Parade taping days....What to expect?

[penguincrazie]

First off, I am not one for crowds but my love of Disney trumps my dislike for crowds. We always try to go off season, etc. This year, our trip turns out to be at not such a good time, or so I think. We will be there December 6-11th (Pop Warner week, AGH, didn't realize that when planning!). Basically our entire trip was planned around one thing, my 3.5 year old eating in the Castle! It is all she has wanted to do. We were able to get an 8:20pm ressie (about 6 months ago) for, yep, you guess it, December 6th!!!

I see the parade taping is taking place of December 6 and everything says to avoid Magic Kingdom on that day as the crowds will be high. Well obviously, we can't avoid that day. We aren't interested in seeing the parade taping or anything.

We are arriving at the MK around 2pm that day. Will they reach capacity that day? Will we have trouble getting in?? Do you think the rides would be lighter crowds and everyone will be at the front? What time is the taping usually over? Do they start it at 3pm?

Thanks,

 

[MickeyNicki]

Dec 06, we were on our way from WL to POLY for breakfast, at 7am we took the bus to MK for the monorail...it was a sea of people in Santa hats and red shirts.....this is 7am!!!

People were pouring off buses, boats and monorails...it was insanity. When we boarded the monorail we watched the people cram into the entrance to MK....there really was no more room for people but they kept coming anyways.

After our breakfast we got on the monorail to go to Epcot and the people were still all over the place...I never saw that many people in my life.

Epcot was a complete ghost town....it was awesome!

 

[Sleeping Becca]

CRT at dinner is not a character meal, were you aware of that, the princesses are at breakfast and lunch. The Fairy Godmother is there at dinner, I don't know if Cinderella is there.

I don't think the MK will reach capacity, I don't believe that has happened in the past on parade taping day.

It will be very crowded in the Main Street and Castle hub area, but the rest of the park may be managable during the taping, after the taping is completed all those folks will flood the rest of the park.

Just be prepared for absolute chaos, and it will be fine. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

I would try calling Disney Dining everyday at least 2 times a day to try to get breakfast or lunch on another day.

Good Luck!

 

[BradyBz12]

There's a really good, recent thread here with lots of info...
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2014454

 

[srwarden1928]

everything says to avoid Magic Kingdom on that day

This statement is incorrect. touringplans.com specifically recommends MK as the park to attend on that day.

 

[Leleluvsdis]

DO anyone know who is going to preforming this year?

 

[Leleluvsdis]

CRT at dinner is not a character meal, were you aware of that, the princesses are at breakfast and lunch. The Fairy Godmother is there at dinner, I don't know if Cinderella is there.:

Unless things have changed in the past year. CRT has the fairygodmother and 2 mice during dinner, and they also do a performance. Cinderella greets you in the lobby at her throne, and you get to take pictures with her then you are seated.

 

[linzbear]

Just be prepared that you will not be walking up Main Street towards the castle. They redirect everyone coming into the park backstage behind Tomorrowland and dump them out there. If this is her first visit to the MK, it will not have pixie dust - the backstage areas are very ugly. DH and I have resolved to never do this again, as we really dislike seeing the backstage areas, we like our "magic" thanks.

I would consider calling Dining every day to try and get a different ressie (morning or lunch!) at the castle, and skipping MK on the 6th, just because it will be a disappointing start to your vacation.

Edit: Also, the rest of the park was *not* empty (we arrived about 1PM on parade day) - it was the fullest I've ever seen it. DH and I got out of there as fast as we could (which took us about 1-2 hours figuring out that the rides were full, the park was full, and how the hell were we gonna get out with Main St blocked off).

 

[lvstitch]

I was there last year and it was terrible. Main Street was closed off so you had to walk through the back of the house to get into tomorrowland. Let's just say there was even a line for TTA. We ate lunch at Pecos Bills, I swear I have never seen so many people in my life. The silent parade was stopped right in front of it so we were stuck for 20 minutes, we couldn't even cross the street. I will never ever go to the MK during a taping again.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

Linzbear is right, understand that there will be no magical walking out from under the train tracks seeing Main Street and Cinderella Castle in all it's glory moment. You will be met with a wall of people, and a detour, behind the Main Street Shops and into Tommorrowland.

 

[Tink127]

Not sure if everyone saw this or not it was posted yesterday on the web. It definitely is another Dec date for the taping. The last announcement said a November date and Dec 6. I am getting a little worried since I planned on not being in the park on the taping but there may be no choice since we are only there 4 days....ugh...


Christmas Parade taping to be open to all
Nov 20, 2008

It is being reported that the Disney Christmas Day parade taping at the Magic Kingdom will be open to all visitors. Scheduled for December 5 and 6, this event will allow all guests, space permitting, to take part in the filming.

In the past, tickets for reserved sections of Main Street and in front of the castle were given to Disney World annual passholders, with the remaining tickets distributed by Lightship Entertainment. These passes included free admission that day. This procedure will not take place this year.

The parade taping involves long waits. The floats are frequently stopped and restarted and performers often repeat their routines while proper camera placement is being worked out.

Disney has yet to announce which celebrities will be appearing in this year's production.

 

[mkladycasey]

Sorry if this has been asked already!

All the posts I've read seem to be concerned with Saturday the 6th.
We are arriving on Friday the 5th and are expecting to be to our resort by noon.

We will have been up since 3am and I'm sure will be tired. But I KNOW DH is going to want to go to a park to at least walk around and soak in the atmosphere. I would like that park to be MK since it's the kids' first time at the World!

How will the crowds be Friday afternoon???

thanks!

 

[Tink127]

I feel the same way- all the posts I read said Nov 29 (I think ) and Dec 6. The one I posted came directly from the Dis home under Disney News. I guess we will not know anything official until the Mouse speaks. But we all know how that goes....it is ususally the last minute. Believe me I am not happy. I already moved all the dining to accommodate NOT being in the MK on Dec 6. Not enough time to not be there for two whole days......trying to keep the faith......

 

[Sethsmama]

Sorry if this has been asked already!

All the posts I've read seem to be concerned with Saturday the 6th.
We are arriving on Friday the 5th and are expecting to be to our resort by noon.

We will have been up since 3am and I'm sure will be tired. But I KNOW DH is going to want to go to a park to at least walk around and soak in the atmosphere. I would like that park to be MK since it's the kids' first time at the World!

How will the crowds be Friday afternoon???

thanks!

I'm only seeing talk about the 6th which I'm convinced I need to avoid now but then I was thinking we could go on the 5th early before the MVMCP starts.
How are crowds on the 'castle taping' day?