Going to MK just to see parade?

Surgie2

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Sep 19, 2016
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We will be staying at Poly with hoppers and visiting MK on parts of 4 different days but the parade is not easily fitting in the plans.

On an Epcot day, we could stop in to MK just for the parade on the way back to the resort...trying not to have long park days. Is this logistically feasible? We will have 6 adults and 4 young kids in two double strollers.

So would we go Epcot>TTC>switch to MK monorail?

Even as I write this it sounds like too much - lol!
 
Logistically yes, it's possible. You could take the monorail or a bus from Epcot to MK. Personally I'd find a way to squeeze it into one of the MK days when you'll already be there. But if no other choice then sure, hop over from Epcot.
 
On an Epcot day, we could stop in to MK just for the parade on the way back to the resort...trying not to have long park days. Is this logistically feasible? We will have 6 adults and 4 young kids in two double strollers.

The parade is at 3:00, so you'd need to be leaving EP around 2:00. That would have been prime nap time for my kiddos at a young age. Taking the monorail means you can leave them in their strollers to nap, but they may sleep through the parade as well.

Are you headed back to the resort for the rest of the day or is this just a break and you'll return in the evening? If it's the latter, it's a really late break time. If the former, then I'd definitely do it! It would be a great ending to a day. You could even stop into the Plaza Ice Cream parlor for a sweet treat and maybe get some shopping done on Main St.
 
In theory this is a viable plan, and if there were only two adults trying to do this, I would say go for it. However, there is. no way I would try to work this out with 6 adults and two doublewides. You need time to get there , and with the group you have you also need space, so if you allow an hour for travel, knowing that at least 30 minutes is exiting the park and using the monorail, you still need to get into the Mk and find a decent viewing spot. I think all you will end up with is frustration.

Personally, with 4 MK days I would try to work the parade in. If I could not I would just let it go.
 

I love MK to the exclusion of nearly all the other parks. We heavily weight our trips in favor of the MK. I need multiple days to do it right. But even I could find time in 4 days in the MK to squeeze in the parade. ;)

I would try very hard to squeeze it into one of your existing MK days. Too great of a chance you'll waste most of your other afternoon and end up with a poor viewing spot. Finding space for 10, including 2 double strollers isn't going to happen showing up just as the parade starts.
 
Are you headed back to the resort for the rest of the day or is this just a break and you'll return in the evening? If it's the latter, it's a really late break time. If the former, then I'd definitely do it! It would be a great ending to a day. You could even stop into the Plaza Ice Cream parlor for a sweet treat and maybe get some shopping done on Main St.

This would be the end of the day for us - then back to the resort. Except for the 1 year-old, the other kids aren't nappers (4 1/2 and two 5 1/2 year olds) but on park days, who knows!
 
This would be the end of the day for us - then back to the resort. Except for the 1 year-old, the other kids aren't nappers (4 1/2 and two 5 1/2 year olds) but on park days, who knows!

I'd do it! I think this is a better plan than trying to fit it in before SM and BoG. The monorail is an easy ride to MK even though you have to get off at the TTC. The kids will love it.
 
I love MK to the exclusion of nearly all the other parks. We heavily weight our trips in favor of the MK. I need multiple days to do it right. But even I could find time in 4 days in the MK to squeeze in the parade. ;)

I know -what is wrong with me - lol! The issue is that 3 of our MK days begin early and it's a family priority to enjoy the resort in the afternoon. So we plan to head back to the Poly in time for lunch or soon after. But the last MK day is a later start so with some FP shifting I'll try to make that work as a parade day. Or no parade and that will be for another trip:)
 
I'd do it! I think this is a better plan than trying to fit it in before SM and BoG. The monorail is an easy ride to MK even though you have to get off at the TTC. The kids will love it.

Originally I had SM FP earlier in the afternoon but I moved it later in order to have a relaxing resort morning with pool and lunch. Then the dominos began falling...
 
I know -what is wrong with me - lol! The issue is that 3 of our MK days begin early and it's a family priority to enjoy the resort in the afternoon. So we plan to head back to the Poly in time for lunch or soon after. But the last MK day is a later start so with some FP shifting I'll try to make that work as a parade day. Or no parade and that will be for another trip:)
If you leave Epcot at 1:00 you could make it work.
 
The FoF parade is one of the best entertainment options on property in my opinion so if this is the best way to make it work - then I would say do it!

Anyone that doesn’t want to see it can always just walk back to Poly when you get to TTC if they don’t want to make the trek.

I would have the kids prepped to either have to get out of strollers to see or to stand in the stroller to see...

Also - be mindful that you might find your switch at TTC to warrant hopping on the ferry instead of another monorail...and you can take the boat home to Poly after if you can fold up the strollers.

Good luck...moving that many people around for many short park adventures is HARD...it takes a lot more time to get everyone everyplace and it doesn’t quite feel like productive time...lots of cat herding!
 
Sound's very good to us . We love this for PH so you can do just the highlights of each Park . You know you are going to do a lot of walking so it will not be to much for the adults and the strollers will help with the kidos .Best of luck that this will work for you all .
 
I know -what is wrong with me - lol! The issue is that 3 of our MK days begin early and it's a family priority to enjoy the resort in the afternoon. So we plan to head back to the Poly in time for lunch or soon after. But the last MK day is a later start so with some FP shifting I'll try to make that work as a parade day. Or no parade and that will be for another trip:)

The truth is that you cannot do it all, and if you try you set yourself up for a disaster of some sort. I like the parade and would try to make it work when I was in the MK. I would not rush out of Epcot to make the trek to MK. No matter what anyone says timewise, it will be tight because you just never know what will happen on the monorail, and then you need to squeeze 10 people into a space that has already been staked out by folks in the MK. For my family the stress would outweigh the desire to see the parade.

My strategy has always been if we are up for the parade we stay. If not we leave, and be done with it. I would play it by ear, plan to work it in on one of your MK days, but be prepared to walk away from the parade if something better comes up, or if it just is not strategically possible.
 


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