Main Street Electric Parade

[momof3+twins]

I am trying to make plans for the parade. I'm thinking that if we see the second (11pm) parade, it will be less busy. Does anyone know if the second parade starts on Main Street or from the back of the park? Is this usually a good plan? Thanks!

[Mendelson]

"The parade route begins next to the Harmony Barbershop on Main Street, U.S.A., circles Town Square, heads down Main Street, U.S.A., goes around the Central Plaza in front of Cinderella Castle, crosses the bridge to Liberty Square, follows the waterfront in Frontierland and ends in Frontierland. (Sometimes the route is reversed.)."

[Goofy4TheWorld]

While I have a fuzzy memory of SpectroMagic running "backwards" on its second run, my experience with MSEP 3 months ago was that it ALWAYS started on Main St and ended in Frontierland for both parade times.

The second showing was AWESOME, we squatted on a viewing spot in front of the Christmas store across from Hall of Presidents, and there was no crowd at all and really no need to have "squatted" for so long. Watching the second show was the first parade experience I have actually enjoyed in YEARS.

[EeyoresBestFriend]

Never seen the Electrical parade start at the back of the park, always the front.

At the Halloween & Christmas parties, and the Festival of Fantasy parade all started at the back of the park.

[momof3+twins]

I must be remembering the Halloween parade. I think we will have to watch the second parade.

[Main Street Jim]

My experience with MSEP 3 months ago was that it ALWAYS started on Main St and ended in Frontierland for both parade times.

This is correct.

It's much easier to just run the parade floats in a "loop" backstage (behind Adventureland to get back up to Main Street and the starting point) than it is to try and get all the floats positioned to completely turn around and start in Frontierland for the second parade.

In the ten years I worked in the park, I can't ever recall a night parade - either first or second - starting in Frontierland. Special-event parades were a different story, though/

[momof3+twins]

Thanks for all the info. I was wanting to watch on Main Street close the entrance for an easy out after the parade. I'm not a crowd person..lol...and I love Disney. Its a weird combo, I know.

[Main Street Jim]

Thanks for all the info. I was wanting to watch on Main Street close the entrance for an easy out after the parade. I'm not a crowd person..lol...and I love Disney. Its a weird combo, I know.

The second parade is *perfect*, then. Most of the crowd will leave right after the fireworks. Grab a spot on the curb in front of the train station, and allow the leaving guests to "go around you" through either tunnel. Or, better yet, you should be able to grab a seat upstairs on the platform/balcony without any problem.

[Maddie]

When i was last there a few months ago it started on Main Street next to the Barber Shop. I would absolutely say that the 11:00pm one would be less busy! Some folks keep there kids out very late but regardless it should be less busy.

[allgiggles]

Thanks for all the info. I was wanting to watch on Main Street close the entrance for an easy out after the parade. I'm not a crowd person..lol...and I love Disney. Its a weird combo, I know.

I don't like being caught in a crowd either so we watch the 2nd parade from Frontierland. We've been able to walk up to the parade route literally 30 seconds before the parade arrives and sit on the porch at Pecos Bills with no one around us (and this has been in mid and late June). The parade doesn't arrive back there until about 11:20 so it gives us a little more time to do rides. When the parade is over we take our time walking towards the front of the park -- usually stopping for a bathroom break and sometimes a snack. We also like to stop for some nighttime Photopass pictures in front of the castle. By the time we get to Main Street the crowds have really thinned out.