What would you do? RD or ADR? Parade taping day!

[NicholeB630]

This stems from my last post and I am not complaining so please if you have nothing useful to say then dont comment on this. I am legitimately trying to get advice as I am torn and not a Disney parks veteran.

We have an ADR on Tuesday Dec 9th at 8:10 at Crystal Palace. Same morning as parade taping and now the park opens at 8am. I am not sure what I should do. We have 4 other character dinning ADR and Pooh and friends are def not top priority characters to meet as though I think my kids will still enjoy it. Do we give up the ADR and just make RD and save some money or keep the ADR because when we get out hopefully around 9 rides will still be at decent wait times. We will be heading to Adventureland after breakfast if that makes a difference. Also with the parade taping is it going to be a complete mob scene trying to get into the park? I can just imagine all those people already in the park for the tapping and then the RD crowd. How do they possibly navigate all those people into the park with the entire road blocked off? We have two kids 2.5 and almost 6. They will be in a stroller trying to get in this mess. If its not that big of a deal to get to the area we are going at 8am would it be better to just go to the ADR and try and get in before 8 and the mobs of people?

 

[NicholeB630]

Also Saturday the 13th is now a 7. I picked this week because all the crowd levels were 5 and below. Will this make AK so much more crowded or in AK will it not be to awful for crowds and moving around the park.

 

[IWannaBuildASnowman]

I am by no means a veteran so take my advice with a grain of salt, but if your point of booking the ADR was the bonus of early park access *and* you have other character dining booked, I would probably skip it and just do rope drop. It sounds like you want to get a lot of rides done before the crowds descend, and if that's a parade taping day it might be busy.

 

[OrangeU]

I second the cancelling of the CP ADR. We've done that character dining, and it was good....not great...but you have 4 other character meals. Main Street will be shoulder to shoulder by mid morning. I say hit RD and stay in the "lands" away from the hub and main street area. Just my 2 cents....Josh at easywdw.com has good "parade taping" MK touring tips. I stick to what he says...

Oh, and you can just about count on most of your TS ADR's (especially character dining) to take about 1.5 hrs. That's been my experience, consistently, whether it's at a park restaurant or a resort restaurant (then you have to add travel to and from the resort to whatever park you're heading to).

Remember an ADR does't guarantee you that time. It just guarantees you a table at close to the time you'd like to dine. That being said, the longest I've ever waited for a table was about 20-30 min, at O'hana for both breakfast and dinner. O'hana is easily one of the top 3 or 4 "most difficult" reservations to secure, however, so I expected it and it wasn't a big deal. Well worth the wait.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I've never been on a parade taping day, but it's my understanding that while Main Street is quite crowded, the rest of the park is very easy to tour, as people who decide to come to MK are generally coming to see the parade and thus stay on Main Street. I would really take a look at some park maps and figure out how you're going to get around the park without crossing Main Street--that logistical hurdle will likely be your biggest challenge of the day. Ride waits should be fairly short, though.

Just don't get discouraged when you see crowds on Main Street...that's not going to be indicative of what lines should look like. It will be one of those "feels crowded but wait times stay low" type of days.

 

[Mikie]

I'm not sure whether your goal is mob avoidance or early access for short lines/good pictures. If it's mob avoidance, I think I'd actually skip the ADR. Your reservation is no longer before park hours, so I don't know that they'll let you in early. I know it's 8:10 and they tell you to check in 15 min early, but my SIL had 9:00 haircut appointments at the barbershop & told to come 15 min early and the gate CMs wouldn't let them in until rope drop for everyone.

Personally I hate standing in a rope drop crowd, hate the gradual squishing toward the taps tiles as opening nears, and hate holding on to small kids as crowds squeeze and dash around us. I love to get to parks just a couple minutes AFTER the initial rope drop rush - the first wave is already through, the bag check lines aren't bad, and I still get to take advantage of the low morning crowds. Adventureland is a great area to hit right away - you'll have the area practically to yourselves.

 

[Luvchefmic]

I took this from Josh's site www.easywdw.com to help you decide OP, there's
a lot of info there: http://www.easywdw.com/calendar/december-2014-walt-disney-world-crowd-calendar/#more-13579

Are you familiar with the Disney World Christmas Parade that’s shown on ABC Christmas morning? That Parade is primarily taped today. If you’re looking to maximize your time in the Magic Kingdom by riding the rides and seeing the attractions with the shortest lines possible, today is a day you will want to avoid. Mondays are naturally the second busiest day of the week at the Magic Kingdom and the filming of the parade will lead to even larger crowds of interested people and a lot of roped off areas and delays in the movement of foot traffic. Also, Magic Kingdom closes at 7pm on the majority of other days this week, which will make today attractive to visitors who decide which Park to visit based on the total number of hours its open. All of this leads to a more stressful day of touring that will be marred by delays and significant crowds. On the other hand, if you aren’t so much concerned about the rides, then today will be a lot more interesting than most days at the Magic Kingdom. You will get a chance to see the Christmas Parade live as well as have an opportunity to see various celebrities and parade floats up close. It can be a fun and unique way to experience the Magic Kingdom, provided you aren’t trying to ride all the headliners in one day. In most situations, you’ll want to casually observe the Parade rather than attend for the entire day. The Parade does not run straight through like a “normal” Disney Parade and the directors and staff are constantly re-running the same floats and acts to get everything “just right.” My strong recommendation is for most visitors to visit another Park.

 

[msb578]

I agree with RD in your situation.

By the way, if Main Street gets too out of hand, management has the option of opening up two bypasses behind the shops. It's not glamorous by any means to walk back there, but it gets people where they need to go.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I took this from Josh's site www.easywdw.com to help you decide OP, there's
a lot of info there: http://www.easywdw.com/calendar/december-2014-walt-disney-world-crowd-calendar/#more-13579

Are you familiar with the Disney World Christmas Parade that’s shown on ABC Christmas morning? That Parade is primarily taped today. If you’re looking to maximize your time in the Magic Kingdom by riding the rides and seeing the attractions with the shortest lines possible, today is a day you will want to avoid. Mondays are naturally the second busiest day of the week at the Magic Kingdom and the filming of the parade will lead to even larger crowds of interested people and a lot of roped off areas and delays in the movement of foot traffic. Also, Magic Kingdom closes at 7pm on the majority of other days this week, which will make today attractive to visitors who decide which Park to visit based on the total number of hours its open. All of this leads to a more stressful day of touring that will be marred by delays and significant crowds. On the other hand, if you aren’t so much concerned about the rides, then today will be a lot more interesting than most days at the Magic Kingdom. You will get a chance to see the Christmas Parade live as well as have an opportunity to see various celebrities and parade floats up close. It can be a fun and unique way to experience the Magic Kingdom, provided you aren’t trying to ride all the headliners in one day. In most situations, you’ll want to casually observe the Parade rather than attend for the entire day. The Parade does not run straight through like a “normal” Disney Parade and the directors and staff are constantly re-running the same floats and acts to get everything “just right.” My strong recommendation is for most visitors to visit another Park.

But that's for Monday. OP is going on Tuesday, December 9th:

easywdw.com:
Magic Kingdom comes tentatively recommended as it’s unclear what kind of ABC Christmas Day Parade taping will take place. Historically, the Parade is taped on the Saturday of the first full week in December, but Disney moved that day to Monday this year. The day after is typically used as a backup day if weather is poor or there are other technical difficulties. But the fact that Disney moved the Festival of Fantasy Parade to 5pm makes it look like more substantial taping is planned this year. Disney moves the Parade from its usual 3pm slot because it doesn’t expect Main Street to be clear at 3pm. Today will still be less crowded than yesterday or tomorrow overall, and is thus recommended. This past Sunday would see fewer potential complications and the Friday before that is completely clear. If you’re Extra Magic Hours eligible, you can have a ton of success on Thursday if you arrive by 6:30am to take advantage of it. Tomorrow will see higher attendance, but also the opportunity to see Wishes and Main Street Electrical Parade during regular hours.

 

[Luvchefmic]

But that's for Monday. OP is going on Tuesday, December 9th:

ooops !

 

[patty57]

I would cancel the ADR and do rope drop. I think you'll get a lot done with minimal waits. They will probably open up one of the back walkways so people can skirt the Main St. craziness.

 

[KimBean]

I'll be in AK on the 13th too. Didn't know it went up to 7 (was it 5 before?)

AK is most recommended though. Most people won't want to spend their Saturday there. We are doing the best plan possible for that week.

Cancel your ADR. Get a waffle. You'll stress less. It won't be an enjoyable meal knowing the crowds are building outside. Also, I've read that people crowd around the taping so heading to Adventureland will be great!

I hope you at least got Free Dining like I did. Anytime my DH mentions crowds I'm going to show him the dollar amount we saved.

And don't even start THAT discussion DIS... I've worked the numbers. Resort discount total - $594. Free dining discount total - $1800+, Net savings - $1200. For my family and how we eat.

 

[seelyt2]

Another vote for RD. We did RD 5 years ago on taping day and got in to the parks okay....it was crowded but not horrible. Getting out was the aggravating part for us. We wanted to go back to our resort to rest after lunch and it was just awful. If you decide to exit the park mid-day, just be sure that you are on the side of Main Street that you want to be on in case you decide you wanted to pop into a store on the way out, etc. Once you cross the other side of the castle you can't cross the street (including the hub area), etc. We swore we'd never go to MK on taping day again and we haven't. Navigating a stroller will be tricky. Good luck!!!

 

[piccolopat]

Sounds like you are more interested in getting in more rides in early than the experience of the character breakfast at CP. If that's the case, I would hold the ADR until just before your trip. Then cancel it at 24 hours so you aren't penalized but don't do this until AFTER you have re-confirmed that the taping will be that day. If Disney changes this taping (say for bad weather) you just might want that ADR after all and may not be able to get it back.

 

[nuzmom]

While we have not attended a parade taping day, I'd also vote for dropping the ADR. If you keep it, will you be able to take your time and relax during the meal or will you feel like you want to get out of there asap and be "stressed" during the meal?

What do you think you'll enjoy more? Knowing you're in the lowest crowds of the day (rope drop) or a character buffet meal with Pooh and friends (even if the lines "build" while you're eating)?

Something else to consider - if you drop the ADR and do rope drop, what will you be doing with your time from 8-9am? Do you enjoy Little Mermaid, IASW, Peter Pan, Dumbo, etc. and want to wait as little as possible? Then drop the ADR.
But, if you're not really excited about the rides and are just going to "meander" around, then keep the ADR.

When my kids were little, they wanted to ride some rides as soon as they got into the MK.

 

[NicholeB630]

Thank you all for all this advice!! I think that I will cancel the ADR for that morning. I think I remember reading Pooh isn't a super top priority character so if my kids want to see him we can at another time! We are not trying to ride everything in one day by any means I was just hoping we'd get on a few rides first thing with little waits like POC, Jungle cruise and Aladins carpets. We have FP for BTM starting at 9:45 so that will give us plenty of time to get those things done with almost 2 hours before the FP window even opens up. I am feeling better about this now. An extra hour or touring does sound better now My kids are early risers and we are staying at BLT so we are just walking to MK both days. What time would you all recommend getting there before RD. If we wanted to be somewhat up close to the front? As someone else said going a little after RD might be better to to avoid that initial mob of people going in. My DH hates when people push and shove and I am sure there is a good number of rude ppl who do just that. We will have a double stroller with us, but a long in front one not side by side seats. I am glad to hear Adventure land wont be to bad first thing in the am either. I will still keep our 8:15 BBB appointment for on Friday as DD loves it. At least my husband can take my son to some other rides while waiting. We have FP to Anna and Elsa and SDMT that day so hoping we get out of BBB not much after 9 we will still be able to ride the other rides in Fantasyland with little waits. We are doing FP for Belle that day too and Peter Pan on Tuesday after BTM. The day of the 9th we are leaving the park after our BOG FP lunch at 12:40 for a break before the Christmas party so starting at 8am using 2 FP and Lunch in between that time frame its prob safe to say we can get a lot done?

 

[NicholeB630]

I second the cancelling of the CP ADR. We've done that character dining, and it was good....not great...but you have 4 other character meals. Main Street will be shoulder to shoulder by mid morning. I say hit RD and stay in the "lands" away from the hub and main street area. Just my 2 cents....Josh at easywdw.com has good "parade taping" MK touring tips. I stick to what he says...

Oh, and you can just about count on most of your TS ADR's (especially character dining) to take about 1.5 hrs. That's been my experience, consistently, whether it's at a park restaurant or a resort restaurant (then you have to add travel to and from the resort to whatever park you're heading to).

Remember an ADR does't guarantee you that time. It just guarantees you a table at close to the time you'd like to dine. That being said, the longest I've ever waited for a table was about 20-30 min, at O'hana for both breakfast and dinner. O'hana is easily one of the top 3 or 4 "most difficult" reservations to secure, however, so I expected it and it wasn't a big deal. Well worth the wait.

Thanks for the advice. Do you know where on EasyWDW it talks about strategy for parade taping days. I cant find anything other than when he just says when its happening and to avoid that Monday.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Thanks for the advice. Do you know where on EasyWDW it talks about strategy for parade taping days. I cant find anything other than when he just says when its happening and to avoid that Monday.

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorize...-extended-queue-saturday-and-the-survey-says/

 

[bumbershoot]

We have 4 other character dinning ADR and Pooh and friends are def not top priority characters to meet as though I think my kids will still enjoy it. Do we give up the ADR and just make RD

You currently have 5 character dining arrangements? Yes, cancel CP. There's no need for it.

Remember an ADR does't guarantee you that time. It just guarantees you a table at close to the time you'd like to dine.

Yep. Some people have good luck, some don't. With an 8:10 and the park opening at 8 you won't run into other diners who are taking their time, but you might run into issues opening on time (I have no idea if that happens at WDW, but in my head it's a possibility).

My kids are early risers and we are staying at BLT so we are just walking to MK both days....

My DH hates when people push and shove and I am sure there is a good number of rude ppl who do just that. We will have a double stroller with us, but a long in front one not side by side seats.

Get up early, grab something quick to power up and figure you'll get proper food later.

People will always push and shove OR there's always the possibility that they aren't but you are thinking they are (this last trip I had a lot of time to think about why people were doing certain things, and sometimes I think people don't *mean* to do things, it just sort of ends up seeming like they are being rude). As for the stroller, honestly, the kind you have is worse. There's little true sense of what the very front of that thing is doing. Be aware that you guys have probably accidentally, and possibly without knowing it, hit people in the achilles. Far too easy to do with a big single stroller (it's why DH was taken off of stroller duty at Disney, which was the only place we used one), let alone a double. Being aware that you guys might accidentally do something can help with empathy for other people around you who might accidentally do something that impacts you!

 

[NicholeB630]

You currently have 5 character dining arrangements? Yes, cancel CP. There's no need for it.



Yep. Some people have good luck, some don't. With an 8:10 and the park opening at 8 you won't run into other diners who are taking their time, but you might run into issues opening on time (I have no idea if that happens at WDW, but in my head it's a possibility).




Get up early, grab something quick to power up and figure you'll get proper food later.

People will always push and shove OR there's always the possibility that they aren't but you are thinking they are (this last trip I had a lot of time to think about why people were doing certain things, and sometimes I think people don't *mean* to do things, it just sort of ends up seeming like they are being rude). As for the stroller, honestly, the kind you have is worse. There's little true sense of what the very front of that thing is doing. Be aware that you guys have probably accidentally, and possibly without knowing it, hit people in the achilles. Far too easy to do with a big single stroller (it's why DH was taken off of stroller duty at Disney, which was the only place we used one), let alone a double. Being aware that you guys might accidentally do something can help with empathy for other people around you who might accidentally do something that impacts you!

Thanks for the advice!! I was on the fence about renting a side by side or taking mine. I didn't know which would be better. We kind of need it in airport but than again its just one more thing to push from the car to luggage check and were taking the kids carseats and checking them. But my son does walk its just up in the air as to if he'll actually follow us or sprint off the other direction (yay for 2 year olds) maybe I'll think about renting a side by side again. At least with that DH and I can both stand behind stroller as one of us pushes it since its wider. Maybe easier for us to stay together? I think I will order some groceries also to be in the room. We can have a quick bite before we leave. Just not sure what time we should leave the hotel that day? I recall it only taking maybe 5-10 min to walk to MK from that hotel? We stayed there last time. If we left hotel at 7:30 would that be good time to arrive at RD?