Paint the Night Parade and Disneyland Forever Fireworks Strategy

[BeccaG]

NOTE THAT THIS THREAD ADDRESSES STRATEGIES FOR BOTH PAINT THE NIGHT PARADE AND THE DISNEYLAND FOREVER FIREWORKS SHOW.
...... Mary Jo
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Headed to Disneyland next Tuesday to try and catch the parade before summer is in full swing. What time do you think folks will begin to or be allowed to stake out spots?

 

[Kenshin21]

The events calendar says soundsational is at 430 with paint the night at 850 and 11. I'm assuming they will just keep the ropes up after soundsational so it would depends on how much of the crowd wants to see both?

 

[mom2rtk]

I wonder if they'll still allow people to put down unoccupied blankets along Main Street to "save" their spots like we saw last year for the Christmas parade.

 

[taniahappy]

unoccupied blankets? If there is a lot of people I dont think so

 

[jammyjam25]

I think letting people put unoccupied blankets/chairs/etc. down to "save a spot" and then wander off for four hours, only to squeeze their way back in to the parade viewing area five minutes before it starts should be a definite no-no!

 

[mom2rtk]

unoccupied blankets? If there is a lot of people I dont think so

I think letting people put unoccupied blankets/chairs/etc. down to "save a spot" and then wander off for four hours, only to squeeze their way back in to the parade viewing area five minutes before it starts should be a definite no-no!

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself.

 

[TechGuy]

I think if were me, you might find that the "blanket" was picked up and nicely folded and set aside. People camping for hours is one thing, staking a claim with a MM blanket is not the same.

"Blanket? What blanket? We have been here for an hour and have not seen it. I did see a pile of blankets over there..."

 

[taniahappy]

Agree. That is just not ok

 

[CassieF]

Unoccupied, no, occupied, I see people staying from soundsational on though

 

[TechGuy]

If you are willing to trade "blanket time" for play time at DLR, who am I to judge. I choose to go play and see if the parade, if I can.

I guess if I were in park 12 times a year, on my annual pass, I can possibly understand it. But, no way I am going to trade 4 hours of play of my vacation for a 20 minute parade/show/event.

 

[Pinup Mommy]

Was there today and I saw CMs picking up unoccupied blankets, folding them up and putting them to the side ; pushing abandoned stroller into parking areas. I asked if that was the new policy and they answered "yes"! They stated "when the park it is that busy it is not fair, it blocks walk ways and takes up space where people can sit." So no saving places... for now at least.

 

[mom2rtk]

Was there today and I saw CMs picking up unoccupied blankets, folding them up and putting them to the side ; pushing abandoned stroller into parking areas. I asked if that was the new policy and they answered "yes"! They stated "when the park it is that busy it is not fair, it blocks walk ways and takes up space where people can sit." So no saving places... for now at least.

Very glad to hear that. Thanks so much for reporting it here!

I would never be comfortable doing that, yet it was just irritating that so many good spots were gone early by others willing to do so.

 

[VandVsmama]

It's kind of like the old Fantasmic rules...if you put a blanket down to save your spot then somebody on your party needed to stay with the blanket or Cast Members would pick it up and move it.

 

[Geemo]

Unoccupied space saving items are not right. Glad to hear CM's are taking care of things. I'm sending a Thank You note to Disney on this one.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Blue32]

What time are people occupying saved spots for the night parade though?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Was there today and I saw CMs picking up unoccupied blankets, folding them up and putting them to the side ; pushing abandoned stroller into parking areas. I asked if that was the new policy and they answered "yes"! They stated "when the park it is that busy it is not fair, it blocks walk ways and takes up space where people can sit." So no saving places... for now at least.

I'm so glad to read this. I hope they continue, and it becomes the standard.

What time are people occupying saved spots for the night parade though?

The parade is so new that there will be people holding spots before the Soundsational, watch that parade, then stay for the Paint the Night parade. Having said that, I would think that for now, we'd be looking at 1 to 2 hours, depending where along the route. They'll be staking out spots on Main Street, but you should be able to stake a spot going towards It's a Small World.

 

[Blue32]

I'm so glad to read this. I hope they continue, and it becomes the standard.



The parade is so new that there will be people holding spots before the Soundsational, watch that parade, then stay for the Paint the Night parade. Having said that, I would think that for now, we'd be looking at 1 to 2 hours, depending where along the route. They'll be staking out spots on Main Street, but you should be able to stake a spot going towards It's a Small World.

Thanks Mary Jo. That's kind of what I was afraid of. The issue for me is we really want to see the fireworks after the first Paint the Night, so that means I really kind of want a good spot in the hub or Mainstreet so we can see the castle.

 

[enrai]

On May 22 DL webcast, I saw people staking spots for the 8:50pm Paint The Night parade at the Town Square/Main Street area around 6pm!
Might be not as crazy as the days go by.

 

[dina444444]

People started claiming spots in the morning yesterday. I got to the park around 11:30am and people were already sitting in place on Main Street and in the hub. I lucked out with being able to get a spot by It's a Small World around 7:45pm to watch the first parade and the fireworks.

 

[Sweetpea2011]

What? Why in the world would someone sit there all day just to watch a parade? I mean, yeah, it's new I get it, but I wouldn't waste all that time just sitting around waiting for something to happen hours later. That makes no sense to me.

We're there in August and planning to stay to close one night. I'm thinking we'll use that night to see the show at 11pm. Hopefully we'll get a spot somewhere.

The blanket thing is just like the "chair hogs" on cruises who get up and put towels on the loungers by the pool to "save them" and then wander off for hours to do other things until they feel like coming back. One cruise I was on, I ended up moving the towels AND the loungers so my kids and I could use them. I watched some that were empty for hours with people too afraid to move the towels and the pool attendants not wanting to do so either. Made me nuts.