once upon a christmas time on 22 december

[marchingstar]

what time would we need to be along the parade route to have a decent view for the 12:00 parade on dec 22?

from what i can tell, this is the first day it runs in the daytime, so i’m guessing it’ll be especially busy? any tips or advice? or will it be busy enough that we should skip it? the other option is to go to a party earlier that week (were in disney for the 15th-22nd), but it’s our first trip with our 7 month old, so we wouldn’t be staying to enjoy a ton of the party except the parade.

 

[hiroMYhero]

what time would we need to be along the parade route to have a decent view for the 12:00 parade on dec 22?

from what i can tell, this is the first day it runs in the daytime, so i’m guessing it’ll be especially busy? any tips or advice? or will it be busy enough that we should skip it? the other option is to go to a party earlier that week (were in disney for the 15th-22nd), but it’s our first trip with our 7 month old, so we wouldn’t be staying to enjoy a ton of the party except the parade.

You’ll need to find a spot by 11a.

If the parade route is congested with spectators, MK will send out the parade earlier than scheduled. In the past, they’ve sent out the parade at least 15 minutes early on heavily crowded days.

 

[marchingstar]

You’ll need to find a spot by 11a.

If the parade route is congested with spectators, MK will send out the parade earlier than scheduled. In the past, they’ve sent out the parade at least 15 minutes early on heavily crowded days.

thanks hiro am I right to guess that because it's the first parade during regular park hours it'll be especially busy? Or that it's historically pretty busy?

 

[hiroMYhero]

All the Christmas shows and the parade will be busy because they only operate daily for a short period of time and it’s a heavy crowd period. The 12:00 parade may be a little less crowded than the 3:30 parade.

 

[yulilin3]

That day might also be extra busy cause it's the last day that cm can bring guests into mk with their main entrance pass

 

[marchingstar]

thanks to you both for the feedback

now to decide between paying for a party the week before and accepting the crowds on the morning of the 22nd...

 

[marsha123]

We did the party Thursday and it was so worth it! We rode every thing except splash. Got there at 330 and we had fass pass for pp and space and pirate and then we did everything else we wanted to do and the fireworks were awesome

 

[Tink1017]

I wondered the same thing. We would be able to do the party on the 20th or 21st or see the parade and fireworks on the 22 or 23. We are passholders though so I’m just not sure it’s worth a couple hundred extra since it’s just two days apart. I’m wondering if the party will be super crowded also.

 

[yulilin3]

I wondered the same thing. We would be able to do the party on the 20th or 21st or see the parade and fireworks on the 22 or 23. We are passholders though so I’m just not sure it’s worth a couple hundred extra since it’s just two days apart. I’m wondering if the party will be super crowded also.

if you are on the fence I recommend making a decision very, very soon. The party on the 16th is sold out, the 21st will probably be the next one to sell out.
The parties will be crowded but so will be MK on the 22nd. In your situation the only advantage of the party will be to see the parade at night, it's quiet beautiful.
I have a gold AP so I'll be blocked out starting the 20th but I have a CM friend that will get us into the park on the 22nd.

 

[hiroMYhero]

For reference, my CM friend has been a character performer for shows and events. Disney has sent her around the country and to Paris and London.

When discussing the highlights of performing with other performers, specifically those who have also befriended the Boss in the Christmas Parade and have traveled to world-wide events for Disney, they all agree that coming through the Hub to snowy Main Street during a Christmas Party still doesn’t compare to the exhilaration of performing for the masses who are along the parade route during Christmas week.

That’s a great indicator of the number of people along the daytime Christmas Parade route compared to a Party night.

 

[marchingstar]

I wondered the same thing. We would be able to do the party on the 20th or 21st or see the parade and fireworks on the 22 or 23. We are passholders though so I’m just not sure it’s worth a couple hundred extra since it’s just two days apart. I’m wondering if the party will be super crowded also.

it’s kind of funny that we’re in the same position, but for very different reasons. we’re from northwestern canada, so a disney trip is a trek. but we’re also trying to figure out if a party is “worth it” for us. For us, our baby will probably make it to about 8-9 PM before we need to call it a night, so we would only be at the party a few hours. but they would be wonderful hours... decisions, decisions!

For reference, my CM friend has been a character performer for shows and events. Disney has sent her around the country and to Paris and London.

When discussing the highlights of performing with other performers, specifically those who have also befriended the Boss in the Christmas Parade and have traveled to world-wide events for Disney, they all agree that coming through the Hub to snowy Main Street during a Christmas Party still doesn’t compare to the exhilaration of performing for the masses who are along the parade route during Christmas week.

That’s a great indicator of the number of people along the daytime Christmas Parade route compared to a Party night.

this is an incredible story. i love hearing about how exciting cast members find these special events. it warms my heart! thanks too for the useful info—sounds like parties are busy but daytime parades are on another level.

 

[yulilin3]

For reference, my CM friend has been a character performer for shows and events. Disney has sent her around the country and to Paris and London.

When discussing the highlights of performing with other performers, specifically those who have also befriended the Boss in the Christmas Parade and have traveled to world-wide events for Disney, they all agree that coming through the Hub to snowy Main Street during a Christmas Party still doesn’t compare to the exhilaration of performing for the masses who are along the parade route during Christmas week.

That’s a great indicator of the number of people along the daytime Christmas Parade route compared to a Party night.

We have basically made it a tradition to go for the first day time showing of OUACP We arrive by 9am and immediately grab a spot under the tree facing Main Street, it's our favorite spot for this particular parade. I called to double check that the Tony's package was not available for the noon performance cause that would block our spot, and they said only the 3:30 is offered with the Tony package, so yay!!

 

[hiroMYhero]

grab a spot under the tree facing Main Street,

My fave spot, too, and my favorite all-time memory of watching my fave Mic!
pc: older DD and straightened by Robo

 

[marchingstar]

My fave spot, too, and my favorite all-time memory of watching my fave Mic!
pc: older DD and straightened by Robo
View attachment 369232

this picture makes my heart happy

We have basically made it a tradition to go for the first day time showing of OUACP We arrive by 9am and immediately grab a spot under the tree facing Main Street, it's our favorite spot for this particular parade. I called to double check that the Tony's package was not available for the noon performance cause that would block our spot, and they said only the 3:30 is offered with the Tony package, so yay!!

sounds like an amazing tradition!

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

We have basically made it a tradition to go for the first day time showing of OUACP We arrive by 9am and immediately grab a spot under the tree facing Main Street, it's our favorite spot for this particular parade. I called to double check that the Tony's package was not available for the noon performance cause that would block our spot, and they said only the 3:30 is offered with the Tony package, so yay!!

So, this spot is part of the reserved section? I have reservation for Tony's that day in hopes of not needing to stake out a spot 2 hours before parade time, but was worried that the viewing area wouldn't be great since it is in the hub and the parade kind of circles around.

 

[yulilin3]

So, this spot is part of the reserved section? I have reservation for Tony's that day in hopes of not needing to stake out a spot 2 hours before parade time, but was worried that the viewing area wouldn't be great since it is in the hub and the parade kind of circles around.

actually not the Hub but the Plaza area (right in front of Tony's) it is reserved for the second parade, so at 3:30pm

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

Dig site & Siestas opens tomorrow, 12/7

actually not the Hub but the Plaza area (right in front of Tony's) it is reserved for the second parade, so at 3:30pm

So at the OTHER end of Main Street! Gotcha! Misunderstood what area was being referenced.

 

[MelanieRI]

what time would we need to be along the parade route to have a decent view for the 12:00 parade on dec 22?

from what i can tell, this is the first day it runs in the daytime, so i’m guessing it’ll be especially busy? any tips or advice? or will it be busy enough that we should skip it? the other option is to go to a party earlier that week (were in disney for the 15th-22nd), but it’s our first trip with our 7 month old, so we wouldn’t be staying to enjoy a ton of the party except the parade.

You never know really how busy it will be. I feel like if one year it's packed pre-christmas, everyone avoids that time the next year and vice versa. I, personally, like to view the parade in the daylight. I love the MNSSHP parade at night, but I've never liked the MVMCP one at night. I used to try to plan vacations so that we would leave after the last MVMCP but before actual Christmas. Watching the parade from Frontier Land might help, too.

 

[marchingstar]

You never know really how busy it will be. I feel like if one year it's packed pre-christmas, everyone avoids that time the next year and vice versa. I, personally, like to view the parade in the daylight. I love the MNSSHP parade at night, but I've never liked the MVMCP one at night. I used to try to plan vacations so that we would leave after the last MVMCP but before actual Christmas. Watching the parade from Frontier Land might help, too.

thanks Your planning goals is exactly the trip we unintentionally booked (the first parade is the 22nd, and we leave that night). I know it’s a guessing game to try and predict how busy it’ll be. Right now we haven’t bought party tickets and we’re going to wait and see how the first couple days of our trip go (first trip with a baby, and we don’t know how easy or rough it’ll be on him). i’m leaning towards making the daytime parade work.