Disney World Parades Viewing Guide Routes, Times & Tips
You can also check the Times Guide at the Magic Kingdom theme park for schedule and show times. Other segments of the annual broadcast included The Walt Disney Studios, Disney Adventures, Disney Institute and Disney Cruise Line. The program has aired annually since 1983, with exceptions in 2000 when Disney aired a Christmas Eve "Tracking Santa" special instead.
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.
Despite it all, the magic of the parade is still there as a number of popular floats and Disney characters can be seen throughout. And with more than 50 million viewers across the country and the more than 3.5 million spectators who line up along the streets of New York City each year, the three-hour spectacle is nothing short of a national icon. Additionally, they offer to either take a customer’s purchases directly to their hotel or to a pick up point at the theme park. This means that customers don’t have to carry bags around all day – not only convenient for customers but also making it more likely that they’ll make more purchases. Since they happen so quickly, you don’t need to plan too much to catch one of the character cavalcades. However, for the best views of the actual Magic Kingdom parade, you’ll need to be prepared.
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 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 Disney Parade Cars Parade,” Hollywood Studio’s only remaining motorcade sees characters cruise past in fun themed convertibles or stroll by on foot.