Throughout the Walt Disney World Resort you have a fantastic assortment of special events to choose from when visiting the Disney theme parks. Of course at times you might have to make the tough decision of which park to go to when you have your choice of Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and even the water parks Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. You have great thrill rides and “dark” rides, amazing shows, and of course the parades.

Disney recently announced it was bringing back the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade during its Summertastic promotion, making this summer at Disney extra special. Parades are one of the best things about the theme parks. You get to see the characters you might have missed throughout the day (or rarely see at all!) plus hear amazing music and enjoy the dancing and crowd participation the Disney parades provide. The Main Street Electrical Parade happens to be a favorite around here, but no matter which parade you decide to go to there are a few tips that will make the experience easier.

Usually when we go to the parks, we go to the last parade of the night. There are a few reasons why. First, during other parade times during the day, the lines at the E-ticket rides are significantly shorter. If you know your short cuts (learn your Disney maps beforehand!) you can zoom through the park and hit your favorite rides right away. If you want to eat, most of the crowd will be watching the parade, so you can enjoy that as well. Basically: do everything you wanted to do during the day, especially during parade time.

Once the last parade nears, you’ll be pretty exhausted from running around the park so taking a seat on the sidewalk will be a welcome relief. Seek out the perfect spot on the parade route and relax until the show begins. You’ll have done everything you intended to do, you’ll probably have some shopping bags and your feet will be aching—so saving the best for last is your best bet! Try out our parade tips and see if they help you the next time you go to the Magic Kingdom or any other Disney park!