How to time arrival to parades & shows

[mAlien13]

Since we decided to add a day to our passes in order to spend our first day (April 23rd) taking in all the special events that won't be offered for the rest of our time there, I want to make sure we have the best chance possible at getting the best spots to view them. I'm hoping that some of the experts can help me figure out how.

How long before the event begins do we need to arrive and stake out a spot for:
Parade of Dreams@ 3:15pm
Fantasmic!@ 10:30pm
Block Party Bash@ 5:15pm
Electrical Parade@ 8:45pm

Also, how far ahead do you need to get to the theater to make sure you will get in for a showing of Aladdin at DCA?

We have no other time constraints than to see these shows that day, no need to try to fit in rides. If we have time, we do, if not, oh well. However, I know it will be extremely busy that Sunday, with a lot of people ending their vacations, many more beginning them with us. I just want to make sure we have the best odds of seeing it all!! LOL

 

[Amy&Dan]

About an hour to an hour and half is my general rule for parades and shows. I never mind investing that time because I love the parades and want a good spot. My dh and I always take turns taking the kids on bathroom and snack breaks. Anyway, I would see Aladdin first, maybe in the morning, have lunch, then head over to Disneyland. Be on Main Street (note the side that Blue Ribbon Bakery and Coke Corner are on, is the shady side of the street) by 2:00 to get a good curb spot. After the parade is over, head over to DCA, maybe have a snack or ride something, then get a spot for Block Party Bash about an hour before. Then you can have dinner and get a spot for Electrical Parade by 7:30. Following the Elec. Parade, you can head back over to Disneyland for Fantasmic!. This however is where things will get tricky. Remember will likely be showing at 9:25. You can see some of the fireworks from the Espanlande area between DCA and Disneyland and once they are over head into Disneyland. Since Remember creates HORDES of people on Main Street and near the castle, it is probably best to not even attempt to enter Disneyland until they are over. So I would plan on entering Disneyland sometime around 9:45, by then Remember will be over but you will on Main Street with bunches of people exiting the park, going the opposite way as you. Try walking through the stores, they are all connected and sometimes that is easier and faster than walking on the street or sidewalk. Then head back into the Rivers of America area and get the first spot you can find that looks good. There is almost always less people at the second showing of Fantasmic! but it will still be crowed. But I am betting you can still get a decent spot 30-45 minutes before the show. Good luck, you are smart to get these things in before your "ride" days, they are so worth it but eat up a lot of time. Have a great trip!

 

[Rapunsel]

DCA is not usually as crowded.. I have sat outside the Whoopie Goldberg show on the benches for a great electrical parade view.. Only at DCA. When a parade is over the crowd follows it and gets in your way. we were not too thrilled. They aslo mask out a line for how close you can sit..
The block party bash is a lot of fun..We sat outside of bugs land at the 'beginning of the end of the parade route and it was really good. We didn't even have to wait for it. We just happened upon it.. ALso there are different parts.. Toy story which is in the front, then I think Monssters and the incredibles. But don't quot me on that. It is an interactive parade.. It is a lot of fun..

HTH


Can't say anyhing about Fantasmic. The kids never made it that late..

ALso make sure that you see Remember. it is great..

 

[mAlien13]

Thanks for the helpful advice. We might just wait and see Aladdin on a different day, because my mother's plane doesn't get in until early afternoon, and it is one of the things she most wants to see. That and the Electrical Parade.

I appreciate you taking the time to lay it out for me!

Does anyone have an opinion as to how long the wait would be for the train at the Main Street station mid-day on a busy Sunday? Maybe we will just shop DTD, enter DL, ride the train then grab a spot to hold for Parade of Dreams.

 

[boscoj]

When we were there a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that people started lining up for the evening parade much sooner than the day one. For the early show, 1/2 hour before should be no problem in finding a good spot.

As for Fantasmic, the crowd for the 9:00 show disperses after Wishes is done (approximately 9:35 pm) so you can usually find a good seat for the 10:30 show about 45 minutes before.

 

[HydroGuy]

How long before the event begins do we need to arrive and stake out a spot for:
Parade of Dreams@ 3:15pm
Fantasmic!@ 10:30pm
Block Party Bash@ 5:15pm
Electrical Parade@ 8:45pm

Also, how far ahead do you need to get to the theater to make sure you will get in for a showing of Aladdin at DCA?

It depends whether this is on a weekend or not, I would think.

We did all of these (except BPB) high season early August last summer, all non-weekend.

Parade of Dreams: We did the 7PM and got there 60 minutes early. That was plenty. Could have gotten there 30 minutes early.

Fantasmic: We did 10:30PM show, and 35 minutes early got us a great seat down in front.

Electrical Parade: 30 minutes is plenty

Aladdin: 30 minutes is usually plenty - we did the 12:30 show. Got really good seats in the mezzanine, which is considered the best section to see it.

BTW, DO NOT MISS the Remember Dreams Come True fireworks show. It was spectacular - better than all the others you are planning - although Fantasmic comes close. Commit the time to see it from the hub. We got a good spot 60 minutes before.

 

[azgal81]

I was able to get a good spot for all of these shows 15 minutes before they started and that was in the summer. I don't feel like waiting around for the shows normally I just walk right on up and claim my spot. I'm probably in the minority though with not wanting to wait. The block party doesn't really draw a large crowd I just walked right up and saw it as soon as it started.

 

[Zoemakes5]

I'd get there about 1.5 hours early for most.
If you're entering DL right after parade or fireworks, get on the train right away and get off at on of the other "land" spots. We did this during the x-mas parade last Thanksgiving week.
Also, something we do for those parades and such that we really want. We bring a couple of towels (or even a seat cushion!) to sit on. We get there really early (more like 1.5 to 1.75 hours early to get a curb spot). We bring bubbles and other things to keep the kids occupied, but we also use that time to get our CS meals. DH will usually go and get the food with one of the DS's and when they get back we'll eat while we wait. Then a quick trip to the potties and it's just about parade time.
Honestly, the fireworks have been a tough one for us. 1.5 hours was not enough time to get anywhere close to where we wanted, and then they cancelled them anyway.

 

[mAlien13]

We are definately planning on seeing the fireworks, but they are scheduled all week so we don't need to make room for them on Sunday. One of the things that confuses me is why do you need to be in a certain spot for the firewrks? They can be seen from a distance, true? I am basing that on WDW fireworks, and all 4th of July celebrations I've seen, the fireworks are above you, not in fron of you like a parade or show.

 

[iceskatejen]

This is not just a fireworks show. There are special effects that can only be seen from certain areas. The castle has it's special effects, there are projections on IASW, and special effects over at ROA.

 

[DLcastmbr]

if your coming soon remember that the fireworks are daily so i woulndt exactly recomend it that Sunday although i would definantly recomend fantasmic! I would enter the park before or during the fireworks cause right after the fireworks everyone makes there way to the rivers for the best spots. because remember the river is not only were 9pm fantasmic is its a viewing location of the fireworks so as soon as these end we guide u to the river

 

[HydroGuy]

I agree with Ice, and, as I mentioned earlier, the hub is really the place to see it. There are special effects that go beyond fireworks and lasers, and you can really only see them in the hub and, to some degree, Main Street. Believe me, you will miss 80%+ of the show if you do not see it from the right spot.

You need to get a spot where you can see the castle. If the hub were a clock and the castle was 12:00, we got a spot between 7:00 and 8:00 on the curb about one hour before the show started. The view from there was excellent.

This show is simply awesome when seen from the right location.

 

[mAlien13]

ahhh....I see now why the need for perfect positioning. Thanks!

We'll be at the 7:30 spot on Tue 4/25, Hydro!!

 

[HydroGuy]

ahhh....I see now why the need for perfect positioning. Thanks!

We'll be at the 7:30 spot on Tue 4/25, Hydro!!

I'm not saying we got the "best" spot, or that "7:30" is the best. Many folks will grab a spot an hour before the Parade of Dreams (7PM) and then camp there thru the fireworks. Some people say you need to be closer to the castle than we were. But to get a spot closer to the castle you need to arrive probably 2 hours early, if not more. I can say that it is hard to imagine the show being significantly better if we had been closer to the castle.

When we went the fireworks had been cancelled several times due to high winds in previous weeks, and I was not about to wait 2-3 hours for a fireworks show and then have it get cancelled. So I wanted to find a good spot I could get 1 hour ahead of time.

In addition, I had a 9 and 10-year-old with me, and everyone stands up for the fireworks and I was concerned they would not be able to see. The "7:30" spot was on a curb, so they got that 4-6 inch boost over the people standing in front of them in the street. They were able to see fine.

Finally, last summer they put up a rope behind us for the walkway for those making their way thru the hub. That is critical. If you stand somewhere where the rope is in front of you, people will be walking in front of you the entire time the show is happening. They put the rope up right after we got our spot - so about an hour ahead of time. Not sure what they are doing now.

As mentioned, the 7:30 spot also lets you get a clear view of the castle, and the Matterhorn - there are some limited Matterhorn effects as well, but not very much and I would not worry about seeing the Matterhorn next time.

I believe that since last summer DL has done something with the trees in the hub - I think they have taken some out - to increase viewability there. Essentially, DL created this fireworks/laser spectacular thet needed to be viewed from the hub, and did not fully realize that the hub is not big enough for everyone who wants to see it - thus creating a traffic and congestion nightmare.

The 7:30 spot gave us one final advantage - a quick exit to FrontierLand/AdventureLand because we hoofed it over to see the 10:30 Fantasmic on the same night.

Since then I do not know if this is possible from the 7:30 spot, as the traffic management has changed during and after the show. When we were there for a day trip in November we did not see the fireworks, but we did pass thru the hub during the fireworks on our way out of DL and now they route everyone into a counter-clockwise direction - at least that is what they were doing in November. So if you wanted to see Fantasmic after Remember, you might have to walk all the way around the hub - not sure how they manage traffic now when the show actually ends. With the traffic patterns last summer it took us 2-3 minutes to get to FrontierLand, and then we were home free.

 

[mAlien13]

Bump!! for swtangels4me

 

[mAlien13]

I was reading in the Unofficial Guide that the upper platform of the Main Street train station provides a good view of The Parade of Dreams. Does anyone have any experience with watching from that spot?

Can't believe it is so close...I'm so excited!!

 

[mAlien13]

Anyone?