Any tips for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? (first-timer)

Luna

wheeeee
O.G.
Jan 19, 2006
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Ok.. so... My mom has been on me for years to go to the Macy's thanksgiving day parade...

This year, I'm finally going to take the plunge, freeze my ass off all day, and take her.

Has anyone ever gone to see it... and if so, do you have any tips for me?

I've been doing a little research on the net this morning...

Found that there is the Time Warner Center @ columbus circle that has glass windows.. but I have a feeling that my mom would rather have the actual experience of being closer to the parade.

My BF said he went once when he was REALLY young.. and they were there at like 6am... and his dad was smart by stationing themselves in front of a deli?
I know we'll be there early... and to dress in layers.. bring blankets, check the weather for rain...

Does anyone have any other tips?
What about WHERE we should be stationed for this thing?
I sorta think that while it'll be really crowded there, that my mom will want to be pretty close to Macy's... even though a lot of websites are telling me to be on Central Park West between 65th and 70th.

Anyone been there? have any advice!

Help! :smile:
 
I don't know details about this parade, but if you want to hear the bands and the floats perform, being near where the cameras are helps because no one wants to be recorded just waving their hands.

I'm with your Mom, I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to go to Macy's one year and perhaps the Rose Bowl parade some day too. DH thinks I'm nuts, but I have that TV on watching that parade while putting together the dinner. It's been that way my ENTIRE 37 years and most of my Moms life too!

ETA: There is NO WAY your mom is going to want to stand inside to watch it if she wants to go to the actual thing. I guess, ASK her, but sometimes you just want to have the WHOLE experience. I would bring hot cocoa and snacks, not relying on a deli or other food places.
 
Took our kids 1x twenty years ago. Don't remember where we stood but it was crowded and really hard to see. People had brought ladders for their kids to sit on and watch. Restrooms are an issue. I'd love to do it again and see the Rose Bowl Parade (like BBB's). If I ever go again, I'd probably rent a hotel room in one of the hotels that are supposed to have a view. I'd want to go the night before and see the large balloons being blown up. I think that would be fun. Let us know if you go and what you learn from the experience. The one thing I do remember is that we went to Thanksgiving Dinner at Tavern on the Green. The hambuger my youngest ordered was $27.00, it's probably more like $50.00 now.
 
haha.. thanks guys,

It's going to be a hectic day.. mymom is coming in from jersey wed night.. staying over in my apartment, we're wakingup early to see the parade, taking the subway backto my apt, getting int he car and driving back to her house in jersey...

ugh... and then i have a busy day of black friday shopping immediately after. next weekend will be exhausting.

I am assuming that my mom will want to be in the action and would prefer to see most of the acts as they are performing, so we're gonna have to leave super early and get a good place right outside of macys
 
Yes I did go...

We ended up leaving the house at 5am.. getting there at 6... we watched from 63rd and CPW.

It was good.. but people were definitely there earlier than us!