Festival of Fantasy Parade Wows Guests
Everyone is talking about the Festival of Fantasy Parade that made its debut at the Magic Kingdom this week. Disney pulled out all the stops with this production. In fact, I’m going to go so far as to say it is my favorite parade ever, even edging out the now defunct Tapestry of Dreams by a slight margin. Festival of Fantasy just makes you feel good! It’s full of color and fun and movement. The costumes are gorgeous, the characters are plentiful, the… well, the best way to describe it is to show you. Here are just a few of the pictures I took on the two days that I saw the parade this week.
These beautiful ballroom dancers set the stage for the first float of the parade.
Belle and Beast welcome everyone to the celebration!
Next to arrive are Cinderella and Prince Charming.
Tiana and Prince Naveen share a revolving platform with Elsa and Anna to complete this float. One of the things I like about this parade is that it changes from day to day, or based on where you are standing. On one day I saw Tiana and Prince Naveen and on the other I saw Elsa and Anna. The platform moves so slowly that you really only get a good look at one side.
Just like in past parades, the dancers and characters pay a lot of attention to people watching the parade, especially when they’re holding a big ole camera! This guy is very bouncy and fun.
Next up is Rapunzel’s float.
This one is very cool. There are three giant swings that are constantly moving. The Cast Members on the swings are quite agile and do some amazing tricks as they keep the swings in motion.
These gorgeous underwater costumes signal the arrival of Ariel.
Next the Lost Boys entertain you with their antics until the arrival of the Peter Pan float.
Below deck, Captain Hook swings on the anchor while Peter Pan and Wendy watch for pirates from the ship’s bow above.
Tinkerbell is being Tink, playful and ornery on the back of the float.
Crock follows close behind. Tick tock, tick tock…
I’m sure you can tell by the costumes that Merida is on her way.
And there she is! Proud and strong, she rides high atop these giant bagpipes.
Be sure to watch for her triplet brothers, in their bear version, as they pop in and out of different places on the float.
Next, Aurora’s fairy godmothers escort Prince Phillip onto the scene.
But wait, something sinister seems about to happen…
Prince Phillip to the rescue!
An actual fire-breathing dragon, Maleficent, while spectacular, is no match for the Prince.
Hurray! The celebration continues with the characters from Snow White and Alice in Wonderland.
Pinocchio and Dumbo arrive to join in the fun.
This fanciful circus themed float has two sections, with Donald, Daisy and Pluto on the second section. Another really fun aspect is the elephant holding the swings on this float. The bar spins around while the girls swing back and forth.
Here comes the rest of the crew from the circus.
The Great Goofini, Dazzling Dale and Charming Chip have a great time dancing with these beauties wearing, yes, a tent!
The final float features Mickey and Minnie Mouse riding high in a hot air balloon. Notice how they seem to switch sides in the balloon? That was one of the differences from one day to the next. I like that they are changing it up that way so that if you watch two days in a row, you actually get a bit of a different experience.
And now it’s time to say goodbye…
The parade lasts about 15 minutes and really doesn’t have a slow moment in it. The floats are big and tall and easy to see, even if you don’t have the great viewing location that I was able to snag. By the way – I was standing in the FastPass+ area. It is located directly across from Cinderella Castle, a prime viewing location. The only downside is that the sun is beating down on your back when you stand there. I highly recommend sunscreen on the back of your neck. May you learn from my mistake!
I was very excited to see the new Festival of Fantasy Parade and now that I have, I can definitely say that it is not to be missed.
~ Barrie Brewer, Social Media Director
