Anyone ever get to be the family that rides in the parade???

[Piglet]

Just wondering if anyone's families have gotten picked to ride in the parade.

How do they pick?? Is it just random???

Melinda

 

[disneygrrrl]

Piglet,

Last year on our honeymoon, my DH and I were chosen as the Grand Marshalls for the Share a Dream Come True parade at MK. It was wonderful. I don't think that there is any "magic" to getting picked. There simply was a man (Fred) passing out maps right as we were going on Main Street and he started up a conversation with us. He asked if we were on our honeymoon, how often we visit Disney, yada, yada, yada, then he just asked if we would be interested in being in the parade. And of course we were!!! But as I said, we did nothing to get picked, we just happened to be lucky that day I think!

 

[Piglet]

Wow - Lucky You!!!! I am going to have to take some time and talk to people when going in. We always seem to be in a rush to get started.

Melinda

 

[Michelemouse]

I just posted this on another thread, but the choice is not always done first thing in the morning, and it's not always done at the entrance area. We were the Grand Marshalls on Mother's Day this year. We just happened to stop into City Hall to take care of some things and happened to hit it off with the CM who was helping us. Turns out she was the one assigned to pick the Grand Marshalls that day and she picked us! The other couple who were GMs with us were picked much later in the morning down by the castle.

It really is a luck of the draw and right-place-right-time kind of thing.

 

[cindala]

No, but we got picked to be the family that opened MGM Studios one morning! That was fun!

 

[WiscMomof2]

I wasn't, but my daughter's were. Similar story as disneygrrl. We were at MNSSHP last year and a man approached us as we were walking in and asked if we had our maps etc.....Before we knew it he asked if the girls wanted to be Grand Marshalls in the parade. Definitely one of the biggest highlights of our trip. I have the best picture of them waving to us on the float they rode on as they're coming down Main Street, it was so cool.

 

[skfulkers]

We were picked to be Grand Marshalls during our trip this past February. Like everyone has said, there's really no "secret trick" to being picked, you just have to be in the right place at the right time.
I will say this, though. I know the CMs in charge of picking families for Grand Marshall duties are looking for the perfect "Disney people." You know when you watch the Disney vacation planning videos and everyone they show is smiling and having a great time? That's the sort of people they want. My DW and I happened to be picked on a day when it was raining and we decided to head to the MK anyway wearing our rain ponchos to brave the storm. My wife was so excited to be on main street that she was dancing around and making me twirl her around (you know how goofy young, married couples can be ). The CM struck up a conversation with us and before we knew it, we were asked to Grand Marshall the parade that afternoon.
I tell that story to make this point--if you're one of the first families into the MK in the morning and you storm through the gates and charge off down main street to get to the first big ride of the day, you probably won't be picked. Disney is looking for people who seem to be having a good time in the park.
Take some time to hang around on Main Street--take in the smells, the sounds, the sights--who knows, you may end up leading a parade.