Eating while watching parades in DCA

[dizzi]

While we are there they will have both the Day and night parade at DCA we would like to catch them both ....... and usually we like to EAT whle we watch the parade or While we wait for the parade......... But we have only done WDW!

We dont know the ins and outs of DL/DCA.........

Can anyone tell me where would be good to sit and eat......For this day we wont be picky about oru food just trying to kill 2 birds with one stone.....

Is there anyplace you can actually have a table and see a parade?
Is there anyplace you would reccomend for grabbing food and eating on the sidewalk?


Any other ideas?????

 

[bumbershoot]

You're talking about the Pixar Play Parade in the day, and the Electrical Parade in the evening?

I would imagine you could sit outside at Wine Country Trattoria and watch them, but that seems chancy (maybe you would get a "bad" seat for it).

I personally liked watching the Electrical Parade from back near Jumpin Jellyfish at the beginning of the EP's route. There are benches there (no sitting on sidewalk needed!), and you could get soup or salad in a breadbowl from Pacific Wharf Cafe, or snag something from Pizza Oom Mow Mow (which I really don't recommend as their food was terrible, but maybe your tastes are different), or even the McDonald's they have back there (I don't eat there, but again, people vary, LOL).

 

[dbanzai]

As bumbershoot says, the Pacific Wharf is a pretty good place to watch from... My personal favorite. You aren't that close to the action, but at least with the DEP you can soak it all in pretty well. I also like going to the Vineyard Room. It's pricy but worth it as you are pretty close and above the action.

I don't knoe if they offer packages these days. I have seen some threads I think about such, but have never been interested in such so have never really looked into it.

 

[Dobie]

DCA parades don't require a huge time committment, because they are relatively lightly attended and the parade route is very long. You can easily grab a front row spot just a few minutes before the parade.

So, I don't know that you would save any time by trying to coordinate eating during the parade. If you really want to, you could always grab a corn dog.

 

[dizzi]

REally, i might have to start a new thread about this.

Just for organizations sake...........as i have many issues!!!!!

So are you saying i dont need to commit an hour to hour and 1/2 to the parade??????

Usually in WDW we sit for about an hour before the parade starts and eat while we secure a good spot!

you think this is not needed???????

 

[Dobie]

I really don't think you need to spend a lot of time waiting for it. We have always wandered over and found a spot about 15 minutes ahead of time.

But, I haven't been there since the Pixar Parade started--maybe this is different.

 

[dizzi]

wow, that is crazy i could never do that in WDW.

of course in MK,
i have only ever watched a parade right in front of the castle maybe this is a very busy area.

 

[pumpkin5156]

You don't need an hour for DCA parades. No way. There are plenty of benches and places to sit as well. The corn dogs from Corn Dog Castle are amazing and my DH always gets one for the parade!

Have fun!

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

The corn dogs from Corn Dog Castle are amazing and my DH always gets one for the parade!

Have fun!

I am the Corn Dog's biggest fan. And I agree with this!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

We were up at the Hollywood Backlot entrance for the parade, and lots of folks around us had food from various places. There's a hotdog joint just down the street in Hollywood Backlot, but others had meals they'd grabbed elsewhere (in square styrofoam containers with a roll and I don't know what else in it) that smelled tasty.

I didn't think to do it, but would have been nice to find a spot, then send DH to get some food for the family. Then the kids might not have been so antsy waiting for the start of the parade.

 

[ironpig70]

in all my years i've never needed to stake out a spot for the dca parades and dl parades if you are towards small world or matterhorn is not bad usally 30 minutes will safice. only time we grab and sit is waiting for fantasmic.

 

[DoomBugger]

Don't overthink this. Just decide which parades you want to see, show up with some lead time (not an hour) and grab some food and enjoy.

 

[Stacerita]

We have grabbed a table right out in front of BRRRbank Ice cream and watched the Electrical Parade from there. We found empty tables about 15 mins before the parade started.

 

[DevilDuckie]

We liked to grab a corn dog at Corn Dog Castle and just sit down on the pavement to watch Block Party Bash when it was running. I can't imagine that would be a problem for the new parade either.

 

[DevilDuckie]

REally, i might have to start a new thread about this.

Just for organizations sake...........as i have many issues!!!!!

So are you saying i dont need to commit an hour to hour and 1/2 to the parade??????

Usually in WDW we sit for about an hour before the parade starts and eat while we secure a good spot!

you think this is not needed???????

This would be completely ridiculous in DL and DCA. Totally not necessary. We've never spent more than 10-15 minutes pre-parade claiming space.

 

[pixiewings71]

Saturday (last saturday) we left DL at 5, walked to CA, thru the turnstiles and toward the information booth near Brrrbank Ice Cream. We stopped there and watched the PPP from next to the info booth. We only waited about 7 min. tops. We didn't do the ELP this trip, but last trip (april) we walked in at about 8:20 and found a spot, no problems with it at all and we had a good view!

 

[dizzi]

Don't overthink this. Just decide which parades you want to see, show up with some lead time (not an hour) and grab some food and enjoy.

I am the over thinker of all VACATION PLANS..........
It is the only way we travel!!!!!
"OVER THUNK"

 

[DoomBugger]

I am the over thinker of all VACATION PLANS..........
It is the only way we travel!!!!!
"OVER THUNK"

That is a good tendency to have but sometimes we can all overthink. Atleast that way you address the potential issue in advance and have some insight into how to best handle it when it comes up.

I tend to overthink trips too but in the end I like to leave some things to the moment but with the 'overthunk' theory in play as well. Knowledge is power!

 

[Jozymouse]

I would guess that the only show at Disneyland that requires alot of waiting time is Fantasmic!? Do any of you have some good spots to watch and film Fantasmic without waiting 2 hours? Thanks!!!

 

[dizzi]

i dont think we will even plan to do fantasmic.......Unless soemone can tell me it is different than WDW.....
it is not my most favorite thing to do at WDW, NOT A FAN.

so i think we will skip it.