The Festival of Fantasy parade has finally returned to Magic Kingdom after two years. It is the first non-holiday parade to return to Walt Disney World, and today (March 9, 2022) is also its eighth anniversary!
Guests gathered to see the parade.
Magic Kingdom Cast Members were the honorary grand marshals for this morning’s parade.
A handful of Cast Members got to ride in the car behind the grand marshal banner.
The parade begins with Princess Belle on a flower-covered float. Previously, dancers led this float.
The Beast also used to appear with Belle, but he was absent.
A banner above Belle reads “Join the Celebration!”
Cinderella is behind Belle, also missing her prince. She spins with a figure of her animal friends fixing up her pink dress.
Behind Belle and Cinderella are characters from “Frozen” on a snowy, mountainous set. Only Elsa and Olaf appeared, with Anna missing. This set spins to reveal Tiana against a mossy wall. Prince Naveen no longer appears with her.
They are followed by the “Tangled” section of the parade. Dancers and Ulf the mime lead the Snuggly Duckling float.
Rapunzel is at the front of the float.
Flynn Rider and some of the hooligans are on giant swinging axes.
Behind the “Tangled” float are some “Under the Sea” dancers.
Ariel sits in a seashell atop the next float, above circling fish and Sebastian.
Flounder is behind her seashell.
The Lost Boys and Wendy dance between the “Peter Pan” and “The Little Mermaid” floats.
The “Peter Pan” float has Skull Rock at the front, with a rainbow behind it. Atop the rainbow is the flying Jolly Roger, piloted by Peter Pan.
Wendy previously appeared on the ship with Peter.
Captain Hook was on the anchor beneath the rainbow and Tinker Bell was on the back of the float. Mr. Smee walked behind.
Tick Tock the Croc is usually behind the “Peter Pan” float, followed by “Brave” dancers and a bagpipe float featuring Merida, but they were all missing. The parade instead picked up with the three fairies and the thorn stilt-walkers.
It was previously announced that the famous steampunk Maleficent dragon float would return with the parade, and we’re happy to see her.
Several different characters dance behind the Maleficent float, including Jiminy Cricket, The Mad Hatter, Alice, Snow White, and the Seven Dwarfs.
Other dancers were removed from this section.
Pinocchio is at the front of the next float, atop Monstro the whale.
Behind Pinocchio is a mini carnival, and Dumbo sits on Monstro’s tail.
Donald is at the front of a “Fantasia”-themed float.
Pluto is at the back of this float.
Behind it walks Daisy (who used to be on the float next to Donald), Goofy, Chip, and Dale.
Minnie also walks when she used to be in the hot air balloon float with Mickey.
Dancers have been removed from this section.
Mickey closes out the parade on the hot air balloon.
Festival of Fantasy will be performed at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily.
“Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” and “When I See an Elephant Fly” were also removed from the parade’s soundtrack. Watch our video of the parade’s return below.
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Also I was there too. And I was at the Dimond Horseshoe so I might have been closer to you. I didn’t even know you were there.
Although I’m happy to see the parade return, I can’t help but be thoroughly disappointed. Sure, COVID plays a major part here, but why return a parade if it is merely a husk of what it used to be? I was so excited when the parade started, but towards the end felt a little bit empty. Between the lack of energy (due to missing performers), a completely missing parade float, and the long and awkward instrumental segments that used to be “zip-a-dee-doo-dah” and “when I see an elephant fly”, it was missing all the magic. The finale felt like it suffered the most, which is a shame because it used to be my favorite part. On top of all the missing music, Mickey and Minnie didn’t talk to each other during the finale. If I knew the parade would be like this, I’d probably have preferred they introduce a new parade, perhaps for the 50th anniversary celebration, rather than running an old show with half of what it used to be…
A Disney50 Anniversary parade is in order. I’ve seen this parade a million and one times. Why are they bringing out stale events in the middle of a 50th Anniversary event. Disney25 parade was outstanding!
I was told by a phone rep that the FAB FIVE would be in the parade with their DISNEY 50 attire. That’s not what I’m seeing here. I can understand that DISNEY had to cut some corners, but they couldn’t spend a bit more to rebrand this parade with Disney50 optics and play the D50 THEME SONG – THE MAGIC IS CALLING. How hard is that! I know DisNerds are feeling cheated about a lot of other aspects – but this is the one that really sticks in my craw. I’m hoping that what the phone rep asserted is just delayed, but forthcoming.
“Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah“ is one of the best Disney songs ever. There is no reason to kill that song even if some people dont like the movie it came from. I bet most of them havent even seen the movie. They’re just jumping on a political bandwagon. Save the song, Splash Mountain, and all things Brer Rabbit!!!!
“”Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” and “When I See an Elephant Fly” were also removed from the parade’s soundtrack.”
More proof this is slowly but surely becoming WOKE Disney World/PC madness has run amok.
This is ridiculous
No one is replacing Zip a dee doo dah on my watch!