Should we stay for Christmas parade?

[mattandmandy]

We plan to leave WDW either Saturday 12/6 or Sunday 12/7. We are driving so our schedule is flexible. In a previous post I read that the Christmas parade is being filmed Saturday, Dec 6th. Should we stay the extra day to try to attend the parade? I think awhile back I had read on here that most people said it was way to crowded and in fact it was better to try and stay away from Magic Kingdom that day. Any thoughts from anyone who has been at the parade before?

[Strmchsr]

I've been there 3 times on the parade taping day and it's definitely not worth it. Previous to 2004 anyone could walk up, watch what you wanted of the parade, then move along. Now you have to sign up for a shift, stand for hours, and it's really not very fun. It isn't one parade but they bring out a float at a time, run it through, back it up, and do it again. It's a lot of hurry up and wait. Definitely not very exciting and MK tends to be nuts that day.

[bkfree]

The weekend of the parade taping is in the middle of our trip and we will be avoiding MK that entire weekend. So my answer is No don't stay to attend the parade, but you may want to stay and go to another park, hopefully that is pretty low crowd while everyone else is at MK.

[RockinRollerMom]

Has any-one ever been to the park when the parade was being taped? We were there last year and heard that they were re-routing people behind the scenes of Main St. to get into the parks since Main St. was blocked off for the taping. I know at least last year you had to have special passes just to be allowed on Main St. for the taping. We will be there again this year and DH and DD think it would be fun to check out the back side of Main St. Anybody have any info on this?

[Strmchsr]

It's all the same as last year. The info you had is correct.

[Cheloconnell]

How about after the parade ends that night? The park is open till midnight and it is our first day there. We have dinner at Cinderlla's Castle that night and were thinking to take a nap in the afternoon and try to stay until closing. I heard sometimes you can walk onto rides when they are open that late. Does anyone think this will be the case that night or will it still be crazy? Thanks :mickey:

[RockinRollerMom]

Like I said before, we were @ WDW last year whenthey taped the parade, but we did not enter MK at all that day. I did speak to a few CM's that day and were told similar things.

That in the morning til whenever the taping ends lines should be short at MK. I was told the parade taping could end at anytime, but most likely between noon -3pm. Once the parade ends, every-one who was there for the taping will enter the park and it will be a zoo.

I don't remember if the park was open late last year or if I just didn't bother to ask because I knew we wouldn't be going, but I would think that by 9 or 10pm lines should thin out.

I'd love to hear from some-one who has been at the park on parade taping day, or maybe some of the CM's who visit these boards might have some insight!

[scootch713]

They don't actually tape the parade... they just tape sections.... then long pause... then retape that section... then long boring nothing to do for many minutes pause... then retape..... truly not worth staying for. We did find the rides to be not too long of lines, but we never had any issues with long lines all week anyhow.

[Cheloconnell]

Thank you for the information. We only have 5 short days away from the kids for our Anniversary and we want to make the most of it without going too crazy.

[mattandmandy]

Yes, thanks everyone for the info. I think that since our last day was going to be Friday at Magic Kingdom then we will not try and go Saturday. :mickey: