MSEP- Route by IASW feedback

[Aurora0427]

Hi! We are new locals and are spending the weekend at DL over Labor Day. I viewed the parade route online and it looks like it starts by IASW. Any tips for viewing from this area? Which side? What time should we camp out in order to get a curbside seat? Is it less crazy than Main Street?

Thanks!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Usually, the first parade (if there is more than one) starts from IASW and goes to Town Square. Then the second parade does the reverse. The IASW area usually is less crazy than Main Street, but that's because there is more room to spread out. The second parade is usually less crowded and crazy than the first, so you might have an easier time getting good spots for that one. Do you have to have curbside spots? We usually can grab great viewing in the second row with very little wait time somewhere along the route for the second parade.

 

[lvdis]

I was wondering about the parade route. So the 2nd one starts from where the 1st one ends on Main Street? Just trying to make sure for when we go in a couple of weeks! We'll be heading over after WOC to catch the 2nd parade. Thanks!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I was wondering about the parade route. So the 2nd one starts from where the 1st one ends on Main Street? Just trying to make sure for when we go in a couple of weeks! We'll be heading over after WOC to catch the 2nd parade. Thanks!

I wouldn't try this on 9/02 because WOC is scheduled for 10:15 pm and MSEP's 2nd run is at 10:45 pm -- better to try this later in the week (Tuesday through Thursday) when WOC is scheduled at 9 pm and MSEP is still on for 10:45 (except for Friday when WOC is scheduled at 10 pm).

 

[figment_jii]

I was wondering about the parade route. So the 2nd one starts from where the 1st one ends on Main Street? Just trying to make sure for when we go in a couple of weeks! We'll be heading over after WOC to catch the 2nd parade. Thanks!

Yes, the second parade will start where the first parade route ends. Personally, I prefer to watch from a location where I can see the parade coming. So I'd rather be on the outside of a curve in the route, opposed to the inside side. So if you're watching the first parade from near the start at IaSW, I would prefer to be on FL side of the route. If you're going to watch from somewhere like on Main Street, where the route is very straight, it matters less which side you're on.

 

[cruisehopeful]

What time should we camp out in order to get a curbside seat? Is it less crazy than Main Street?

I have had good luck getting a spot in the area between Matterhorn and It's a Small World, even half an hour before the parade. It depends how many people in your group, though and how large you are.

My 2 adult daughters and I couldn't find anything on Main street last night about an hour and 10 minutes before the parade, but we did get a cement seat in front of the restrooms behind the Alice in Wonderland ride. If we had one less person, there were a couple spots on Main street that would have worked.

I do see people camp out a couple hours before the parade. That's necessary for large groups who want to sit. People on the benches around Main street might even get there earlier than a couple hours.

 

[Aurora0427]

Yes, the second parade will start where the first parade route ends. Personally, I prefer to watch from a location where I can see the parade coming. So I'd rather be on the outside of a curve in the route, opposed to the inside side. So if you're watching the first parade from near the start at IaSW, I would prefer to be on FL side of the route. If you're going to watch from somewhere like on Main Street, where the route is very straight, it matters less which side you're on.
View attachment 427174

This is super helpful. Thank you. I’m a
Visual learner and this is perfect!

 

[Aurora0427]

Usually, the first parade (if there is more than one) starts from IASW and goes to Town Square. Then the second parade does the reverse. The IASW area usually is less crazy than Main Street, but that's because there is more room to spread out. The second parade is usually less crowded and crazy than the first, so you might have an easier time getting good spots for that one. Do you have to have curbside spots? We usually can grab great viewing in the second row with very little wait time somewhere along the route for the second parade.

We have to do the first parade. Our 8 year old could handle the late one but the 3 year old.... no way. I love the curbside seats because I have the best memories of MSEP at Disney World when my eldest was 2... all of the characters interacted with her. But no, we probably don’t need curbside!

 

[Aurora0427]

I have had good luck getting a spot in the area between Matterhorn and It's a Small World, even half an hour before the parade. It depends how many people in your group, though and how large you are.

My 2 adult daughters and I couldn't find anything on Main street last night about an hour and 10 minutes before the parade, but we did get a cement seat in front of the restrooms behind the Alice in Wonderland ride. If we had one less person, there were a couple spots on Main street that would have worked.

I do see people camp out a couple hours before the parade. That's necessary for large groups who want to sit. People on the benches around Main street might even get there earlier than a couple hours.

There are 4 of us. Two adults and two small kids. I’ll check out this spot beforehand. Thanks!

 

[Bluewild79]

We watched the parade twice last week - on Tuesday and Saturday. Tuesday was super low crowds and it was easy to find a large front row spot for our family of five right in front of IASW which is also ideal to see the fireworks projections. We rolled up around 815 for the 845 parade. Saturday and high crowds we got to the same area at 730 and there were already a lot of people waiting. We still got a front row spot with plenty of space for our six family members. We just grabbed dinner and ate it while we waited for the parade. People who didn't get there early were kinda ruthless trying to squeeze in anywhere. It was actually kinda upsetting because it was our last experience in Disneyland and it wasn't fun to get stepped on or yelled at. Strangely not one person ASKED if they could stand behind us since we had our backs to the rope to IASW. We would have made space if anyone was polite.

 

[Aurora0427]

We watched the parade twice last week - on Tuesday and Saturday. Tuesday was super low crowds and it was easy to find a large front row spot for our family of five right in front of IASW which is also ideal to see the fireworks projections. We rolled up around 815 for the 845 parade. Saturday and high crowds we got to the same area at 730 and there were already a lot of people waiting. We still got a front row spot with plenty of space for our six family members. We just grabbed dinner and ate it while we waited for the parade. People who didn't get there early were kinda ruthless trying to squeeze in anywhere. It was actually kinda upsetting because it was our last experience in Disneyland and it wasn't fun to get stepped on or yelled at. Strangely not one person ASKED if they could stand behind us since we had our backs to the rope to IASW. We would have made space if anyone was polite.

One of the things that REALLY makes me upset at Disney is when people encroach on my parade spot that I’ve staked out for 45 minutes or more. That happened to us at the Christmas party at WDW several years ago. I waited for over an hour on Main Street curbside and had to get pretty ugly with people trying to move my kid. After that we decided to spring for dessert parties to avoid this because I really don’t like getting upset at Disney! I will also put our small stroller curbside with my toddler in it to discourage this. Hopefully!

I wish we could go during the week! Thanks for the information on timing.... think I’ll buy the kids Mickey pretzels and snacks to keep everyone busy!

 

[Aurora0427]

So we just finished with MSEP. We sat front row in front of IASW, and the experience was as magical as I’d hoped it would be. My 8 year old, who doesn’t remember seeing it at age 2, loved it. She was so excited. The grin on my 3 year olds face when the mice from Cinderella came over is something my husband and I will never forget. Even he said it made the hour plus sitting and holding our spot worth it. The girls were so excited and the crowd was fantastic. Everyone was clapping and swaying to the music. MSEP is truly special and I felt young again tonight!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We viewed the first MSEP across from IASW (facing the Pretzel Cart) tonight (Labor Day). Got to the area a little after 8 pm and got spots at the railing on the terraced area. It was not crowded. More people filled in over time, but the area never filled in completely. The curb below us had 2 rows of people, but not completely filled in. For fireworks afterward, there were more crowds, but it still wasn't bad at all.

 

[DisTXMom]

Did you watch fireworks from there? Trying to figure out if we should watch from iASW or main street (with MSEP dining pkg). It will be the Halloween screams and I don’t know how that is from iASW vs Main Street.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Did you watch fireworks from there? Trying to figure out if we should watch from iASW or main street (with MSEP dining pkg). It will be the Halloween screams and I don’t know how that is from iASW vs Main Street.

We did watch fireworks ("DL Forever") from there -- very good view, projections on the IASW building facade. "Halloween Screams" is a different story, though. If there will be fireworks on your viewing night, my first choice would be to view from Main Street or the castle. But if it will be projections only, that might change things. DL hasn't shown "Halloween Screams" that way before as a regular show, so we don't know yet if Zero will fly with the projections only show or if the projections will be enhanced from their old state. (We'll find out soon!) Depending on early reviews, I might be fine with viewing from IASW -- we've viewed Halloween Screams from there before and it was fine -- not quite as good as viewing from the castle or Main Street, but not nearly as crowded either. All this to say, IASW isn't bad fireworks viewing, but wait for some early reviews of Halloween Screams before making a final decision.