Christmas Parade Crowds, Main Street Only????

[spoiledraf]

Our last day will be Dec. 6 this year and I've read the Parade filming will be on that day. I have also seen a comment that as long as you get off Main St. the crowds are average for December. Main Street is the draw trying to see the parade and maybe be on TV. Not that that wouldn't be kinda neet but we hope to do a little more on our last day.
Anyone have some experience/comments/input with this.

[Strmchsr]

Friday (which would be Dec 6) won't be too bad. Generally they just do the musical groups on the castle stage that day. And the crowds aren't horrible. Those who are part of the parade taping are gathered around the hub, but that's easy enough to avoid and the rest isn't too horrible. Saturday of the parade taping is the bad day but that's because you have lots of locals who come in on weekends anyway with the parade taping on top of it. So, it's doubtful you'll see any of the parade itself, but you might catch one or two of the musical groups. Warning - that's generally pretty boring, though. They come out, lip sync for a few moments, reset, do it again, stop, go from a different angle, etc. It's not a real performance.

[PopPhan]

Chris, do the crowds thin out after the taping is done? I was looking at the park schedule and MK is open until 10pm that night. I was thinking of making that an MK night - come in after 6pm and close it out with Wishes at 10.....Or should I just pick another park for the evening?

[Strmchsr]

Chris, do the crowds thin out after the taping is done?

Bud, generally not but that's because a lot of locals come pouring in on Friday evenings and Saturday. The congestion around the hub and Main St clears up by mid-afternoon but the crowds swell in the evenings and on Saturday. That said, Epcot faces the same issue so I'm not sure you'd really be better off there as opposed to MK.

[spoiledraf]

Thanks Strmchsr. It's our first holiday visit and we actually added a day to the end of our visit to have time to see all the decorations at the resorts. Hoping for reasonably small crowds at the parks too.

[lawgirl]

We are going to be in Epcot on Saturday the 7th. Is this day affected by the taping or anything? I'm hoping it won't be too crazy crowded!