They don’t allow you to stay here for FWs so you’ll have to move towards either It’s a Small World viewing or towards Hub/Main Street areas. You’ll have some time to maneuver to either place. For It’s a Small world you can go up on the raised platform that was reserved for parade viewing and join behind those that are positioned there as a part of the package. For Main Street/Hub area the Hub viewing area gets filled in pretty quickly by the crowd that was sitting in the curb, but follow CM directions towards Main Street and watch from anywhere you can fill in on Main Street. Just don’t stop on the Frontierland side of the hub. Your views of the biggest bursts are blocked by large trees & in parts the Matterhorn is obstructed plus unless you are tall enough your castle views won’t be all that great either.
Oh @lolabear_la, you are tempting me with such exciting things when you mention a mother/daughter tea! 
I would LOVE to do that, but I think the tea time will be outweighed by Goofy and his friends at that point. We love tea parties at our house, but we also love Disney, and I think the characters will be the big draw this time.
Thank you for the encouragement about easing in to things. I tend to be an overplanner, and so I’m finding myself trying to schedule “easing in” – not exactly rational, but I’m so darn excited about finally getting to go to Disneyland. I think that I will have the Touring Plan, and then try to be flexible if things just don’t work out as I hope they will.
It sounds like Wednesday will be our Princess day–and I must say that I’m looking forward to it. We did the BBB our last day at WDW 2 years ago at Downtown Disney, and it was such a fun experience. Miss K was chosen to be the “window princess” and we had an amazing fairy godmother in training and PhotoPass photographer too. I’ll see if I can post one of the pictures. She still pulls out the makeup (sad shape that it is in) and puts some on once in awhile. I’m so excited that this time she’ll get to meet the princesses as part of this. We will try to do Anna and Elsa that day too–thanks for the suggestion. I was worried that this wouldn’t work out because of our morning at DL, but we will do our best.
Thank you so much for the head’s up on the World of Color. If it’s not too loud, she should be fine with it. I can understand your son not liking the cannon thingys behind him–I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like that either.
I promise to keep you all posted–thank you all so very much for your advice and your help. It is very much appreciated!
This happens to us every trip! Goofy’s dinner you do get a mix of face characters and we have seen Mulan, Snow White & Jasmine in the past so it’s super fun to get to see characters your first day. But just know you are paying for the characters because there’s no way they could charge what they do for just their food! 
I am SUCH a planner too! When we were easing in with my son, I found it worked better to plan for bigger rides because they are the headliners and hardest to fit in and then if he got cold feet that day we would skip it and our plan would be rewarded with extra time!
Your WDW BBB sounds amazing! I’m sure she’ll love it at DL too! It’s right next to the castle and Royal Hall so it was so magical for us. My daughter hasn’t yet learned that she got to keep her makeup (there was so much going on that day!!) But she plays make up alllll the time now so one of these days I will have to do her up again and once she sees she has it, it will probably be the same situation as your Miss K!
@Wahoohokie–thank you for such great advice! I have scheduled my days in the part almost exactly the way you suggested. Thanks for the explanation on how the whole EMH and MM situation works. I do plan on the park hopper tickets, and I’m so glad to hear that your friend like the HoJos—it looks very “Mad Men” to me, and I was a serious fan of the show! The water park and the views of the fireworks (along with how close it is) sold me, along with your recommendation. We’re planning for sure on BBB and then a lunch with Ariel that day–and I am so excited! Thank you, again!
@93111tink, I’m just so darn excited! I promise to share as we get closer to going, and then to fill you all in on the fun (and probably also the craziness) once we are there! Thank you so much!
@kjwith24, Peter Pan is one of my absolute favorite movies, so I will be sure to follow your advice and do that and Alice first thing in Fantasyland. It was our first ride when we were at Magic Kingdom a couple of years ago, and it definitely set the tone for the whole day–it was magical! 
You are welcome! Have a wonderful trip!
One tip for WoC. If you can get the blue FP, head for the bridge to the left of the water. Great view and only about 2-3 rows deep of people. You won’t have to worry about the loud effects in the rest of the viewing area either.
I love the bridge too! But the railing is so high that my kids have a really hard time seeing over it unless we stand them up in their stroller or hold them the 28 minutes. We prefer the lower railings in the lower viewing area towards the back of blue. But as soon as they are tall enough to enjoy those bridge views they are spectacular!
Oh Yay!
60 days out this morning from our Wednesday at DLR–was able to book BBB for 8:20 in the morning and then Ariel’s for 11:30 for lunch. I. am. so. excited!
YAY! Happy 60 Days
We will be there on SUNDAY! Arriving in the early afternoon, so waiting on the parks until Monday morning, but doing DTD Sunday afternoon and evening. I can’t wait! We sprung the surprise a couple of days ago, and we have one excited 7 year old (and one excited Mommy). Thank you all for all of your help and advice!
You can’t see the fireworks from the Alice bathrooms. This is the PERFECT spot for parades however. Does not get better.
Thank you! Do youhave a rec for where how to move after themickey float passes to get to a good spot for the fireworks?
Have you considered watching from Small World Plaza? Or, is Main St a must?
Think you should see it on Main St at least once but you’ll be battling crowds. I think the first parade typically starts toward the front of the park and moves to the back. So, as the parade passes, available space on Main St opens and people move to fill it quickly. If you are at Alice watching the first parade, the free space around the castle and on Main Street will be filling even as Mickey reaches you.
FYI. We enjoyed watching the fireworks standing in the middle of Main Street with building on both sides to be fully immersed in the projections.
Also, we were at DL on a crowded day (level 8) and got to the Alice location 15min before the parade started. Alice is great because it gets blocked off by ropes before he parade reaches it (so nobody rushes in at the last minute) and the the parade TOTALLY faces you (as nobody can stand on the other side of the street forcing all the Cast Members and all of their attention to face in your direction).
We were just at the top(?) of main street closest to the castle,the first time. We heard the fireworks were loud by Small World.
It’s the opposite. First parade starts by It’s a Small World, ends at Town Square. Second parade does the reverse, starting in Town Square and ending by It’s a Small World.
Main Street is very uber crowded with people, but if you are able and willing to battle through that madness the show is spectacular from here. If you will be watching the first parade and would like to be near Main street you will be camping out for quite some time. It is possible to watch first parade from Alice bathrooms and make it down to Main Street; however, the hub will be a big cluster and at best you will be routed all the way around in an almost full circle around the hub before you are able to start going down Main Street to look for viewing.
If we want to watch on Main Street we usually skip watching the first parade and keep ourselves moving along Main Street usually in stores. As long as you don’t stop to actively watch the parade (you will be shoo’ed if do), you’ll be able to move about Main Street. It will be extremely difficult along the sidewalks so we usually duck into the stores. Once Anna & Elsa have passed, you can head towards the crowd and will usually be able to stand with the crowd as the Mickey float passes allowing you to fill into the street.
As for It’s a Small World you will be closer to the big bursts so yes the fireworks are louder, but the projections on the facade of It’s a Small World are beautiful and bigger than the ones done on the castle. Also, while there still will be a crowd to watch it, it won’t be anything near to the jam-packed, elbow rubbing you will be doing along Main Street.
Oh. So, if you watch by the Alice bathrooms, you could just file in behind the Micky float and stop wherever?
Yes, absolutely! When Big Thunder Ranch trail that connected Fantasyland and Frontierland was open they use to force guests through Fantasyland after the parade and did NOT allow you to fill into the hub. Now that the trail is closed for Star Wars land construction, they HAVE to let you go down towards the hub and it is pretty crazy crowded (if you ever saw Fantasmic at the Rivers of America it’s similar to the crowd going in & out of Frontierland/Adventureland).
The hub is madness as well with lots of PAC CMs attempting to keep as many people moving along as possible and after that side of the hub has reached capacity, sending you around in a loop to eventually get back to Main Street with ropes blocking off the hub (not that you would want to try and fit your body in between the bodies already crammed into the hub at that point).
Anyway, watching from Alice bathrooms is fantastic, but not ideal for trying to make it to Main Street for FWs.