Main Street Electrical Parade FP viewing spot question - Central Plaza Viewing

[Stine]

Hi! I posted this yesterday in trip planning, but no responses, so I'll try here. Thanks in advance for any info given!

hi! I was just able to get a FP for the MS Electrical Parade. I get "central plaza viewing", and the description is "preferred viewing in front of Cinderella's Castle". According to the Map, it seems to be at the top of the plaza, just behind and across the street from the Walt Disney/Mickey statue and in front of the Castle.

My questions are:
1) How many people do they pack into the space? Are they a few rows deep or,
2) Is it possible to get a front row, right on the line spot, assuming we get there early? My DD is performing in this parade, so photos are a must!!! I plan on getting there even before they open at the 8:40 arrival window start time. How will we know where to line up for a spot?
3) Anyone have actual experience in this area? What are your thoughts?

I am thinking that if we are in front of the Castle, we won't have pics with her and the Castle in view (which I thought to be a long shot anyway), so if this is not a good spot, should I camp out elsewhere? That was our original plan, but if this is a good location, I'll keep the FP. Also, according to my DD, she will on the side of the castle as the parade comes around, if that helps in understanding what I am asking.

Thanks again!

 

[GeekDad]

Unless it has changed sense I was there in December the viewing is right in the center hub facing the castle. There is room for quite a few people but there were not many people there. We had a front row seat facing the castle and barely anyone around us.

That being said I'm sure it depends on when you go and more people know about this FP+ option now. The CMs were telling other guests that theFP+ was all gone Goethe viewing so maybe they limit it or the CMs just didn't want people trying to scramble last second for the viewing.

 

[Stine]

Thank you! So, if I am reading your reply correctly, we are not on the Castle side of the 'street', but rather on the opposite side, in the center hub where the Walt Disney/Mickey statue is? The information balloon on the map has us on the other side of the street. While a Castle facing view is of course preferred, my daughter is dancing on the other side, so this may not actually work for us. Hmmm...now I am not sure if this is good or not.

I suspect that it will be more crowded, as we are going at peak time, and there will be hundreds of kids performing in this parade. Even if only a fraction know about FP, that will be a lot of potential people trying to get in.

 

[englanddg]

Thank you! So, if I am reading your reply correctly, we are not on the Castle side of the 'street', but rather on the opposite side, in the center hub where the Walt Disney/Mickey statue is? The information balloon on the map has us on the other side of the street. While a Castle facing view is of course preferred, my daughter is dancing on the other side, so this may not actually work for us. Hmmm...now I am not sure if this is good or not.

I suspect that it will be more crowded, as we are going at peak time, and there will be hundreds of kids performing in this parade. Even if only a fraction know about FP, that will be a lot of potential people trying to get in.

Yes, right next to the partners statue. In orange.

 

[Stine]

Thanks for the visual! Ok, so here is a quick question. What direction does the Main Street Electrical Parade run? Does it start in the back of the park over in Frontier and go towards Main Street, or does it start in the front on Main street and work its way backwards to Frontier Land? The arrows above showing it going towards Frontier Land, which would be better, since then I will be on the correct side, with a view of the Castle as the kids pass.

 

[englanddg]

Thanks for the visual! Ok, so here is a quick question. What direction does the Main Street Electrical Parade run? Does it start in the back of the park over in Frontier and go towards Main Street, or does it start in the front on Main street and work its way backwards to Frontier Land? The arrows above showing it going towards Frontier Land, which would be better, since then I will be on the correct side, with a view of the Castle as the kids pass.

If I remember correctly it runs from Main Street to Frontierland.

 

[docdebbi]

looking at the yellow area in your lovely map, my opinion remains the same. i can probably get just as good a view if i just pop along the street last minute somewhere if i am going to be 6-10 rows back in the center of that area anyway. perhaps on non crowded days this is fine, or you end up doing the same thing we do anyway, get there early to get a good seat.
please convince me i am wrong, i would love to think i can arrive right before parade and still have a good view from there.

 

[englanddg]

looking at the yellow area in your lovely map, my opinion remains the same. i can probably get just as good a view if i just pop along the street last minute somewhere if i am going to be 6-10 rows back in the center of that area anyway. perhaps on non crowded days this is fine, or you end up doing the same thing we do anyway, get there early to get a good seat.
please convince me i am wrong, i would love to think i can arrive right before parade and still have a good view from there.

Main Street or the hub may be a challenge, especially if they are only running it once.

The nights they run it twice, the second time is generally less crowded.

However, you can normally get a good spot in Frontierland fairly easily.

 

[allgiggles]

Main Street or the hub may be a challenge, especially if they are only running it once.

The nights they run it twice, the second time is generally less crowded.

However, you can normally get a good spot in Frontierland fairly easily.

Totally agree -- we were there at the end of June last year and stayed to watch the 2nd parade one night. While I decided to go sit on the porch at Pecos Bill's to "reserve" our spot about 10:40 (the parade started at 11:00 on Main Street), my husband and daughter arrived at 11:05 and there were still plenty of open front row spots available. They chose to sit on chairs on the porch of Pecos Bill's -- yes, there were actually chairs available to sit on. I would watch it there again in a heartbeat -- no real crowds and we got a lot of character interaction throughout the parade. And the bonus was that by the time the parade ended back there and we walked to the front of the park, the crowds had really thinned and it was an easy exit.

 

[Stine]

the last time we were there (6 years ago), we easily got seats in the front right on the rope in Frontier Land. We did arrive early, but we had a terrific view. This time around, with my daughter dancing in the parade, it is important that we are sure to get a good spot, hence the fast pass. Thanks for all the info on the spot and the route - I think this will be perfect.

One final (I hope) question - the FP says to arrive between 8:40 and 9:00. Given that I do want a front spot in the FP area, can I get there earlier? What time to they really start letting folks in and is there a line up area I can go to in advance of that? How many (approximate) people do they allow in the FP area, as it seems rather large? I had planned on camping out for an hour if I did not have a FP, so can easily still do that if necessary!

 

[jainclt]

Hi, can I jump on this really informative thread?! My DD is not in the parade but she will be competing at ESPN until 6. Is it realistic to 'hop' over and see the parade? I grabbed a FP+ for the viewing spot - are we going to be trapped or can we grab food?

Is there an easier place to park, stake out a bench and send 1 person for food, so family of 4 can see the 9 PM show on a crowded day, then use our 3rd FP on a ride? Looking for the shortest path, or of least resistance, not nec. all the bells and whistles. tx!