Where is Plaza Inn parade viewing area?

[Tinkaboo]

I’ve searched but all I found was rather dated info. Where is the viewing area for the PI parade package? I know there is no seating, but is it a good location? Worth the money? I’m gonna have the fried chicken anyway and since I haven’t seen the parade yet, thought this was a no-brainer.

What are YOUR thoughts? TIA.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

It’s right across from the Main Street train station in the town square where the flag pole is. We usually get a spot on the curb directly across from the train station.
It’s worth the money for us. No camping out hours in advance for a good viewing spot, and the kids have a great unobstructed view.

 

[Tinkaboo]

Thank you! That’s a good spot and I will bring my Fantasmic cushion! Much appreciated!

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

It’s right across from the Main Street train station in the town square where the flag pole is. We usually get a spot on the curb directly across from the train station.
It’s worth the money for us. No camping out hours in advance for a good viewing spot, and the kids have a great unobstructed view.

How early do you need to get there for a curbside spot to sit? I have feet problems and while walking slow is ok. I can't stand still for long periods of time without being in pain.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

How early do you need to get there for a curbside spot to sit? I have feet problems and while walking slow is ok. I can't stand still for long periods of time without being in pain.

We usually get there 45 mins or so before parade time to get a spot on the curb opposite the train station.

 

[kj2mom]

We just did this last week and I would not recommend. We walked into DL one day and randomly stopped to watch the parade in front of the train station. It was the second parade and we were right where it started with perfect seats. We hadn't planned on watching it (we had the Plaza booked for our next DL day) but the timing was perfect so we watched. Our Plaza day came and while we did check in to watch the parade we actually ended up watching it from outside the viewing area, in the same place we had watched it a couple of days prior. We had a party of 10 and none of us stayed within the viewing area and actually there wasn't a single person inside the ropes on the day we were there. I guess it would be helpful on a really crowded day, which is why we booked it (it was the week of July 4th so I was expecting bigger crowds). The food was good but if you are going for the viewing area then for us it was personally a let down and useless.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

We just did this last week and I would not recommend. We walked into DL one day and randomly stopped to watch the parade in front of the train station. It was the second parade and we were right where it started with perfect seats. We hadn't planned on watching it (we had the Plaza booked for our next DL day) but the timing was perfect so we watched. Our Plaza day came and while we did check in to watch the parade we actually ended up watching it from outside the viewing area, in the same place we had watched it a couple of days prior. We had a party of 10 and none of us stayed within the viewing area and actually there wasn't a single person inside the ropes on the day we were there. I guess it would be helpful on a really crowded day, which is why we booked it (it was the week of July 4th so I was expecting bigger crowds). The food was good but if you are going for the viewing area then for us it was personally a let down and useless.

It's always a gamble. We've done it the last 3 visits (as the visit before that we could not get a good viewing spot and the kids couldn't see anything). First two times doing it it was worth it, the crowds were thick, the last visit it was like what you just mentioned, we could have skipped the Plaza Meal and still found a good spot. It does make a difference on a crowded day, but that's a hard call to make ahead of time whether or not you want to take that risk, it's up to the individual. We like the gauranteed spot (and the foods good), so we'll keep doing it. I just wish they did something similar for the fireworks show with a seat in front of the castle.

 

[kj2mom]

It's always a gamble. We've done it the last 3 visits (as the visit before that we could not get a good viewing spot and the kids couldn't see anything). First two times doing it it was worth it, the crowds were thick, the last visit it was like what you just mentioned, we could have skipped the Plaza Meal and still found a good spot. It does make a difference on a crowded day, but that's a hard call to make ahead of time whether or not you want to take that risk, it's up to the individual. We like the gauranteed spot (and the foods good), so we'll keep doing it. I just wish they did something similar for the fireworks show with a seat in front of the castle.

Yes. We had a wheelchair in our party and it would have been nice to have a place where he didn't have to worry about people standing right in front of him. Ironically, after the parade was over we actually went into the area that had been roped off for the parade and sat on a couple of benches near the Mickey statue. It worked out perfectly because the benches and the railing were kind of a buffer that ensured no one would stand directly in front of him. I guess we kind of did get our money's worth for being in the area?? I know many will say that isn't the ideal place to watch the fireworks from but I wanted to be far enough back that we could watch the projections all the way down Main Street and not be shoulder to shoulder (we did 4th of July in the hub and that was enough of that for us !). We thoroughly enjoyed watching the fireworks from the reserved parade viewing area. With Fantasmic not happening we didn't have to worry about that aspect of our location.