After the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade - Magic Kingdom

Perhaps I have never noticed before with the Dreams Come True Parade but after the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade ended there were several kids carrying a banner…



It was fun to watch them wave to the crowds and become distracted (notice the proud parents standing behind the little boy in blue) . I thought this was a nice touch to the end of the parade… bookending it with children. Then just like there were a lot of people to watch at the beginning of the parade there was a lot of people watching at the end. Take a look at the crowd that headed for the main gate after the parade…



Overall if you were to ask me if I thought it was a better parade than Dreams Come True I would have to say no… they are both fantastic. I like the changes that were made to the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade but the Dreams Come True had a certain quality to it that made it really fun I miss those animators riding tricycles).

Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade

Welcome to the main event… the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade! If you have seen the Dreams Come True Parade (Part of the Year of a Million Dreams) you will notice that there is much of the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade that are remnants of its predecessor. For instance many of the floats have had some subtle changes but are very similar take the following…



This is the same float that all the characters were on (Minnie, Mickey Donald, Pluto, Goofy and Chip and Dale) in the Dreams Come True Parade. The sign on the front has changed and the Celebrate Today balloons were added, but that classic beautiful blue float that reminds me of Cinderella’s Castle is still a part of the parade which I love! Here is another float that found its way into the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade…



I love the villains float! First it is a fantastic color and it is great to see the bad guys once in awhile at Disney, Cruella is always a riot. This was also part of the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in 2008. There are a couple more floats that are essentially the same… the one that Peter Pan and Wendy are on (except now they are accompanied by Alice and the Mad Hatter) and the float that Aladdin is on is also very similar to the Dreams Come True Parade.

Now that we have briefly discussed the similarities lets talk about how the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade is different. First of the costumes! They are great….



They are bright and cheery and everyone looks like they are ready to celebrate which brings me to my favorite addition to the parade the float that Minnie and Mickey are on…



It is absolutely beautiful… bravo Disney! Here is a closer look at Mickey and Minnie in their new costumes …



The music was fantastic as well. At one point in the parade they whole group stops they play another song (it sounds a lot like their new commercial song) and perform in the street. This is a neat addition because it allows for many more photo opportunities. Tomorrow I will tell you how the parade ended and let you know which; Dreams Come True Parade or Celebrate a Dream Come True is my favorite Magic Kingdom daytime parade.

Main Street Philharmonic

Before the parade starts the Main Street Philharmonic marches down the streets playing music. Every parade I have seen at Magic Kingdom starts with these guys coming down the street and they always play fantastically but last week they were really into their music. Dancing and waving they made the crowd smile and of course dance. One particular cast member was on the sidelines marching in place with them and encouraging the others around her to dance and march. It was just another moment that really made the parade feel like a celebration.

Well as any veteran Disney Parade watcher knows there is only one thing up next… the beginning of the parade! Tomorrow I will share with you how this parade differs from its predecessor and what my favorite parts of the parade are. Until tomorrow… Have a magical day!

Before the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade

Each visit to the Magic Kingdom when I know I want to see a parade I will arrive about one to two hours early. I will find my spot test out the angles for the parade and then sit and drink coffee as I wait for the parade to start. While Norwood and I talk and drink coffee we will watch the other people around us get ready for the parade. Often times we see cast members leading a dance in the street, kids jumping rope, people buying balloons… you know people generally having a great time in preparation for the parade. But last week when we went to see the new parade in Magic Kingdom everyone seemed to be celebrating more. The music was blasting and there was a regular dance party going on. It was as much fun as watching the parade just watching people celebrate their time at Disney World before the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade.

Tomorrow I will talk some more about the shows before the parade with the Main Street Philharmonic… talk about celebrations!

Dreams Come True Parade- Magic Kingdom

Yesterday I told you about my first haircut at Magic Kingdom’s Harmony Barbershop… today I will tell you what Norwood did while I was gabbing and becoming sparkly. Norwood had fun watching the soon to be changed Dreams Come True Parade. Above is a little mosaic of some of his photos from the Dreams Come True Parade. Although it is not scheduled to officially change until January 22, 2009 (according to the Orlando Sentinel) you can already see some changes in the works. The sign on the float that houses Mickey, Minnie and friends now read “Celebrate Today” instead of “A Kingdom of Dreams.” It will be sad to see this pretty parade go. It was so fun and lively and all the beautiful blue… But from what I have heard there are not too many changes to the parade as a whole. One of the big changes will be to the float that Mickey and Friends are on… in its new form it will lead the parade. There will of course be new music to dance and sing to. It will make stops so we can celebrate with the characters! I look forward to this. I think short stops where parade goers can interact with the walking characters will make one of my favorite parades much more fun. I have also read that there will be new characters added to the Celebrate Today Parade and many of the Disney characters that walk the street in the Dreams Come True Parade (Eeyore, Stitch Baloo etc…) will be on their own floats.

I cannot wait to see the new parade and you know that we will be there and take tons of pictures. I really have become a Disney parade junkie!