The couple times i've been in MK during filming days, once you get past the madness on main street, the park is practically empty! we walked on every single ride, some parts of the park hardly had any people at all. I wouldn't let the parade scare you away, it's all centered around main street, or wherever they happen to be filming but it's easily avoidable if you know the shortcuts (tomorrowland terrace, ad-lib bridge, cut through from adv. land to frontierland, back walkway from toontown to space). I liked watching the christmas parade, knowing i was in the park that day. We even hung around main street for awhile to see clay aiken, regis and kelly and robin roberts.