6:10 Tapestry of Nations Parade

[InstImpres]

Just wondering, in order to not miss our Illuminations Cruise we will be seeing the early parade. Anybody know, is it the same in the daylight - we have only seen it darkness and it is my DD favorite, don't want her to be disappointed.

Thanks

 

[WDSearcher]

Well .... it's obviously going to be different, since the interior lights in the puppets won't have nearly the impact in light as they do at dusk or in darkness. So if that's your DD's favorite part -- that "illumination effect" -- then she'll probably be disappointed.

If, however, she just loves the music and drums and puppets in general, then she'll probably enjoy seeing it from a new perspective.

 

[firstmickey]

at 6:10 when we went. It gets dark earlier this time of year.
It was the same parade.
We really enjoyed it.
Donna

 

[SuzEm]

On the Illuminations cruise we took back in November 2000, our boat captain took us out a little early, we rode around the lake a bit, then he stopped just short of the bridge so we would have a great view of the parade as it passed over the bridge. Don't know if they still do this. All the parade participants must have been accustomed to people in boats below because they all would wave and acknowledge us in the boats. When the parade was over, we went under the bridge just into the lake to view the fireworks. So even if you don't see it well at the early parade, you may have a great vantage point from the boat.

 

[tjkraz]

In another thread someone reported that TOD is currently running a very short path: Mexico to Germany for the early show and Germany to Morocco at the late show. That's only about 4 countries per show.

We were there just last week, and caught the late parade in the vicinity of Japan. I would tend to agree with the above if for no other reason than the fact that the parade was SHORT. Scheduled start time was 7:45 for the late show and it was over, finished, done by 8:15!!! And that was toward the end of the parade route. We had a full 45 mins to kill before Illuminations.

Whatever you do, line up early for the parade. With the limited viewing area, people were stacked 4-5 deep to view the parade.

On a personal note, it was really a big disappointment for us. Last time we visited our young son got attention from about 1/3 of the performers as they walked by. This time we were so deep in the crowd, he had to sit on my shoulders to see anything.

I guess I just don't see what is so difficult about having the parade follow a longer route.

 

[Ted and Holly]

The shorter route takes 1/3 of the performers as the longer route. Before, it was actually three separate parades. With all of the variables (number of performers, crowd densities, weather), I assume they find it easier to do it this way.

Since the parade is now on the other side of the lagoon, you would only have a long distance view of the parade from the tie-up spot for an Illuminations Cruise.

Ted

 

[safetymom]

We saw the parade on Saturday 1/31 at 6:10 and people were only lined up 1 or 2 deep. It was great with no crowds.

 

[PKK/MJK]

Ted and Holly are absolutely correct. Tapestry of Nations used to consist of three separate parade units--one unit started at Mexico and ended at Germany, the second started at Germany and went to Morocco and the third started at Morocco and ended at Great Britain. At the second show of the evening, each unit went the reverse route and ended up back where they started. The Morocco/Great Britain route was eliminated quite a while ago--I don't think that the Tapestry of Dreams parade ever did this route--I believe ToD only did the other two segments. The Mexico to Germany route was eliminated a few months ago. Now, only the Morocco/Germany route remains---so not nearly as many CM's are needed for the parade. The final performance for this parade is March 1st--so no new CM's are being trained for it. All (or most) of the College Program CM's who supplemented the regular CM's in this parade have returned home. Many of the original ToD full-time CM's have gone on to other assignements--so I think the downsizing probably had something to do with staffing problems--not enough trained CM's to run two parade sections. Frankly, IMHO ToN was a far better parade and when all three sections were running it was VERY impressive!!

 

[InstImpres]

Thanks for all the advise. The short viewing area is disappointing. We use to stand between IG and France and sneak into a great spot lst minute!

 

[ChiTownZee]

The final performance for this parade is March 1st--

That is HORRIBLE! We saw the early and late viewings of this last Saturday. As usual, it was great, they kept pulling DD into the street to dance with her and letting her pull the puppet strings, she just loved it. (no more putting your dream in the net?