I have friends going to DLP next week - any tips for Paint the Night? Is FP+ offered? If so, how necessary? Thanks!
Unnecessary. Best spot for viewing is in front of the Alice bathrooms.
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No FP offered. There are dining packages but IMO they aren’t worth the cost as with both of them you still have to spend time camping out for a decent spot within the viewing sections.
If there are 2 parades the 2nd is always less crowded and easier to find a spot. If the crowd level is 7 or less though you can usually find decent spots with only a 45-60 min camp out before the first parade. If it’s higher than a 7 you would want at least an hour to get a spot for the first parade and maybe even 90 min -2 hrs.
It also depends on if and where you will be watching FWs as they start just minutes after the first parade ends at Town Square. The viewing areas for the parade will collapse into the hub and Main Street for FWs viewing. Also you can view from It’s a Small World and still get great views of the big bursts and the same projections (but better and bigger) as are on the Castle are cast onto the Small World facade. It’s also less crowded around Small World, but depending on the direction of the wind they may have to rope off some of the area to create less viewing area than if the wind is favorable.
Unless we can get a spot at the Alice bathrooms near an hour before the first parade, we like to wait for the 2nd parade. If we watch the first parade, we like to follow the rope into the hub for a hub viewing spot for FWs. If we don’t watch the first parade we will usually hang out around Main St to fill into the street once the parade viewing areas collapse. Then depending on how tired the kids are, we can get 1-2 rides in before heading to our spot for the 2nd PTN parade. The Alice bathrooms are one of our faves, but you can usually find decent walk-up spots along Town Square for the 2nd parade with the added benefit of the parade starting on the Town Square end. This means you will be near the exit and among the first of the departing parade viewers to reach that exit making for a quick getaway if you need it.
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We did the Blue Bayou PTN package last week. Food and service was subpar and the viewing area was handled very poorly by Cast Members. There are specific instructions not to line up before a certain time, but that rule was disregarded by PTN package guests and Cast Members. We followed directions and ended up having to stand in the back because of over zealous guests and Cast Members unwilling to put their foot down.