Best Parade Spot with Castle Backdrop?

[DemonLlama]

We will be catching the last Share a Dream parade at the MK THIS Friday and I would like to know where a really good spot to be curbside and have the castle as a backdrop might be. Down on Main Street toward the train station, the Christmas garland blocks the view, so I'm curious as to any recommendation up closer to the castle, but not too close so that you can't see it well.

Anybody have a suggested spot?

 

[DemonLlama]

Anybody?

 

[babieemelly]

Is this Friday the last time the parade is being shown and then they're adding a new parade next year for the celebration, or is it the last time before the XMas parade starts?

 

[sunny04]

I don't think there is much of a bad spot. However, my favorite spot is literally just on the sidewalk on the castle end of Main Street. Usually the lights get turned off near the castle, so it's the best place to see. My husband and I usually sit near Casey's Corner because we have a tradition of getting a hot dog and fries to eat while we sit and wait. We've sat in a few different places, and this is the best so far. I sit on the edge of the sidewalk with my feet in the street -- and usually just in front of a light pole so I can lean back on it and no one is ever directly behind me. Works perfect for us!!


Sitting up on the train station is also a good spot if you are not taking pictures. They do not turn the lights off that far away from the castle and the castle is so far away it's tiny in pictures.

 

[WDWguru]

A little-known spot that we discovered by accident is just over the bridge to Liberty Square -- on the LS side in the spot next to the Christmas shop/umbrella booth. There is a somewhat small spot there that will fit just a dozen or so people between the booth and the path that goes behind the shops to the "secret" bridge to Adventureland. We ended up there as a last-minute decision a few years ago and it was fantastic! The castle is just on the other side of the bridge and if you sit down in the front row or even just kneel down a bit you can get some great shots of the floats with the castle right behind.

Here's an example of a shot I took from that spot:

 

[lovethattink]

It also depends from which direction the parade originates. You'd have the castle in the backround with the parade coming towards you, or the castle in the backround with the parade going away from you. Is there a location where you'd get the parade coming towards you and the castle in the back drop with the parade going either direction?

 

[DemonLlama]

Thanks for the replies!

This Friday will be the last running of the parade until after New Years, since the Christmas parade replaces the Share a Dream Come True until then. We missed this parade in 2002 and I would very much like to have a great spot to enjoy it this time.

Does the afternoon parade always originate from Main Street? If so, WDW Guru's spot is perfect. Thanks for the info!

If it comes from Frontierland toward Main Street, then I would need to be on the other side of the castle, perhaps by Casey's corner, to have the castle behind, correct? That would be sunny's suggestion, but if I'm reading that right, this seems to be a good place for the evening parade, with the lights going off.

The spot I'm trying to find will be the one for the afternoon parade, not at night.

Has anyone been recently and can you tell me which direction the Share a Dream Come True Parade came?

Thanks again!

 

[DemonLlama]

Oh, and lovethattink, I don't think there is the perfect spot for both directions. Someone tell me if there is!

 

[Praise2Him]

WDWguru stole my answer! LOL That's the best spot I've found for the afternoon parade too!

 

[WDWguru]

Just fyi, that shot was taken with the parade coming from the back of the park, so the shots you get are the backs of the floats with the castle behind. As you can see, it's still not a bad spot. I'm not sure if the direction is on a regular schedule, but you can ask any CM and they can tell you which way it's going to go.

 

[lovethattink]

WDWGuru, your picture is awesome! We're going to try that spot sometime. The back of the float looks great!!!!

 

[DemonLlama]

That's fine -- I can turn around for the floats as they come, and back around to grab some castle backdrops, too!