It starts in Frontierland and works its way through Liberty Square, before turning in front of Cinderella Castle and finishing with a stroll down Main Street USA. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider's longship sail down the street, topped by magical floating lanterns. Actresses dressed as Snow White and other characters perform during a parade at Walt Disney Co.'s Disneyland Resort in Hong Kong, China, on Friday,...
Even if it is missing the Frozen & Tiana floats (which I’ve heard are ready to go from backstage people scuttlebutt). Given how often rain hits Florida, I’d imagine it’s better to have as many parades as possible to hedge your bets. If you want to see the parade at its peak, watch from Frontierland or the Hub - the choreography on some of the floats has parade performers tired out by the end of the route. Proceeding this float is Prince Phillip who is fighting the evil Maleficent along the Festival of Fantasy parade route. The single 3pm parade performance is the typical schedule, but since its return to Magic kingdom in February 2022, there have been two showings each day. Disney’s laundry service – which handles around 240,000 pound per day at one single resort – is a case in point.
Currently, most of the program is taped in November for broadcast on Christmas Day. However, until the early 1990s, the parade was broadcast live on Christmas Day on CBS, with whom Disney had partnered for Thanksgiving and New Year celebrations as well. In 1996, the program moved to ABC after Disney bought out the station. The parade continued to broadcast live on ABC on Christmas Day with another show recorded two days earlier for international use and/or as a back-up in case of weather issues. The Little Mermaid – Ariel and her friends sit atop a colorfully kinetic seashell music box that boasts an enchanting musical jubilee.
That said, this Magic Kingdom Christmas parade has also been shown on a select few days during regular park hours in past years. The snowy display lasts approximately 25 minutes and usually jingles all the way down Main Street, U.S.A. at least a couple of times each day. In addition to these daily displays of Disney characters on parade, depending on when you visit, guests can also take in one of the seasonal spectacles that return for a limited run during the holidays.
Mark Hammond, whose previous work includes Disney California Adventure’s World of Color and Hong Kong Disneyland’s Flights of Fantasy Parade, designed the musical Parade score. Mirena Rada, who has previously worked on projects for Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, designed the costumes. You can’t beat the ambiance of watching the floats roll past with Cinderella Castle and the adorable storefronts of Main Street, U.S.A. in the background. This is also one of the most popular places to watch the Magic Kingdom parade, so line up an hour early to snag a front-row seat. Stand on the Emporium side of this old-timey avenue to try and soak up some shade. In a nod to the park’s old “Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade,” Hollywood Studio’s only remaining motorcade sees characters cruise past in fun themed convertibles or stroll by on foot.