Chef Mickey and 7pm MK parade??

[hart6066]

We are going at the BUSIEST time of the year and trying to see if there is anyway we can do Chef Mickey and the 7pm MK Spectro Parade the same night. I know it's not ideal, but it would be our best option.

If I can get a 5pm Chef Mickey, my hunch is we could be in the gates of MK by 6:15. The parade starts at 7 from the other end--what do you think our chances of getting somewhat close in the Main Street area--DD6 is the one who cares about this! DH can hold her up--we by know means are thinking we'd get a curb spot. I'm just wondering if anyone has gone at a super busy time and had any luck. Maybe up somewhere on the train station? Maybe a few rows back but can still see? Just wondering what people have experienced. THanks!

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

If you had a 5:00 ADR you would probably be able to make the parade at 7:00, especially since CM is a buffet meal; however, I might think about bumping it up to 4:45 to give yourself some wait time if a table isn't immediately ready. Just a thought.

 

[vicki_c]

Spectro starts at Main Street and run back towards Frontierland.

Over the years they have changed it around at times, but at the moment all the regular parades run that direction as far as I know, which is the opposite of what you wrote.

 

[Robo]

Spectro starts at Main Street and run back towards Frontierland.

Ditto.

And, BTW, the parade is not Spectro...
It's MSEP.

 

[ElizabethG]

I don't think we have ever been in and out of CM in an hour. It takes a little while to get seated, usually. Then you have to wait for the characters. Deffinitly get there at least 15 min before the ADR to check in.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Since Chef Mickey's one of the most popular places to eat at in all of WDW chances are you won't be seated right away, however if you are seated right away then you might have a chance of making it on time.

 

[Kanga1]

My concern is not so much that you'll be back at MK in time for the parade, but will you get a spot to watch it? I know that when we go in July (which is also very busy) we have to stake out a spot at least an hour before the parade starts. We have a 5:00 ADR for Chef Mickey's this July, and I'm worried about making the 9:00 parade! (But we stake out a spot in front of the castle to watch Wishes as well.)

 

[mom2rtk]

If they can get the first seating time of the night, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[dolphindan1]

How about a late Breakfast at CM...Say 11am....I think thats the last lunch seating...it maybe 11:30...anyway it will cover lunch and should keep you full till parade time and you can be in the park for the parade to stake out your spot...Your already willing to leave MK for CM so why not do it earlier and not have to worry about making parade...or getting a good spot for it

 

[rt2dz]

We always do Chef Mickey's arrival night. Our ADRs are generally 5 - 5:30 and we always walk over and watch the parade no problems.

 

[hart6066]

Thanks so much for your help! I'm now thinking of doing Chef Mickey one night and the parade another night. We really like to spend each evening at Epcot, so doing both the dinner and the parade in one night is the best option. That said, I really don't think we'll make the parade in time to get a view. I'm also afraid that I'll just be stressed through the meal.

So now I'm thinking of doing Chef Mickey one night on the early side, and then afterwards taking the monorail to Epcot for the remainder of the night. Then the night we do the parade (it will be at 7pm only one night we're there) we can just do counter service while waiting for it to start. The other option would be to do Chef Mickey on a night with the 9pm parade and that would give us more time to get there and stake out a seat.

We usually watch the parade from outside of the Hall of Presidents--is there a better spot more towards Frontierland or is that one of the better spots that's not claimed so early?? We don't worry so much about Wishes--my kids are probably the ones on the planet that aren't that into fireworks!! They much prefer Illuminations!!

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[hart6066]

rt2dz--do you mind if I ask what time of year you go?

 

[Nadjalu]

I have to say that we always eat at Chef Mickey's at 5pm. (right when they open) and have never gotten out of there before 6:30 and we don't have kids with us.
By the time you get on the monorail or even walk you will be cutting it so close....you will never find a spot to see MSEP. You may get to see some of the parade "tops" of the floats, but to have ideal seats, it isn't going to happen. Sorry. Not being a downer but being realistic.

The times of year we have went are March 2009, Dec 2009 and Feb 2011. Again I always schedule CM for 5pm and NEVER on a parade night.

 

[rt2dz]

rt2dz--do you mind if I ask what time of year you go?

We're inconsistent. I think Jan/Feb are the only months we haven't been. We do tend to avoid spring break & the holiday rush (although we do Thanksgiving week from time to time--that's the plan this year). When we go in December it's during the first two weeks (one or the other).

We've never had a problem making the parade--and we have kids! BUT, maybe that makes us not linger. Although we hang out and make sure we see all the characters. It's always our "intro" to Disney for the trip. Chef Mickey, parade, & fireworks. If we're lucky we hit a ride or two.

ETA: They start serving dinner at 4 PM, so we do also show up at least 20 minutes prior to our ADR. We're always book 5:00 - 5:30 (as close to 5 as possible) and I don't want to wait to be seated. We're also not a multiple trip to the buffet kind of people--2 max.