The anticipation for the new Festival of Fantasy Parade at the Magic Kingdom has been through the roof. But at long last, the wait is over. The brand new daily 3 o’clock parade is making its debut this week… and proving it was worth the wait!
Festival of Fantasy does what Disney parades have always done best: it ties together beloved characters and Disney music and brings the stories we love to life before our eyes. But this parade does these things in an absolutely spectacular new way, from the amazing Disney details covering every inch of the floats, to each vibrant costume along the way.
I hope you enjoy viewing the parade with us through these pictures. Welcome to the Festival of Fantasy!
The Floats… they are absolute stunners. I think the pictures can speak for themselves — but I can’t resist pointing out a few details along the way!
The opening float, completely covered in flowers and brimming with romance, is the Princess Float. Looking at the “Festival of Fantasy” sign in front, you can spy the signature of a Princess… a tiara.
The Tangled Float featuring – of course! – Rapunzel, is an absolute jaw-dropper.
That is indeed Flynn Rider and Maximus you see swinging on the hammer (yes – LITERALLY swinging back and forth as the float moves forward). Of all the amazing details on this float, I think I like the way Rapunzel’s hair wraps around the entire thing the best.
Ariel looks quite at home “Under the Sea,” though we know she’d rather be with Prince Eric on land!
Fittingly, she’s surrounded by sea creatures :).
Peter Pan and Wendy float happily above… but Captain Hook underneath awaits his chance to be the foil.
And what’s a Disney parade without a little Pixie Dust ;)?
The party really begins when Merida of “Brave” arrives!
But suddenly things change… a treacherous crew arrives, foretelling the arrival of something sinister.
And THIS is something you really have to see with your own eyes to believe. The Maleficent Float is like nothing else.
If you look closely at the picture above, you can see the people on the ground, giving you an idea of her gargantuan size.
What you will not see is that she breathes actual FIRE (I was so shocked, I missed it with my camera!).
But even a fire-breathing dragon can’t keep the celebration down for long! Disney characters fill the street with music and dance.
My favorite? Snow White dancing with both Dopey and Sneezy, just like in the film! It’s such a beautiful touch.
The finale to the Fantasy brings us none other than Mickey and Minnie… exactly as it should be.
I think you could see this parade dozens of times and still spy some new detail with every viewing. And all those details add up to something truly unforgettable… the Festival of Fantasy Parade!
As majestic as this parade is, it’s one among many magical moments that happen every day in the Magic Kingdom! For helpful tips to plan your day at Magic Kingdom — including the Festival of Fantasy Parade — please feel welcome to read our Magic Kingdom Guide .