Which parade - Block Party or Disneyland's?

[WDWLinda]

If you could only see one of these parades, which would it be? Can someone tell me how they're different? How about crowd-wise - does the block party have more space to find a good spot closer to the parade time?

Thanks!

~Linda

 

[ShawnaF]

Block Party Bash doesn't seem to be as crowded and the balls they throw are really neat, but for us the DL is our fav - mainly because we're into princesses too though. We've walked right up to the BPB without waiting and been able to see just fine. We don't get to do parades much because of the waits so that was a perk.

 

[HydroGuy]

I would choose POD over BPB. POD at DL has more traditional Disney characters while BPB has more newer Pixar characters with more of a youthful high energy feeling. They are both fun but POD would be an easy choice for me over BPB. But I bet there are some teens and tweens who would prefer BPB so it depends who you are planning to go with.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Well considering your name is WDWLinda and Block Party Bash is according to a couple articles I've read being moved to Disney Studios, I would go for the one in Disneyland.

 

[HydroGuy]

Well considering your name is WDWLinda and Block Party Bash is according to a couple articles I've read being moved to Disney Studios, I would go for the one in Disneyland.

BPB is still a DCA and is on the schedule for this summer. But there are plans to move it to Florida sometime soon.

 

[Albort]

heck yeah, BP > POD.

i never get tired of BP. I hate POD

 

[ShawnaF]

I hadn't heard the scoop on BPB moving! That's so sad!!! So they won't duplicate the parade and do it at both parks?

 

[Albort]

I hadn't heard the scoop on BPB moving! That's so sad!!! So they won't duplicate the parade and do it at both parks?

its been rumored that DCA is getting a new parade, hence BP moving to Florida.

but ofc its unconfirmed. They also said that ELP is moving to Disney Tokyo but it didnt.

 

[ShawnaF]

Gosh, the new stuff is always exciting to see, so I guess we'll just look forward to it! BPB is pretty neat though - and that music is fantastic, I can't imagine how they would top that!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We really didn't care for BPB. But then again where we were seated we didn't get to see many of the actual characters. We were right in front of where they did all the jumping and dancing around. Which was cool, but that year my son wanted to see the Toy Story characters. They passed us by. I was kinda disappointed that you don't really get to see the "whole" parade, just what ever area it stops at in front of you.

We love POD, lots of characters, really cool.

 

[allyn]

personally i think parade of dreams is the best parade disney has done in california in many years. block party bash is ok but doesn't really excite me.

 

[DevilDuckie]

The DL parade often requires pre-planning to get a good spot. BPB is a "walk on" We've always had a great view and never gotten there more than 5 minutes before the parade. Plenty of room and none of the shoving from badly behaved kids that I've gotten in DL. (Last trip a little vermin HIT me on the head because I wouldn't move when he kicked me.) BPB is, to me, more "fun" than "magic" but if I want magic the ELP is my hands down all time pick anyway.

 

[DangerMouse]

My favorites in order of preference are:

EP (We plan our trips around when it is showing)
Christmas Fantasy
BPB (it's LOUD but fun for young kids)
PoD (just not impressed by it at all and the show stops are BORING!)

 

[ShawnaF]

The shoving is one of the many reasons I don't like the POD, I'm really leery of taking a 2 year old into that and her getting hurt.

 

[WDWLinda]

"the balls they throw are really neat"

Can you explain this...do they throw stuff out to the onlookers?

We have two boys, 2 and 5 yrs, who would enjoy a parade of shopping carts at the supermarket, so I know they'll enjoy which ever one we choose. I'm definitley going for the ELP, but we're pressed for time so I'm leaning towards the BP...but the traditional side of me wants to see the "real" parade. I'm still torn...I'm using Ridemax so I'll play around a lot to see if I can work in both daytime parades. There's just TOO much to see in 2.5 days!

Thanks again for all your thoughts!

~Linda

 

[RMH]

"the balls they throw are really neat"

Can you explain this...do they throw stuff out to the onlookers?

Yes, they are little nerf-like balls smaller than a baseball but bigger than a walnut ! The BPB also has a lot of audience participation. Your kids are very likely to be selected to come out into the parade stop and go through a dance routine that they teach you if they would like it.

It is more of a party than a traditional parade, but my kids liked it a lot better than the POD at DL. They are a little bit older (6-12), but I think any age kid, unless they got scared or intimidated by the interaction, would like it a lot.

 

[ShawnaF]

Think large superballs - very neat!

 

[disney_fan_fam]

"the balls they throw are really neat"

Can you explain this...do they throw stuff out to the onlookers?

We have two boys, 2 and 5 yrs, who would enjoy a parade of shopping carts at the supermarket, so I know they'll enjoy which ever one we choose. I'm definitley going for the ELP, but we're pressed for time so I'm leaning towards the BP...but the traditional side of me wants to see the "real" parade. I'm still torn...I'm using Ridemax so I'll play around a lot to see if I can work in both daytime parades. There's just TOO much to see in 2.5 days!

Thanks again for all your thoughts!

~Linda

Yes, they throw (or a machine dispurses them) into the crowd. They're little blue balls that say Block Party Bash on them. My oldest got one. My kids LOVED BPB actually. I don't know where the parade starts but it ended up towards the entrance where we happened to be and it was definately a very fun parade. Better than POD imo...

 

[DangerMouse]

Yes, they throw (or a machine dispurses them) into the crowd. They're little blue balls that say Block Party Bash on them. My oldest got one. My kids LOVED BPB actually. I don't know where the parade starts but it ended up towards the entrance where we happened to be and it was definately a very fun parade. Better than POD imo...

We have one green ball and one orange ball. I think they use different colors on different days. A word of caution, people get crazy over these stupid little balls and there is quite a chase to get one. Just guard your little ones as I have seen grown men get a little rowdy trying to grab a ball for their kid.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

It is more of a party than a traditional parade, but my kids liked it a lot better than the POD at DL. They are a little bit older (6-12), but I think any age kid, unless they got scared or intimidated by the interaction, would like it a lot.

Our family loved both parades, but the one at DL is more of a traditional parade, longer, and with lots of characters and floats passing by on their route. BPB is more like a quick mini-dance show.

When we attended the BPB last September, I was surprised that:
1. We were curbside, having arrived maybe 10 minutes before the start.
2. The Toy Story float stopped right in front of us, and stayed there for the entire time
3. The characters chose adults and children out of the crowd to come dance with them
4. At the end of the entertainment part of the parade, the balls were launched, and the Toy Story float took off down the parade route
5. That was the end of the parade! The other (two or three) floats behind the Toy Story one just whizzed by, so I snapped some quick photos