Parade Etiquette About This Page:

[PamelaK]

First of all, I must acknowledge that this thread was inspired by someone else's thread about whether or not you allow children to get in front of you at the parades.

What rules do you follow for parade etiquette?

Here are my basic rules (The ones I can think of at the moment anyway):

1. I try to get to my spot early so I can get a good space. If I don't then I will make do with what I can find.
2. If I am stuck behind a bunch of super tall people (5'4" here), then I will politely ask if my daughter can stand or sit in front of them. (Often the people I have asked will allow me to go in front of them as well.)
3. If there is a child behind me that cannot see around me, I will allow him or her to stand with my DD and I or stand/sit in front of us.
4. I try not to talk too loud or "OOOH" and "AAHHHH" so loud that it disturbs those around me. (I was at a local parade once and the people behind me were having a rather loud discussion of their previous night's antics. Some of which were not suitable for my then 6 year old to hear.)
5. I try to scrunch down or sit down if possible so those behind me can have a better view.

Are there any other etiquette rules you follow?

[Sandra Bostwick]

This is a great topic!

I like your guidelines for parades. I have one to add, but this is really about the fireworks.

I was next to a nice family during wishes and, while chatting, I pointed out the window where Tinkerbelle would jump, so they would not miss it.

Turns out the guy knew, and wanted his girls to be surprised, as if it was the first time Tinkerbelle had ever done this. He was actually pretty ticked off about it.

I felt awful but, from now on, I'm very careful about what I say about little surprises during shows, parades, or fireworks around kids. Sometimes it's best to keep the magic to ourselves!

[Principessa_di_Fata]

Great thread!!

Sandy, that's really something I wouldn't have thought of... thanks for sharing that story!

We always get parade spots early, usually about half hour or forty minutes before the parade - when we see people start getting settled in. I like to sit right on the curb (they often grouse at you for having your feet in the street so I sit with my legs crossed). I park the stroller beside me, and put DD in it, to take up as little space as possible, and mom sits on the other side of the stroller. That way kids can stand behind me, and I'm taking up as little space as humanly possible.

If I arrive late and am standing, I will let little kids stand in front of me. I also try to be aware of my camera. A lot of people hold their cameras up high, I guess to get a good view or something... but then all I end up seeing are cameras, instead of the parade. So I try to be aware of that when I'm standing and taking pictures.

And the last thing that annoys me is when people talk all through the fireworks. I mean I don't expect a complete silence (though it would be nice) but it sure would be nice to be able to hear the music / speaking without hearing the guy next to me carrying on and on and on about whatever.

I just basically try to follow the rule of being aware of my surroundings as much as possible, and being as unobtrusive and respectful of others as possible (without being a doormat).

Too bad everyone doesn't do that, huh?

[debrabrown]

I like the idea of not spoiling any surprises. Good thought! I just follow the rule of trying to be as quiet as possible and minimize talking during fireworks. Great thread idea.

[njsmama]

After my experience in June, I will add this one: Try to make room/leave a path for those who are trying to get through, and don't push/shove.
It was well before time for wishes, and my family and I were trying to get from Adventureland to Tomorrowland. The area in front of the snack cart in front of the Castle was the worst spot! People would not let us through, and others trying to get through from behind us would push and shove past, even hitting my DD who was in her stroller. It was horrible and very clausterphobic feeling.

[Lumieregirl]

I can add what NOT to do. Both of these happened to me at Spectromagic.
A woman got behind me and pushed her toddler thru to the front (just the toddler by herself). She walked all over our sandal-wearing feet (ouch!) and when I turned around to talk to "mom", she was long gone as she'd gone to the other side of town square to take pics of her from the other side. This was rude to us but what was most frightening is that she'd leave her little girl alone in a huge crowd like that. And if she'd simply asked if we'd let her daughter through, we would have gladly done so.
Then, a woman tried to use my head as a tripod. We had words. I'll leave it at that.

[jenjen1127]

Originally Posted by PamelaK

I was at a local parade once and the people behind me were having a rather loud discussion of their previous night's antics. Some of which were not suitable for my then 6 year old to hear.

This is such a pet peeve of mine. I can't stand when teenagers or even adults use fowl language or inapprorpate topics when there are children around. If they chose to use that language amongst themselves they have the right but they really should take into consideration other people within hearing range.

[unewillow]

I agree with everything above....but here's my question...would you let an adult sit in front of you on the curb if you yourself are planning to stand during the parade?

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by Lumieregirl

I can add what NOT to do. Both of these happened to me at Spectromagic.
A woman got behind me and pushed her toddler thru to the front (just the toddler by herself). She walked all over our sandal-wearing feet (ouch!) and when I turned around to talk to "mom", she was long gone as she'd gone to the other side of town square to take pics of her from the other side. This was rude to us but what was most frightening is that she'd leave her little girl alone in a huge crowd like that. And if she'd simply asked if we'd let her daughter through, we would have gladly done so.
Then, a woman tried to use my head as a tripod. We had words. I'll leave it at that.

Was that the same woman who used stroller as a steamroller to get to the front of a crowd when I was there?

[scarlettsmom]

I will only let kids infront or sit with scarlett if I won't have to stand so close to someone that I touch them. I don't let parents infront. I'm one of the "rude" people that stare and glare and mumble under my breath loud enough for you to hear if you squeeze in and just help yourself to my spot

[nurse_mom]

in may when we visited. A woman walked up to us and expected us to let her child stay with us while she was somewhere on the other side of the street. I said sure but we have 3 children of our own and I would not be responsible for him. She got upset with me and stormed off!!! I love the parades, but not the crowds. GREAT topic.

[chezp]

What a great thread - and what a great point about not spoiling surprises. I pretty much stick to what you quoted in the first post. I just wish everyone did. I wish that all Disney parks could be like Tokyo Disney, with everyone neatly sat down on the ground, all in their own personal space in front of the rope and then people standing behind. It's all so polite over there and you don't get any of the pushing or shoving you see at the other parks sometimes.

[Princess_Wantabe]

I've shaken my head at many parades/fireworks over the antics some adults try to pull. But I must say our trip in October had me wishing I had plugs for my ears. We were at the MK dessert party and this cute little girl (about 3-4yrs) was standing on a chair in front of us with mom/dad crouched down next to her. What started out 'cute' turned annoying really fast. With each boom of the fireworks the child would scream with excitement at the top of her lungs...I mean SCREAM We couldn't hear the music. I don't blame the girl, but as a parent myself I would have made an effort to have them keep it down a little...these parents...nothing. A couple next to us (with their own little girl) gave up trying to record the show because of the noise. I was just glad that wasn't my first time (or last) seeing Wishes...I would have been disappointed.

So, I guess another etiquette would be to give your children a few guidelines also

[pntsmom99]

My only comment would be on leaving the parde area. Last year at the end of wishes my daughter, age 9 and myself found ourself at the very end of Main St, by Town Square, we watched the fireworks the best we could with a very large, loud man in front of us who kept insisting on getting into all of our video shots..but I digress..when the fireworks ended, the crowd turned and came right towards us...adults and kids just rushed us. My daughter got seperated from me more than once. I finally grabbed her arm and physically hauled her through the crowd, aplogizing the whole time. I finally was able to squeeze us both into a nook in the wall of the building by the candy shop. After about five minutes we were able to manuever into the candy shop.

My daughter was very scared and it took a while to calm her down. I have always made sure that I never seperated a child from thier adult, I just wish others were the same.

[PamelaK]

Originally Posted by chezp

I wish that all Disney parks could be like Tokyo Disney, with everyone neatly sat down on the ground, all in their own personal space in front of the rope and then people standing behind. It's all so polite over there and you don't get any of the pushing or shoving you see at the other parks sometimes.

Do you think that maybe that is a cultural thing? I mean Asian cultures tend to be more respectful of others and find it very rude to get into another's personal space. Whereas, other cultures see no problem with invading someone's personal space. (These are just my personal observances and not meant to offend anyone.) For instance in the Mexican culture (I am Mexican on my mother's side.), they tend to get right up in your face quite often. This used to be a real problem for me when we went to family reunions. I hated going because all these people I barely knew (if at all) would get right up in my face and hug me or just stand there inches from me to talk to someone behind me. I saw this quite often when we would go into the Mexican markets too. So again, I wonder if the difference in parade etiquette is a difference in cultures?