"What time is the 3 o'clock parade?"
It's a long standing Disney joke that this is the most asked question to a Disney Cast Member. But honestly, it kind of makes sense. Let's say you're watching the Festival of Fantasy Parade in Froniterland. Then, for you, the parade would indeed begin at 3 o'clock. However if you're watching on Main Street USA, the parade wouldn't start until about 3:20.
Anyway, enough of my former Cast Member self trying to justify the random questions guests ask.
Parades and stage shows have been a staple at Disney Parks from the beginning. My family has countless home videos of parades and shows of days gone by that we re-watch on occasion because they are still that good. And since Walt Disney World is my home park, I have decided to rank the five best shows and parades from the past and present.
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| Inside the Magic |
5. Citizens of Hollywood
The Citizens of Hollywood were there on opening day at Disney-MGM Studios, and for years, they entertained people on Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards. The Citizens were able to transport you to the Hollywood that never was and always will be at the Studios with their costumes, jokes, and general antics. Their shows ranged from a bachelorette type show to an always entertaining game of "99 objects walk into a bar" jokes. They were the perfect Streetmosphere for Disney’s Hollywood Studios and I can only hope something half as great as the Citizens of Hollywood come to my home park soon.
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| Walt Disney World |
4. Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage
This show opened at Disney’s MGM Studios on the same day it premiered in theaters, and it’s safe to say that both the film and the stage show became instant classics. The 25-minute Broadway style production stays true to the original film and features most of the hit songs from the film. I remember being a little kid and watching this show every time we visited the park, usually while eating popcorn or ice cream. With the recent successful live-action remake of the film, one can only wonder if the new songs will be added into the show. (I could totally get behind ‘Evermore’ being added if nothing else.)
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| WDW Live |
3. Celebrate a Dream Come True
I may be biased as I got to see the last performance of this parade while working at the Magic Kingdom, but I seriously loved this parade. It was a redesign of the Share a Dream Come True parade from the early 2000s, and although it lacked the awesome snow globe floats, the parade still made hoards of people stop every day at 3 p.m. to see it pass by.
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| Walt Disney World |
2. Festival of Fantasy
On March 9, 2014, my brother and I stood at the bridge from Liberty Square to the hub, along a few thousand of our closest friends who had lined the parade route at the Magic Kingdom in preparation for the brand new Festival of Fantasy parade. I had seen pictures of the new floats and had snuck a peak of them while at work, but when that music came over the loudspeaker and the parade floats came around the corner at Liberty Square, I truly felt the Disney Magic. I adore this parade because it stays true to the classics while welcoming in the new. It blends the two perfectly with a soundtrack that I am currently humming along to.
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| WDW Live |
1. Festival of The Lion King
This opening day Disney’s Animal Kingdom attraction is, in my opinion, the best show at Walt Disney World. The show uses the classic songs and characters from the film as dance and puppetry bring The Lion King to life. Instead of being a shortened version of the Broadway play, this show is more true to the revue style of show in that it keeps the general theme of the storyline there without literally retelling the whole story. And the four main vocalists are truly four of the most talented singers anywhere. With tumble monkeys, aerial dancers, and even a fire twirler, The Festival of the Lion King will not disappoint Disney fans of any age.
Bonus: Rainy Day Character Cavalcade!
I remember seeing this parade for the first time as I was playing the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game in the rain one day. I didn’t think a parade would be going on and then suddenly, as I was wandering around Frontierland, I heard music begin to play on the loudspeaker. I looked toward Splash Mountain and then I saw it: my favorite hidden gem of the Magic Kingdom. The rainy Day Character Cavalcade only comes out when it is raining (no lightning) too much for the parade floats to safely get out. The cavalcade features the vehicles of Main Street carrying various Disney characters from Mickey Mouse to the Disney Princesses. It’s never fun with the parade gets rained out but Disney has done a great job trying to bring a little happiness to the day with its Rainy Day Character Cavalcade.
So now that you know my top daytime parades and shows, let me know yours! Tweet us @TMKBPodcast and let us know your favorite!
Robyn Fleenor is a contributing writer for The Mouse Knows Best Podcast. She is an avid Disney fanatic and would rather be at Walt Disney World eating glazed almonds than anything else. When she isn't working to pay for her next Disney vacation, she likes to binge watch TV shows and fall in love with fictional characters. She can be found tweeting at @rahrah6263.
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