MSEP to Splash Mountain

[123SA]

I booked the Tony's Town Square Main Street Electrical Parade Dining Package, which means I'll be at the Flag Pole for the parade. This is Sunday 9/4, park closes at 10pm (although I'm just really hoping they extend the hours to 12pm) Wishes is scheduled at 10pm. We're skipping it. I have Splash Mountain FP with window 9:30pm - 10pm (park closing time) Will we make it there in time?

 

[harrowgirl]

Electrical parade starts at the front of the park so you'll have lots of time....just walk right behind the parade rope after the parade

 

[gatorlisa]

Since MSEP starts at the front on Main Street, you could probably high tail it up Main Street behind the parade as it passes, then hang a left and cut through Adventureland to get to Splash before the parade gets to the end of the route between Adventureland and the Splash area of Frontierland. The parade will go right at the Hub, then go around to Liberty Square and through Frontierland, so where it takes a right, take a left and you should be good to go.

 

[123SA]

Since MSEP starts at the front on Main Street, you could probably high tail it up Main Street behind the parade as it passes, then hang a left and cut through Adventureland to get to Splash before the parade gets to the end of the route between Adventureland and the Splash area of Frontierland. The parade will go right at the Hub, then go around to Liberty Square and through Frontierland, so where it takes a right, take a left and you should be good to go.

Hmmmm...I didn't think of that. So probably cut through the shops on Main St, turn left at Casey's toward Adventureland and we can beat the parade? I guess Adventureland will be pretty vacant and easy to move through.
I guess I was thinking that I would have to meander behind parade until I got to the path along the water in frontierland/liberty square (and I have never understood why people followed the parade. I didn't realize they just wanted to get somewhere!)

 

[DVCcurious]

You will have some time but it will probably be an annoying experience.

Think about this; you're at the flag pole. There are a billion people up Main Street. The parade passes you and you begin to walk where? Slowly up Main Street behind the eagle parade float. You're walking slowly, slowly, slowly with a ton of people either crowding in behind the float with you or trying to push their way past you to leave the park. When MSEP is before Wishes what do you think people do as soon as the eagle float moves up Main Street? The all run to clog up Main Street to get good spots for Wishes. How long will it take you to get from the flagpole to Casey's? My guess is 10 minutes.

Then you hang a left and Casey's and try to run through Adventureland. But there are a ton of people so it's slow going (think about all those people saving spots for Wishes in front of Crystal Palace you will have to push past). You finally go past Pirates and turn right and what do you see? CM's blocking you as the parade rolls by.

Do you realize how LONG the parade is (length)? There's like 18 floats. When the eagle is in front of the castle Tinker Bell has definitely reached the end of the line at Frontierland. There's no way to get from Adventureland to Splash Mountain until the eagle passes (unless CM's allow people to cross the street in the middle of the parade, but I don't think so).

So the question is: how long from the parade starting does it finally end at Frontierland? That is the point you will finally be able to get to Splash Mountain. So if the parade starts at 9:00 and it's about 20 minutes long then the Eagle will hit the flagpole at 9:20. I think it takes about 15 minutes for Tinker Bell to reach Frontierland (we always watch from Frontierland and it takes about 15 minutes for Tink to show up after the parade starts). So that means the parade probably finishes at Frontierland about 9:35.

You'll be able to do it, but your experience between the Eagle passing the flagpole at 9:20 and the Eagle leaving Frontierland at 9:35 is going to be very painful as you try to walk from the flagpole to Crystal Palace with all those people crowding to get a good spot for Wishes. Unless you really love rubbing up against a bunch of weirdos. Then you may enjoy your experience. But there's going to be a mass of humanity trying to crowd Main Street for a prime Wishes view.

 

[Klayfish]

First, yes, you'll be able to make it. I wouldn't even worry about trying to hustle and rush through a mob. Follow the parade as it passes and get there when the parade is over. You'll make it on time, and if you're a bit late, you'll still be allowed in. I'm pretty sure there is a grace period for you to arrive even after your FP+ time officially expires. Even if you miss that and explain to the CM that you got stuck in parade traffic, they'll let you in.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I agree with DVCcurious. Sounds like a miserable experience. Parade and fireworks crowds are no joke, and CMs do not do a good job of keeping the walkways clear or directing people. We got stuck at the flagpole once trying to leave the park at parade time and were not allowed to go anywhere, despite the fact that CMs were directing people there. Just awful.
To the PP, there is no grace period if the park is closing! The lines will close at 10pm no matter what.