Just another note about the parade and fireworks... The parade is the exact same parade that you see on Christmas day. (it is actually pre-taped around the beginning of December) The only difference will be the lack of celebrities in the parade at MVMCP! Darn!
It is probably the best (and longest!) parade at Disney World. It has a LOT of floats and characters and should not be missed. They will have two shows and unless you have small children with you, I highly recommend attending the second parade at 10:40. This one is a lot less crowded than the first one. Most families with small children attend the 8:15 parade since the kids may not make it until the 10:40 parade! While the 8:15 parade is going on, that's a great time to ride some rides or see some shows. It's also a great time to get your free photo taken. The lines by "It's a Small World" are usually the shortest for the free picture. But don't forget to make it back over by the castle at 9:15 for the fireworks!!!
Also, the fireworks are perimeter fireworks. The only times that you will ever be able to see perimeter fireworks at the Magic Kingdom are on MVMCP nights,
MNSSHP nights, and on New Year's Eve. They are absolutely unbelievable and above all, should NOT be missed!!! You will see the regular firework show of "Fantasy in the Sky" and then a second segment (the perimeter fireworks) will go on for about 10 mintues longer. Also, in between these two shows you will see a special guest (not Tinkerbell) fly down from the castle. I don't want to ruin the surprise for you, but the "special guest" is really cute!!!
Another note on the Candlelight Processional... As a performer in the show, I noticed that the 5:00 show was always the least crowded and the 8:15 was usually the most crowded. If you are not planning on doing the dinner package, try to get in the stand-by line at least an hour or hour and a half before the show starts. Almost every show will become full. When my friends came to see me perform, they would almost always get there an hour and half before and would end up with great seats near the front and center. The very front area is reserved for people who purchased the dinner package. If you are planning on eating at Epcot for dinner anyway, it would definitely be worth your money to buy the dinner package. They come in three price tiers depending on which restaurant you choose. I believe the most expensive tier included Canada, France, and Italy. The second tier included Mexico, China, Japan, and Morocco. And the last tier included Norway and Germany. You can purchase these dinner packages over the phone or at your hotel, or at a guest relations booth. Then when you come to Epcot on that day, you can go pick up your badge near the American Adventure pavillion. They will give each member of your party a badge to pin onto you and this will give you access to priority seating at the Candlelight Processional show and a 15% discount for that day at Epcot. If you are wanting to attend one of the shows with a high profile celebrity such as Gary Sinise, book as soon as you can. Those shows tend to sell-out the quickest! Also, the 6:45 and 8:15 shows also tend to sell out quicker than the 5:00.
Any other questions, just ask! Hope you have fun!!
Alyssa
