During the winter holiday season, Disneyland park guests can enjoy “A Christmas Fantasy Parade” twice daily. The parade features various Disney characters, floats, and Santa Claus. There have been a few changes to the parade since last year.
2024 A Christmas Fantasy Parade
The parade begins with a float featuring a ballerina dancer. She’s atop a pile of books with a teddy bear and a giant wreath. “A Christmas Fantasy” is on a ribbon around the wreath.
The opening float is followed by a troupe of toy soldiers playing instruments.
Dancing elves follow the soldiers. They’re holding letters to Santa and are accompanied by Mrs. Claus.
The next float resembles a wooden structure with a mailbox for “The Claus’.” Mickey and Minnie, in their green and red holiday outfits, are at the front of the mailroom float with a Christmas tree and presents. Donald is on a snowy slope above them.
Chip and Dale are on the back of the float, sorting mail. They also wear red and green outfits. This float is where we noticed the first, albeit minor, change to the parade.
The plush meerkats from the back of this float are gone, although their tiny presents remain. The photo on the right above is our picture of the meerkats from last year.
The first absent float is the “Winter Wonderland” book float, which used to follow Mickey & Friends. Instead, we go straight from the mailroom to the dancing snowmen. There used to be skiers in this section of the parade, too, but they were removed last year, ostensibly due to budget cuts following the “Fantasmic!” fire. Yet, they didn’t return for this year’s parade.
After the snowmen is a Christmas tree float covered in snowy white décor. The snowflake skaters following the tree usually have snowflakes on their backs, but they were missing for the first performance. This isn’t a permanent change, however, just a contingency due to weather.
Anna, Elsa, and Olaf are on a snowy float. Olaf is a figure instead of a performer, so he’s the right height compared to Anna and Elsa.
Clarabelle and a couple of bakers lead the baking unit.
They are followed by one of the two remaining book floats. This one displays a “Recipe for Gingerbread Treats.”
Still missing from this unit after being removed last year are two gingerbread cookie dancers and two baker dancers.
Pluto sits atop this gingerbread house float while Goofy is trying to decorate it. Pluto wears an apron and Goofy is in full baker gear.
Lady Tremaine and Cinderella’s stepsisters are ahead of the royal unit. The giant book behind them features an invitation to The Candlelight Christmas Ball (but they aren’t invited).
Snow White and Prince Charming are dancing behind the book float. They’re accompanied by ballroom dancers, who have fresh new costumes. Their dresses and suits are now all gold — they used to have red accents. They also used to carry candles, as seen in our photo from last year on the right.
Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen are on the front of the ballroom float, which is lined with garland and poinsettias. In the center of the float are Cinderella and Prince Charming, and Aurora and Prince Phillip.
Ariel and Prince Eric are on the back of the float. They are followed by a few more dancers, plus Belle and the Beast on the ground.
The biggest changes come in the toy unit. The “Santa’s Toyland” book float is gone, as is the giant Toy Factory float that used to follow it. The latter was the newest float in the parade, introduced in 2008. Three green army men used to appear on the Toy Factory float.
Last year, Buzz was on the Toy Factory float, but he’s back on his toy block float, which was absent from last year’s parade. Four of the Toy Factory elf dancers are also absent from the parade this year.
Returning after being gone last year is Jessie’s car with green army men. However, she no longer gets in and out of the car but stays seated for the whole parade.
The toy unit ends with Woody astride a rocking horse on a second toy block float.
Dancers in green velvet coats lead another Christmas tree float. This tree features red, green, and gold baubles and red velvet drapes.
Reindeer with red bows on their collars lead the final float, which is of course, Santa’s sleigh.
Santa is in his sleigh flying over Christmas trees at the North Pole.
The gates to his factory are at the back of the float.
“A Christmas Fantasy Parade” is performed at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. through December 27. Watch our video below.
For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.