Parades, Fireworks?

[confusedone]

Can anyone explain the parade, fireworks and park hours thing? Does every park have a parade and fireworks? Do the parks always open early for guest, or stay open later for guest? The kids were looking forward to seeing at least one parade and the fireworks once. But I don't want to have missed something because I just didn't know. I cannot believe all of the planning that is involved with this. My kids were also mad at me because I will not shell out big money to eat with the characters, I don't know how this people sleep at night charging like that. Also I was looking at the dining menus for the parks and my kids are very picky eaters, so I think we are only going to eat once or twice while at the parks. I have been looking around the Sea World site and I think my sons would really enjoy it, but I don't like the dining options. If it takes a complete day for this I don't know what to do about the lunch? Can you leave and come back after lunch. My daughter does like seafood but she ablosutely refuse to eat it with sharks or shamu right beside her, she's a teenager, enough said! My sons won't eat anything on the seafood menu at all. Any ideas?

 

[brkgnews]

Here are the parades and fireworks at the parks (check disneyworld.com for latest times and to make sure that an event will occur on the day you visit)...

Magic Kingdom has two parades and a fireworks show.
+ Share A Dream Come true parade -- a daytime parade, usually at 3PM or 4PM. Occasionally will run twice during peak times.
+ Spectromagic -- a nighttime electrical light parade, usually around 9PM or 10 PM. May be run twice during peak times. Some nights, it does not run at all. This is my favorite parade.
+ Wishes -- a nighttime fireworks show.

EPCOT has a fireworks show.
+ Illuminations -- a nighttime fireworks/laser/pyrotechnics show. Runs nightly at 9PM. This is my personal favorite fireworks show.

Disney-MGM has a parade and a nighttime show.
+ Disney Stars and Motorcars -- daytime parade featuring disney characters in funky limos.
+ Fantasmic -- nighttime stage show with fireworks, pyrotechnics, and video presentation, plus live characters. Although this is not my personal favorite, many people say this is the best on eout there.

Animal Kingdom has NO fireworks (can you say "stampede?"), but it DOES have a parade.
+ Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade. A daytime parade featuring the characters in safari gear.

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Opening Early/staying open late for Disney Hotel guests...

Not every park is open early or late every day. Each park opens early one day a week and stays open late one day a week. Here is the usual schedule (though it may occasionally change)...

Magic Kingdom opens early on Friday and stay open late on Wednesday.
EPCOT opens early on Monday and stay open late on Thursday.
Disney-MGM opens early on Tuesday and stays open late on Sunday.
Animal Kingdom opens early on Saturday and stays open late on Tuesday.

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If you don't want to eat with the characters, you can still greet them. The easiest way (but beware of long lines) is at Toontown Fair in Magic Kingdom or at Camp Minnie-Mickey at Animal Kingdom. Multiple characters in one location.

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Dining. There's something for pretty much EVERY taste in the parks. Birnbaums offers a dining guide for about ten bucks (look for it on amazon.com). It lists every restaurant on Disney property. My knowledge of SeaWorld is limited, but I do know if you do not want seafood, there is a very good barbeque place there, too. Safely away from the fishies.

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Good luck planning!

 

[confusedone]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't think I was going to get a response. I know Friday is probably a slow day, as everyone is busier.

 

[se8472]

Welp I see that someone posted while I was typing but I am going to leave this up anywho. I was alittle confused about what you are asking, but I am going to try and answer as best I can.

Can anyone explain the parade, fireworks and park hours thing? Does every park have a parade and fireworks? Do the parks always open early for guest, or stay open later for guest? The kids were looking forward to seeing at least one parade and the fireworks once. But I don't want to have missed something because I just didn't know.

Magic Kingdon, MGM, and Animal Kingdom all have parades once a day. In fact, the Magic Kingdom has a 2nd night parade during some nights of the week. Fireworks all go off at Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. MGM has a night show called Fantasmic that is very good. Word of advise on this show, is to get there at least a hour early, as seats do fill up fast and I am sure you don't want to get cought standing. For the parades, I have to say as early as you can sit down the better. Since the seats on the curb fill up first and fast.

Park hours are printed in times guides that are you can get once you enter the park, they are located right along side the park maps. Also you can ask any Cast Member, including myself, and we will be more then happy to help you out with times and events.

I cannot believe all of the planning that is involved with this. My kids were also mad at me because I will not shell out big money to eat with the characters, I don't know how this people sleep at night charging like that.

You are well ahead of most people here. Thank you for taking the time out to at least try and plan out some events....but don't let it go so far as to mess up your vacation. I am sure one of the reasons you are going to to rest. But I am sorry about the prices, but the places are more upscale then the average resturant on property. Belive me you get what you pay for when you go.

Also I was looking at the dining menus for the parks and my kids are very picky eaters, so I think we are only going to eat once or twice while at the parks.

The parks offer a very wide range of food items. There really is something for everyone to eat. I for one am not a picky eater, but I don't people who are, and we have never had a problem with finding a place that they would love to eat.

Have been looking around the Sea World site and I think my sons would really enjoy it, but I don't like the dining options. If it takes a complete day for this I don't know what to do about the lunch? Can you leave and come back after lunch. My daughter does like seafood but she ablosutely refuse to eat it with sharks or shamu right beside her, she's a teenager, enough said! My sons won't eat anything on the seafood menu at all.

If you do want to leave the parks, and this does go for sea world. Make sure that you do get your hand stamped so that you will be able to re-enter the park without and problems. Sea World does have places to eat that are in areas where the sharks and shamu are no where in sight. In fact, Sea World has other items to offer then just seafood...they have almost as much of a varaiaty as Disney.

Hope that helps, and remember to have fun when you are down there. :wave:

 

[shoppingnut]

MK - afternoon parade usually at 3p and Wishes Fireworks usually every night and Spectromagic not every night, check the calendar

EPCOT - no parade, Fireworks at park close around world showcase usually 9p

AK - afternoon parade usually around 3:45p and there are never fireworks in AK because of the animals.

MGM - afternoon parade usually about 4:00-4:30p and there are no fireworks like other parks, but there is the Fantasmic show which has fireworks and lots of piro. This show is great and I wouldn't miss it.

If you check on www.allearsnet.com they have all the information on the extra magic hours and early morning openings for the various parks.

On the www.disney.com website go to travel destinations, select WDW and you can access the calendar for each park which has hours, parade & firework times.

If you go for a character meal, it is generally best to go for breakfast, this way everyone fills up and you won't have to worry about lunch, probably just a pm snack and dinner. I know the character meals are expensive, but if this is going to be the only vacation you do this year and might not come back to WDW for a few years, it might be worth it to do it. You might want to consider the new dining plan, since it is $35 for adults and $10 for kids and it includes a meal at a sit down restaurant, a snack (popcorn, ice cream or soda/water) and one counter service meal. If you consider what it will cost you to have just one counter service meal for a child in the parks which is usually about $3.99+tax and you know you will probably be sucked into a snack which is about $3, you pretty much can do well with the dining plan for kids. All ears explains the plan, which restaurants you can go to and which restaurants would require you to use two sit down meals options, one of which I know is a character meal. If the dining plan is within your the budget you might want to consider it. Consider what you would be spending on food each day to decide if this might be the way to go.

 

[brkgnews]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't think I was going to get a response. I know Friday is probably a slow day, as everyone is busier.

You just had a lot of questions Took us a while to type an answer. As you see, you got, like, three replies at once.