How long to sit and wait for a parade

[Trini]

I am sorry I have so many questions. As our trip is nearing I am trying to do some planning and all these things pop into my head.

Parades: how long ahead of time do you need to stake out your spot? Can you see if you stand behind people? We go to the Rose Parade almost every year, and we go about 3 hours prior to it starting. We are usually about 4 rows back and can still see the floats. Is WDW similar, or are they low floats that you need to be up front to really enjoy?

Are there places that are less crowded to see the parades?

Are there any shady spots, or do you just sit on the curb in the sun?

Are there better spots, where you can exit easier after the parade is over?

Any places we should avoid sitting?

I have an ADHD child. I would like him to be able to run around a little while we are 'waiting' for the parade. Is that a no/no?

Thanks

 

[bicker]

I am sorry I have so many questions.

Don't be. It really is why many of us are here -- to answer questions.

Parades: how long ahead of time do you need to stake out your spot?

It really depends. We typically visit in January. We can sometimes arrive just before a parade starts and find someplace to see the parade (especially for weekday daytime parades). However, even then, with the lightest attendance of the year, we sometimes are out-of-luck if we arrive that late (especially for nighttime parades and parades on the weekends). However, even then, how long in advance varies. For good measure, when we're aiming to see a parade, we aim to be there 45 minutes prior. Again, this is during January. During August, you might need an hour or more, though by late August things get pretty light again.

Can you see if you stand behind people?

Yes and no. For the 3PM Magic Kingdom Parade, so much of the parade is lofted so high in the air that you surely can. For Spectromagic, though, so much of the parade is at eye-level (or lower depending on how tall you are ) that you really do miss a lot of the parade if you're behind someone who is standing up.

Are there places that are less crowded to see the parades?

Everyone seems to have their favorite spots, but the reality is that any "less crowded" spots are either don't have a good view or quickly word gets out and they're not "less crowded" any longer.

Are there any shady spots, or do you just sit on the curb in the sun?

The shady spots are among the first to go during the daytime parades. For the Magic Kingdom, I aim for a specific spot in the shade in Frontierland. It is where there is a wood sidewalk (not the boardwalk -- the other side of the path).

Are there better spots, where you can exit easier after the parade is over?

Ditto. At the Magic Kingdom, viewing areas by the train station would be easier to depart from.

I have an ADHD child. I would like him to be able to run around a little while we are 'waiting' for the parade. Is that a no/no?

If it is only you and he, that might be very difficult, since you cannot effectively save your space and watch after your child. You may want to ask this question in the DISabilities forum, since there are lots of folks there with specific experience.

 

[iHEARTflorida]

i'm at disney from 13th - 27th of August, so how early would u say i need to get to the parades???

i was thinking only like 10mins beofre hand

 

[sammons70]

Just last week (7/9), we grabbed a bench at the beginning of the parade route at MGM 45 minutes before the beginning of the parade, and we had the best view ever. You may need to show up earlier at MK for the parades. We usually skip them, because we don't like giving up 2 hours of our time to just stand around and wait for a parade.

 

[lovmy2girls]

I wait 1 hr. for Spectromagic. That my favorite parade.

 

[The Sweetness]

I stake out my fam's spot 90 mins prior to parade time (afternoon) my husb thinks I'm But he sure is when he joins me w our daughter (2 of them this time) for a great comfortable spot.I do have a favorite. it is a bench in Adventureland, I think. I sit there, and put our shopping bag/ back pack beside me, to make it clear that the spot is taken. Selfish, rude, maybe ... But I know what I want, and I know how to get it

 

[taximomfor4]

We chose 3 parades to watch and then skipped the others. We ended up with MK's afternoon parade, Spectromagic at MK in the evening, and AK's parade. We stake out our spots, and sit the entire family down at LEAST 1 1/2 hours before the parade. DH will go on a snack-run. We have stickers, etc in our bag so the kids have something to do while we wait,and I let them draw all over the park maps. We use the changing pad from the diaper bag, and the pad off of the stroller, to sit on. It is kind of nice to just sit for a while!

But it's awfully hot when we are there, in August. So we don't do it every day, not even every other day.

 

[bobcat]

The only parade we plan to watch anymore is the spectromagic parade. If there are two spectros that week see the second one and ride rides during the first. In Frontierland there is an area in front of the shooting arcade that has checkers and is a great place to wait for the afternoon parade.

For the parade in AK sit by flights of wonder. This is the last of the parade route so you don't have to get there as early. It also offers quite a bit of shade.