twinkletoesmom said:
The only "really special" place would be to sit up on the train station platform at MK for any parade. If you want to do that (and we have a couple of times) it just takes a commitment of TIME (and boredom).
You need to snag your spot (and chairs) well in advance of the parade.
Sometimes up to 2-3 hours before (now THAT'S commitment!)
May be a dumb question but do the kids get to be close to the parade when on the train station platform? I'm trying to find a good spot to watch spectro & wishes (nov.29th) but want to be close to the exit.
The train station platform is directly "above" the parade route and you look directly down on all the floats. It is a different experience than standing on street-level and seeing the tall floats go by (especially for kids) so you can decide that for yourself.
BUT, now you are adding a question about the Fireworks (Wishes) and that's a whole other story...
The preferred spot to watch Wishes is from Main Street or somewhere around the "Hub" (the circular area right in front of the Castle where the other "Lands" are entered.)
The real "SWEET SPOT" is exactly in front of the ICE CREAM shop.
(Don't stand under the umbrella tables, just NEAR them.)
From this spot, the fireworks appear "centered" over the castle from there (very crowded).
Up Main Street as far as the PAL MICKEY store is great viewing as well.
This is where Wishes is DESIGNED to be fully appreciated.
The Castle's front facade (with added lighting and projections) is actually a part of the show.
NOTE: If you go up toward the train station any FARTHER than the PAL MICKEY store... they DON"T turn off the LIGHTS of Main Street in that area. So you'll be viewing with hundreds of lights still in your line-of-sight.
The next-preferred spot is on the bridge between the Hub and Tomorrowland (on the Hub end, not Tomorrowland.)
"Tinkerbell" also flies from the top of the castle over to just above the "Noodle Station" open-air restaurant at one point early in the show.
The reason to see Wishes at least ONCE from the "sweet spot(s)" is that there are "front" fireworks (fired from the roofs of Fantasyland) that are best viewed from in front of the castle.
There are "rear" fireworks that are aimed to erupt behind (and centered over) the Castle.
So, if you can withstand the CRUSH of people, and don't mind the longer "in-between" wait time after the parade goes by, the Main Street area is tops for viewing "Wishes".
WARNING: No matter how tempting in may seem... Do NOT stand on the sidewalk between the Hub and Frontierland OR on the sidewalk between the Hub and Adventureland... the (nearly INVISIBLE in the dark) trees BLOCK the main fireworks and the sound is ABSENT/MUFFLED here (by design?).
AND in spite of how good the idea may look before the show, unless you KNOW EXACTLY what you're doing, do not attempt to view Wishes from the Noodle Station seating area.
The main fireworks are hidden from MOST of the seats at this restaurant area and they don't kill the lights or pipe in the music.
The train station is a spectacular spot to watch the "Spectromagic" parade.
And a "LESS than great" spot for watching "Wishes".
The reason is, while they DO kill all the outside lighting on Main Street and the train station platform during Spectromagic, they DO NOT turn off the LIGHTS of the train station area (where you are standing) during the Wishes show.
In fact, while they DO kill the lights on Main Street closer to the castle end of the block during Wishes, in recent months, they have started to leave ON the lights of Main Street up past the Cinema/Pal Mickey store and towards the train station end of the block. This is to allow safer exiting by guests who want to leave during Wishes (yes, there are MANY who do). So there are lights shining in your eyes if you are on the train platform, during the whole Wishes show.
What's more, the large Main Street flagpole is sticking up directly in the center of the fireworks... and Tinkerbell's flight is mostly hidden by the Main Street buildings.
Add to that, the fact that on Spectromagic nights, the train station "spots" are taken for several HOURS before Wishes begins and it all adds up to a REALLY POOR spot for Wishes viewing.
There are PLENTY of other places to see both SpectroMagic and Wishes.
Many here have their favorites.
MY spot is way back in Frontierland by the "Turkey Leg Stand" (we don't eat the legs, but its a great place to view the parade!) As I stated above, the parade reaches this spot by about 9:25pm.
Then, RIGHT after the parade ends, we jog across the "bridge" to Splash Mountain and take a quick ride ("nobody" is in the queue, most folks are still at the parade route).
Then, after the Splash ride, we walk back to the "bridge" from Frontierland and usually get there just in time to see ALL of "Wishes" from there.
The SOUND is supplied back there, and you can see nearly everything (including Tinkerbell).
The things you MISS back there are the fun/beautiful castle-front effects and the symmetry of being in the "center of the stage" for the fireworks.
But the fireworks are HUGE, regardless, and the BIGGEST ones ("rear" fireworks) are actually sent UP from the back of MK, near BTMRR and Splash.
AND, while I understand that you WANT to be near the exit, you (IMHO) would be making a mistake attempting to leave right after Wishes.
That is a crush of people that I would NEVER want to be in.
A better bet is to just find a comfy spot and SIT for about 30 minutes or more and let the crowds die down some before trying to exit.
Again, its up to you, if you want to be in that mad rush to leave... but NOT ME!
