What!! No Parade?

[AngiTN]

I disagree. It worked for decades. Yes, it was congested. But in all reality? It's no different now. The afternoon parade causes congestion and makes it very hard to move around the area...so, they should get rid of that? And the congestion with the fireworks is outrageous! Very few people left during the parade....they tended to leave after the parade if they weren't staying for the fireworks. Now? People are cramming onto Main St earlier than ever for those darned fireworks. The crowds are worse than ever. I've seen the new fireworks, I doubt I'll need to see them on every single trip now. It's just too big a pain! I just can't agree with the whole 'the parade made the congestion worse'. But, who knows...with the projections being added to the fireworks, it's probably a lot cheaper to do the fireworks and do away with the parade. And, as we all know, it's all about the bottom line with Disney.

Maybe but with the price tag of fireworks, and the amount the added to HEA, I doubt it. Though I know paying entertainers isn't cheap either. Just not sure there is a significant difference between the costs.
Personally, I'd be ok with keeping no night time parade at MK and their being able to bring back a day time parade to AK or HS. I enjoyed both of those a lot. I prefer daytime parades over nighttime ones in general.

 

[whiporee]

Yes, it was congested. But in all reality? It's no different now. The afternoon parade causes congestion and makes it very hard to move around the area...so, they should get rid of that? And the congestion with the fireworks is outrageous! Very few people left during the parade....they tended to leave after the parade if they weren't staying for the fireworks. Now? People are cramming onto Main St earlier than ever for those darned fireworks. The crowds are worse than ever. I've seen the new fireworks, I doubt I'll need to see them on every single trip now. It's just too big a pain! I just can't agree with the whole 'the parade made the congestion worse'. But, who knows...with the projections being added to the fireworks, it's probably a lot cheaper to do the fireworks and do away with the parade. And, as we all know, it's all about the bottom line with Disney.

I don't think it's about money. I think it was about allocating a large hunk of dark time to both it and the fireworks, and the fireworks weren't going anywhere. But I don't think the congestion during the fireworks compares to the parade, because during the fireworks the streets aren't cordoned off, are they? if it were a matter of people stopping to watch the parade as it's going, I don't think it's an issue. But when you combine it with people sitting on curbs an then lining up already tight sidewalks -- and you mix that in with the darkness the parade required -- it makes it more trouble than it's worth.

From what I've experienced, people don't line up as early or as deep to watch the afternoon parade. And I know it can be dismissed, but it's very dark around the hub during the parade and its aftermath. You combine that with strollers and scooters and people sitting -- and WDW hawking stuff -- it's hard to move around. The biggest fights I've ever seen at WDW have been in the aftermath of the dark parades. I understand people look forward to the idea of it, but I do think it's much more trouble to everyone -- guests included -- than it's worth.

 

[epcotty]

Of course there is "other stuff going on" but unless you are in & out of Disney all year those of us that make this trip a "once in a life time trip" want to see the darkness drawing in and the children holding their lighted wands in the air waiting for that night time parade to begin its a massive part of what Disney is!!!Of course this is only my opinion & obviously not yours ,but i think you will find its shared by thousands

Some of the memories that stick out most from when I went to Disney as a kid are from the nighttime parades, both MSEP and Spectromagic. Kinda sad to not have a nighttime parade anymore

 

[Jamie77]

It wasn't Spectromagic so I don't care that it left.

 

[back2disney]

Yeah, I was surprised no nighttime parade especially after what I think was a daytime parade today. Maybe it started early and I missed some of it but it seemed very short.

 

[AngiTN]

Yeah, I was surprised no nighttime parade especially after what I think was a daytime parade today. Maybe it started early and I missed some of it but it seemed very short.

Did you see the Move it Shake it street party or the Festival of Fantasy Parade? What time did you catch it?
They do have 2 different things, the street party is held several times, the parade once. And if it's rained you may get the rainy day version which is something else still.

 

[back2disney]

I believe it was the Festival of Fantasy Parade and I caught the dragon blowing fire at the end. Or was that the beginning with a large break for people to cross over??

edit to add:
It was 3pm near Liberty Square, we were a little bit under an overhang by a store or restaurant to be in the shade. We could see a few characters come by before the dragon and my daughter said thats it when we saw lots of people behind the dragon and I asked her what time it was and she said 3:05pm.

 

[11290]

FoF runs right at 12 +/- minutes in length and takes about 6 to 7 minutes to get to Little Mississippi (the boundary between Frontierland / Liberty Sq. by the Shooting Gallery). From time to time, if there is a threat of inclement weather at or around 3 pm, the parade will step off 10 to 15 minutes early.

 

[AngiTN]

If it had the dragon it was FoF. But it shouldn't have been short. The dragon is near the end though, not the beginning.

 

[back2disney]

FoF runs right at 12 +/- minutes in length and takes about 6 to 7 minutes to get to Little Mississippi (the boundary between Frontierland / Liberty Sq. by the Shooting Gallery). From time to time, if there is a threat of inclement weather at or around 3 pm, the parade will step off 10 to 15 minutes early.

Ok, it started early then, I thought it was going to rain around noon, it was soooo humid and muggy and it never did until after 4pm.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Worst congestion we ever had in the hub was after Wishes, not the parade. We were just over the bridge to the hub, and after Wishes, it took over a half hour to get to Crystal Palace (we were trying to get to Adventureland).

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I don't miss it at all but I understand how much of a bummer it is when something is taken away that you love. This particular change doesnt affect me one way or the other.

For me, though, there's a lot that "makes Disney." Not just one parade or one attraction.

 

[lady_hlh]

I will miss the night time parades, no afternoon parade is worth melting for in August when we always go. Plus going on rides at night if you didn't feel like watching the parade was great.

 

[SureAsLiz]

I believe it was the Festival of Fantasy Parade and I caught the dragon blowing fire at the end. Or was that the beginning with a large break for people to cross over??

edit to add:
It was 3pm near Liberty Square, we were a little bit under an overhang by a store or restaurant to be in the shade. We could see a few characters come by before the dragon and my daughter said thats it when we saw lots of people behind the dragon and I asked her what time it was and she said 3:05pm.

If you saw maleficent just after 3, then the parade stepped off early. They were also running the rain modified version yesterday which involves removing the Pinocchio float at the end which cuts off a few minutes. I'm guessing they probably didn't include the Swan Court at the beginning either which allows the parade to move a little faster.

Not always, but often when the parade steps off early they will make an announcement along the parade route of the time change

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I will miss the night time parades, no afternoon parade is worth melting for in August when we always go. Plus going on rides at night if you didn't feel like watching the parade was great.

I disagree! Maybe no afternoon parade is worth melting for for you, but it is for me! I think Festival of Fantasy is OUTSTANDING. We're going Labor Day week and I will definitely be melting for it. I'd take FoF over MSEP any day. I saw MSEP many times - the first time as a small child in the 80s. Even with its nostalgia, it never wowed or really compelled us to see it and we started doing night rides instead after its latest revival.

Now, if MK ever got Paint the Night (I know they probably won't ever), I might make an exception to my night rides preference ... that parade is so much fun. I was mesmerized from start to finish when I saw it at Disneyland last year.

Everyone is different!

 

[Jennasis]

I definitely miss the night parade. I enjoy FoF too but wish they'd move it to dusk so it isn't so hot out while watching it.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think that the projection show is the replacement for the night parade. I know they overlapped, but even when they were running concurrently I thought that.

The projection show is perfect for what Disney wants now....it can constantly be updated for the latest biggest movie.

 

[AngiTN]

I definitely miss the night parade. I enjoy FoF too but wish they'd move it to dusk so it isn't so hot out while watching it.

That would be a good compromise since they removed the night parade. Make an evening one, well before fireworks but after it's cooler out, out of the sun. I bet the parade performers would appreciate it more than the guests.

 

[BoatDriver]

I definitely miss the night parade. I enjoy FoF too but wish they'd move it to dusk so it isn't so hot out while watching it.

Best post of the thread

 

[SureAsLiz]

That would be a good compromise since they removed the night parade. Make an evening one, well before fireworks but after it's cooler out, out of the sun. I bet the parade performers would appreciate it more than the guests.

The issue then is scheduling.
There are a few general sets of performers right now - Trolley/FOF, MISI/FOF, FOF/Hoedown, with FOF being the fulcrum at the center-ish of the day

5PM FOF during parade filming is wonderful, but it also seriously messes with the daytime schedule

(This is why Im impatiently waiting to see the schedule once FOF moves to 2. It's not as simple as just changing the start time)