Paint the Night--best viewing spot? Dining package needed?

[DisneyJulieZ]

Hi there!
Our family will be at DCA on Wednesday, October 10th, and we're planning to catch the PTN at 7:45 PM.

A few questions:
1) Do you think we can get a good viewing spot on our own, or do we need to purchase a dining package for reserved seating?

2) Where are the reserved seating areas for the dining packages?

3) If we DON'T use a dining package, where is the best viewing location to stake out a spot?

4) How early do we need to stake out a spot along the parade route? (for a 7:45 PM start time)

Thank you SO much!

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Your day will probably be more crowded, but for reference: I watched the 7:45 parade last Thursday, and we got our spot (group of four adults and five kids) around 7:10. We were across from the Little Mermaid ride, towards the pier (kind of in between it and the Seaside Souvenirs stand). We had room for four kids plus one in a stroller to all view front row, with the adults behind them. We'd started walking from the entrance and that was the first "front row" section big enough that we'd seen, but there were probably some more further back based on my past experience.

I do not find a dining package at all necessary for PTN and have watched it many times at DCA without one. When the park is reasonably crowded and we want a front-row seat, we usually look about an hour before the parade and have always found one (the area by the pier fills up last, so go there if the rest is all booked up). If you don't need front row and just want to stand and watch from behind, you can often find spots very close to parade time.

If you want to sit on an actual curb, you need to grab a spot probably 90 minutes early, minimum.

The reserved spots are by the Wine Country Trattoria, which just gets you a reserved section without a curb, and doesn't guarantee front row (or in director's chairs by Carthay, which is a fun but $$$ splurge).

Hope that helps.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Agree with the pp. If you can invest at least an hour to find spots, you should have no trouble finding good to great viewing for PTN. That parade route is almost a mile long -- that means a lot of good viewing! If you don't have to be front row, you can find good viewing with less wait time. But the more time you invest, the better your spots will be.

 

[DisneyJulieZ]

Thank you both (Skyegirl & lucky) for the reassurance! We have 5:10 reservations at Lamplight Lounge, and I think we'll head over towards Ariel's after dinner (around 6:30 or so?) to get a spot picked out. We may take turns with the kiddos either getting dessert or riding a ride while we're waiting.
Do you think we dare to leave our blanket and stroller unattended for 20-30 minutes? Or are the CM's going to move it/take it away?

Thank you!!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I wouldn't leave your things totally unattended. At least one adult should stay with the blanket and stroller at all times or you do run the risk of returning to other people in your spot. The last time we watched PTN, we got our spots about an hour early, which left plent of time for restroom breaks and dessert searching. Everyone managed to make it back to our spots in good time with plenty of dessert. No rushing or stress.

 

[DisneyJulieZ]

Thanks for the input! I think we'll take turns (one adult with one kiddo) doing either a dessert or a ride nearby (maybe Goofy's or Incredicoaster/TSM with a FP).

 

[Katiebird]

We just watched PTN tonight (10/1) and found the advice above spot on. Parade started at 8:50 and we found a front row spot just next to the Golden Zephyr on the Little Mermaid side at 8:15. There were several other smaller front row spots (we had 3 people) in the area and tons of second row available. We had an awesome view. We picked up Ghirardelli ice cream on the way over, perfect timing.

 

[grannyminnie]

Will the start time of the parade be similar the first week of November?

 

[DisneyJulieZ]

We just watched PTN tonight (10/1) and found the advice above spot on. Parade started at 8:50 and we found a front row spot just next to the Golden Zephyr on the Little Mermaid side at 8:15. There were several other smaller front row spots (we had 3 people) in the area and tons of second row available. We had an awesome view. We picked up Ghirardelli ice cream on the way over, perfect timing.

Thanks so much for the input! I really appreciate it. I'm so glad that it worked out so well for you

 

[PatMcDuck]

This sounds great, thanks all for this advice. I have not yet seen PTN in DCA (yet). Is there a HC viewing section? Although it sounds like if we hard over near LM ride, we won't need one.

 

[cmpeter]

The reserved spots are by the Wine Country Trattoria, which just gets you a reserved section without a curb, and doesn't guarantee front row (or in director's chairs by Carthay, which is a fun but $$$ splurge).

There are reserved seats if you do the PTN dinning package for Sonoma Terrace. The seats are in front of Wine Country, not Carthay. We thought it was worth the money, although it is a splurge.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

This sounds great, thanks all for this advice. I have not yet seen PTN in DCA (yet). Is there a HC viewing section? Although it sounds like if we hard over near LM ride, we won't need one.

The last time we viewed by LM, we saw several parties with ECVs and wheelchairs mixed in with the strollers and other groups. So there might be a designated HC viewing area, but CMs appear to be fine with everyone mixing in together. They just are careful to make sure that everyone stays safely behind the viewing lines (some areas have ropes, some have tape, and some use the lines on the pavement).

 

[DisneyJulieZ]

Thank you all so much for the great advice and input. We're getting so excited...only a few more days now!

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

We actually did the Sonoma Terrace Paint the Night package for our trip in July and would definitely recommend it. It's a bit cheaper than the Carthay Circle Dining Package ($79 for Sonoma vs $99 for Carthay). Seating begins 30 or 45 minutes prior to parade time and I believe this package is available for both parade times if there are two running that day. Each guest receives his or her own charcuterie plate, 2 drinks (beer, wine or soda/water, etc), and a box of truffles to take home. The table receives bread upon sitting down, too. The seating area is right along the parade route and everyone has a great view. You are seated at regular tables in the front row or in the second row at a bar level table.