notice - as once they realize I'm not giving in, they begin the "inch by inch" intrusion... you know the one, where the elbow gets in front of you first... then the hip, the shoulder... and before you know it, you're back about 5 people...

So now, I just stand my ground and just firmly (and a bit loudly) tell my girls to make themselves comfortable, as they were there first.

[RaRaRoundTheWorld]

The last time we were in Disney, we also staked spots for parades well in advance. One one occasion, my husband was standing with our children in our double stroller by himself when I left to use the ladies room. When I returned, a woman had taken my place next to him (I'm sure you know the handle is wide) and she was telling her kids that they could stand in front of my kids (which would have been on the street and on the parade route). She was speaking another language and pretending not to understand me or my husband when we asked her to stop. So I politely nudged her away from my husband. Hey, that's my family and my place is next to them.
She looked at me like I had ten heads. She then called over a bunch of other people who crowded around us. Their kids were by then trying to sit on the footrest of the stroller - where my kids feet already were. I don't know why we had to discipline their kids by asking them to get off and stop hurting our kids. Anyway, my husband finally managed to get really loud and asked them to "Please stop crowding us and get your kids off our stroller". They got the point and apologized- but only for a while. As soon as the parade started, they began to extend their arms over our kids faces so they could snap pictures.
Again, we had to ask them to stop.
There are so many things in life that are "first come, first served" and I'm sorry if you have kids, but do a better job preparing next time. There's nothing you can do about it at that moment without being rude and possibly ruining another person's experience.

[BrowncatP]

I always thought that there is an unwritten law that whoever is sitting on the curb "owns that spot for a parade."

[AvaNellMouse]

I don't go to WDW with kids and I do find a spot early for parades. I guess I am a sucker or something because I am fine with someone heaving their kids on my feet to watch the parade. We usually end up making short-term friends of the whole family and enjoy watching the kids watch the parade as much as we enjoy the parade. One time we bought one of the kids a Mickey mylar balloon and everything.
My favorite way to pass the time before a parade is to park one person on the sidewalk while the other obtains copious quantities of ice cream. I love to people watch and doing it with a waffle cone just makes it that much better!

[seanyred]

If its just one or two kids who want to stand infront of me I am fine with that, especially if they ask first. But I have a much bigger problem with adults who do the same. I'm a bigger guy so if I have an adult trying to sneak in I politely block them from encroaching on my spot.

If I'm late to a parade that's my fault. I can stand in back.

[Twinkletoes77705]

Wow some of these stories amaze me. I have two kids and really hope noone does these things. My 10 year old is VERY small and my other son will be in a wheelchair. SO we will be in a special area, but the other ones next to him...I just dont want to get seperated from my kids...I know how people are I know I cant get too seperated, but still. I wanna be right vnext to them to share the magic...you know. I dunno...thats just me!

[Dragongirlx]

This actually happend to me at MNSSHP this year. A woman and her daughter tried to push in front of me and my sister. I looked at the women and she stopped but the minute I turned my head she started inching again. Unfortunalty for her my elbows stick out and everytime she tried to push in she would accidently get elbowed in the side. She did eventually give up.
Usually I would speak politetly to the person and I don't mind kids in front of me - especially because most parents and kids usually ask but it as so noisy this time I doubt she would have heard me

[brownie]

Sit in front of a light post by the Main Street train station. No one will be able to move in front of you and you have something to lean against.

[Ian]

Here's the way I typically approach this ... if the parents and children show up late and kind of hover behind me, trying to get a better view but not overtly trying to cut up in front of me, then I almost always offer to let the child stand/sit in front me.

I've even been known to let the Mom go up with them if there's room and if she's short enough that I can see over her head.

But if they're pushy and try and cut in front of me without asking, nudge their way forward, etc. then no way. I make it very clear that we took the time to get there and stake out the spot and that it's ours.

[Joannelet]

Ian we do the same thing.
Before I traveled with children my hubby and I would have no problem (if the parents asked) letting children sit in front of us to watch the parade.
Now that I travel with my own child and have traveled with my niece and nephew our priorities have changed and I'm more about allowing them to see the parade for themselves.
If however families try to get in front of us showing up last minute etc...without asking...and or blocking my child or my sister's children's view....well then I just have my husband take care of it
I wish my hubby could be there with you all when you go through this. He gets his point across loud and clear when it comes to rude people. (even if they pretend not to understand a word of english....they definitely get the point when it comes from him) LOL

[pdrlkr]

It wouldn't be pretty!

[Little Round Bale]

We no longer let others sit in front. We too stake a place early. We find most of the kids/parents are rude. But we pay for our tickets and love the parades too. Sure it is a pain to sit early for the parade but it is first come first serve. We politely tell them this is our spot this parade. They get mad but figure they can get glad in the same clothes they got mad in. I figure if the parade is important to them they would get there early. On the two occassions we let this happen we have the "other" kids fight on the video and the other the little girl was chewing gum and stringing it out from her mouth in front of the lense Just glad it wasn't the MVMCP

[Chic-a-pin]

This happened to my husband & I last year at MNSSHP. We'd been waiting for quite awhile for the parade to start. We were right in front the the X-mas shop in Liberty Square and this family comes up to us and tells us, not asks us, to move down since we didn't have kids so their kids could all sit together...umm, there was no where for us to go at this point so I said sorry, we were here first and have been here for awhile. The guy just starred at me, then another family member comes over and he tells her we won't move and she says "Do they speak English??" OMG!! I was SO mad at that point so I had to take a DEEP breath before saying something. I turned and looked at her and said "Yes, we do speak English, thank you." I think they got the hint

[Granny Jill A]

It all depends on how the newly-arrived kids and parents behave. If they are polite and if there is room, I will allow the smaller kids to stand in front of me to view the parade. If either or both choose to be rude and pushy, then no force on this earth will get me to budge. Sorry.

Some time back I lined up with my wheelchair-bound sister for the Christmas parade. We were escorted to the reserved section. I made sure she was comfortable and then I stepped back behind the rope to make room for others. I was amazed by the people who slid under the rope and stood there until a CM told them to move. They were quite irate at being told this was the handicap area. Some people......

[LudwigVonDrake]

Open your mouth and tell them you were there first. Be polite but firm.

[kemps@wdw]

We find a spot where there is NO place to get in front of us w/o getting in the way of the parade itself, and let the CMs do the rest. (which they usually do). But, we, ike most ohters, do not mind letting small kids in front of us, if they and their parents aren't overly rude. If they are, well...then...I guess they'll be viewing the parade from behind me or from another vantage point! And I , for one, have no problem in politely but firmly relaying that option to them!