Electrical Parade then Fireworks-- Possible?

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Op. If you're in a bind and you have to do that, well it's possible. We watched up by Pizza Oom Mow Mow, beat the end of the parade back to Golden Dreams, cut through behind GRR and out the gate. Make sure you have had your hand stamped previously. You avoid the lines at the hand stamping stations and sometimes, they have a gate wide open. Just get as far as you can and watch from there. Town Square is a nice place to watch from that is fairly easy to get to without much hassle at all. I think I liked the view from there better than in the middle of main street. The hub was the best

For those that are pre planning a trip and aren't in a bind, I do not suggest planning in such a manner that you have to do this if you have another alternative. Several reasons.

1. The show is quite a bit better in the hub than it is anywhere else in the park. You see Tink up close flying all over the place. Absolutely magical. The Lasers and some of the surrounding effects you get there are awesome too. You do not experience the same effect elsewhere.
During my trip in July, people started getting into the hub 2.5 hours before show time. By about 1.5 hours before show time, the hub was packed. But everyone was sitting. At about 9 O'clock, they had people in the hub stand. So more people got into the hub at that time. But you can't be there from DCA at that time. unless you want to miss a big chunk of DEP. And it packed in again almost immediately. During our week, the possibilities of watching DEP and then coming over and getting into the hub were virtually nil without considerable hassle and pushing and shoving and otherwise being inconsiderate to those already there. And quite frankly, that is completely uncool. And the CM's were definitely on the lookout for that and several people got told in no uncertain terms that they were not going to shove their way in when some people had been waiting over an hour for those spots.

2. Once outside the hub, I do not believe it all that important to be in the park. I didn't consider the soundtrack to RDCT to be all that important. Watching the fireworks from the esplanade and listening to the music that plays out there instead of the show music was just as good as the show soundtrack and probably better. It's quite hassle free to get to the esplanade about 2/3 of the way back toward DCA at a very leisurely pace coming out of DCA. You can set up for the parade closer to the entrance and not have to power walk out of there. Plus, you can sit down.

3. To accomplish the feat does not require running, but it does require moving with a purpose. Legs can get very weary at that time of night and if you sat down for the parade, it takes some time to get em loosened up for hard walking again. If you have little kids, well they can alter the best made plans of anyone.

Again, sometimes you don't have much choice and you'll have to compromise the sweet spot in the hub to see them both. And it certainly is possible. But if you can avoid having to do it, I'd avoid it.

I have never watched RDCT all the way through from anywhere else but the hub (I only get over to DLR once a year or so) but have seen parts of it from many places around DL and the Esplanade. I have never seen the IASW projections.

Suffice to say for me personally that there are many show aspects (aside from the castle projections) that make the hub (or possibly Main Street) the only place to see RDCT - for me. This includes the IJA fire blasts, the HM fireworks around the hub perimeter, and the Star Wars lasers.

If I visited DLR more often I might want to take in the show from other parts of DL, but usually it is a squeeze to get it in once per year for me. Heck, I only have seen RDCT all the way through three times. So for me viewing opportunities are precious and not to be risked. Again, my opinion, my visiting frequency, my family size and my relative value for each show all play into this.

I can't disagree with any of this. Having seen the show from all over, I consider it very sweet spot dependent and that sweet spot is the hub. I get to WDW more often than DLR these days. I also must agree that if I had to choose just one, the fireworks would be it. I find DEP to have better floats than Spectro, but it didn't have as many of them and it was a shorter parade. The sythesized soundtrack didn't compare to Spectro. On the whole we thought Spectro better. For the fireworks though, the show was better than was Wishes. But it was very much more sweet spot dependent than wishes . Moreover, we didn't see any possiblity of strolling into DL's smaller hub 5 minutes before the show like we did all the time at MK.


Perhaps our favorite experience other than the hub was watching while riding Big Thunder umteen times in a row. We had to stand for Fantasmic for our little escapade. But it was well worth it.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Yes, it can be done, but it is tricky. You have to be very fast and very good at maneuvering through the crowds.

Your best bet is to catch the start of the parade from the Paradise Pier area. Stand next to the Golden Dreams theater, so that you don't have to cross the road where the parade is. I recommend that you duck out of the parade a few minutes early, or you're going to risk missing the start of the fireworks show.

You really don't need more than 15 to 20 minutes to get a good spot for the fireworks anymore. You can always get a spot anywhere on main street at the last minute, and there are still lots of good spots around the hub about 15 minutes before the show. We used to camp for 2+ hours to sit in front of the hub, and now we can get the same spot less than half an hour before, even on crowded days.

Just keep in mind that there are going to be a lot of people trying to get to DL after the DEP, so you're going to have a lot of crowds. We like to watch the first 10-15 minutes of the parade and then head over to DL to watch the fireworks from Main Street, and we usually have time to spare when we do that.

Last week most nights people were lining up their spots for the fireworks at 630pm. Main street was jammed by 810pm. I really do not see how it can be done and have good seating for both.
Also I thought the crowds wre much heaveir last week compared to the two previous years same time.

Jack

 

[tinkerbelt]

Last week most nights people were lining up their spots for the fireworks at 630pm. Main street was jammed by 810pm. I really do not see how it can be done and have good seating for both.
Also I thought the crowds wre much heaveir last week compared to the two previous years same time.

We were there last Friday & Saturday (8/10-8/11), and one other night (Wednesday or Thursday). All three nights, we were able to walk up to an excellent spot right in front of the castle no more than 20 minutes before the show. We used to have to wait 2+ hours for the same spots, but we haven't had to wait more than about 20 minutes all year long (except for Spring Break, when we had to wait an hour). Crowds have not been bad at all this year.

 

[scasta86]

Can anyone recommend good hub-area spots to catch the fireworks and how early to get there to secure these locations. This would be for next week, not sure if it couts as peak season or not.

 

[Sk8Leigh]

I did both DEP and the fireworks last night. I watched DEP at the front of the park and then headed over to DL right after it ended. I made my way up Main Street and ended up close to the Partners statue, maybe 20 feet in front of it. (I'm here solo.) I really couldn't see the projections (although I have seen it before with a better spot), but I could see the fireworks and Tink just fine. And since I came here specifically to see the parade (I had never gotten to see it before), that was definitely my priority. I thought about skipping the parade and trying to get a better spot for the fireworks tonight, but ended up watching the parade again, then taking my time and heading over to get a seat for Fantasmic (I did see some of the fireworks as I was walking over.). I agree that the fireworks are great and better than WDW's, but I guess I'm just more of a parade person. And I loooove the DEP music!

 

[HydroGuy]

Can anyone recommend good hub-area spots to catch the fireworks and how early to get there to secure these locations. This would be for next week, not sure if it couts as peak season or not.

Others around here have seen the RDCT fireworks more times than I have, but no one has yet chimed in so I decided to do my best.

As I said earlier, I have only seen it three times from the hub. Since my opportunities to see it are limited, I have not had time to experiment with different viewing spots and hence I cannot say for sure how my preferences rate compared to other spots. But I will tell you what I believe.

First and foremost, there are trees in the hub and you want to get a spot where you can clearly see the castle. If you can also see the Matterhorn that is a bonus, but not essential IMO.

If the hub was a clock and the castle was at 12:00, the first time I saw RDCT was at about 7:30/8:00 on the hub circle - out in front of Coke Corner but over towards Adventureland a bit. I thought the view from here was excellent and cannot imagine any spot being significantly better. Better maybe, but not significantly better.

The second time I saw them I wanted to get closer and was at about 9:00/9:30 on the hub. I ended up not liking them as much because I was too close to the castle and felt like some of the effects and fireworks behind the castle were harder to see because of the angle with the castle in between.

So the third time I saw them (this past June) we went back to the 7:30/8:00 spot and I decided I prefer that spot. I will probably just always go back there in the future.

We got there in June about 40-45 minutes before the 9:25 show because I wanted to play it safe, but I thought that 30 minutes and possibly 20 minutes would have been enough. IMO, if you are seeing them for the first time, get there 45 minutes early. If you want to get a spot closer to the castle, that will mean you need to get there earlier - others will have to tell you how much earlier. If you are solo, you can squeeze into more spots at the last minute and 20-30 minutes early should be fine.

Be aware that except for the spot right in front of the castle, everyone stands up for the fireworks - even if they are sitting before.

If you have smaller kids you will have to account for this as their view may be blocked. Two years ago when my kids were smaller, I got a spot on the curb so that the smallest in my family (they were 9 and 10 at the time) could stand on the curb and have that extra 4 inches to see through and over the people who were standing in front of them but at street level. And that worked. In June my kids were tall enough I did not need to worry about it.

Finally, pay attention to my "fireworks rule": HydroGuy's Fireworks Rule
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199851

 

[DangerMouse]

Here's a recent post from a person over at MP:

Last night, Sunday, I did exactly that. Watched Electrical Parade in DCA near the entrance so I could make a quick exit as the last float approached. Made it easily into DL and got a spot in the hub to watch the fireworks. Then made it over to Fantasmic! for the 10:30 with a good spot on the bridge near Tarzan's tree. The park was crowded but I was able to make it with my wife and two young sons in a relatively leisurely pace, so it's certainly doable.

Makes me wanna go give it a try myself!

 

[blackjackdelta]

We were there last Friday & Saturday (8/10-8/11), and one other night (Wednesday or Thursday). All three nights, we were able to walk up to an excellent spot right in front of the castle no more than 20 minutes before the show. We used to have to wait 2+ hours for the same spots, but we haven't had to wait more than about 20 minutes all year long (except for Spring Break, when we had to wait an hour). Crowds have not been bad at all this year.

That is not what I observed. I think I have a pic showing the crowd at 815 and will post it. On the Thurs and Friday 8/16 and 8/17 is was crowded. There are 6 of us and we could not find a spot at 815 except for way back by the train station, you must be luckey. The CM's told us the crowds were very heavy that week because it was the last week before school.

Jack

 

[brenda1966]

I took DangerMouses great advice and was able to see both DEP and the fireworks on Saturday July 21st.

We watched back by the golden zephyr. We left CA as soon as we saw the last float approaching. We could have actually stayed and watched the float go by because we got to DL in plenty of time.

DD was in her stroller and we booked our way toward the entrance and beat the parade. We exited CA and stood in a very short line to get into DL. We did not attempt to find a spot in the hub. We watched from the middle of mainstreet and enjoyed the view. We could see the castle and tink.

We chose to try this because it was rather windy all afternoon and I feared the fireworks would be cancelled, so I wanted to see the DEP and then possible catch the fireworks. It can be done.

 

[DangerMouse]

I took DangerMouses great advice and was able to see both DEP and the fireworks on Saturday July 21st.

We watched back by the golden zephyr. We left CA as soon as we saw the last float approaching. We could have actually stayed and watched the float go by because we got to DL in plenty of time.

DD was in her stroller and we booked our way toward the entrance and beat the parade. We exited CA and stood in a very short line to get into DL. We did not attempt to find a spot in the hub. We watched from the middle of mainstreet and enjoyed the view. We could see the castle and tink.

We chose to try this because it was rather windy all afternoon and I feared the fireworks would be cancelled, so I wanted to see the DEP and then possible catch the fireworks. It can be done.

Yay Brenda! I'm so glad it worked for you and you got to see both!

 

[tinkerbelt]

That is not what I observed. I think I have a pic showing the crowd at 815 and will post it. On the Thurs and Friday 8/16 and 8/17 is was crowded. There are 6 of us and we could not find a spot at 815 except for way back by the train station, you must be luckey. The CM's told us the crowds were very heavy that week because it was the last week before school.

I just went back and checked with my grandma, it was Thurs (8/15) that we were there. We didn't pull into the parking lot until about 8:50, and we were able to get a spot in the hub for fireworks with no problem at all. We saw lots of open spots walking down Main Street and all throughout the hub area.

 

[tinkerbelt]

Just popping in to say that we did this tonight, and had time to spare (We didn't actually stop to see the fireworks, but easily could have).

Watched the Electric Parade from near Pizza Oom Mow Mow, and as soon as it was over (yes, we watched the entire thing!), we booked it up the back side of the park and over to DL. We were halfway down Main Street when the 10 minutes to fireworks announcement came on. Main Street was nearly empty, there were tons of great viewing spots left, and there were also plenty of great spots in the hub, but we chose to keep moving so that we could go use our fastpasses.

 

[DisneyMDman]

we were there 2 weeks ago.. and actually pulled off the trifecta (parade, fireworks, Fantasmic)

1) saw the Electrical parade from the front of the DCA near all the shops (more specifically the one with the Finding Nemo display).

2) When we saw the last float, we booked it through the stores. They are all connected, so you make your way through this area, with ZERO crowd.

3) Head out the gates, and into DL. You can watch midway up mainstreet, or watch from the Disney Railroad. The RR has a very nice view of all the fireworks. For example, from that angle you can see that star shaped fireworks are indeed star shaped. Plus you can see all the fireworks they shoot off over mainstreet. No need to turn around. You can see the lasers, and tink, and the indiana jones flames etc.

4) from here, you can try to head over to the 10:30 fantasmic. Rather than going against the crowd, take the train to NOSq. It won't run for about 10 mins after the fireworks, but there is no hassle going against the grain.

5) you can get pretty decent spots in the center, in front of whatever restaurant that is (my brain is letting me down), just behind the reserved section.