How to be Parade Grand Marshal

[Millipore]

How do you become a parade grand marshal?

Another ? - We noticed that at some rides the CM at the entrance would hand a white card/tag on a black lanyard to certain people. Any idea what these are for (there appears to be no writing on the card)

TIA

 

[4407mark]

Don't know about the Grand Marshal but on the card/lanyard question, DS was handed a card and lanyard last November when we got in line for It's Tough to be a Bug at AK. The CM asked him to give it to the CM at the entry point where you get the 3-D glasses. When we asked, we were told that it's a "swipe" type card that they swipe at the queue entry and again at the entry point to determine how long the wait is.

I always wondered how they got that information....

 

[Kallison]

Two of my acquaintances have been Grand Marshalls - one family their son is critically ill, they called to get ressies in Cinderella's Castle directly to the restaurant manager. He not only got them their ressies but also made them GM of that day parade (without them asking). Funny thing is we sat next to them at CC's and had no idea they would be there at the same time -- talk about a Small World!

Our neighbors down the street were asked to be GM's when they were sitting outside the Main Street Bakery. A CM came up to them, chatted them up and asked if they would like to be Grand Marshall's that day. My friend is a hugh Disney fan also, has her house decorated, went there on their honeymoon. The CM couldn't have made a better choice.

I think unless you have a special situation it is just a matter of luck. Look really happy on Main Street and always be nice to wandering CM's! I remember once my kids were asked to lead the small parade they do outside the American Pavillion in Epcot and they said no thanks -- the cM looked really shocked that they declined. My kids just don't like to be the center of attention. They were also asked to introduce the British Invasion on a different trip and that poor English girl begged and begged them until they finally said yes, when she offered them some chocolate from one of the shops.

 

[Janet2k]

My daughter was asked to be a Grand Marshall during our last WDW vacation. It was strictly pixie dust that made that happen. That is, she was in the right place at the right time. And I think her big smile helped things along a little bit.

Magic happens when you least expect it.

 

[Janet2k]

By the way, Millipore, welcome to the Dis!

 

[MinniMama]

When the used to have the show on the disney channel about disney world they did a special on this and then there was an older man whose job it was to chose a family on main street to be GM. We always look at the CMs but never see anything. Would be a kick but we did get to ride with tigger on the honey pots!!

 

[JustMinnie]

A year ago, May, we got the wonderful oppurtunity of being Grand Marshalls at the MK. It still amazes me that it happened. As far as I could tell we did nothing outstanding to be picked. I was wearing my Minnie Mouse ears at the time, though. A CM said 'Hi, Nice ears!' as we were heading down Main Street. Of course, I said a big 'Thanks!' back. A little later on, I was taking my sis-in-laws picture with the Castle in the background. The same CM came up and starting joking around with us, so we took his picture too. Later at the tip board, that very same CM came up and starting talking to us, wanted to know if we were going to be watching the parade that day. We said we wanted to but had 2:00 ressies at the Castle. He wanted to know if we wanted to be IN the parade instead. We didn't quite believe him at first, but he assured us he was serious. Needless to say, we were estatic! We, of course, asked how he ever picked us and he said, believe it or not, that he noticed my Minnie Mouse ears. Then he noticed us having so much fun walking down Main Street. The funny thing is, picking people for the parade is not what he normally does at Disney, only occasionally. It just so happened to be the day he was picking. So you just never know where or when the magic will happen, but it can happen!

 

[Luv2Roam]

Luck of the draw, in our case. We were GM January 15th. ahhhhhh. whatta day!
Just be very friendly and perky, speak to CM's when you enter MK and reek of Disney! (No crying kids. Make sure they are cute and all smiles. )
We had a nice chat with a CM. It wasn't right away, but soon afterwards he asked if we would like to be GM.
It's one of those times you think, Oh I didn't hear that right.
And THEN Scoop (THE Pin Man) was in our front seat and awarded us his special pin after the parade!!
That trip was an over all great trip. I can't imagine any future trip being better.

 

[hopemax]

I don't know they are always positioned in the same spot, we were picked near the waiting times board. But basically, if a CM starts chatting with you, while you're walking up Main Street, be friendly.

Our conversation started because DH was wearing shorts. This was during the cold snap at the end of January, and all the CM's were bundled in their cold weather gear, so apparently he stood out. It also helped that the CM was from Olympia, WA and we live in a different city in WA, so we talked about home. Then Scoop came by on the Trolley and he called out our names (we had met him on Thursday, this was a Sunday) My parents were there too, and my mom is the chatty one. They were talking and then the CM said that she bet there were two things in the MK we hadn't done yet, and if she was right we would HAVE to do one of them. I knew what was coming, but I knew my Mom didn't have a clue so I just kept my mouth shut. The two things were ride in Walt's stagecoach or the electric car. We got to ride in the stagecoach.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Might be different CM's, which stand to reason. (We weren't at the waiting board.)
The CM who recruited us was from KS, orginally. But sure they could live at various places in the lives! Scoop was at one time living in Omaha.
My suggestion is to also wear a lanyard with pins and check the CM's lanyards and chat.