Favorite Parade Spot at ALL Parks?

[msr709]

Since the Search feature is off its very trying to find the specifics one is looking for in planning. I've spent over 2 hours already going back on the old threads looking for this same question. I've gone to WDW over the past 5 years about 6 times but never with little ones. This year we are going as a family gathering and there will be 2 kids (4 yo and 7 yo) and they love parades and I was wondering what the best spots are (I usually ride while the parades are going on). I've only seen Spectromagic, (which btw is wonderful and I was in a ECV, having had knee surgery recently) so I was right on Main Street at the hub, but I know we can't go there now. I know they would enjoy all the parades but I don't know where to stand with them (or preferably sit). I found some pointers on the MK parade Spectromagic but nothing for AK, MGM, EPCOT or MK Share a Dream. Also, would love to be near where we can get a good look at Tinkerbell coming down (I've only seen her from far away). Thanks for any input on this.

 

[angel's momma]

Can't answer your question because we're planning our first trip, but just wanted to tell you that Search does work now since they did the update awhile back.

 

[poohtown]

well I can give you my best spot experience for Wishes at MK. We were walking around trying to decide where to go. I spotted an elderly cm and asked him his opinion. He took us over to the Christmas Shoppe, introduced us to his wife who was painting ornaments, and sat us right out front. We had the perfect view of everything coming and some beautiful shots of the floats as they passed with the castle in the background. We also found that alot of the floats and characters stopped right in front of us. They asked my daughter to go out with some of the characters but she was too nervous. Later Goofy took my daughter out to march around and when Peter Pan made his speech about Tinkerbelle, my daughter was right in front of him. She loved it. Also once the parade crossed the bridge, we found alot of rides pretty empty since everyone was still watching the parade in the main hub.

 

[KimEadler]

I also have a question about the MK day parade. Last time we were at WDW I was able to get great info about where the parade floats stopped for the kids to "participate & dance with" the characters! My kids had so much fun!! Does this newer parade also make stops along the route? Where are some spots to be able to participate with the characters?

Thanks for your help!

 

[msr709]

Bumping for more answers.

 

[poohtown]

Originally posted by KimEadler
I also have a question about the MK day parade. "participate & dance with" the characters! Thanks for your help!

my reply should say Share a Dream Parade not Wishes - oops!!!

look above about where a good spot to stop and watch and interact with characters.

 

[Nhorse]

I'll toss in my two cents on the AK parade. I have two favorite spots, one is on the Discovery Island side of the Africa bridge, if you're looking at the bridge, there's a small stone fence/wall you can sit if you get there early enough on the left side, or I've found the right side isn't very crowded until just about parade time. No one is allowed on the bridge when the parade comes through, so if you stand down just a little bit from it you get an excellent view. Also if you line up early, ropes will go up in front of the trail down to Camp Minnie-Mickey, by the blue bear, but you have to get there early so you can be right up front by the ropes, I've gotten some great pictures, but less character interaction there. Really anywhere along the parade route is a good spot from what I've seen, and don't forget the parade goes back through Africa at the end, and it can be less crowded then, because a lot of people have already watched it

 

[msr709]

Anyone have any good spots for the MGM Parade?

 

[nicknamy1996]

We have been lucky every year with our children be interacted with during the parades. But that was mostly luck. We sat in 3 different places for the share a dream parade and all 3 times our children were invited into the parade.

Last year at AK we had great interaction with the characters in the parade. But this year with where we ended up sitting for the parade we were just about guaranteed interaction and sure enough we had a bunch of it.

There are "wildlife trails" around the tree of life. There is a rather long one to the left side. It has a "carved" sign at the entrance that reads "garden of life"... I think. There are little monkeys along the trail(they can keep the little ones entertained right behind you for a little bit while you hold the spot for them for the parade.) The down side was that you could not look down the street at the parade because of the trees in the way that separated the main path (parade route) and the trail. However people are not allowed to stand in front of the trees, so when the characters who move from side to side interacting with the crowd are there they stay along the other side for a while (no people on our side for about 50 feet or so (not really sure about the distance, but you should get some visual) Where the path meets the parade route there is about a 12 foot stretch with enough space for a dozen people or so, past that there was another stretch where people were not allowed to watch from (i think it may have been a bridge.) So for that small stretch after being on the other side for so long and knowing they were going right back to it just about all of the characters came over to see us. We have picture after picture of high fives with the characters during the parade.