Electrical Parade

[bskts4bj]

So where's everyone's best location for viewing this parade and getting the best photos??

TIA,
Brenda

 

[Robo]

So where's everyone's best location for viewing this parade and getting the best photos??

A look at the MK Parade Route-

Disney's (MS) Electrical Parade starts near the Firehouse and exits near Splash Mtn.

The 3 O'Clock Parade (Festival of Fantasy) and both the MVMCP and MNSSHP parades start near Spalsh Mtn. and exit near the Firehouse.

Less crowded than on Main Street, but still spectacular viewing can be found near the Hall of Presidents, or deep into Frontierland, past the Country Bears. (But, from those locations you won't be able to see the spectacular, not-to-be-missed show that is actually projected on the front of the Castle, "Celebrate the Magic," which begins about 15 minutes before the fireworks.)

 

[WayTooExcited]

Awesome map, Robo!

When we went five years ago, we sat in front of the Hall of Presidents. It wasn't too terribly crowded and if we got too hot we could run into the Hall of President really quick, cool down, then come back out. It was nice.

 

[bskts4bj]

What are your thoughts about watching from the balcony of the railroad station??

 

[Robo]

What are your thoughts about watching from the balcony of the railroad station??

That option may not be available anymore.

It's recently been a VIP viewing area.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Is the parade in good shape these days? Are they doing a good job of maintaining the floats (unlike their hair-raising neglect of the late Spectromagic)?

 

[Accident]

I have a couple goto places but it really depends on the crowd.. I like being late, then I go through ye old christmas shoppe to stand in front of it. you can't get a lot of people there and you can't walk past the people but when you cut through the store you can go really late and have a comfortable spot.

There is also a spot across the street where it's not easy to get to so it ends up not being that crowded. There is also a couple rocking chairs on the porch so I can rest in a chair while my daughter is filming closer. It's also a great spot if the park is empty because it's near impossible to walk by and try to get into that spot if you haven't be in it before to see where you go

more often than not I'm walking up past pirates and the parade starts to go. pecos bill is place I love to just grab a snack/drink and sit in their outdoor food spots. There is a spot that there is no sidewalk to stand on so you can be in peco and watch.. not the best spot for photos but characters do take the time to make sure they interact with you or your kids there. I woulnd't recommend it for people who can't stand up from an ecv or wheelchair unless your early.,

Directly across from pecos is another spot that is really good and impossibel to get to after the parade starts along the street. it just can't have more than 1 or 2 people deep so people can't walk past others to squeeze in. Great spot for filming and pictures and my daughter does it a lot..

Sitting at the main street train station is also interesting to look down to the floats (and eye level to CMs higher up on the float). they really interact well when they see you wearing a button. surprisingly it doens't get too crowded these days up there and your in a good spot to just leave the park after if your looking for that..

Is the parade in good shape these days? Are they doing a good job of maintaining the floats (unlike their hair-raising neglect of the late Spectromagic)?

They are the same which means yes, they are keeping it up.. now if they would expand it to be more like paint the night, then I would be really happy but it's just as good as it was many years ago..

 

[DiannaVM]

My favorite spot for the parades is usually Frontierland. This where we watched the Boo to You parade last year (the second one). However, last year was an anomaly when we viewed MSEP. We were tired (it was a very crowded park that day) and we just didn't have the energy for anything so we got ourselves some spots across from the Emporium on Main Street, right next to the wheelchair area. It was a nice spot, but I didn't feel like the lights on the floats could be appreciated as well as if we had been in Frontierland. I think because the park was so so packed, they didn't really turn down any of the street lights or store lights, because I remember wondering to myself why everything was so bright.

 

[Sevey13]

I viewed it once from the porch of Tony's. It was sort of accidental the first time...as we finished our dinner the announcement that the parade would be starting in 10 minutes went off and we realized that we were in a perfect location! Elevated so we could see over everyone's head, seating, fairly close to the road. We just ordered a dessert to justify our presence and enjoyed. This time around I made a ressie there for 8:15 and will tell them when we check in that we will wait for a patio table. It's certainly Disney priced, but the food wasn't nearly as bad as people say it is (at least during our experience there).

 

[Robo]

we got ourselves some spots across from the Emporium on Main Street, right next to the wheelchair area. It was a nice spot, but I didn't feel like the lights on the floats could be appreciated as well as if we had been in Frontierland. I think because the park was so so packed, they didn't really turn down any of the street lights or store lights, because I remember wondering to myself why everything was so bright.

At the south end of Main St. (and about 200 ft. towards the north) they always leave the lights of Main Street and the RR Station on full-brightness during the fireworks, to assist guests who choose to exit MK during the fireworks. (Because of this, I don't recommend trying to fully enjoy the MK fireworks at, or near, the Main St. RR Station.)

However, I don't think that leaving the lights on is normally the case during the MSEP or the other night-time plighted parades.

 

[DiannaVM]

At the south end of Main St. (and about 200 ft. towards the north) they always leave the lights of Main Street and the RR Station on full-brightness during the fireworks, to assist guests who choose to exit MK during the fireworks. (Because of this, I don't recommend trying to fully enjoy the MK fireworks at, or near, the Main St. RR Station.)

However, I don't think that leaving the lights on is normally the case during the MSEP or the other night-time plighted parades.

Makes sense. I am just going to make sure I stick to our Frontierland this time around. It tends to feel less clustered there too (or at least to me it does).

 

[tj6285]

My DD and I have a 7:30pm res at Crystal Palace. I figure by the time we are done, we should be able to step outside and have a short wait to at least see the castle projection and fireworks. If we have time to see the parade, should we go left and hang out on the overpass to see the parade from afar or head right toward Main Street? Please tell me if my thinking is way off here.

 

[Nancyg56]

You could see the parade well from there? I was afraid the viewing would be obstructed. Do you think it would be as nice with the afternoon parade?

 

[BrianL]

Is the parade in good shape these days? Are they doing a good job of maintaining the floats (unlike their hair-raising neglect of the late Spectromagic)?

I my estimation the floats looked pretty good last time I saw it (last year) in that all the lights were working and stuff, but I have heard about a lot of times when they will break down and have to be pulled along, so under the hood there may be issues.

I just saw the Tokyo version of Electrical Parade and it blows the MK one away!

 

[Robo]

Crystal Palace. If we have time to see the parade,

1. should we go left and hang out on the overpass to see the parade from afar
2. or head right toward Main Street?

1. Nope.
2. Yup.

3. You could see the parade well from there?
4. I was afraid the viewing would be obstructed.
5. Do you think it would be as nice with the afternoon parade?

I don't know to whom you are responding.

3. If you mean from an "afar" bridge ("overpass") to the west of Crystal Palace, then no.
4. It is virtually non-existent in most spots there.
5. You can't see anything worth darn from an "afar" bridge ("overpass") to the west of Crystal Palace.

 

[Nancyg56]

1. Nope.
2. Yup.



I don't know to whom you are responding.

3. If you mean from an "afar" bridge ("overpass") to the west of Crystal Palace, then no.
4. It is virtually non-existent in most spots there.
5. You can't see anything worth darn from an "afar" bridge ("overpass") to the west of Crystal Palace.

Robo- can you see the afternoon parade from Tony's? I always thought that the view would be obstructed even from the porch tables.

 

[Robo]

Robo- can you see the afternoon parade from Tony's? I always thought that the view would be obstructed even from the porch tables.

It would not be my choice, at all.
The sidewalk in front of Tony's (and between the porch and the street) is always busy with guests watching the parade (along the curb, multi-guests deep) and other guests right behind them trying to enter and exit MK... with strollers, ECV's and bobbing balloons.

But, if that's not going to detract from your parade-watching enjoyment, it's another option.

ETA: I would say that FoF (afternoon) Parade would be a bit better from Tony's than would MSEP.

 

[Nancyg56]

It would not be my choice, at all.
The sidewalk in front of Tony's (and between the porch and the street) is always busy with guests watching the parade (along the curb multi-guests deep) and other guests right behind them trying to enter and exit MK... with strollers, ECV's and bobbing balloons.

THat is what I thought. Thank yoU!!

 

[dreiwhit]

Awesome map, Robo!

When we went five years ago, we sat in front of the Hall of Presidents. It wasn't too terribly crowded and if we got too hot we could run into the Hall of President really quick, cool down, then come back out. It was nice.

+1 on the location in front of the Hall of Presidents. We "discovered" that spot by accident, and it was a good one!