Image © Disney.
The Magic Kingdom’s 2009 afternoon parade is festive and magical.
By Blake
Originally posted October 24, 2009.
I’m a sucker for a good Disney parade. Some of my favorite attractions in the Disney parks are the processions that wind their way through the streets each afternoon. I just love seeing so many characters, such enthusiastic dancers, and so much Disney magic all in the same place.
The Magic Kingdom’s 3:00 afternoon parade has especially become a hallmark over the years as a guaranteed classic, feel-good Disney experience.
In October 2001, the Magic Kingdom debuted the Share a Dream Come True Parade (aka the “snow globe parade”) that featured Disney stories coming to life in the form of giant snow globes. In August 2006, the parade was revised to become the Disney Dreams Come True Parade, subtracting the “globe” part of the floats but keeping the actual floats themselves. The updated parade also featured new music and a few character changes.
The current version of the parade, the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade, premiered in January 2009 to coincide with the kickoff of Disney Parks’ “Celebrate Today” campaign, and is full of celebratory spirit along with yet again new music, several new characters, and some float enhancements.
Throughout the parade, guests see favorite Disney characters celebrate their dreams, including Pinocchio’s wish to become a real boy and Cinderella’s aspiration to go to the ball.
Practically everyone is in this parade; it’s highly unlikely that anyone’s favorite character is left out. Mickey, Minnie, Aladdin, Peter Pan, the princesses, Stitch – they’re all present, and full of personality. Additionally, a few rather rare characters that guests don’t get to see that often are featured in the parade, such as Cinderella’s mice friends Suzy and Perla, as well as Aladdin’s monkey Abu.
However, highly disappointing is the absence of anything to do with The Lion King. Seriously, it got jipped! The highest-grossing non-Pixar animated Disney film of all time gets no part in the Magic Kingdom parade at all? I suppose the logic is that it has its own show at Animal Kingdom, but still.
A complaint among guests when the parade first debuted in January was its lack of characters walking alongside the floats. Disney had instead opted for many dancers, with characters limited to riding onboard floats. Fortunately, in the spring Disney responded to guests’ requests and added several characters along the parade route to interact with bystanders. Among these additions was Cinderella’s hysterical stepfamily, barking hilarious remarks at guests as they trot by. The dancers still remain part of the parade, cheerful as ever.
The Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade also makes use of show stops, a Magic Kingdom tradition that had been absent since 2004. Several times during the parade, the floats stop and the dancers perform “Celebrate You,” the theme song for Disney’s celebration promotion. It seems that use of the show stops is on and off – the performance I viewed in the summer didn’t have them, but that might have been due to the hot weather. Expect to see a show stop, but don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t happen.
Special grand marshals arrive to begin each performance of the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade. Image © Disney.
Viewing the parade just after taking the Keys to the Kingdom Tour, I could really take notice and appreciate just how much Disney Cast Members really love their jobs. Every performer looks so joyful, and really does go the extra mile to make each experience the best it can be. Their happiness is downright infectious, if you want to know the truth. So infectious, in fact, that after watching the parade on Main Street, my family ran through Adventureland so that we could make it to Frontierland to see the parade again!
Make sure that the floats and characters aren’t the only things you’re looking at as you watch the parade, though. As the procession goes by, definitely look around at all the beaming faces of children in the area. Their heroes are passing by right before their eyes, and they couldn’t be more ecstatic to see their favorites in person. Waves and shouts (“Hi, Snow White!”) are abundant practically everywhere, proving the true magic that Disney can instill in its audiences.
The parade begins daily at 3:00pm in Town Square and continues down Main Street and through Liberty Square and Frontierland before concluding at the end of Frontierland. I personally prefer to watch it on Main Street for its classic Disney feel, but honestly anywhere is fine. Plan to arrive along the parade route about twenty-five minutes prior to showtime, and earlier at busy times of the year such as spring break, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
The Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade is another classic Magic Kingdom production complete with superstar characters and true Disney magic. A nostalgic procession that encompasses childhood memories, imaginative fantasies, and the essence of what Disney is all about wrapped up into one fantastic parade, it really is something special.
How do I rank the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade? (Bolded is my choice.)
- Aaah!
- Blech
- Not good
- Good
- Very good
- Brilliant
The Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade will most likely please: Disney Fans - Toddlers (ages 1-2) - Preschoolers (ages 3-4) - Kids (ages 5-7) - Older Kids (ages 8-10) - Tweens (ages 11-13) - Adults - Parents
Related BlakeOnline articles:
- Disney Detours - "Dream Along with Mickey" Show Review (posted March 9, 2007)
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