Status Active Country USA | Frequency Daily | |
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Genre Theatrical presentation Venue Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Inaugurated October 1, 1971 (1971-10-01) | ||
The Magic Kingdom Parade is a large theatrical presentation at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World which dates back to the beginning of the theme park. As of October 10, 2016, the daily parade is called Festival of Fantasy.
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Parade experience
The early "character parades" were simple in execution, featuring Mickey Mouse leading the Walt Disney World Band, followed by a group of Disney characters, performers, and musicians walking or riding vehicles along the parade route. As the years went on, the parades became composed of many floats, each of which has its own theme music which is synchronized with a rhythm track that plays underneath the theme music for all floats simultaneously. As the floats move through the park, the appropriate theme music plays through loudspeakers that are hidden on each float as well as through land-based loudspeakers along the route. Banks of audio speakers are individually controlled within specific zones on the parade route which enables parade intro music to play as the parade approaches each area. A complex electronic tracking system manages the sound so that the correct theme music plays alongside each float as it travels by and pans from one group of loudspeakers to the next synchronously. Originally designed by Don Dorsey for "America on Parade", the system was automated in 1980, and the new system was implemented for the Main Street Electrical Parade. The system (DECS) is now standard across all Disney parks, and has been used by other parks as well.
Each of the parade floats are self-propelled units that are driven by highly trained Cast Members who are hidden inside the decorative floats. All of the floats run only on battery power and recharged daily to prepare for each performance.
Magic Kingdom parades
Nighttime parades
Special event and holiday parades
Ben Savage & Danielle Fishel & JD Roth (1997)
Ann Jillian & Regis Philbin (1998)
Caroline Rhea & DL Hughley Special Musical Guests: 98 Degrees Colin Raye & Brittany Spears (1999)
Dreams Come True parades
The Share A Dream Come True Parade which ran from 2001 until 2006 was changed to the Disney Dreams Come True Parade in 2006 and ended on January 22, 2009. The Share A Dream Come True Parade had the Disney style floats with original music and characters but incorporated snow globes which held many of the characters. The Disney Dreams Come True Parade was similar to the previous parade, though many of the floats were changed, and the snow globes were removed. This parade also had new soundtrack which was previously been used for Disney's Dreams on Parade... Moving On at Tokyo Disneyland. The Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade replaced the Disney Dreams Come True Parade on January 23, 2009. The parade incorporated the new "What Will You Celebrate?" theme that both the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland were using.