PDA

View Full Version : Getting to New Orleans Square after Disney's Electrical Parade in July



FunMom
06-13-2006, 06:07 PM
We will be in the park on a weekday in late July. We plan to watch the DEP ending at 9:15 PM from a spot in Paradise Pier. In order to fit in all that we want to do that day, Ridemax has us getting in a ride line in NOS at 9:45 PM. That gives us 30 minutes to get out of DCA and over to NOS. I know NOS will be jammed with people both leaving the early F! and coming in for the second show.

1. If we catch the train from Main Street to NOS, can we make it in 30 minutes?

2. If 30 minutes is not enough, how much time should we budget to get from the DEP to NOS (so that we can decide which rides to skip)?

Thanks for your help.

rentayenta
06-13-2006, 06:25 PM
That should be enough time but not watching it from the Pier. I would stand near the entrance to DCA near the big sun, that way you won't get stuck behind the parade either.

DisneylandForever
06-13-2006, 06:38 PM
What Jenny said.

Otherwise you would hit the 'leaving DCA' crowd, 'entering DL' crowd, and the 'on the way to Fantasmic' crowd. I would watch the Electrical Parade as close as you can to the DCA exit. And don't bother taking the train to NOS, unless it happens to be arriving just as you enter Main Street. You can walk to NOS in far less time than it would take to wait for the train. But if you do end up taking the train, it's the first stop, and it'll let you out pretty much right between HM and POTC.


Leaving DCA right after the DEP (close to the exit) entering DL and heading straight to NOS, 30 minutes is plenty.

Darkbeer
06-13-2006, 06:39 PM
That should be enough time but not watching it from the Pier. I would stand near the entrance to DCA near the big sun, that way you won't get stuck behind the parade either.

Last year, Disney switched the Electrical Parade, it now leaves the Route 66 area around 8:50 and ends at the Sunshine Plaza. Disney did this to try and cut back the crowds that build on Main Street for the Remember Fireworks. They also "slow down" the amount of folks they admit into Disneyland in the evening (less turnstiles open).

Good luck doing both, but Disney is trying to prevent it. They want you to end at one park OR the other.....

Leap for Joy
06-13-2006, 06:50 PM
Last year, Disney switched the Electrical Parade, it now leaves the Route 66 area around 8:50 and ends at the Sunshine Plaza. Disney did this to try and cut back the crowds that build on Main Street for the Remember Fireworks. They also "slow down" the amount of folks they admit into Disneyland in the evening (less turnstiles open).

Good luck doing both, but Disney is trying to prevent it. They want you to end at one park OR the other.....
DB, I haven't been there since they made this switch. Is there any way to watch DEP close to the beginning and then beat the parade out of the park?

FunMom
06-13-2006, 07:25 PM
Am I missing something?

1. The resason we were thinking of watching DEP from Paradise Pier (near the beginning of the parade) was so we'd see the end of it while everyone else on the parade route is still watching - thus beating the parade out of the park. Is Sunshine Plaza just too congested so that we'll have a hard time getting out? Should we consider exiting through Grand Californian, or does that mean too much walking?

2. I've read posts saying that Main Street is gridlocked during the Fireworks hour, thus the idea to take the train. We'd be walking up main Street just as the fireworks are beginning at 9:25 - do you folks still suggest walking to NOS?

Again, thanks for your feedback.

Darkbeer
06-13-2006, 07:25 PM
DB, I haven't been there since they made this switch. Is there any way to watch DEP close to the beginning and then beat the parade out of the park?

Your best bet, watching it near the Golden Dreams Theater and then heading thru the Grizzly Peak/Condor Flats area to the Main Entrance/Exit of DCA once the parade is over, but as I posted before, they are seriously trying to slow down everything (less exits and ticket takers) due to the LARGE crowds on Main Street due to the "need" to watch the Remember Fireworks from the Hub area.

There is a good chance of the DEP starting at 9 PM in July and early August to keep people away from Disneyland and the Fireworks/Fantasmic!.

DianeM
06-13-2006, 08:21 PM
The problem isn't getting on the train, it's getting into the park. You won't be the only one who wants to watch the end of the EP then dash over to DL, although most will be going to watch fireworks, not go on another ride. Add in local kids with AP's who decide to wander over to DL to watch the fireworks or ride a few rides, and you've got gridlock at the entry gates. You may make it to ride your ride, but it may or may not be at the specified time. Of course, you can get in line anytime before the park closes, so you've got a bit of flexibility (unless you have another ride you want to go on). I wouldn't even consider walking up main street as the fireworks are starting, but if you really want to get to your ride there may not be a choice. The problem is that I think the trains shut down during the fireworks, and afte the fireworks they tend to be slow and loaded down. I could be wrong about the shutdown, but I'm definitely not wrong about how crowded the trains will be after the fireworks.



Am I missing something?

1. Is Sunshine Plaza just too congested so that we'll have a hard time getting out? Should we consider exiting through Grand Californian, or does that mean too much walking?

2. do you folks still suggest walking to NOS?

Again, thanks for your feedback.

evrythngwmn
06-13-2006, 08:33 PM
Your best bet, watching it near the Golden Dreams Theater and then heading thru the Grizzly Peak/Condor Flats area to the Main Entrance/Exit of DCA once the parade is over, but as I posted before, they are seriously trying to slow down everything (less exits and ticket takers) due to the LARGE crowds on Main Street due to the "need" to watch the Remember Fireworks from the Hub area.

There is a good chance of the DEP starting at 9 PM in July and early August to keep people away from Disneyland and the Fireworks/Fantasmic!.

This is a good place to watch from to make a quick exit. Once you are in DL stick to the West side of Main St. and go through the stores. If you enter the Emporium near the Fire House entrance you can walk all the way through up to near New Century Time Pieces. Go around Carnation Cafe and enter through Blue Ribbon and walk through to the end of Coke Corner.

Here would be the tricky part. They usually have traffic going only one way. At the moment I can't remember which way. Anyone?

Darkbeer
06-13-2006, 08:45 PM
One Way Traffic due to the Remember Fireworks is Counter-Clockwise.

Basically they want you to walk down along the east edge (right side from the Main Entrance), and then keep going thru the hub. If you want to see the late Fantasmic, make a right at Frontierland, otherwise the traffic keeps going in a circle. (Adventureland is an Exit only path for those watching the early Fantasmic! and want to go home). If you want to keep going, it is up Main Street towards the Train Staion on the west side.

evrythngwmn
06-13-2006, 11:13 PM
One Way Traffic due to the Remember Fireworks is Counter-Clockwise.

Basically they want you to walk down along the east edge (right side from the Main Entrance), and then keep going thru the hub. If you want to see the late Fantasmic, make a right at Frontierland, otherwise the traffic keeps going in a circle. (Adventureland is an Exit only path for those watching the early Fantasmic! and want to go home). If you want to keep going, it is up Main Street towards the Train Staion on the west side.

That's what I was thinking but couldn't remember. thanks Darkbeer.

Leap for Joy
06-14-2006, 12:24 AM
Is it true that the train is stopped during the fireworks?

Darkbeer
06-14-2006, 05:31 AM
Is it true that the train is stopped during the fireworks?

Yes, as the track near the Toontown/Fantasyland Station is in the fallout area.

nightdesigns
06-14-2006, 06:16 AM
How about watching in DCA, exiting through the GCH boarding the monorail which will dump you on the other side of main street, cut through behind fantasyland and rounding the rivers of America to your destination?

FunMom
06-14-2006, 04:52 PM
I like your idea, nightdesigns -

Can anyone tell me how often the monorail picks up at the DTD station, and how long the ride to FL is?

Thank you to everyone who has helped us with suggestions!

nightdesigns
06-14-2006, 05:16 PM
I like your idea, nightdesigns -

Can anyone tell me how often the monorail picks up at the DTD station, and how long the ride to FL is?

Thank you to everyone who has helped us with suggestions!

When they're running 1 monorail it's about every 10 mintues, trip from DTD to TL is about 3 minutes.

ralfrick
06-14-2006, 05:19 PM
I like your idea, nightdesigns -

Can anyone tell me how often the monorail picks up at the DTD station, and how long the ride to FL is?

Thank you to everyone who has helped us with suggestions!
Well, it goes to TL then you'd go through FL. Sorry I can't answer your question, but with the monorail in shuttle mode, it probably takes longer than normal. During the shuttle mode days of DCA construction I seem to remember a train unloading, then moving away from the station for another train to enter, then the second train loaded, then the first train pulled back in to load, repeat at the other end. Normally, the monorail idea would be a sound strategy, but I don't know about it under the current circumstances.

Cheers.

nightdesigns
06-14-2006, 07:30 PM
My experience lately is when they are running 1 monorail it's quicker than when they were running the full loop. The shortest part of the track is the part they're using now, so the return trip is probably 3 mintues versus 5 or 6.

However if they go to multiple monorails, I don't know what it'll do to your timing or if you hit a line at the station.

erica84
06-14-2006, 08:26 PM
On our trip we ended up having to see the EP and the fireworks all on Saturday night. We thought it was going to be impossible but we got really lucky. We watched the parade from the Golden Dreams area and as it was coming to an end we walked as fast as we could to get to the exit. There was parade congestion but luckily CM's were letting guests through once there was a "gap" during the parade. We got into Disneyland in like 3 minutes and got to see the fireworks with time to spare. Like I said before we got really lucky in the way it all worked out but it can probably work for you too as long as you time it right. Saturday was our last night and the fireworks were cancelled on Friday due to winds so we wanted to get everything in before we had to go home. I guess if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen!

BarbD
06-15-2006, 04:58 AM
I went in May and thought we was at the begining of the Electric parade and it was near the end!! It went from back of the park to the front and what a mess!! The Esplanade was so full of people because no way to get to DL for any fireworks shows. It took a long time just to exit because they only had one flood gate open at DCA. Then the lines were almost to DCA to get into DL.

Frogberto
06-15-2006, 09:36 AM
Hey, we just did this, so I can actually help with this question!

The problem is that the parade starts in DCA at 8:45 (usually a little later) at the OTHER end of the park at paradise pier. We wanted to see both the ELP and the fireworks at Disneyland, so here's what we did:

We watched the ELP at the very beginning of the parade route. When it ended, instead of joining the backlog of people following the parade to the exit, we went the OTHER way, towards California Screamin', and ended up at the Sunshine Plaza.

That part of the park was packed with people.

At the Hollywood Backlot, there were cast members letting people through in between floats. You have to time this right, but even if you wait, they let people cross after the float passes, and we exited the park, and were suprised at the relatively light lines to get into Disneyland. We walked to the fireworks, took a seat, and got right in.

Looking back, there were a lot of people still watching the parade inside DCA, so we missed the crowds.

I'd say that the monorail strategy takes too much time. The monorail is usually slower, if you include waiting time, than walking. Likewise, the train is often full at the Main Street and NOS stations, so you may find you can't just "get right on" a train, and may have to wait for 2 or 3 trains until you get up front in line.

Because the trains stop during fireworks, this is risky. I would DEFINITELY plan to walk, and I think you'll find you'll get there faster that way.