Spectacular Spectacles: Magic Kingdom Parades
There’s a good reason why the Magic Kingdom was given that name – because it’s full of magic. And nowhere is that more evident than in the stunning parades that take place there. Don’t get me wrong, the parades at Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are definitely worth seeing and perhaps one day, we might see the return of a parade to Epcot, but let’s face it, where else can you see such a selection of parades throughout the year, but at the Magic Kingdom?
Festival of Fantasy Parade
The Magic Kingdom at Disney World is known for its incredible parades. The Festival of Fantasy Parade is one of the most popular parades at the park, and it features over 100 performers, colorful floats, and beloved Disney characters. The parade takes place each day in the afternoon and features a variety of different music from movies like Frozen and The Little Mermaid.
The best parade at Disney World is the Festival of Fantasy Parade at Magic Kingdom. This parade is a spectacular show that features many of your favorite Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck. The parade also includes floats inspired by some of Disney’s most beloved films, such as Frozen and The Little Mermaid. The music and choreography are top-notch, making this an unforgettable experience for all who attend.
The Festival of Fantasy Parade has something for everyone. Kids will love the vibrant colors and larger-than-life floats while adults can appreciate the intricate details and clever nods to classic Disney movies. Additionally, the parade offers several opportunities to take pictures with your favorite characters or get autographs from them as they pass by on their floats.
Overall, the Festival of Fantasy Parade is an incredible show that should not be missed during any trip to Disney World.
Main Street Electrical Parade
The Main Street Electrical Parade is another iconic parade at the Magic Kingdom. This parade has been running for over 40 years and features dazzling lights, music, and floats that create a magical atmosphere in the park. It’s a must-see event for any Disney fan!
The Main Street Electrical Parade is a popular nighttime parade that has been featured at Disneyland since 1972. It features a variety of illuminated floats and characters, all lit up with thousands of twinkling lights. The parade includes classic Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. It also features some of the most iconic music from Disney movies like “Baroque Hoedown” and “The Spectromagic”.
The Main Street Electrical Parade is one of the most beloved attractions at Disneyland. Every night during the summer months, tourists and locals alike line up along Main Street to watch this magical spectacle. The parade runs for about 30 minutes and is usually accompanied by fireworks or special effects lighting displays. Guests can even purchase souvenirs like glow sticks to light up their own parade experience!
Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade
On most days throughout the year, you can enjoy the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade, which features all the major characters that Disney is famous for, many riding on stunning floats styled to suit them. This new parade features new music, new costumes, and new floats that represent Disney’s “What Will You Celebrate” theme. This replaced the Disney Dreams Come True Parade, which featured all the major characters that Disney is famous for.
Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade is a parade that has been held at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World since 2001. It is a daily parade with floats, characters, and music that celebrates the dreams of children and adults alike.
The parade features classic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, Donald Duck, and more. There are also floats featuring beloved Disney movies like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. As the parade moves through the park, guests can enjoy live music from marching bands and cheerleaders as well as colorful costumes worn by the performers.
Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade is an exciting experience for all ages. It is a great way to add some extra magic to any visit to Walt Disney World. Whether you’re a child or an adult, this parade will bring out your inner dreamer and make your day even more special!
It’s such a successful formula that it’s spawned plenty of other parades at the Magic Kingdom, with different variations for the parties at Halloween, Christmas, and during the Pirates and Princesses Parties. These are all usually held in darkness and can feature different characters that you won’t usually see during the afternoon. For example, there’s more of a focus on the villains and ghouls and ghosts during the Halloween Party parade, while you’ll see Santa and find lots of reindeer and gingerbread presents in the parade that takes place during the Christmas party.
Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade
There’s also Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade which takes place during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. This parade includes spooky floats with characters dressed up in their Halloween costumes as they march down Main Street USA. It’s a great way to get into the spirit of Halloween!
Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade is an annual parade at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The parade is part of the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and it is held on select nights from August to October. It features characters from classic Disney films like Cinderella, Snow White, and Pinocchio dressed in their Halloween costumes. The parade also includes floats featuring popular Disney villains like Maleficent and Ursula, as well as a variety of spooky props.
The parade starts off with Mickey Mouse leading a procession of costumed dancers down Main Street USA. Characters such as Winnie the Pooh, Goofy, Pluto, Daisy Duck and Donald Duck follow behind him. As they make their way around the park they are accompanied by music from the Haunted Mansion and other classic Disney tunes. At the end of the parade, everyone gathers in front of Cinderella Castle for a special performance by the Headless Horseman!
SpectroMagic
A more common nighttime parade at the Magic Kingdom is SpectroMagic. It’s performed year-round, although not every night. It’s worth checking out the park hours as soon as they’re published to see if it’s held during your stay, as it’s something we try to catch on every visit. Don’t despair if at first no parades are listed, as sometimes Disney will add in extra nights for SpectroMagic to take place. Once a night has been announced, it’s very rare for it later to be removed from the schedules.
SpectroMagic is a bright and fun fantasy parade and again features some very unique appearances. As well as the characters, many of whom will have those lights on their costumes to illuminate them, you’ll find some interesting additions that run alongside the floats. It’s hard to describe them if you haven’t seen this parade, but essentially they’re free-running units that can spin around, with our favorites including the “spectro-men” at the start of the parade, and the fish that accompany the Little Mermaid float. To us, those are some of the highlights, as they’re great fun.
Where’s the best place to stand and see the various parades?
That’s a question I often hear asked and we don’t have anyone particular spot that we head for, but there are a couple of things I always look out for when choosing a spot. Firstly, it’s worth finding out which way the parade is going to go. We learned the hard way when we were convinced that it would come from Frontierland (the usual departure point for the afternoon parades), but instead, it came from the Main Street USA end. It’s especially worth checking that if there’s more than one show of SpectroMagic in an evening, as the start and end can vary from one parade to the next.
The best place to stand and see Disney World parades is along Main Street U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom. This area is located at the front of the park, so you can easily get a great view of the parade as it passes by. Additionally, this area tends to be less crowded than other areas of the park, making it easier to find a spot with a good view.
If you want an even better view, try standing near Cinderella Castle or Town Square on Main Street U.S.A., which will give you a great vantage point for seeing all the floats and characters in the parade. Be sure to arrive early though, as these spots tend to fill up quickly!
Finally, if you don’t mind being further away from the action, you can also watch from Frontierland or Liberty Square on Main Street U.S.A., which are usually less crowded and have plenty of space for viewing the parade from afar.
Once you know that, you can check a few things out. If it’s a daytime parade, where is the sun? You don’t want to be squinting into the sun to see the parade and you certainly don’t want the sun behind the floats if you’re trying to take photos of them. Also, check for any trees that may obscure the higher parts of the floats as they travel along. This generally isn’t a problem if you’re in the front row of the parade, as Disney has done a great job in recent years of checking this for you, but it’s a check I still carry out to this day.
I also like to find a spot where I can see the parade coming from some distance away, especially for nighttime parades. The reason is simple. When taking photos at night, it’s sometimes hard to know whether to use flash on your photos or not, so I like to try and do both versions to be on the safe side, but that means that you need enough time to do that. Equally, whenever you take a flash photo, your camera’s battery usually needs time to recharge, so it can be a few precious seconds before it’s ready again – and you don’t want to miss that perfect shot in the meantime.
If it’s a nighttime parade you’re watching and you intend to leave straight afterward, you may want to think carefully about this. Make sure that you don’t get yourself cut off and can quickly get to the exit gates. Sometimes it’s actually quicker to watch the parade from further along the route – perhaps somewhere near the top of Main Street USA and then scoot down through the shops towards the exit, as usual, you’ll be moving faster than the parade will.
How early should I get there to watch the parade?
Again, there’s no set time scale, but a general rule of thumb is that when you see people finding seats, then perhaps it’s time to start looking for a spot. Generally, if there are two parades in an evening, the latter one is usually quieter, and don’t despair if you’re late in getting a spot. Always try Frontierland, which tends to fill up much more slowly than spots along Main Street and in front of the castle.
Although you can undoubtedly get a great deal done while the parades are going on, as it will draw crowds away from the rides, all of the parades put on in the Magic Kingdom are definitely worth catching. Although you may have to stake out your spot sometime in advance, by the time the last float has passed you by, I’m willing to bet that you’ll be thinking that the wait was worth it.
FInal Word
Parades of the Magic Kingdom Disney World are an essential part of the experience. They bring together the most beloved characters, dazzling lights and music, and thrilling stories for a truly magical experience. From the Main Street Electrical Parade to the Festival of Fantasy Parade, each one provides visitors with a unique and unforgettable experience that will stay with them long after the parade is over.