I'll be there this weekend (10/20-10/23)!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Oh, we'll be off to Paris while you're here! Alas, hope you have a great trip. To answer some of your questions:

Fireworks: At the end of Main Street, just outside the photo supply shop on the right, look for a ramp that leads down from the sidewalk. Then look across the street and there will be another ramp leading up to the sidewalk on the other side. At about 30 minutes before the fireworks start, they put a rope up between these two ramps to make a walking path. If you show up about 35 minutes before show time, go to the LEFT side of the street (across from the photo supply shop) and stand just behind the ramp. There will not be a huge crowd, and once they set the rope up, there will be no one standing in front of you. And from the left side, you can see the castle, the Matterhorn, and everything else you need to see to fully enjoy the show!

Fantasmic!: Again about 30 minutes is all you need. Head around the river, towards Haunted Mansion. The walkways are tiered, stay up on the second tier. Once you're about half way around the river, just start looking for anywhere that you can see the mill building on Tom Sawyer Island. You should have no problem finding a spot. You'll have to stand, and maybe do a small amount of neck-craning. But you should have a fine view without waiting for hours.

Storytellers: Yes, make a reservation. Since you stayed in '01, they changed the way they do seating, and even if the restaurant's not busy, you could be waiting pretty long for a "standby" table. Plus, calling for the reservation gives you a chance to tell them it's her birthday without using the "I have to use the restroom" trick.

[Drince88]

Thank you, kind sir!

You guys have a GREAT time in Paris.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Drince88

Thank you, kind sir!

You guys have a GREAT time in Paris.

We will, guaranteed.

Ditto everything he said. The farther you go down the river, the more likely you are to get a good-enough Fantasmic spot at that 30 min point. You can make the later Fantasmic just fine after the fireworks - just go straight there, and you'll only have to wait about 30min. You have to go through Adventureland to get there, even though it'll be awfully crowded. They don't let you through Frontierland after that point for crowd control reasons.

Originally Posted by Drince88

Our ‘plan’ (subject to change) is to catch the fireworks on Friday, and if it’s not crazy un-doable, watch the later Fantasmic! Saturday, watch Fantasmic! (probably the later one), and fireworks from the Rivers area. Any tricks/tips for seeing both on the same day?

First of all, if you want to watch watch fireworks from the Rivers, you'll be seeing the early (9pm) Fantasmic. They don't do fireworks twice, and you won't have to move.

I suggest that after Fantasmic (or after Fireworks if you do Fantasmic then Fireworks) that you do not try to get out of the area unless you want to take the train. Ride Mansion, ride Splash, ride Pirates...or take the train out of there. Walking anywhere else is going to be a pain, especially if you take our far-side-Fantasmic-viewing advice. If you are tired and want to go straight back to the hotel, jump on the train and take a grand circle tour to Main Street Station.

I don't have any parade spots...don't know too much about where a good stop point is. Definitely worth catching the 50th one, it's a pretty parade. The Block Party Bash is a fun stop if you're over at DCA - not worth dropping everything and crossing the esplanade for though. If you're there, find the parade as it's moving, then when it stops find a spot to watch it where you can see a float plus the space between floats with the huge cones. Lots of cool stuff is done with the cone area, so don't just look at the float. I liked the Monster's Inc. section best. It shouldn't be super crowded to the point where you can't get a spot at the last minute - we're talking about DCA here.

There isn't really a standing meet anymore, at least so far as the LoT is concerned. Ye Olde Sunday Hub Meet has been reclaimed by fans of Al and is now full of MiceChatters. You may want to check it out.

How exciting that you haven't been since 2001! A lot has changed since those dark Pressler days.