Without the reliable traffic of the working folk, Swanston Street began Friday as something of a ghost town.

There were people, to be sure. But all of them seemed to be affiliated to their team. These were people, one imagined, who would have come to see their heroes regardless of any public holiday, but the city had stopped, apparently, all for them.

In the pre-noon, many cafes sat empty or near enough, though Adam Wilkinson, manager at Degraves Espresso, knew better.

He said the traffic had become "mental" over the past few days as fans had begun to arrive from Western Australia. He said business was up "at least 50 per cent".

Next door, the arts supply store had shut its doors for the day. Up the road, on Flinders Lane, a fashion retailer who did not want to be named was seen dancing in his empty shop. He said the holiday was "crap", but nonetheless his business had seen phenomenal trade over the past two days.

In the cafes of some of the city's less famous alleyways, tables were in glut.

Former premier and Hawks President Jeff Kennett said Mr Andrews needed to reveal the cost of the holiday.

"If he was wanting to measure it he should have had people in place now who could answer the sort of questions I'm asking," he said.

"The sense that I got today was that no one was around and that the city was naked."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had captured the morning when he hopped on a number 11 tram. We know this because he took to social media – at 7.39am on a public holiday – to lament the lack of company.

"Very peaceful trip on no. 11 tram – eerily quiet on a public holiday!" he tweeted.

In a subtle dig at Premier Daniel Andrews, who gifted Victorians Friday's public holiday, Mr Turnbull added: "Miss the people & excitement of grand final eve."

It was easy then to understand the #DanielsDayOff hashtag started by liberal MP Dee Ryall.

Shadow Treasurer Michael O'Brien tweeted pictures of an empty cafe in Malvern, as well as a sign advising of a 10 per cent surcharge for bills "to cover min wage being of (sic) over $50 an hour".

At Time Out at Federation Square (15 per cent surcharge), the tables were full but the foot traffic less pressed than in previous years, thanks to the change in parade route.

Mad Eagles fans Ellen and Neil Stephen had already packed their trailer for the drive to Melbourne before the Eagles' preliminary final win last weekend.

"When we were down at half time I was thinking, 'oh no, we're already packed'," Mrs Stephen said.

The pair did not even know whether they had been successful in getting grand final tickets until Monday morning, by which time they were already hundreds of miles down the road towards Melbourne.

Despite enjoying the fine weather, Mrs Stephen said she was no fan of the public holiday.

"You used to have city workers leaning out of windows, cheering the parade. Now that's gone," she said.

And then, as if some great inhalation of the city's lungs was drawing all guernseys to its centre, the parade announced itself by making everyone in colours vanish from the CBD. It was eerily quiet for a spell.

But when the would-be champions had finished their procession and the crowds broke back onto the city, the face of the day was known. Here were the thousands among us, all together in the sun and carrying their wallets.

It was the first time Hawks tragic and father of three David Hawkins had been able to bring his family to the parade. Through the Hawks' era of dominance, it has been something other fans did if they happened to work in the city or were brazen enough to take the day.

"It's a great idea having the public holiday," he said. "We've never got a chance to go to the parade because of it. Just to have the day off to come down, see the players (and) see the cup. It's been fantastic."

He said wife Sinead would never have been able to wrangle Rory, James and Connor – their three children under 10 – if he wasn't there to help.

Father of three Stephan Callow said he would normally have to go back to work after the parade but wife Nicki was pleased he could stick with the family.

"I wasn't over keen on having another public holiday in Victoria, but I think the weather's made a difference," she said. "Having my husband not working today and him being able to come in that makes a big difference."

Wave after wave of people flooded from the gardens and into the CBD's alleyways. It was as if everyone suddenly realised they didn't need to go back to work, so they might as well get lunch – maybe a pot or two.

These were the people Mr Andrews had in mind when he said to 3AWs Neil Mitchell on Friday morning: "Think of all those families in the outer suburbs who will be able to come in today, with their kids, and be part of this. They've never been allowed to previously."

For them, at least, there was no question of whether it was worth it. It was wonderful.

With Samantha Lane, Liam Mannix, Mikaela Day, Marissa Calligeros