Somewhere to dine with firework view or parade view in January

[Tink78]

We are going with 2 boys in Jan next year and I am thinking of booking somewhere for dinner where we can see either the fireworks or parade.
Any recommendations as I will book once we're at 60 days to go!

 

[DLPdaft]

DLP doesn't pipe music into its restaurants for either the parade or the fireworks, so you're really not going to get the best out of either of them from a restaurant. In January the parade will be in daytime and the park hours will be short, crowds midweek are also very low, so as long as you're wrapped up nice and cosy, you'll be fine out of doors watching the parade and fireworks, without having to hang around in one spot for ages.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Agree with above from DLPdaft

I have read trip reports where people have booked Walts around the time of the parade, but you are not guaranteed a window table. Walts is above the shops so you will be looking down on the parade IF you get a window table. Also like DLPdaft has said, the music is not piped in, so you will only hear the music through the window.

You could get a table at Caseys Corner or at Plaza but most likely these will be in high demand so you will have to stake these out. These are both counter service, so you cant do ADR, you just have to take a chance that you can get a free table. The only thing is that people will be standing on the pavement kerbside so for the parade your view may be blocked. The same for Dreams. People will be standing the other side of the railings so again your view of Dreams / The Castle may be blocked

 

[SleepingX3Beauty]

Agree with above from DLPdaft

I have read trip reports where people have booked Walts around the time of the parade, but you are not guaranteed a window table. Walts is above the shops so you will be looking down on the parade IF you get a window table. Also like DLPdaft has said, the music is not piped in, so you will only hear the music through the window.

You could get a table at Caseys Corner or at Plaza but most likely these will be in high demand so you will have to stake these out. These are both counter service, so you cant do ADR, you just have to take a chance that you can get a free table. The only thing is that people will be standing on the pavement kerbside so for the parade your view may be blocked. The same for Dreams. People will be standing the other side of the railings so again your view of Dreams / The Castle may be blocked

Plaza Gardens is a buffet restaurant, not counter service.

Further then that agreed with above posters, you won't get a good view or good experience this way. Besides that Dreams is on at park closing time and they don't keep restaurants open that long, especially not in low season. Restaurants will be closed by or even before park closing time.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Plaza Gardens is a buffet restaurant, not counter service.

oops sorry, got confused with Plaza Gardens in California

 

[Tink78]

Ok, cool. We will wrap up nice and cosy and get ourselves a fab spot if crowds are going to be low. Thank you. Best place to stand? Main Street? Or elsewhere?

 

[Jonjo]

If Walt's on Main Street is open you can get a good view from of the parade from a window seat.

 

[DLPdaft]

Ok, cool. We will wrap up nice and cosy and get ourselves a fab spot if crowds are going to be low. Thank you. Best place to stand? Main Street? Or elsewhere?

for the parade i prefer fantasyland, its where the parade starts and you rarely have to be there for more than 10 minutes before parade start time to get a great ropeside spot. Opposite Pizzaria Bella Notte is good.

for the Dreams show you really need to be in the hub area in front of the castle, and people do start staking out their spots early for it, even in low low season. I have a couple of preferred spots with littlies, my absolute favourite being the bench in the alcove beside the popcorn awning between frontierland and adventureland. Get a snack and a hot drink and perch there watching the world go by for half an hour or so (bring a toy or game for the kids). Then when Dreams starts your kids can stand on the bench, they'll have a great view, and so will you, as you're off to the side and back on the pavement so slightly elevated from the crowd in front of the castle. Dreams can be quite difficult to get a good view for for little ones, so its worth staking out a good spot with young children in your party.