Which will be more crowded, the first or second Christmas parade?

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Planning on a day trip to DL next week with a friend and her twin toddlers who have never been to DL before. I would like to see the holiday events like the IASW lighting (5:15pm), the castle lighting (6:00pm) and the Christmas parade. There are two parades the day we are going at 1:00pm and 3:30pm. I'm wondering if they will both be packed or if I should plan on one versus the other? I was thinking of trying to watch over near the Matterhorn or possible IASW.

 

[figment_jii]

Given that both parades are during the day, I'd be inclined to say that they'll be equally busy. Usually the second parade is less busy, but that's because it's much later in the night when a goodly number of guests have gone home for the day; in this case, that doesn't seem to likely, so I think both will be busy.

 

[Congo Queen]

This is just a guess on my part, but maybe the 1:00pm parade would be slightly less crowded just because that is still lunch time. A certain number of visitors will be busy eating.

 

[figment_jii]

I was kind of thinking both would be equally busy because the first parade will have folks that want to see the parade before heading back to the hotel for afternoon naps, while the second parade will have folks that want a mid-afternoon break in the parks.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

They're usually about the same.

Personally, I pick the parade that starts at Main Street and grab a spot in front of the fire station just before they rope it off.

This may be confusing to explain, but I've also had luck with the section by the rope-break in between City Hall and the train station (in front of the tour meetup). Even if you're not in front, if you're by the side of the rope (so right next to the path with the rope on your right, you end up with an unobstructed view (until they let the people through between floats). That is definitely only a good spot if the parade starts there, though. We watched the Christmas parade there multiple times last year because it's super convenient to hop over from DCA like 20 minutes prior to the parade and squeeze in there.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

They're usually about the same.

Personally, I pick the parade that starts at Main Street and grab a spot in front of the fire station just before they rope it off.

This may be confusing to explain, but I've also had luck with the section by the rope-break in between City Hall and the train station (in front of the tour meetup). Even if you're not in front, if you're by the side of the rope (so right next to the path with the rope on your right, you end up with an unobstructed view (until they let the people through between floats). That is definitely only a good spot if the parade starts there, though. We watched the Christmas parade there multiple times last year because it's super convenient to hop over from DCA like 20 minutes prior to the parade and squeeze in there.

I didn't realize the parades started in different places although now that you said it, it makes total sense! Is there any way to know which one starts on Main Street?

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I was kind of thinking both would be equally busy because the first parade will have folks that want to see the parade before heading back to the hotel for afternoon naps, while the second parade will have folks that want a mid-afternoon break in the parks.

I bet you are right!

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I didn't realize the parades started in different places although now that you said it, it makes total sense! Is there any way to know which one starts on Main Street?

I used to know (I'm pretty sure it started at Small World first and then on Main Street), but then they changed it on me a few times, so now I always ask a CM to confirm.

 

[SteveMP]

I don't remember them being that close together.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I don't remember them being that close together.

It does seem awfully close together but that is how they are currently listed.

 

[LTiffany]

Any insight as to why they stopped doing the Christmas parade at night? The lights were so beautiful.