Dinsey Christmas Parade

[MlWinans]

My family will be at WDW at the beginning of December. The rumor I have heard is that the Christmas parade is going to be recorded on Dec. 7th.

Does anyone know for sure if this is the correct date? If is not then would you might know what that date it is going to be?

 

[ahill004]

Rumored to be 5th and 6th and the 7th will be used as a rain date. Total madhouse at MK those days. Especially the 6th. If you are thinking of attending the taping you should read some of the posts on this board from those that have attended the parade in the past. Not too many favorable reviews.

 

[WisconsinDisneyGirl]

We are going to WDW Dec. 6-11. We were planning on going to MK that day! Have it in my spreadsheet already! I am so glad that I read these boards! Anyone have anymore info about the parade taping? Who has gone in the past? Experiences?

 

[WisconsinDisneyGirl]

Okay- if we did go to MK on Sat. Dec. 6 if we took the train to another part of the park to bypass the parade will we get around the crowds? Maybe ride the train to Adventure Land and start there?

 

[ahill004]

Look up the threads under Theme Parks and Attractions that pertain to the Christmas Parade taping. You will find plenty of comments from people who attended in years past. Most are not fans of the huge crowds that day. It seems to be mixed reviews on how bad the crowds are once you get past Main St. but one poster did mention that it took FOREVER on the train to get to the back of the park. Apparently CM's kept stopping the train so they coudl finish taping certain parts of the parade. We have and ADR at CRT for lunch and I am desperately trying to switch to another day so we can avoid MK. (My girls will be devastated if I just cancel CRT)!

 

[WisconsinDisneyGirl]

ahill004-
I guess that answers my question. I guess we will wait to go to MK until Monday. Thanks for the info! Hope you can change your ADR!

 

[MrsCopper]

My family will be at WDW at the beginning of December. The rumor I have heard is that the Christmas parade is going to be recorded on Dec. 7th.

Does anyone know for sure if this is the correct date? If is not then would you might know what that date it is going to be?

The past few years we have been in WDW during the taping of the parade. The parade is usually held the first weekend in December. We have personally been in MK when this parade is taping. It is very crowded and getting down Main Street is very hard. When you first get into the Park you are rushed into cattle shoots down either side of Main Street in front of the shops. The train can be delayed for extended periods of time during taping as well. Once you get past Main Street and the Castle things open up, but it's getting past all of that first. For us personally, we avoid the MK until taping is over. We have visited other parks during the weekend that the parade in taping in the MK and have no problems. The MK is where we have experienced the crowding and chaos. It just doesn't feel like Disney during those two days! But, that's just my personal take on it.

 

[disneyag]

Last year we made the MISTAKE of visiting MK the day of the taping. Main Street was closed--people had to walk to the hub through the stores. It was really crowded. I figured I am a smart Disney Commando, so my DD and I took the train to Frontierland. WRONG!!!! During taping, the train can't be seen in certain shots, so we WAITED on the tracks several times. It took us over an hour to ride the train from the Main Street station to Frontierland. YUCK!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Last year we made the MISTAKE of visiting MK the day of the taping. Main Street was closed--people had to walk to the hub through the stores. It was really crowded. I figured I am a smart Disney Commando, so my DD and I took the train to Frontierland. WRONG!!!! During taping, the train can't be seen in certain shots, so we WAITED on the tracks several times. It took us over an hour to ride the train from the Main Street station to Frontierland. YUCK!

Exactly what happened to us in December 2005 in MK on parade taping day. We ened up hopping to Epcot. I won't ever to MK on parade taping day again.

 

[BradyBz12]

We inadvertently went to MK on taping day in 2006. What a nightmare! We were with friends and their 3 year old, and it took his poor dad an hour to get him french fries. We bugged out right after that.

I've already noted those days in my planner for this year with a big NO MK!!

 

[WisconsinDisneyGirl]

Dec. 6th will be our first day at WDW. I always like to go to MK first. Well not after everything I have been hearing! My spreadsheet also states NO MK on Dec. 6 and 7. We will go Monday of that week. Does anyone else know how the other parks will be on those dates or is MK just crwoded?

 

[nhl66pens]

Why would you avoid Sunday too? Unless it rains they should be done on Saturday, right?

 

[WisconsinDisneyGirl]

I guess I am avioding it for planning purposes. I have my spreadsheet all worked out anyhow.

 

[Clotho]

I would think the evenings at MK would be okay on those dates, yes? Since the taping would be during daylight hours?

 

[disneyag]

Yes, evenings should be much better.

 

[DisneyFanForLife89]

The day the parade is filmed in MK, it is a crazy house!

I was in the park the day that they filmed the 2007 Christmas Day Parade, and it was packed!

 

[shaun&miranda]

We are another couple who accidentally ended up in MK on parade taping day. We decided not to worry about the rides and just soak up the atmosphere, but we still found it really unpleasant being pushed about by the crowds the whole time (including all around Frontierland - I had a very bad moment being pushed outside Splash Mountain!)

Disney seem to give free entrance to lots of people that day who I guess are local schoolkids and residents - we saw on the monorail that lots of people were clutching their vouchers for admittance. I would be amazed if these folks did not stay once the taping was done to go on a few rides and I think these evenings might well be busy too.

We hopped out of the park and over to Epcot, which as always, copes a lot better with crowds. It was still busy, but not hellishly so (it was a weekend after all) and we had a nice day in the end.

If you like crowds and being in close confinement (some people do!) then you might love the atmosphere of the taping days in MK, but for us it was a never-again moment for sure. The other parks don't suffer because the free tickets only apply to MK admission from what we saw.

Hope this helps
Miranda

 

[Cinderumbrella]

We were at MK on parade taping evening in 2006. We thought the crowds would be better and we were WRONG! After a 5:30 ADR at CP, we left the park by 8pm since it was wall to wall people in Tomorrowland.

This year we arrive right as parade weekend starts. We are skipping ALL of the parks on Saturday and will just spend time in the resort and DTD and start touring on Sunday instead.