New Festival of Fantasy Parade at Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom has a new parade – Disney’s Festival of Fantasy Parade.

The new parade debuted on 9th March and is centered on bringing the stories of New Fantasyland to guests. The parade also celebrates the festival from Disney’s films.

Disney’s Festival of Fantasy Parade presents these stories through a spectacle of nearly 100 performers, plus 40 additional parade characters, and 7 fantastical floats. The parade reflects the hard, creative work of Parade Designer Richard Improta, Creative Director Steven Davison and Managing Producer Kris Bunner. Many others have contributed to the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade. Mark Hammond, whose previous work includes Disney’s California Adventure’s World of Color and Hong Kong Disneyland’s Flights of Fantasy Parade, designed the muscial score. Mirena Rada, who has previously worked on projects for Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, designed the costumes.

The parade features seven floats as follows:

Princess Garden: This pageantry of princesses celebrates Disney royalty. Cinderella, Tiana from The Princess & the Frog, Belle from Beauty and the Beast are all accompanied by their respective princes who ride in a garden of topiaries with woodland creatures, birds and more. Cinderella’s dress playfully twirls like a turntable, while Swan Court couples lead the 50-foot-long majestic float, capped off with a special appearance by Anna and Elsa from Disney’s hit animated feature, “Frozen”.

Tangled Unit: Based on the 2010 animated film, a massive long ship on the high seas showcases Flynn Rider and Rapunzel in search of adventure and another Best. Day. Ever! Rapunzel’s iconic tresses weave throughout this 36-foot-long float decked out with swaying pendulums carrying dastardly thugs.

The Little Mermaid Unit: Based on the 1989 animated film, Princess Ariel and her friends sit atop a colorfully kinetic seashell music box that boasts an enchanting musical jubilee. There’s no shortage of whimsy on this Under the Sea float with conga dancing fish kicking up their fins and bubbles galore. Shimmering fabrics and intricately designed costumes for the Lion Fish, Coral Fish, Seashell and Sea Horse performers are runway-inspired.

Peter Pan Unit: Based on the 1953 animated film, straight from Neverland come Peter Pan and Wendy soaring high aboard the famous Jolly Roger pirate ship complete with smoke effects and special surprises. A rainbow arch shines over Skull Rock and Tinkerbell nestled among giant flowers, while Captain Hook takes center stage on a swinging anchor. “Newsies-inspired” Lost Boys kick up their heels to high-energy choreography.

Brave Unit: Based on the 2012 Disney and Pixar film, Celtic couples and a vessel shaped like an enormous bagpipe announce the arrival of Merida perched high on her majestic crown. Scottish dancers step to melodies of the Great Highlands in celebration.

Sleeping Beauty Unit: Based on the 1959 animated film, the heroic Prince Phillip battles a Steampunk-inspired Dragon as the wicked Maleficent. This float stretches 53 feet in length and 26 feet tall with a prickly spinning wheel dead center of the float. With fiery eyes and glowing effects the spectacular dragon was built on an articulating chassis allowing the float to bend and flex as it moves along the parade route – a first for Disney parades. This float was designed in a partnership with Tony Award-winner Michael Curry. There’s Prince Phillip, thorn-inspired stilt performers, dramatic raven dancers, plus the three good fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather glide along the parade route.

Finale & Mickey’s Airship:The parade culminates with a 90-foot-long magical caravan of characters featuring Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Pluto and more in a splashy carnival of color. There’s Pegasus horses, dancing hippos and sassy Bubble Girls with cotton-candy-like hair celebrating Storybook Circus in New Fantasyland. Sporting zany new costumes Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse sit sky high in Mickey’s Airship — a giant hot air balloon that rounds out.

The parade runs for approximately 25 minutes and is already a big hit with park guests. As you might expect the music is upbeat and perfectly compliments the whimsical style of the new floats’ designs and character costumes. The parade has a “Festival of Fantasy” theme song but as each float passes by you get to hear many other familiar tunes.

The Princess float plays “Beauty and the Beast” / “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” / “Once Upon a Dream” while the tangled unit features “I’ve Got a Dream” / “When Will My Life Begin”. This is then followed up by the Little Mermaid Unit’s “Kiss the Girl” / “Part of that World” / “Under the Sea” before the Peter Pan float brings “Yo Ho, Let’s Go!” / “A Pirate’s Life” / “You Can Fly!” / “The Elegant Captain Hook” / “The Second Star to the Right” / “Following the Leader”.

The Brave Unit features “Remember to Smile” / “Fate and Destiny” / “Touch the Sky” before the Sleeping Beauty float brings “Once Upon a Dream” / “A Cottage in the Woods” / “Battle With the Forces of Evil” / “Hail to the Princess Aurora” to the enchanted guests.

The Finale unit rounds things off with “Mickey Mouse Club March” / “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” / “When You Wish Upon a Star” / “I’ve Got No Strings” / “Whistle While You Work” / “When I See an Elephant Fly”.

The new Festival of Fantasy Parade is a much-needed upgrade for the park and is much much better than the previous parade. It is extremely enjoyable and its extravagant nature means the time passes by so quickly leaving you anxious to see it one more time.

More photos at www.FloridaLeisurePhotography.com