Hello all!  Every time we head over to the Magic Kingdom, I make it a point to go and watch the Festival of Fantasy parade.  This is one of my absolute favorite things at Magic Kingdom and it is always well worth stopping everything to check it out.  This will be mostly a picture post, but I had a great time snapping shots with my new phone on our previous visits and thought it would be fun to share some of my faves!

The parade starts off with a bevy of prince and princess heavy hitters.  Led by the incomparable Beauty and the Beast, which thanks to the upcoming movie can be found more and more within the park, this first float actually has several different characters spinning around its many parts.  It’s easily the best way to see a lot of royalty at one time in the park.  One thing I love about this show is that the costuming of the dancers that fill up the street in between floats are absolutely stunning.

Does anyone else fine it weird that most characters seen in the parks are seen in their forms AFTER the end of their films?  Yet somehow Beast and Ariel never quite catch a break.  They’re always stuck in their pre-transformation.  Aw well, Belle loves him anyway and we love her for it.

Cinderella is quite the gem as she rides in a spinning version of her dress as it is crafted by magic and mice.  Her prince is also quite dashing and I con honestly say that his costume looks better in real life than when it was animated.

And who could forget Anna and Elsa who always get a lot of applause as they pass by.  Something tells me that whenever this parade gets replaced, these two will have more of a center stage spot.

Naveen and Tiana are two of my favorites but they often get forgotten about.  That’s why I’m happy to seem them here.  It’s interesting that Naveen gets to be a human but Beast doesn’t.  I think it’d be quite entertaining to see a frog hopping around next to beautiful Tiana, no?

Next up is a float that literally swings back and forth.  Rapunzel leads the way, ready to take on the world with her frying pan.

And Flynn is never too far away, swinging on high.  How this guy maintains his balance, I’ll never know.  Maximus sits by trying desperately to catch Flynn on the other side.

As the Little Mermaid float approaches, we get another round of fantastic costuming.  Honestly, there is never a dull moment in this parade.

In fact, with all these amazing colors, it’s easy to forget that you’re standing at a curb side.  Everything is brighter than in real life and it sweeps you up in its splendor.

Ariel must know she is a character I don’t care for, because she is constantly trying to win me over, waving from on high and smiling as I snapped some photos.  Nice try Ariel, but it’ll take more than that to make me change my mind about you, little miss spoiled.

I’m going to be honest, I really love the lost boys.  How could you not?  They are super adorable and always seem like they are having a blast as they frolic and bound down the street ahead of the Peter Pan float.

Peter and Wendy ride atop a ship, which is on top of a rainbow…which is on top of a cave.  It’s easily one of the most technically impressive floats and as the boat rides along atop the rainbow, swaying here and there, you have to wonder just how this thing works.

The Captain himself might not be on the boat but something tells me he’s got a plan to get back up there.  Now if only he didn’t have to worry about the dang crocodile.

And bringing up the rear is fan favorite, Tinker Bell, who casts Pixie dust and happiness on fans as the float drifts away towards the second star from the right.

Ah,  what did I tell you Hook? Looks like someone is mighty hungry.  Best put that plan into action and quick!

While it may be one of the more underated films represented here, I love everything about the Brave float and the celtic dancers who come before it.

Merida herself is so lively and happy, you can’t help but clap to the music with her.  I love that she often points to the crowd and exclaims that they are dressed better than her.  It’s absolutely adorable.

Things start to get a little bit tense as the fairies appear, casting spells at the demons and monsters behind them.  If you look carefully, almost everything at Disney has a story arc.  From an introduction, to a climactic battle, to a cheerful resolution that leaves you with a smile.  This is also true of the parade, which sees the audience pitted against a set of monsters and a mighty dragon.

Riding high on stilts, these creatures of darkness are sure to put anyone on their toes. But just look at the intricacies of the costuming.  Between the curls and the horns, it’s hard to take your eyes away, despite how scared you might be at this point.

Then comes my favorite float, a monstrous dragon which attacks Prince Phillip who tires to fend it off from below with his sword and shield.

It even breathes fire, heating up the crowd below, and making for a fitting villain to our parade of heroes.

Once the danger is passed, we are treated to all sorts of characters.  From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Alice and the Rabbit, everyone has come out to ensure our safe return after the dragon encounter.  Although it seems Grumpy has to keep Sleepy awake for the show.

Pinocchio rides high atop a circus themed float, which pays homage to many of the older Disney classics include Dumbo.

And with peacefulness restored to the kingdom, it seems only right to bring out the stars of the show, starting with Donald and Daisy.

And of course, one of my favorites no matter which park we visit, Pluto!

By now the costumes are flooded over with lolipop rainbow colors that make us feel as though anything is possible.

Yet no parade at Disney would be complete without an appearance by the main mice themselves.  Mickey and Minnie send us on our way in a high flying air balloon, and they are looking in fine form with fantastic costuming!

With a final wave from Mickey, the parade comes to a close and we all return to the magic kingdom, but something I’ll point out often to whoever I am watching the parade with, is that I always leave feeling happier, healthier and more invigorated than before the parade started.  Much like a good Disney movie, it’s hard not to walk away with a smile on your face!

Thanks for joining me on this Disney Adventure!  This is a newer series for this blog, but if you’d like to check out the other posts in the series, head to the link below!  What’s your favorite float in the Festival of Fantasy? Let me know in the comments!

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