Parade rope?

[Claire-Bear]

Hi All, I'm just curious, once the last parade float has passed us by, are we allowed to cross the parade ropes? Or are they immediately removed after the parade has passed? Or are we stuck there until the parade has finished its route?

We are likely going to use LL for the hub viewing, if that makes a difference.

One other question- are some of our party allowed to cross the ropes before the parade starts to pick up ice creams etc and return (especially to a LL viewing area)?

Thanks!

 

[scrappinginontario]

You will not beg stuck at all. As with many things at WDW, parade cleanup is fast and efficient!

As the end of the parade passes by you, there is an entire team walking behind, removing the posts that hold the ropes and winding up the ropes attached to them. A cast member wears a harness similar to what a drummer wears but attached to the front is a roller with a handle - think garden hose roller. One cm unclips the rope from the post and clips it to the rope before, another removes the post, another pushes the carts with the posts and the other cm is winding while they walk. I find it fascinating to see how efficient they are and everything is cleaned up in seconds after the parade has passed you! It’s actually pretty cool to see!

There will be no need to cross any ropes as they will be removed less than a minute after the parade passes you. If for a rare reason they are slightly behind, guests need to exit a different way or wait until cleanup is done but again, it takes seconds and is immediately following the parade passing by.

 

[Claire-Bear]

Thank you, do you know if part of our party are allowed to leave the LL rope area before the parade to grab ice creams? I'm guessing the LL hub rope is up from 30mins before parade time

 

[BrianL]

Thank you, do you know if part of our party are allowed to leave the LL rope area before the parade to grab ice creams? I'm guessing the LL hub rope is up from 30mins before parade time

It may depend on where they plan to go to get ice cream. The parade goes around the area at the train station side, so you can cross to the Emporium and that side of Main Street (they may hold just as floats exit offstage, but I'm not sure). The closest ice cream place though is on the other side of Main Street - across from Casey's, so they may run afoul of the parade depending on timing. If they are say going up the West side and just getting some mickey bars or something, they would be fine. They could even pop over to Adventureland for Dole Whips, but that's a good clip.

 

[AustinTink]

Where is the LL seating area for the parade?

 

[BrianL]

Where is the LL seating area for the parade?

You know, I misread it - it's in the hub near the Partners statue. I was for some reason picturing it at the flagpole near the end of the route. My advice still applies though. the parade will come around the hub toward the castle and around the East side of the hub. Moving to the West into Adventureland (not into Liberty Square) should be possible regardless of where the Parade is. Moving to the ice cream parlor on Main Street may be difficult as it is on the East side.

 

[Claire-Bear]

Thank you, I was more wondering if we are free to enter and leave effectively a LL roped parade viewing area before the parade starts? As I'd imagine it would be roped from 11.30 to enable LL access (so say we grabbed our spot at 11.30 then my DH wanted to grab us ice creams before the parade starts at 12)

 

[BrianL]

Thank you, I was more wondering if we are free to enter and leave effectively a LL roped parade viewing area before the parade starts? As I'd imagine it would be roped from 11.30 to enable LL access (so say we grabbed our spot at 11.30 then my DH wanted to grab us ice creams before the parade starts at 12)

Oh sure - I don't think that would be an issue at all. They don't lock you in there or anything as long as you aren't crossing the parade route as the floats are approaching. I assume they use the portable scanners to check to make sure that anyone who leaves has their Magic Band or ticket media to get back in.

 

[nolatravelgirl]

I would just grab ice cream on your way to the parade. There are plenty of places to watch the parade without burning a LL. The LL area for parades is in full direct sun which in the summer can be brutal. If you are already planning on "camping out" then you really don't need to burn a lightening lane and there are other spots with more shade. i like to watch the parade between Peco's Bill and Country Bears. The parade passes you first and allows you to quickly get on to other things around the park while other people are still sitting around waiting for the parade.

 

[Claire-Bear]

I thought it may be more magical for our young girls to watch the parade with the castle behind it - it's likely our once in a lifetime trip with them. We will have a double stroller with sun shade and a UV umbrella (just for whilst waiting). I'll think about it some more, though.

 

[T.G.I.Friday]

I am purely speculating, so please take it with a huge grain of salt, but I don’t know that you would be able to easily leave and re-enter that area after scanning in. I feel like scanning in would allow you to book your next LL, so once you redeem it at the parade, it would ‘fall off’ of your magic band. So other than a cast member recognizing you, I don’t know that it would be easy to go in and out.

But again, I have no first hand experience.

 

[BrianL]

I am purely speculating, so please take it with a huge grain of salt, but I don’t know that you would be able to easily leave and re-enter that area after scanning in. I feel like scanning in would allow you to book your next LL, so once you redeem it at the parade, it would ‘fall off’ of your magic band. So other than a cast member recognizing you, I don’t know that it would be easy to go in and out.

But again, I have no first hand experience.

That's a good point. I wasn't thinking of this as like a regular LL but as some kind of package viewing. I haven't really kept up with the parade and show offerings in that regard. That said, the CM should also be able to see if you had one, but it may be up to their discretion, which is not necessarily something that you want to count on.

 

[musicguy856]

Also when the parade is over they hold a blue rope that you have to walk behind while they are removing the ropes on the sides.