Parades and blankets

[Pamela M]

Are you still allowed to use blankets when waiting for a parade? I’ve got one of those super compact ground covers and was wondering if I can use it during my wait for the parade?

 

[JPTexan82]

When I was there last week, they were everywhere.

 

[millie0312]

Sometimes unattended blankets are removed by cms and taken to lost and found. Typically if someone sits there you’re fine, but people tend to not like unattended ones and will complain to cms to be removed (I’ve seen this happen)

 

[agamble]

You can sit on a blanket to watch a parade. We did this Thursday night. It was a nice way to relax after a long day. Be sure to stay with your blanket. Also, be aware that Disney doesn't like guests to stake out Parade viewing before they begin setting up the ropes and areas. We waited until after seeing the snack and toy carts in the middle of the street. Then I asked the CM at one of the carts where I could sit. He indicated than anywhere off to the side was fine. This was in DCA near the Zephyr.

Don't plan to sit on your blanket for Fantasmic. They pack you in like a sardine.

 

[Pamela M]

Thanks for the heads up. Do you know about how far in advance they start setting up the ropes? I'm just one adult so I'm guessing I can find a spot but hoping with the blanket I can add a little bit more room for me to move my legs around if I'm in for a long wait.

I've got dinning reservations for Fantasmic so hopefully I won't be too crammed.

 

[agamble]

Thanks for the heads up. Do you know about how far in advance they start setting up the ropes? I'm just one adult so I'm guessing I can find a spot but hoping with the blanket I can add a little bit more room for me to move my legs around if I'm in for a long wait.

I've got dinning reservations for Fantasmic so hopefully I won't be too crammed.

Maybe 90 minutes early, up to two hours. I think it varies by the day and crowd expectations. We sat down an hour early and very few people had claimed spots, but it was a Thursday. The carts were out at least 20 minutes before we picked our spot.

 

[SeiterClan]

You can sit on a blanket to watch a parade. We did this Thursday night. It was a nice way to relax after a long day. Be sure to stay with your blanket. Also, be aware that Disney doesn't like guests to stake out Parade viewing before they begin setting up the ropes and areas. We waited until after seeing the snack and toy carts in the middle of the street. Then I asked the CM at one of the carts where I could sit. He indicated than anywhere off to the side was fine. This was in DCA near the Zephyr.

Don't plan to sit on your blanket for Fantasmic. They pack you in like a sardine.

@agamble Can you not use a blanket to save spots for the reserved dining spots like Hungry Bear? We would have a group of 10 & don't want to make all 6 kids sit & wait for Fantasmic the whole time so was thinking a taking a blanket for each family & having an adult on each one to save space. Would love to hear your thoughts/advice...TIA!

 

[Geemo]

@agamble Can you not use a blanket to save spots for the reserved dining spots like Hungry Bear? We would have a group of 10 & don't want to make all 6 kids sit & wait for Fantasmic the whole time so was thinking a taking a blanket for each family & having an adult on each one to save space. Would love to hear your thoughts/advice...TIA!

OP was talking about general viewing for the parade.
I'm not sure you can even do blanket spot saving for Hungry Bear Dining Fantasmic's seating.

At some point your whole group will need to be in the Holding area - entry line for Hungry Bear Seating.
F! seating is so busy and packed, I've heard when the ques open for show seating it can be a mad scramble for spots.

I don't believe you'd be able to wrangle holding a 10 spot zone with blankets.
That's a large piece of real estate.

Even though you don't want to make the six kids sit and wait, I'd say plan on the group staying together for this one.

For the waiting time have it be a dinner or snack break and play a game or two while the time goes by.

When people have paid money for a spot to see the show, unfortunately "Entitlement" seems to kick in and everyone one want a good spot.

You'll be surprised how the people start to squish in closer for a better view as it nears show time.

Geemo

 

[agamble]

@agamble Can you not use a blanket to save spots for the reserved dining spots like Hungry Bear? We would have a group of 10 & don't want to make all 6 kids sit & wait for Fantasmic the whole time so was thinking a taking a blanket for each family & having an adult on each one to save space. Would love to hear your thoughts/advice...TIA!

Unfortunately Fantasmic! is an extremely popular attraction and just like all the popular attractions waiting is part of the game. With the Reserved spot you should have more space, but as others mentioned you'll be dealing with people who paid for the spot and they won't react well to space saving. If I was paying for a good spot, I'd just wait it out. We enjoyed our hour wait for the parade this last week. After a day of go go go, it is kind of nice to sit an relax.

 

[SeiterClan]

This totally makes sense! We will definitely come & wait it out as a group but somewhere I read that we could and should bring in a blanket for our group to avoid being packed in like sardines...are blankets allowed in the F! reserved dining areas?

Unfortunately Fantasmic! is an extremely popular attraction and just like all the popular attractions waiting is part of the game. With the Reserved spot you should have more space, but as others mentioned you'll be dealing with people who paid for the spot and they won't react well to space saving. If I was paying for a good spot, I'd just wait it out. We enjoyed our hour wait for the parade this last week. After a day of go go go, it is kind of nice to sit an relax.

 

[emmybee]

Cast members will make people scootch together to make more room. Besides, isn't it standing room only, unless one is in the Blue Bayou section?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm guessing I can find a spot but hoping with the blanket I can add a little bit more room for me to move my legs around if I'm in for a long wait.

If you put your blanket down taking extra space for just you, you'll find people start inching in closer and closer as parade time approaches. You may even find some who will just plop down on "your" space, if there's not anyone already sitting there.

We were sitting on the curb once for a parade, pretty much hip to hip with everyone else on the curb. Guess what, I actually had someone ask if they could sit down next to me (between me and my child). Ummm....no. I guess I should be happy they asked at least. Sort of, she pointed between us and nodded her head.

 

[millie0312]

We were all in the HB F! Seating but we sat on a blanket so we weren’t on the cold ground and people didn’t mind sitting on the blankets that weren’t in our group (they were not saving spots it was literally under our bodies), so word of advice if you bring one know it won’t save spots in that setting and be prepared for people to be on it (and you kind of lol). We’ve been pretty lucky with nice people that are usually pretty courteous around us, but there isn’t a lot of personal space bubble in that area and I was hoping the blanket would help but no such luck (still nicer then the cold ground though lol)

 

[DizneyMommy]

I seem to remember there was an official policy on putting down blankets and staking seating. No more than 1 hour prior and you can’t leave it unattended. Did I dream that? It really felt this past weekend like that was being folllowed anyways. At one hour prior hardly anyone was sitting and we didn’t see a single blanket. We grabbed an awesome seat at 30 prior with no problem. We did see CM’s make some people move along who were sitting in a really inconvenient spot on Main St, but on a curb. I overheard them say they couldn’t sit there yet but it was definitely fair game later on and not really near a rope or a ramp.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Besides, isn't it standing room only, unless one is in the Blue Bayou section?

BB and RBT areas are seated, as far as I know (we've always been seated there). HB is supposed to be standing, but I've always been seated, always seen others seated there, and only read one post from someone who had to stand (and that was during a really high crowd time). So with HB, it can happen, but it doesn't seem to happen too often.

 

[shooting4life]

I like getting there an hour early or so finding a spot then my wife and I switch out, I’ll go get Starbucks then she’ll go do some shopping on main street while waiting.

Always best to do parades on day 2 or 3 when the down time is really needed and appreciated.

 

[lildreamer101]

Is it as crazy as when they had Diamond Celebration? People camped out all day for great seats.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Is it as crazy as when they had Diamond Celebration? People camped out all day for great seats.

Paint the Night? No. DCA’s parade route is much bigger, for one thing. People here have been consistently saying that there are good seats left less than an hour out. Of course, certain days/events might be busier, so YMMV, but it’s not crazy.