Any rumors on parades returning soon? Or do we think they'll wait until 10/1?

[buzzrelly]

It seems like all pretense of social distancing has gone away so no need to continue these "surprise" cavalcades, when they could bring back the real deal.

Has anyone heard if they'll bring back the FOF parade soon? Or do we think they'll wait and have a brand new parade for 10/1?

 

[rangerxenos]

I'd LOVE a brand new parade for the 50th, but I don't see it happening.

 

[EmilyGahr]

So I was a bit surprised that when all of the news about the 50th celebration was announced a few days ago, it said the following:

"“Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade” will feature Mickey and all his friends in their new EARidescent outfits. The cavalcade will travel through Magic Kingdom several times a day, just like current cavalcades."

Seems like cavalcades aren't going away anytime soon so I wouldn't think parades are coming back soon either.

 

[OhBother1984]

So I was a bit surprised that when all of the news about the 50th celebration was announced a few days ago, it said the following:

"“Mickey’s Celebration Cavalcade” will feature Mickey and all his friends in their new EARidescent outfits. The cavalcade will travel through Magic Kingdom several times a day, just like current cavalcades."

Seems like cavalcades aren't going away anytime soon so I wouldn't think parades are coming back soon either.

They could do both though since they use to do the move it shake it and the parade, but right now its they don't have the performers for the parade yet. The parades take alot of performers. Parades will return I think in part because that is when the high school/college bands march down , before the parade and that brings in revenue also, but they haven't started school performances yet, they are booking them again finally thought.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm wondering of cavalcades are the parade of the future. With random cavalcades they avoid having a lot of guests crowding the sidewalks instead of shopping or being on the attractions.

 

[Kmedders]

I love the cavalcades. I hope those stay. If it were up to me, we would have the electrical parade back at night and just do cavalcades during the day when it's one zillion degrees.

 

[cakebaker]

I'm wondering of cavalcades are the parade of the future. With random cavalcades they avoid having a lot of guests crowding the sidewalks instead of shopping or being on the attractions.

If they ended parades because crowds gather or because it stopped people from shopping, they wouldn't have brought back fireworks. It's not a safety issue, it's a $$$ issue. They've slowly taken away every parade they had and covid was their chance to get this one.

 

[Imamom2]

I think there will be a parade at MK on October 1st and then we’ll see... I do think parades will come back as part of Boo Bash and Christmas party but maybe they will only be for special events for a while.

 

[OKW Lover]

If they ended parades because crowds gather or because it stopped people from shopping, they wouldn't have brought back fireworks. It's not a safety issue, it's a $$$ issue. They've slowly taken away every parade they had and covid was their chance to get this one.

Interesting thought. I wasn't thinking it was a safety issue any longer. Being a $$$ issue, how do you quantify the difference between the cost of the parade and the amount of merchandise bought in the shops that might be forgone.

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

Universal has parades back. Disney continues to lag behind like they have this entire pandemic. Is it just complacency or incompetence.

 

[DodgerGirl]

What I think Disney Parks plan to do with the parades in the future is while they will come back slowly Disney will make the newer parades be more interactive like the Remember The Magic parade was in the 90's and while fireworks shows have returned Disney Parks will try to make some of the parades Youtube exclusives so people who cannot go to the parks can see the parades anytime on Youtube. But I think once Christmas rolls around Disneyland will bring it's Very Merry Christmas Parade back in December while Walt Disney World will most likely have a Christmas parade of their own as well. The main reason Disney Parks mainly had cavalcades instead of parades was to save money so when holidays come around they would be ready to be made. So while cavalcades were a hit it is likely that they will continue because people like them. But if they were to make a new and improved Main Street Electrical Parade i'm sure it would a marvelous hit

 

[Meglen]

Idk I like the cavalcades. More during the day and don't need to camp a spot. Shorter so the littles don't wanna sit for the whole thing...

 

[TiggerBouncy]

If they ended parades because crowds gather or because it stopped people from shopping, they wouldn't have brought back fireworks. It's not a safety issue, it's a $$$ issue. They've slowly taken away every parade they had and covid was their chance to get this one.

I am not convinced that parades were a negative impact on revenue. It's true that people were not shopping during the parade, but it also increased snack and drink revenue, and it pulled people from attractions and into the stores after the parade. In addition, it allowed them to bring in high school bands and the like of which there is no question generated revenue. Only Disney could probably tell us the true impact of parades on revenue.

In any event, I am a fan of the calvacades. Parades were aweful. If you wanted to watcvh them, there was never a good place - you couldn't see because people would crowd in front of you and there was no where to comfortably sit and if you didn't want to watch them, it was difficult to navigate around the horde of people trying to walk both directions in a 2 foot wide path. Either way, they were a terrible experience.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

I am not convinced that parades were a negative impact on revenue. It's true that people were not shopping during the parade, but it also increased snack and drink revenue, and it pulled people from attractions and into the stores after the parade. In addition, it allowed them to bring in high school bands and the like of which there is no question generated revenue. Only Disney could probably tell us the true impact of parades on revenue.

In any event, I am a fan of the calvacades. Parades were aweful. If you wanted to watcvh them, there was never a good place - you couldn't see because people would crowd in front of you and there was no where to comfortably sit and if you didn't want to watch them, it was difficult to navigate around the horde of people trying to walk both directions in a 2 foot wide path. Either way, they were a terrible experience.

Same here - I really like the cavalcades for the reason you stated. It always felt like you had to plan the whole afternoon around them, spend an hour camping out on an uncomfortable chunk of pavement while people tried to get to rides around you, then someone would always swoop in at the last minute and steal your fantastic view or lean out so far you couldn't see anyway...and I use a wheelchair so trying to get around anywhere when people are camped out for parades is literally impossible. Get where you're going and stay there for an hour and a half, otherwise it'll be a real pain.

Plus it reminds me of when I was a kid (cue old man voice) and they used to have characters roaming freely around the park instead of the stationary meet-and-greet formats they have now. The magic of walking through Frontierland and suddenly there they are is something I miss as an adult. Cavalcades bring that surprise element back, which is fun.

The only downside is that you don't know when they're coming, so you can't plan your movements ahead of time. If it's 2:50, I know to get away from the Mountains because I'll be boxed in soon for the 3:00 parade. But I got caught by more than one cavalcade in December! On the plus side, it's only a few minutes. On the minus side...you get the song stuck in your head all day.

 

[OppR2nist]

It's a tough call. I'd like to see them rely more heavily on Cavalcades and have only limited parades, but that would mean when parades actually DO happen, they'll be even more crowded. The Cavalcades are great, and something that was pretty magical to see just randomly happening. It made the interactions seem a lot more personal, and the fact that there were so many of them meant that fewer people ever felt left out.

 

[lukemorenus]

I hope they come back - they make the lines shorter everywhere else!

 

[Cabius]

I ain't seen not a dang one cavalcade with no gosh darn fire-breathing dragon, so bring back the dagum parades.

(Sorry for the coarse language.)

 

[BrianL]

I ain't seen not a dang one cavalcade with no gosh darn fire-breathing dragon, so bring back the dagum parades.

(Sorry for the coarse language.)

They will be sending the Maleficent dragon around at Boo Bash, but I agree. It's time to bring back parades!

 

[Pyxie]

I'm not gonna lie. I actually prefer the cavalcades. I like the spontaneity of them and the fact that you don't have to camp out and waste precious park time to see them.

 

[jo-jo]

I miss the night time parade. Just something about 12 million twinkle lights .