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phoenixfire2k5
08-04-2005, 11:55 PM
Ok, here's the thing. Wednesday night, I was in Disneyland to hang out a little bit and I watched the fireworks before heading home. I barely went on anything because of the long lines and lack of Fastpasses (yes, SM was out and this was about 6pm when I first went to look). Around 8:15 or so, I walked over to the Small World area and there wasn't much people around here, though I noticed a few mosaics in this area that looked new to me. I posted another thread regarding these and a new one I noticed in Tomorrowland. To view, click here (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?p=697998#post697998).

But anyways, back to the point. After leaving the Small World area immediately, I walked back to the plaza area to grab my spot for the fireworks. And it is about an hour before showtime, and every spot directly in front of the castle is taken. As well as every spot on the benches and on the curbs in front of them. So, with several other people, I took my spot in the street, or on the parade route basically, where I could see both the castle and the matterhorn unobstructed. This area gradually got packed with people sitting all over. Reminded me of the campout for the 17th. There were a set of people that were standing towards the people in front of me all the way up to the churro stand that is always there in this area. Now, here is where my vent comes in. Because these people, as well as the ones sitting more towards the plaza, started to pose a problem. When the fireworks started, these people that were standing REMAINED standing. Probably because there were things that were more than likely going to block their view if they sat. So this in turn made the people in front of me stand, so therefore I had to stand in front of just about everyone else behind me and to my left and right who WERE ALL SITTING!!!

But this made a problem for all of those that were sitting. All that were sitting, REMAINED SITTING!! And they did nothing but complain and yell at the people who were standing to sit down! I felt bad for the people behind me. I tried to squat down, but then I wouldn't have been able to see. I very well couldn't move either. There basically just people sitting all the way back to the crosswalk between the plaza and Tomorrowland. But their screaming was basically ruining the first half of the show because they wouldn't stop. So my vent is, and I was so tempted to just yell this to them.....It was obvious that those that were standing WERE NOT going to listen. So rather than sit there complaining and miss most of the show, not to mention ruining it for other by all their yelling, how about just stand up yourselves and just watch and enjoy the show? I mean like, c'mon! I completely understand their frustration with the ones that were standing, but 1 - if they were there in that spot, they would be standing too, and 2 - theres no sense continuing to yell at them if they are not going to listen. There were objects in their way, such as the churro cart, and they HAD to stand so that they may see. So instead of yelling at them and complaing while ruining it for others.....It was either sit there and deal with it, or stand up and watch the show. Either way, just shut up!! There, I've said my piece. :) :D

Stupid_American
08-05-2005, 06:01 AM
Have you ever heard the Serenity Prayer?

Unless it's a riot, the only thing to do is follow the crowd.
You aren't going to get the people in front to sit.
If the people behind wish to see, the will simply need to stand.

Is this right? Is this the considerate thing?
No, it's just the way it is.

Welcome to the crowd!

nsaul1211
08-05-2005, 07:11 AM
I know exactly what you mean. My girlfriend and I have watched the fireworks show on many occasions (never gets boring because it's such a darn good show) and when we've stood everyone who was sitting started yelling to everyone to sit down. It's interesting because sometimes the entire crowd stood up when the show started and it wasn't a problem, the last few times however they all just started whining. I will say that sometimes even when you are sitting for and hour and a half before the show on concrete it feels good to stand up. I will say though that my girlfriend gets the most angry with having to sit because the people can't just stand up but I do tell her that if everyone is sitting and you're not, you just can't say "too bad" because they are the majority. Plus since we are annual passholders I don't want to ruin the experience for anyone that is there for their first time or only time in many years, especially if it is a child.

stitchlvr
08-05-2005, 07:16 AM
Well, I have another perspective. Although I can't see yelling at somebody through the show, I would be very disappointed if people were standing in front of me. I go early to find a good seat where I can sit and see the show. I don't want somewhere where people are standing, not because I mind standing, but because I can't see anything when people are standing in front of me. I am only 4'11" and I can't tell you how many times I have missed something I was looking forward to because people chose to stand in front of me. I guess I can relate to how frustrating it is for kids as well.

nursemelis374
08-05-2005, 07:35 AM
I think that they need to clearly establish which areas are for sitting and which ones are for standing. We watched them right in front of the castle early on in summer and we didn't know people usually sat down there and we stood and so did everyone in front of us. A ton of people in back of us were mad, but it wasn't our fault because we didn't know. Nowhere does it say you must sit in that area nor does it say it anywhere else. I wouldn't have minded sitting down, but once you are all standing and packed in, it is impossible to have enough room to sit down.

pisces
08-05-2005, 07:36 AM
Here's my general rule:

Parades: Sitting
Fireworks: Standing

The reason is because you don't need to be in a front row for fireworks.

Another general rule: Never go into crowds in the middle of Summer. Summer, and especially Summer heat, brings out the worst in everyone. So much nicer during the Winter, when everyone is in a festive Holiday mood. Crowds are easier to deal with then.

stitchlvr
08-05-2005, 07:47 AM
We were sitting right in front of the castle and luckily for me everyone was sitting. I think with this fireworks show I would have missed a lot if we were standing. There are a lot of effects on the castle and possibly the Matterhorn that I wouldn't have seen. When we were there the CM's were telling people to sit down in the area in front of the castle.

EandCDad
08-05-2005, 07:50 AM
Unless the CM's are specifically telling you that you are in a sitting area (I've had this happen in certain parade areas and when I saw New Year's Eve fireworks) then you need to expect that people will stand in front of you.

phoenixfire2k5
08-05-2005, 10:55 AM
I think that they need to clearly establish which areas are for sitting and which ones are for standing. We watched them right in front of the castle early on in summer and we didn't know people usually sat down there and we stood and so did everyone in front of us. A ton of people in back of us were mad, but it wasn't our fault because we didn't know. Nowhere does it say you must sit in that area nor does it say it anywhere else. I wouldn't have minded sitting down, but once you are all standing and packed in, it is impossible to have enough room to sit down.

I do agree with this. They need to designate sitting areas and standing areas for the fireworks. They do actually do this for Fantasmic. But, I think it's like someone else stated, it's a general assumption that around the plaza area, everyone is supposed to sit.

AlbertaMinnie
08-05-2005, 10:55 AM
We were sitting right in front of the castle and luckily for me everyone was sitting. I think with this fireworks show I would have missed a lot if we were standing. There are a lot of effects on the castle and possibly the Matterhorn that I wouldn't have seen. When we were there the CM's were telling people to sit down in the area in front of the castle.


Wow, we were sitting in front of the castle on 7/21, and everyone stood up. I felt especially bad for the ones in wheelchairs but I made sure to position myself behind and beside them just in case. I too heard the shouts from ignorant (?) guests in the back that were shouting for everyone to sit down, but I'm sorry, the people in front of me continued to stand, so I had no choice but to do the same. Lucky for you the CM's were enforcing the "sit" - I wish they would have done that for us. But nevertheless, sitting or standing, they were breathtaking and hearing Walt Disney himself brought tears to my eyes.

stitchlvr
08-05-2005, 11:13 AM
Wow, we were sitting in front of the castle on 7/21, and everyone stood up. I felt especially bad for the ones in wheelchairs but I made sure to position myself behind and beside them just in case. I too heard the shouts from ignorant (?) guests in the back that were shouting for everyone to sit down, but I'm sorry, the people in front of me continued to stand, so I had no choice but to do the same. Lucky for you the CM's were enforcing the "sit" - I wish they would have done that for us. But nevertheless, sitting or standing, they were breathtaking and hearing Walt Disney himself brought tears to my eyes.

See, unlucky at cookies (other thread), lucky at fireworks. The fireworks were more important to me so I think it all works out in the end. It did make it much easier that the CM's asked people to sit down. I wonder why they no longer do this (maybe it just got to hard to do). I must admit; I cried through the whole fireworks show- embarrassed my 8 yr. old DD to death!

phoenixfire2k5
08-05-2005, 11:14 AM
Because not every guest listens to the CMs when they tell you to sit down. The CMs can only do so much without sounding rude or bossy and risk getting a complaint.

A lot of CMs tread that line on an everyday basis.

coronado_g
08-05-2005, 11:41 AM
Phoenixfire ~ I would have been aggravated too in your situation but it sounds like you didn't have much choice but to stand.
Personally, I stay out the hub during the Remember show, preferring to watch from various spots around the park. Standing.

phoenixfire2k5
08-05-2005, 11:43 AM
Phoenixfire ~ I would have been aggravated too in your situation but it sounds like you didn't have much choice but to stand.
Personally, I stay out the hub during the Remember show, preferring to watch from various spots around the park. Standing.

I'll still watch it from the hub. Its the best spot to view it, and the only best spot to view it from.

Disney Vault
08-05-2005, 11:53 AM
I think everyone needs to stand unless they are directly in front of the caslte. By sitting you just end up taking more room.

Disney Debbie
08-05-2005, 12:11 PM
When you are working guest control during a parade on Main Street the guest are told that the only people who will be able to side when the parade comes are the guest on the curb. Everyone else must stand up. The reason for this as the parade makes it way down the street more guest will try and watch and to watch the parade everyone must be behind the rope. This same would apply to the fireworks.

I only get to come to D/L once or twice a year, so I cannot spend hours sitting waiting for the fireworks. If people are sitting down they take up more space and personally I think that everyone should stand. It is great that many people have the time to sit for awhile, but I will be one of those folks who will stand during the fireworks, as it accommodate more guest having a great view of the fireworks. From what I had read recently that this problem might be solved in the near future as it looks like Security will be starting to take over alot of the guest control in the park and they will probably have an easier time of getting guest to comply to whatever rule D/L decides to go by.

That is just my two cents.

adriennek
08-05-2005, 12:19 PM
I don't have any problem sitting down in an area that CMs want me to sit in- for parades, Fantasmic, shows, whatever. I also don't have a problem "not standing or stopping" in areas that CMs designate as walkways ONLY.

I do have a problem with guests deciding for themselves what areas are 'sit down' or stand-up or "walkways only" and then coming to my lovely group of friends when we're in their designated area doing the 'wrong' thing and they tell us: "You'll have to move along because I've been waiting over ...... THERE.... and you're blocking me now."

When we told him we'd move if the cms told us we were not allowed to stand there the CMs told him we were allowed to stand where we were. He wasn't to happy. He found another place to watch that particular 'show'.

Adrienne

stitchlvr
08-05-2005, 12:20 PM
So I guess kids and short folks like me are just out of luck because if I'm standing, I can't see much. As tightly packed as we were sitting, I don't think you could get many more people in there standing. This fireworks show is unlike others where a lot of the effects and action are not overhead.

phoenixfire2k5
08-05-2005, 12:26 PM
I don't have any problem sitting down in an area that CMs want me to sit in- for parades, Fantasmic, shows, whatever. I also don't have a problem "not standing or stopping" in areas that CMs designate as walkways ONLY.

I do have a problem with guests deciding for themselves what areas are 'sit down' or stand-up or "walkways only" and then coming to my lovely group of friends when we're in their designated area doing the 'wrong' thing and they tell us: "You'll have to move along because I've been waiting over ...... THERE.... and you're blocking me now."

When we told him we'd move if the cms told us we were not allowed to stand there the CMs told him we were allowed to stand where we were. He wasn't to happy. He found another place to watch that particular 'show'.

Adrienne

Yep, I remember you talkin about that before. Just gotta love some of them rude guests. :|

CookieBandit
08-05-2005, 01:10 PM
When we watched Fantasmic, we sat on some steps that were roped off (near the Haunted Mansion). There was one column of steps that were left for pedestrians as well as the walkway in front (perpendicular to the stairs).

Well, some people in front of the walkway (closer to the Rivers) stood up for the show. And so the people on the first row of stairs stood up. And then we (on the 2nd row) did too, because we couldn't see otherwise. People behind us (on the walkway behind the stairs) yelled at us (all of us, not just me) to sit down because they couldn't see. But we really had no choice, since the people in front weren't going to sit...

For fireworks, they un-cordoned off the stairs (meaning we couldn't sit anymore) so we just went down closer to the Rivers of America. It was fine because (as someone else mentioned), you don't need to be in the "front row" for fireworks, since it's all up in the sky anyway.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
08-05-2005, 01:45 PM
The same thing happened to Wendi and I on May 5th. We were dead center of the castle, sitting on the street. The show started and all the people in front of us stood up. So we had to, in order to see. But then people started this chant telling people to sit down. Then this lady singled me out, I had on pink pants and was yelling at ME to sit. Ok sure lady, I will sit, then the 1000 other people in front of me will still be in your way.
I really think they do need to establish sitting and standing areas for the fireworks, just like they do for !F.

Mark Mywords
08-05-2005, 01:57 PM
When we watched Fantasmic, we sat on some steps that were roped off (near the Haunted Mansion). There was one column of steps that were left for pedestrians as well as the walkway in front (perpendicular to the stairs).

the worst Fantasmic experience we've ever had happened at this same spot!

We were running late showing up for the first showing, so we headed over to our usual "always open at the last minute" spot on the steps near the popcorn wagon in front of the HM.

When we arrived we scooted into the roped off area of the steps and took a seat. There were already a group of about 6 developmentally disabled children in wheelchairs in the roped off section at the top of the steps.

Just before the show started a family showed up and took the last open area in front of us. They had plenty of room to sit down, and they would have still been able to still see just fine(really, because of the way the crowds had shaped themselves that evening, the sight lines were totally open from there). They didn't sit down. My wife politely asked the Mom to sit down for the sake of the poor children behind us. She looked at us, looked at the group of wheelchair-bound kids and turned away without a word. The person who was in charge of the group of handicapped kids also politely asked her to sit down. Same reaction, she just pretended not to hear her. We heard them talking in English earlier, so we knew that a language barrier wasn't the reason for her behavior.

We all remained seated out of respect for the poor kids, even though we couldn't see and it didn't make a difference because this family was blocking the view anyway. For the entire show, we could hear two of the kids behind us crying and sobbing because they couldn't see the show. It was just so terrible and miserable. :crying:

I totally understand that normally you're pretty much at the whim of whoever might enter a roped off area like that. For me, you just deal with it, no prob.
If they want to stand, well everybody's gonna have to end up standing. That's fine.

But c'mon, what kind of people would willfully ignore the fact that there's a group of wheelchair bound children stuck behind you who CAN'T stand up!?

I've never before seen anything so terrible at Disneyland (and hope never to see it again).

phoenixfire2k5
08-05-2005, 02:11 PM
Just before the show started a family showed up and took the last open area in front of us. They had plenty of room to sit down, and they would have still been able to still see just fine(really, because of the way the crowds had shaped themselves that evening, the sight lines were totally open from there). They didn't sit down. My wife politely asked the Mom to sit down for the sake of the poor children behind us. She looked at us, looked at the group of wheelchair-bound kids and turned away without a word. The person who was in charge of the group of handicapped kids also politely asked her to sit down. Same reaction, she just pretended not to hear her. We heard them talking in English earlier, so we knew that a language barrier wasn't the reason for her behavior.

We all remained seated out of respect for the poor kids, even though we couldn't see and it didn't make a difference because this family was blocking the view anyway. For the entire show, we could hear two of the kids behind us crying and sobbing because they couldn't see the show. It was just so terrible and miserable. :crying:

I totally understand that normally you're pretty much at the whim of whoever might enter a roped off area like that. For me, you just deal with it, no prob.
If they want to stand, well everybody's gonna have to end up standing. That's fine.

But c'mon, what kind of people would willfully ignore the fact that there's a group of wheelchair bound children stuck behind you who CAN'T stand up!?

I've never before seen anything so terrible at Disneyland (and hope never to see it again).


OH I TOTALLY WOULD NOT have tolerated this!!! Especially if it was ruining the kids viewing of the show. A few weeks ago, I was watching the fireworks right along the crosswalk between the plaza hub and tomorrowland. this family next to me had two small children that were able to see the show fine, UNTIL two gentleman wormed their way in and stood directly in front of me and blocked the view of the two kids. I, along with a cool guy next to me, told them that they have to find another spot. This area was too full, and where they decided to stand, was now blocking the two kids next to them. They moved immediately.

I do not put up with rude inconsiderate people like this!!! NOT AT ALL!!! Reading this post of yours, has gotten me ticked off at the moment. If I was there, I would've given the lady a STRONG piece of my mind and made her leave!! They had ABSOLUTELY no right whatsoever to stand there and block the views of the kids in the wheelchairs!!! And I would not have rested, nor shutted up, about them standing there until they left and found another spot. And if need be, I would have IMMEDIATELY gotten a CM to come and direct them to some place else! Reading about her little smug, ignorant attitude, just boils my blood. I DESPISE rude people like that!! And I am not afraid to be up front and honest about what I think about them if I ever come across people like that in person!

<edited/added> And if I was there, and she refused to move, or give me that little smug attitude of hers, I would've TOTALLY gone off on here. And I wouldn't have cared if it made a scene. I AM that brutally honest, and don't put up with people like that costing the enjoyment of disabled kids at the park. That's just my nature.

Mark Mywords
08-05-2005, 02:41 PM
I, along with a cool guy next to me, told them that they have to find another spot. This area was too full, and where they decided to stand, was now blocking the two kids next to them. They moved immediately.

Yeah, I did give them a piece of my mind. I'm big and fairly scary looking. Her kids all sat down, but she just stared at me. After she didn't back down, her kids stood back up. We asked a couple of CMs to help. They looked aghast at their behavior, but didn't actually attempt to do anything.

phoenixfire2k5
08-05-2005, 02:45 PM
As a CM or as a guest, I would've done something. What they did was messed up. And with the CM's not even doing anything about it, was worse.