Free Tickets for Christmas Parade Taping

[Gator]

Just learned from another thread that Disney hands out free tickets to the locals on the days of the taping. I'll be there on the Friday.

My question is how many tickets do they give out on these days. 100? 1,000? More? Wondering what kind of crowds I'll be dealing with.

[Main Street Jim]

Free tickets? As in "park tickets"? Never heard that before.

I do know that Disney does give out wristbands if you wish to view the parade tapings on the streets. You have to sign up for them, though, and yes, it *is* a limited number. What that number is, though, I'm not sure right off-hand.

Do you have a link...?

[Melanie]

I thought I remembered these last few years it was NOT open to the public, as in they didn't open a lottery of any type for those who stand in the parade viewing area. Not sure who those are offered to though. CMs? Special organizations?

Free tickets to the park? I highly doubt.

[Gator]

OK, I'm feeling a lot better about all of this. Some other folks were saying something about free tickets to the public, but they must've been wrong. I just wonder if they offer parade/concert passes to those of us in the park already.

[Strmchsr]

No, it's still done. They have a casting company that puts it up on their own website, not the Disney website (though that company may be a Disney subsidiary. That I'm not sure of). People are able to go to that site, register, and agree to work a 4 hour shift at the parade taping. After that they are free to stay in the park for the rest of the day. Or, if their shift is in the afternoon they can come early and play in the park until their shift starts. When the link comes out I'll put it up. That's usually sometime late October. No idea how many people they allow in, though.

[Melanie]

I KNOW I remember either last year or the year before that the public was not offered these tickets. In fact, I think there was even a website glitch that at first offered the tickets and then nothing ever came of it, as in no one was ever contacted to participate.

[Strmchsr]

I remember that. I think that was year before last about that computer glitch. I thought last year they went back to that system, but I could be wrong about that.

[buzznwoodysmom]

I didn't hear anything about it last year, but I know the few years before that they did a lottery and you could recived FREE tickets into MK on one or both days (I think there were two days) of taping, if you were selected. I don't live local and didn't have any plans to go, but if I had gotten the tickets for us we would have made a quick trip for it.

I don't remember where, but there was a place to sign up for it, and I got an email saying that I was a "potential" candidate (not sure how they worded it, but it was something along those lines)to get the tickets. I didn't end up getting the tickets. That was in 2010, I think. Actually I'm pretty sure it was 2010 because we went in Oct. that year and I learned about these taping tickets either right before or just after our trip. I remember saying DH was going to kill me if we got the tickets and went since we were just there in Oct. He was in Iraq at the time, so it was my mom, myself and my kids that were going to go.

It was just as Chris explained. You had to select a day, out of two different dates (a Friday and a Saturday I think), and you could also select a time frame that you could be on the parade route or at the concert stage. You could not pick which one you did, but could select your preferred time (morning or afternoon). Once you completed your hours ( I think it was around 4 hours) you were free to remain in the park for the rest of the day. You could select one of the days, or there was a place to select both days. Not sure if you would have recieved tickets for both days, or if that was just for those who were available for either day.

I heard about it on another discussion board, and there were several folks who said they had done it in the past. Maybe there was some sort of computer glitch, but I did sign up for them and at one point I did get a response email. I don't remember if anyone on the other board posted about actually getting the tickets that year. I know a few people talked about getting them previous years.

[joanna71985]

Last year tickets were given out to CMs (and I want to say it happened in 2010 as well). I don't think any were publically given out

[Melanie]

Last year tickets were given out to CMs (and I want to say it happened in 2010 as well). I don't think any were publically given out

:yes:

[buzznwoodysmom]

Ok, in an attempt to make sure I am not totally losing my mind, LOL, I went back to the site where I first read about the free Christmas taping tickets.

I was wrong about the year. It was in 2009 when I signed up for the tickets, not 2010 like I stated in my first post. We visited WDW for Thanksgiving in 2009 and that's why I thought DH would kill me if I tried to go again right after we got back. By the way I did looked into it for my mom and I to go with the kids in 2010 while DH was in Iraq, but that's the year they didn't offer it, or at least I couldn't find the website to sign up for it again.

Anyway I read through several pages of that old thread on another board and in just the first few pages there were at least a dozen people stating the day and time on the tickets they got. There were alot of pages on that thread, too many for me to go through, so who knows how many people got the tickets. There were also several posters who had gotten the tickets in past years who were answering questions. You didn't have to have a ticket to watch the parade taping, but you did get a better spot and were asked to stay for at least 4 hours if you had entered MK with those tickets. In some cases these ticket holders were asked to do certain things, like wear Santa hats, Mickey ears, cheer or wave a certain way.

I KNOW for a fact that I filled out a somewhat detailed form, and got an email back about it, but didn't end up getting the tickets. And I don't think that many people on a Disney board would be lieing about getting the tickets.

No one here has to believe it, but these tickets did exist.

[Melanie]

No, I totally believe you Denise. Your testament further clarifies that it was 2010 on that the tickets weren't available to the public.

But, let me clarify, there is still space to go and view the parade. It's just that the optimum viewing space which MAY land you on ABC Christmas morning has been taken in recent years by CMs or VIPs. ;)

[buzznwoodysmom]

No, I totally believe you Denise. Your testament further clarifies that it was 2010 on that the tickets weren't available to the public.

But, let me clarify, there is still space to go and view the parade. It's just that the optimum viewing space which MAY land you on ABC Christmas morning has been taken in recent years by CMs or VIPs. ;)

Melanie, that's what I read too. That it appears they now offer the tickets to CMs, VIPs, and at one point someone said AP holders were also included, maybe that was 2010 when it appears they switched things up????? I wonder if too many people got word of these tickets via internet? Good things often come to an end when too many people find out about it!

Anyway, I'm sort of happy I didn't end up getting the tickets. We are not really a family that likes to stay put that long. It would be neat to have FREE tickets for a family of four and only have to "work" for 4 hours then get to enjoy MK for the rest of the day, and it would be super cool to see your family on TV Christmas morning! But I really don't think we are cut out for all that wiating and boredom!

[Pirate Granny]

Ok, I give...what are the dates of the taping this year

[the other micki]

Ok, I give...what are the dates of the taping this year

Nov. 30 - Dec. 2

[Strmchsr]

Thanks for the clarification!