Paint the Night Parade and Disneyland Forever Fireworks Strategy

[CaliGrrl]

Where are the wheelchair viewing locations? Do those fill-up 4 hours before too?

 

[lorijohnhill]

From what I could see, there are the wheelchair location. One in Town Square near where the parade enters/exits, one near Pixie Hollow, and one near Small World. Pixie Hollow seems to be the largest, the others are pretty small. We were able to squeeze into the back of the one by Small World about an hour and a half before the parade. This was possible because the people in the section finally complained enough and a CM removed an unattended stroller (not matte as a wheelchair). We all got as close to each other as humanly possible so we could squeeze a few others in. The rest of the areas were already at capacity earlier than that.

 

[MouseEXP]

I understand there are one way traffic patterns after all the shows. What would be the pattern to get from Rivers of America after fireworks to IASW for the 11:00 parade? Would you be able to cross between the hub and the castle or would you be funneled down the Main Street back corridor?

I would just chill in the Fantasmic area for a bit after the fireworks, then take the train from the New Orleans Square train station and get off at Toontown station.

 

[dnamertz]

Head to Small World instead of Main Street for the 2nd show of PTN.

Ooops, I was confused for a second. For the PTN parade, I don't need to see it from Main Street. Any location will do just as long as we have a decent view, especially for my daughter.

 

[dnamertz]

I would just chill in the Fantasmic area for a bit after the fireworks, then take the train from the New Orleans Square train station and get off at Toontown station.

Have you tried this? Seems like that train station could be packed after Fantasmic.

 

[MouseEXP]

Have you tried this? Seems like that train station could be packed after Fantasmic.

The train station could be busy mostly due to the delay after the fireworks but so would the walk with people leaving the Fantasmic area and people coming into the second Fantasmic show.

 

[Sjwillia]

I would just chill in the Fantasmic area for a bit after the fireworks, then take the train from the New Orleans Square train station and get off at Toontown station.

Thank you MouseEXP. I will give the train a try.

 

[MouseEXP]

Thank you MouseEXP. I will give the train a try.

I would say, walk it if the line for the train is going down the stairs.

 

[dnamertz]

The train station could be busy mostly due to the delay after the fireworks but so would the walk with people leaving the Fantasmic area and people coming into the second Fantasmic show.

True.

So if we decide to walk to the IASW area after the 1st Fantasmic show, which way will they try to make us go?

 

[MouseEXP]

True.

So if we decide to walk to the IASW area after the 1st Fantasmic show, which way will they try to make us go?

After the first show they start to herd people through Adventureland.
I would just stay put, finish the fireworks and then if you decide to walk you can decide to head toward the backside of Big Thunder aka Big Thunder Trail through Fantasyland and up to Small World
or go through Adventureland and when you hit the hub you can go up Matterhorn way and perhaps find a spot before you even get to Small World.

 

[wendyt_ca]

I am trying to decide if I need to add on a day for our tickets in Oct. We want to get a spot down Main Street for the fireworks. So would this work?
Get a spot for the parade and fireworks and then catch the second showing of Fantasmic?

 

[beachdreamr1229]

I'm taking my 5-year-old to DL for his birthday on Tuesday. He's not sure if he wants to stay for the parade or not. But, on the off chance that he does want to stay for it (I'm hoping since I love the parade), will we be able to find a spot where he'll be able to see from if we get there 1 hour before it starts? I can't picture him sitting and waiting much longer than that and it will just be the 2 of us. He's pretty short (only 42.5 inches tall), so I don't want him stuck behind a bunch of adults that are standing in his way. I don't care where on the route we are as the fireworks are cool, but not the priority for him. So what do you all think?

 

[nana50]

If you are willing to trade "blanket time" for play time at DLR, who am I to judge. I choose to go play and see if the parade, if I can.

I guess if I were in park 12 times a year, on my annual pass, I can possibly understand it. But, no way I am going to trade 4 hours of play of my vacation for a 20 minute parade/show/event.

I agree. I don't understand sitting on hard pavement to watch any parade.

 

[mom4graceandlogan]

A tip, if you are there multiple nights and you care about fireworks, see them your first available night. We were there 4 nights twice we saw fireworks without music from
Disneyland hotel, one night in distance from California adventure, waited until
Last night to see in park. They were cancelled because of wind. The parade blanket thing was ridiculous! Never seen anything like that at disney world! By 6 o'clock when we were leaving park both sides were covered in old blankets and strollers butted up against them. One person eS usually staying with stuff and sprawled out on blankets full of everyone's backpacks and bags while the others were on the park. Made Main Street look very trashy, people were even sleeping on the blankets and it made it very difficult to leave park stepping around everyone's stuff. It was ridiculous! But besides that first trip to Disneyland and we loved it. We never got to see parade since it was our first trip we wNted to ride rides and when we attempted to find any spot to see it 30 minutes before all sections for viewing were full and we were detoured other directions.

 

[Angrose]

I'm taking my 5-year-old to DL for his birthday on Tuesday. He's not sure if he wants to stay for the parade or not. But, on the off chance that he does want to stay for it (I'm hoping since I love the parade), will we be able to find a spot where he'll be able to see from if we get there 1 hour before it starts? I can't picture him sitting and waiting much longer than that and it will just be the 2 of us. He's pretty short (only 42.5 inches tall), so I don't want him stuck behind a bunch of adults that are standing in his way. I don't care where on the route we are as the fireworks are cool, but not the priority for him. So what do you all think?

We are here now at Hojo and our last day in the parks will be on Tuesday! I just watched the fireworks from our patio while DS7 slept through it all! I worry about my son seeing the parade as well. We will try to stay up late to see the 11pm parade tomorrow night. All I can say is when I was there for the 24 hr day I hung out in the Main St shops and with the help of a CM I was able to slide under a rope about 20min before it started. A few minutes later a family with a little girl wedged in behind me and I allowed the little girl to come up in front of me. I had as much fun watching her clapping and dancing as I did watching the parade! I would ask the CMs for help and I would think that most people would be nice enough to let your son stand up front. Also, figment gave me a tip to try to grab a spot between The fire station and Emporium, it gets ropped off, but there's no sidewalk there so you have to sit on the ground, no curb and I guess people don't realize right away that you can sit there. We might try that spot and I'll report back. Good luck and have fun! Happy Birthday to your son!

 

[beachdreamr1229]

We are here now at Hojo and our last day in the parks will be on Tuesday! I just watched the fireworks from our patio while DS7 slept through it all! I worry about my son seeing the parade as well. We will try to stay up late to see the 11pm parade tomorrow night. All I can say is when I was there for the 24 hr day I hung out in the Main St shops and with the help of a CM I was able to slide under a rope about 20min before it started. A few minutes later a family with a little girl wedged in behind me and I allowed the little girl to come up in front of me. I had as much fun watching her clapping and dancing as I did watching the parade! I would ask the CMs for help and I would think that most people would be nice enough to let your son stand up front. Also, figment gave me a tip to try to grab a spot between The fire station and Emporium, it gets ropped off, but there's no sidewalk there so you have to sit on the ground, no curb and I guess people don't realize right away that you can sit there. We might try that spot and I'll report back. Good luck and have fun! Happy Birthday to your son!

Thank you. Hopefully the fire station area will work. Hope you're enjoying your trip!

 

[DznyPrnces]

I'm taking my 5-year-old to DL for his birthday on Tuesday. He's not sure if he wants to stay for the parade or not. But, on the off chance that he does want to stay for it (I'm hoping since I love the parade), will we be able to find a spot where he'll be able to see from if we get there 1 hour before it starts? I can't picture him sitting and waiting much longer than that and it will just be the 2 of us. He's pretty short (only 42.5 inches tall), so I don't want him stuck behind a bunch of adults that are standing in his way. I don't care where on the route we are as the fireworks are cool, but not the priority for him. So what do you all think?

I would head down towards small world. We saw the parade Monday night with 4 kids ages 1-6. We found a spot about an hour before the parade started. There's an area with steps and a platform on the right hand side when you are facing small world. The area in front of and including the 2 or 3 steps is reserved. We were right behind that area, behind the rope. The reserved area didn't stand up, so all our kids were able to see just fine. It was actually a great spot, right at the beginning of the parade route. Then when the parade was over we just walked forward into the street area and had a great view of the fireworks and projections on small world. The only thing we couldn't see was what was happening on the Matterhorn.

 

[jetskigrl]

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who attempts this.

Hopefully I'm quoting the right person, LOL. We lucked into this strategy over the weekend.

On Saturday night we arrived at a little after 6 pm. Main Street curb as already pretty much full for the 8:50 PTN parade as well as the entire hub area for people waiting for the fireworks (along the curbs anyway). We played in Adventureland, rode Pirates and HM, etc. Then around 8:55 we headed towards Main Street. We went through the stores (even though they were trying to send us through the backstage area, we just let them know we were shoppping) and hung out in the Candy Store for a bit. We did buy some items and DH got an Ice Cream and ate it inside the store. If you are not actively shopping, they will kick you out of the store.

We timed our purchase so that as soon as we were done at the cashier I was able to get DH and we headed right out the door to the middle of Main Street. It was only a 10 minute wait for the fireworks by that time. After the fireworks we just grabbed a spot at the curb and sat down and waited an hour for the 2nd PTN parade.

It worked well but the CM's are definitely on to people just hanging out in the stores until the parade finishes. That was the first time I have seen CMs doing crowd control inside the stores to keep people moving.

 

[travelingmom4]

Hopefully I'm quoting the right person, LOL. We lucked into this strategy over the weekend.

On Saturday night we arrived at a little after 6 pm. Main Street curb as already pretty much full for the 8:50 PTN parade as well as the entire hub area for people waiting for the fireworks (along the curbs anyway). We played in Adventureland, rode Pirates and HM, etc. Then around 8:55 we headed towards Main Street. We went through the stores (even though they were trying to send us through the backstage area, we just let them know we were shoppping) and hung out in the Candy Store for a bit. We did buy some items and DH got an Ice Cream and ate it inside the store. If you are not actively shopping, they will kick you out of the store.

We timed our purchase so that as soon as we were done at the cashier I was able to get DH and we headed right out the door to the middle of Main Street. It was only a 10 minute wait for the fireworks by that time. After the fireworks we just grabbed a spot at the curb and sat down and waited an hour for the 2nd PTN parade.

It worked well but the CM's are definitely on to people just hanging out in the stores until the parade finishes. That was the first time I have seen CMs doing crowd control inside the stores to keep people moving.

Was it pretty easy to grab a spot for the 2nd showing of the parade, or was there a rush to the curb? Also, I'm imagining a huge crowd of people trying to leave too so were you being pushed, stepped over etc...?

 

[Patrick in Oregon]

Hopefully I'm quoting the right person, LOL. We lucked into this strategy over the weekend.

On Saturday night we arrived at a little after 6 pm. Main Street curb as already pretty much full for the 8:50 PTN parade as well as the entire hub area for people waiting for the fireworks (along the curbs anyway). We played in Adventureland, rode Pirates and HM, etc. Then around 8:55 we headed towards Main Street. We went through the stores (even though they were trying to send us through the backstage area, we just let them know we were shoppping) and hung out in the Candy Store for a bit. We did buy some items and DH got an Ice Cream and ate it inside the store. If you are not actively shopping, they will kick you out of the store.

We timed our purchase so that as soon as we were done at the cashier I was able to get DH and we headed right out the door to the middle of Main Street. It was only a 10 minute wait for the fireworks by that time. After the fireworks we just grabbed a spot at the curb and sat down and waited an hour for the 2nd PTN parade.

It worked well but the CM's are definitely on to people just hanging out in the stores until the parade finishes. That was the first time I have seen CMs doing crowd control inside the stores to keep people moving.

Ok thanks! I figured the CMs would be on to that. I think my group decided we need to just suck it up and wait. Not worth the risk to mis-time our exit or get ushered out because we are obviously loitering.