Fireworks/Parades dillema

[DmoDisney]

For those of you with young children, what has been your experience with attending the firework shows (Illuminations, Fantasmic, Wishes) and parades (Spectromagic, Main Street -afternoon parade in MK)? i.e. How many have you attended and how have your children held up? The "plan" is to be at each park when it opens each day, and I don't want to shortchange sleep too much! We'll be dependent upon bus trans and I assume that by the time you get back from the parks at night after fireworks and your kids get in bed it's 10-11PM or so (if not later!).

My DW and I along with DD7, DS4 and DD1 are going at the end of April (51 days left!) for a total of 6 days. We'll have my mom there to help with DD1. We've decided not to do park hopper (still considering but we won't have a car) and are planning 2 days at MK, 2 at Epcot, 1 at DHS and 1 at AK. As much as I would love to see all the above listed fireworks & parade shows I think it's unreasonable (too much on the kids). I was leaning towards Spectromagic & Wishes, but have heard great things about Illuminations & Fantasmic. The afternoon parade is a tough call as we were planning on breaks and I don't think we could get back by 3pm unless we left before noon (staying at ASM).


Thanks! I've really enjoyed reading these posts. I'm an intercot newbie...

[Jared]

I see in your signature you are staying at All-Star Music, so you have the benefit of Disney's transportation. I recommend taking an afternoon break, something many posters' on this board do every day, including myself.

My family arrives at the park around 9 a.m. and tour until we're tired -- usually about 2 p.m. or sometime after lunch. We then return to our resort for swimming and nappy and head back out to another park recharged and ready for the nighttime festivities.

Remember that you are on vacation! Don't run yourselves ragged to try one more attraction.

[mook3y]

I see in your signature you are staying at All-Star Music, so you have the benefit of Disney's transportation. I recommend taking an afternoon break, something many posters' on this board do every day, including myself.

My family arrives at the park around 9 a.m. and tour until we're tired -- usually about 2 p.m. or sometime after lunch. We then return to our resort for swimming and nappy and head back out to another park recharged and ready for the nighttime festivities.

Remember that you are on vacation! Don't run yourselves ragged to try one more attraction.
I agree, with little ones, you will enjoy yourselves much more if you plan a break during the heat of the day.

[momof3+twins]

I consider myself an expert at the young kids thing. My kids are:DS10, DS7,DS4, DD2, DS2. We started taking the kids when the oldest was 15 months old. DS4 went at age 10 months.
So, please take this advice. On the day that you want to do the afternoon parades ( I love all the parades but be sure to see MK's) get to the park before park opening. Go through the castle and go straight to Dumbo, then to these in order: Pooh, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Pirates get a FP for Buzz then eat an early lunch. Go to Buzz after lunch and leave for naps and rest( should put you at about noon). Get back to the park 45 minutes to an hour before the parade. We like Main Street but I have been told to watch it in Frontierland and get a Fast Pass to Splash Mtn while waiting. Then go to Splash Mtn after and then ride Big Thunder Mtn. So, it is up to you, you can either plant yourself on Main Street or head back so you can ride those two rides with little wait. But, keep in mind that Main Street will get busy and after the parade it is a mass of people. In the time after the parade visit all of the shows and rides that always have little or no wait ( tiki birds, hall of presidents, country bears, small world). Then when it thins out in the park visit some of the others or get a fast passs. Don't try to do the evening parade and fireworks on this day, do it on the other MK day.
Fantasmic is awesome. I would go to this. But, make sure to take that afternoon break. I would take it later this time and then leave the one year old in the room with your mother when you return. You should be able to get a lot done in the studios by 2pm. Then you can come back after dinner. The baby should be ready for bed early being at Disney and will enjoy the break. The bus is crazy after Fantasmic and you will have to wait a LOOONG time for a bus.
Spectromagic and the fireworks at Mk -do the same as at MK.
I really hate the wait for the busses on a late night after a long hot day with kids. So, but I still think you shouldn't miss these parades and fireworks. They are great.
You can PM me if you have any more questions.

[cal5755]

Hey There!! Welcome to Intercot!! I have found so many great tips on this site!!


I would definately suggest taking the kids to Fantasmic at hollywood studios. It is our families all time night time show. Usually we take that day to sleep in and relax by the pool for a while and head to the park after lunch. Hollywood and Vine has a dinner and show package where you get special seating for the show.

MK is also the parades and fireworks you must see. We usually do the afternoon parade one day and then the next mk day we do spectromagic and wishes. All are fantastic!!

The buses are more crowded at night of course when the parks close. We always do park hopper passes... with all the buses and the boats and monorail there is plenty of ways to get from park to park and personally we don't think the transportation is bad in Disney. They work really well considering the amount of people they have to transfer daily.

Whatever you decide I hope you have a super Magical vacation.

[MOJoe]

There is so much to see and do at WDW. So much that you do not want to miss. It is easy to keep going, and going. I have found that it is hard - even if you have planned for it - to walk out of the park in early afternoon. But if you have young children, you Must make yourself go back to the resort and rest. Those families who don't are very easy to spot in the evening. You will always see crying children being tugged on by angry adults, at various times late in the day. But if you go back and rest, you and your family will be able to enjoy the evening parade and fireworks shows. Not suffer through them...really enjoy them. And isn't that why you go to WDW in the first place?

Have a great time. And no doubt, because you are using Intercot, you will! :mickey:

[FlaTinkRAMESAM]

take a mid-day break!!! with 3 littles ones, especially a 1 y.o. I would not try to hike through each park all day long. that is a lot on adults! lol

Honestly, your little one's likely won't appreciate Illuminations that much. Not a whole lot of action going on, but it is a beautiful show. But it is the only show my DD3 won't sit still for.

Wishes and Spectro are must dos! The parade is so neat with the color changing and all the favorite characters. Wishes is what Disney is all about in my opinion. (I have the little girl singing as one of my ringtones!) Tink flies down in it as well, which is neat.

Fantasmic might be a little scary. I wasn't sure if my DD would like it or be totally freaked by it, but she loved it and it is her favorite show now. It is more of a show that fireworks really--but all the major characters are there on boats, which is really cool to watch. If you have fearless little ones, then go for that. All kids are different.

But again, I stress the whole mid-day break thing. It is really a necessity. Let's everyone get refreshed and away from the craziness of the parks for a few hours, plus get recooped for the night.

[mook3y]

Also make sure to keep your little ones well hydrated throughout the day! It is pretty easy for little kids to get dehydrated and sick at WDW.

[Speedy1998]

Personnally, I would say skip the afternoon parade and go for the night time shows and parades.

You may also want to consider a park hopper pass. We usually use it on the day we go to AK. AK, closes at dusk and we will hop to another park to watch the fireworks.

We have 2 chikdren 6 and 3, we usually do all the night time shows one during a five night stay.

[busterthebronco]

i couldnt agree more about the mid day break.
the kids will get a lot out of it but you will benefit more.
we allways say "stay until you see people yelling at each other and their kids" then head back for a real nice break.
dont kill yourself getting back.
just chill.
some of your kids best memories will be playing in the cool disney pool and watching the disney channel in the hotel room.
after everybody gets fully recharge head back in!
you'll see the same angry people fussing at each other that you say when you snuck out.
hang out late and see the park at night and with a clear head.
if you must stay in the park take a in the park break.
go totom sawyer island, honey i shrunk the kids playground, dinoland, etc.
big tip- go to the sound stage show in MGM.
when you leave there are sound booths.
get in one and close the door.
NAP CITY!!:cloud9: