Yet *another* BATB PODM question.

[Aquata]

So I'm planning on going to the BATB PODM release at Disneyland. Luckily, I have a premium annual pass so I can get into the park. However, my grandmother REALLY, REALLY wants to go and get one because this is one of her favorite Disney films and she wants to get her second one for my mother for Christmas since BATB is pretty much my mother's favorite film ever and my mother lives out of state. My grandmother is blocked out of the parks and so has to brave DTD Pin Traders.
This being said... My grandmother is 69 going on 70. She is fairly healthy save for neck and back pain but she can't go any earlier than 3am as she needs SOME rest and sleeping on the cement won't be possible for her with her neck and back problems. So here is my question...
Would I get screamed at and stoned if I went at say midnight or 1 am and then had her join me at 3am in line when she drives up from San Diego? I know that can be considered line cutting but given her age and that she's elderly I'm hoping to find a way to make this work. Also, I would like to be at a good beginning to halfway point for her in the DTD line so she doesn't have to stand for four hours at the end of the line waiting for her pin. She's willing to but I know that will take a pretty good toll on her at the end of day plus she has to go to work after the pin purchase (she's a caretaker of another elderly woman who is older than herself and much worse off). I just am hoping to make this as comfortable as possible for her and probably the easiest way is for me to go early first and have her join me at 3am but are people *really* going to scream at me if I do this for an elderly woman? It would be just me by myself (maybe my husband if he doesn't work but he'd be with me the whole time starting at midnight/1am...not joining later like my grandmother and it's not 100% he's going). Opinions? Thoughts?

 

[D3COY]

Hmm this is a tough one. I would hope that people wouldn't scream, but I think the reality is that some of the people waiting in line might get upset. I have a feeling that it would be like that simply because this is going to be one of the more chaotic releases. Although me personally I dont think its a big deal for you to save a spot for your grandmother. Its not like youre going to be letting 10 people in line with you so you can buy 20 PODM's that youre going to sell online.

 

[chipdale123]

Hi Aquata

I think I have a solution to your problem. If you were to drive up to DTD, you could bring your grangmother with you and have a chair for her. So 2 chairs total for you and your grandma. Set the chairs up when you get in line, then she could always go back to sleep in the car. Not sure if you want her sleeping in the car, but it's better than cement! When people see that she was there when her chair was set up and just went to her car to sleep, there should be no problems

 

[allenmay8]

What time will people start lining up at WDW? This will be my first PODM release!

 

[doodlebug86]

I feel like it wont be an issue, if only because she's old & one person. But I haven't been to a release, so I'm just going on decency, which may or may not apply. But it's not like you're bringing 7 aunt, 2 grandmas, 4 great uncles and 15 cousins and adding them all to your group right when the doors open.
I feel like one old lady at 3 am shouldn't be an issue, as she will still be waiting hours and hours.

 

[Aquata]

Thanks everyone for the opinions and honest answers. Please keep them coming. ChipDale that's a great idea but my grandmother lives in San Diego and I live in LA so I don't know that it will work out (as driving there and then to Disneyland and then back to SD and then back to LA would be mad crazy on gas usage) but ... it's a helpful suggestion and still something to consider! Thank you

 

[Pin-A-Colada]

In order to make it fair for everyone she will have to be in line just like everyone else. As much as you are attempting to make it work out for her there are individuals who will bring it up to Cast Members. It has happened before at these events, especially such a larger scale one that B&TB. There are older guest there who show up that early and stay there for the entire period of time. Like other members have said she can show up at the same time as you, be it 3 AM and sit with you for a while then go to sleep in her car.

 

[Nathan95]

I would inform the person behind and a couple more people behind you that you have one more in your party. Also it seems like a lot of people are going to show up around 2-3 and with it being black Friday I can't see there being that many people lined up around around the time she arrives so I think she should be fine. If there's security there I would also inform them of the situation so they know what's up if someone try's to give you grief about your grandmother.

 

[bombardon3]

It's hard to say since no one knows just how busy this release will be. If a hundred people show up between midnight and 3am, I would imagine someone might raise a fuss when they see your grandmother getting to go ahead of 100 people. What you could do is offer to trade spots with your grandmother. This will get her closer to the front of th DTD line so she won't have to wait as long. You have a premium AP and with Disneyland not open until 8, you have plenty of time to get in and wait for the rope drop.

 

[Psycho Pixie]

I like Bombardons idea of switching. You hold her space until she gets there, and let her take your spot. You could ask those around you if they minded you staying there, but plan to go to the back of the line as well. It seems like the most fair method to do things.

 

[EKblue44]

This could go either way, depending on the people behind you when grandmother arrives and how many were behind you. As someone said , this will be well attended even at 3am. Switching would be the best idea if there is a lot behind you as all it would need is someone to complain to the CM's and she would be put to the end of the line. Sad as it may seem, someone will complain.

 

[dizneyfanaddicts]

Unfortunately at Disneyland there will be the same few people that will complain and they will tell a cast member. I've seen it happen at DLR and the DSF. It's always the same few and they are very vocal. Sorry but I just wanted to be honest I've seen it happen way too many times amd they are very rude and nasty.

 

[matt24256]

Its a tricky situation because where do you draw the line? Lurkers may be reading this and assume that since people say it should be fine for your grandma to join you, then they can have their kids or grandparents do the same at 3am. So a micro perspective of having your grandma joining you seems like not a big deal, but if 30-40 people did the same thing it becomes an issue.

 

[Aquata]

Thank you everyone! you all raised some good and completely valid points! I'm glad that I asked here before just doing. It's a tad sad to me that people would be so hostile over an elderly woman joining her grand daughter to buy a pin in line (and I know a few would) but we gotta respect the rules that are put in place. Fair is fair. Bombardon, I loved your suggestion and I think that we will be doing just that. I'm going to see if I can get her to meet up with me at 1am in Tustin to come, claim our spots, then have her go snooze in the car but if that fails then I will definitely put your plan into action. I have no problems going to the back of the line because I'm thinking less people will go to the parks for the pins. Well, hoping but even if it's still packed it will be worth it to do this for my grandmother. Thanks everyone

 

[AnotherMadHatterFan]

I guess ill be that guy.....Put yourself in someone that is in the back of the lines shoes. Cutting is cutting no matter who you are. If you were number 500 in line, and that one person that innocently let An elderly grandma in line was the one person that took your pins...... You'd be a little perturbed. I like the idea of trading places like a few others had suggested. It did say on Disney's events page that security will be there monitoring people cutting lines. Good luck on getting the pins and cells you desire. Hopefully some people have their books out and will be trading over night..... It might get a little boring waiting so long with nothing to do.

 

[starry_solo]

Why not go and buy a collapsible chair that she can sit in? I think there's going to be people that say once she leaves the line (to go sleep in the car) that she's lost her space in line (hopefully people won't say that when it's time to use the bathroom, but she'd have to be back in 10 minutes since I figure the only place available to use the bathroom is DLH or GCH.)

 

[Roxane]

I just wanted to say, there are some mean spirited people out there. It would really surprise me if no one made a stink about you holding a place in line. Especially at DLR where it seems like a lot of people in the lines are very obsessive and the release info says no line holding. Your grandma might get some verbal abuse from people that feel she cut in front of them.

 

[Aquata]

I guess ill be that guy.....Put yourself in someone that is in the back of the lines shoes. Cutting is cutting no matter who you are. If you were number 500 in line, and that one person that innocently let An elderly grandma in line was the one person that took your pins...... You'd be a little perturbed. I like the idea of trading places like a few others had suggested. It did say on Disney's events page that security will be there monitoring people cutting lines. Good luck on getting the pins and cells you desire. Hopefully some people have their books out and will be trading over night..... It might get a little boring waiting so long with nothing to do.

While I appreciate your opinion I would not be perturbed over that particular situation at all. If it came down to it and I saw an elderly, 69 year old woman heartbroken that she couldn't get a pin for her daughter for christmas (not to sell it on ebay, not even to trade but as a christmas gift for someone), I would offer her mine at cost without a second thought (I basically did just that for a lady on the Mulan PODM release who came out of FNB at 1:30pm bummed at the lack of good scenes and wanting one good one with Mulan in her makeup for her sis). There's a difference between someone who is perfectly healthy and able bodied to endure the 6+ hour wait in the cold and an elderly woman who isn't in as good of health and may not be able to endure that but wants a pin at cost. Even if I stood in line but didn't get my pins but somehow knew THAT was the reason why I didn't? I could handle that. Sure, I'd be a wee bit bummed but it isn't the end of the world over a pin and hey, at least I tried. There's going to be other ways to obtain these pins (DPF sales, trades, PinPics and even Ebay) aside from solely going to the release. That's me though
Also, as far as the wait goes, I have done two of these and the wait was never really dull as there's always people to converse with. I have a PSP, my phone and a book to entertain me plus friends that I know will be showing up later and stopping by to chat with me as they wait in line every now and then so I'm all good. Thanks for the input though, I appreciate your view

 

[Aquata]

Why not go and buy a collapsible chair that she can sit in? I think there's going to be people that say once she leaves the line (to go sleep in the car) that she's lost her space in line (hopefully people won't say that when it's time to use the bathroom, but she'd have to be back in 10 minutes since I figure the only place available to use the bathroom is DLH or GCH.)

I may do that just in case. I would plan on asking a CM before she went to the car, explaining her age and such and if the CM was okay with it, then no one else has any reason to snap about it if a CM gives it the "okay" as long as she was there with me to begin with and for an hour or so before she goes. If the CM says no, then having a chair might be a good back up plan. Thanks Starry!
Wanted to add that this is even if she is willing to come at midnight/1am. She'll be at a shelter for Thanksgiving helping serve meals to the hungry so she may want to sleep at home for a bit and not come until 3am as she may be bushed. If that's the case (which it probably is) we'll probably just do the switch idea and every now and then I'll come over and visit

 

[Aura of Foreboding]

Wow, I guess I really have no frame of reference, but people line up at 1am the night before for this? Are there really going to be over 500 people there by the time they distribute wristbands (or the 1 hour before that they are claim to let a line start forming)?

 

[starry_solo]

Wow, I guess I really have no frame of reference, but people line up at 1am the night before for this? Are there really going to be over 500 people there by the time they distribute wristbands (or the 1 hour before that they are claim to let a line start forming)?

It's not 1 a.m. the night before. It's 1 a.m. the day of the release. Yes, because of BatB, there will probably be over 500 people waiting in line by 6 a.m. - an hour before they start distributing wristbands. It's the last Princess release for PODMs and Beauty & the Beast is a popular movie (Mulan, not so much, which is why there were pins left at 1 p.m.) Most people I've been talking to say they don't expect any pins left for the "after 1 p.m." crowd.

 

[Aura of Foreboding]

It's not 1 a.m. the night before. It's 1 a.m. the day of the release. Yes, because of BatB, there will probably be over 500 people waiting in line by 6 a.m. - an hour before they start distributing wristbands. It's the last Princess release for PODMs and Beauty & the Beast is a popular movie (Mulan, not so much, which is why there were pins left at 1 p.m.) Most people I've been talking to say they don't expect any pins left for the "after 1 p.m." crowd.

Right I didn't really expect 1pm pins available and I'm nowhere near a park so it doesn't really matter, but I don't get why people line up at 1am if it is a wristband system? As long as you get a wristband, it doesn't matter how far up in the line you were right? What time are people anticipating 500 people being in line by? Also, for a newbie the Disney web site is very misleading. It says you can't form a line before 6a.m. but it sounds like everyone here is ignoring that and expecting it not to be enforced.

 

[jadeites-lady]

Right I didn't really expect 1pm pins available and I'm nowhere near a park so it doesn't really matter, but I don't get why people line up at 1am if it is a wristband system? As long as you get a wristband, it doesn't matter how far up in the line you were right? What time are people anticipating 500 people being in line by? Also, for a newbie the Disney web site is very misleading. It says you can't form a line before 6a.m. but it sounds like everyone here is ignoring that and expecting it not to be enforced.

I think people are going to be "hovering" around DTD. There is a wristband release at 7 a.m., official line begins at 6 a.m., but Disney does a bad job of enforcing. I remember going to the AP only sales at WOD for the past 2 years (only the first year I went, there was no line) but the past 2 years, we got there 20 minutes before the line was supposed to start and there were at least 500-1000 people already in line!

 

[markheardjr]

I think people are going to be "hovering" around DTD. There is a wristband release at 7 a.m., official line begins at 6 a.m., but Disney does a bad job of enforcing. I remember going to the AP only sales at WOD for the past 2 years (only the first year I went, there was no line) but the past 2 years, we got there 20 minutes before the line was supposed to start and there were at least 500-1000 people already in line!

There will be a line formed. It's not a mad rush at 6am to get into an official line. They will start with people on the south end of the parking lot back up against the backside of Rainforest Cafe. Those people will get there before DTD closes the night before. Then after the lot is empty, a second line will start along the sidewalk by the valet drop off. That line will go all the way down and around the dropoff/valey circle. The line is pretty orderly. They move us up in between Rainforest Cafe and ESPN Zone around 6:15 and put us into lines of say, 80 people. Then they start with the first row of people and ask which store and give you a wristband. If you have DTD you stay there and they walk you in order to DTD. If you get a park you can either go to the park entrance, go move your car to the structure, etc. You have an hour before the park opens. The regular guest lines will be long though, so you can't get super close to the gates even if you go straight there.
Some people will run for starbucks or breakfast and come back. Usually that is ok if you show up, stand for a while, then leave and return quickly. But showing up at like 6am and having never been there at all before that is not gonna fly with people. There are plenty of elderly people that go early and wait, some in wheelchairs or with their walker/sitters.

 

[Aquata]

Wow, I guess I really have no frame of reference, but people line up at 1am the night before for this? Are there really going to be over 500 people there by the time they distribute wristbands (or the 1 hour before that they are claim to let a line start forming)?

I don't think a lot of people will be going by 1 am, truth be told, but by 3 am... there could be a good number. The reason for this is because Disneyland Park is blocked out to all Annual Passholders except Premium on the day of this pin's release. The majority of AP holders don't have premium and consequently, won't be able to buy from inside the park due to being blocked out. This leaves them stuck with going to Pin Traders at DTD. It's pretty normal for the DTD line to be pretty long for an average PODM release but seeing as how now people are blocked out and for the reasons Starry listed, people are expected to be getting there extra early for the DTD wristbands. Yes, it's a rule on the website that lining up prior to 6 am isn't allowed but it has yet to be enforced since it was posted. I went for Mulan at 5:00 and there was already around 300 (total rough guess) people present.