How to get good spots for fireworks/parades and shows for a very pregnant mama with little ones

[earthboundfaerie]

Hi everyone! One more week before we're in Disneyland! I have always wished for a Disneyland birthday since I was a little girl so to be able to celebrate my 30th birthday at the Happiest Place on Earth will be a dream come true!

Anyway, I will be with my husband and three boys, ages 9, 3 and 1 1/2. We will be staying at Disneyland Hotel and will be in the parks from the 16th to 18th -- no park hoppers, so 16th in DL, 17th in DCA for EMH, and 18th in DL.

This is our first visit to Disneyland during the summer so we are trying to best prepare ourselves for crowds. Also, because I'm 32 weeks pregnant and will be limited as far as the rides my little ones and I can go on, we were really planning to make this trip a bit of a more relaxed trip, more focused on shows. I didn't realize though that annual passes are getting unblocked that week, so now I'm trying to brace ourselves for bigger late afternoon/evening crowds for the fireworks and parades.

Any tips on how we can make sure we get good spots for the following:
Sunday, 8/16 -- Paint The Night + Disneyland Forever
Monday, 8/17 -- World of Color
Tuesday, 8/18 -- Fantasmic + Disneyland Forever from RoA

We are very short folks, and I would really like to make sure my little ones would be able to have a good view of the shows without us having to carry them, so while I was considering a spot on Main St for the fireworks, I'm not sure that would work for my kids. Is it wishful thinking to get a spot in the Hub? How early would we have to hold the spot for that location? I'm also not keen on an IASW view for this. There's just something about that darn castle.

For WoC and Fantasmic, as much as I'd like to, we just won't have the budget for a dining package. How can we ensure we get good spots for these shows? It's been a couple of years since we last watched so I can't remember if both were standing only areas. I also have not been to Fantasmic with the new FP areas, so I'm not sure how it all works now.

Oh, and a couple more questions:

1. My pregnant bladder is pretty much useless now. How easy is it to leave the viewing areas and get back to your spot for bathroom breaks?

2. Do they allow strollers in the viewing areas for Fantasmic and WoC?

 

[DWLA]

For WoC I've heard some veterans on this board indicate a fastpass for WoC is at least as good as the dining package. Go first thing to get the WoC fastpass and then show up about 45-an hour before for great seats. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong on that one.

 

[mybestieismickey]

We generally line up with our fast passes for WOC about 90 minutes before the show starts. I know that seems like a long wait, but the viewing area provides mostly not great views and for us there is no point watching if you can't see. Our goal when they finally let us in is a spot against the railing and a view of the Fun Wheel and the water between it and the viewing area. We have been known to stroll through the viewing area during the day to get a few ideas for later. Once we have our spot, we sit and lean against the rail until the CMs come by and make every one stand. It has been our experience that if we don't get a rail spot, we will miss most of the show.

I have a weak bladder when I'm not pregnant (I'm almost 31 weeks now so I totally feel your pain) and always go to the restroom before the show starts. Just go back the way you came in and ask the CM at the entrance for a ticket so you can come back in. And make sure the rest of your family spreads out enough to preserve your spot while you are gone!

I haven't been since the new night time offerings started, but it sounds like the hub and Main Street are pretty much insane. I would think that unless you are in the street right next to the curb, you aren't getting back to your group. That said, with how close PTN and the fireworks are to each other, I don't think you would have time to get to a restroom and back before the show starts. If you are waiting for PTN, I would think it would be no big deal to get to a restroom as long as you have enough time before the show.

Wait times for a Main Street PTN spot have been looking pretty long. I would keep tabs on the strategy thread on this board to see how things are looking.http://www.disboards.com/threads/pa...isneyland-forever-fireworks-strategy.3412136/

 

[Rubygoose]

I haven't seen the new night time shows, but I always like to see the Soundsational Parade from outside the bathrooms that are behind Alice in Wonderland. It's quiet back there, the washrooms and water fountain are right there, and if you arrive early enough, there's a little bench to sit on. (I'd assume that if you got there and someone was on the bench, they'd let you have the bench at 31 weeks pregnant!) I don't know what the view for Fireworks is like from there, but it would be a great place to see the parade.

 

[earthboundfaerie]

Thanks so much for the tips, you guys!

We generally line up with our fast passes for WOC about 90 minutes before the show starts. I know that seems like a long wait, but the viewing area provides mostly not great views and for us there is no point watching if you can't see. Our goal when they finally let us in is a spot against the railing and a view of the Fun Wheel and the water between it and the viewing area. We have been known to stroll through the viewing area during the day to get a few ideas for later. Once we have our spot, we sit and lean against the rail until the CMs come by and make every one stand. It has been our experience that if we don't get a rail spot, we will miss most of the show.

I have a weak bladder when I'm not pregnant (I'm almost 31 weeks now so I totally feel your pain) and always go to the restroom before the show starts. Just go back the way you came in and ask the CM at the entrance for a ticket so you can come back in. And make sure the rest of your family spreads out enough to preserve your spot while you are gone!

I haven't been since the new night time offerings started, but it sounds like the hub and Main Street are pretty much insane. I would think that unless you are in the street right next to the curb, you aren't getting back to your group. That said, with how close PTN and the fireworks are to each other, I don't think you would have time to get to a restroom and back before the show starts. If you are waiting for PTN, I would think it would be no big deal to get to a restroom as long as you have enough time before the show.

Wait times for a Main Street PTN spot have been looking pretty long. I would keep tabs on the strategy thread on this board to see how things are looking.http://www.disboards.com/threads/pa...isneyland-forever-fireworks-strategy.3412136/

Hey, mybestieismickey! I hope your pregnancy is going smoothly! I have been following that thread, and it's been super helpful. I especially like their tips on how to get to Main St for the fireworks after seeing the parade from Carnation Cafe, but I'm not so sure it will work for us since the kids are so small. I'm afraid that if we stand on Main St, they won't see much of the castle/Matterhorn projections and fireworks. :/

Thanks for the tip on WoC! Looks like I might just need to suck it up and prepare for long waits at the viewing areas and think of a way to keep the kids busy.

(I'd assume that if you got there and someone was on the bench, they'd let you have the bench at 31 weeks pregnant!)

Thanks, Rubygoose! Oh, I sure hope so! But then I totally understand too when people become defensive of their parade/show spots when they've been waiting for hours.