At WDW now and some observations...

[Tuffcookie]

The preferred viewing for the parades is HORRIBLE! It is by the flag pole at the front of the park. Why would you call that preferred? It is very difficult to get good pictures at that location, not to mention the backdrop is not all that attractive. It would be nicer to switch to a location where the castle would be in the background!

FP+ has worked amazingly for us. We are too old to do rope drop so FP+ has allowed us to enjoy the parks at a more leisurely pace. At MK today we used our 3 FP+ and were able to go to the kiosk and pick up another one. The day prior we got 4 FP+ in at Epcot.

Another note: Some CMs do not seem very well informed! As we were standing in the preferred viewing section for the 3:00 parade at MK, I asked a CM if the parade started by the Fire station or up by Splash Mountain. She told me it started by the Fire station! (It doesn't) Another time we got in the stand by line for PoC because it stated a 15 minute wait time. It was, in actuality, more of a 40 minute wait. I said something to the CM who was boarding people on the boats but she made some flimsy excuse why there would be such a difference in the wait time difference.

The crowds so far this week have not been bad! However, I'm sure that is about to change since this will be the first of the Star Wars week-ends!

Well, those are my observations. I would not waste time on the preferred viewing if getting good pictures is important to you!

TC

 

[jtowntoflorida]

The FP+ area for the parade was temporarily relocated to the area it is now because of construction in the Hub.

 

[Robo]

The preferred viewing for the parades is HORRIBLE! It is by the flag pole at the front of the park. Why would you call that preferred? It is very difficult to get good pictures at that location, not to mention the backdrop is not all that attractive. It would be nicer to switch to a location where the castle would be in the background!

It's not billed as "preferred viewing."
It is simply "reserved viewing."

That said, it may very well be that when the Hub construction is completed (later this year) that they MIGHT move the FP+ Parade Viewing area back to in front of (or otherwise near) the castle.
Nobody knows.