All Disney Parades aren’t created equal. There are Disney parades that we will camp on the sidewalk for, for hours, in order to have the perfect seat (and the perfect spot for taking pictures!), and there’s parades that we will walk as fast as we can to avoid (we’re looking at you, Move It, Shake It). Today, we’re ranking the parades. Most of the time, our lists aren’t in order, because we love things at Disney pretty equally. Not so with parades. This list is very much so in order, and ranked VERY specifically, so hopefully you’ll know what’s worth camping for, and what to just catch in passing. (Editors note – before we get emails about leaving out The Main Street Electrical Parade – we didn’t mention it since this will be it’s last week at Walt Disney World.)
4) Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It! Street Party
This is one of the few things at Disney that we don’t have a single picture of. It’s not really a parade, in our opinion, as much as it is a street party, with characters dressed in late 90s costumes, dancing to current music, encouraging crowd interaction, and riding on top of what looks like huge birthday presents. If it sounds like a strange premise to you, you’re not alone. If you’re not already feeling a little wary of Move It! Shake It, just imagine the Genie from Aladdin in a wildly patterned party vest. It’s as strange as it sounds.
3) Festival Of Fantasy
Festival Of Fantasy began in March, 2014, and should be on everyone’s ‘must watch’ list. This is, in our opinion, the best daytime parade Disney has done. It’s an incredibly ambitious parade, with floats so tall that Main Street can no longer string Christmas garlands across the buildings. The music is fantastic, and the parade combines vivid color, imagery, and beloved characters.
2) Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade
In our own, slanted, Christmas obsessed, we put our tree up in October kind of way – this is our favorite Disney parade. We know, based on overwhelming popular opinion though, that we can’t put it in the number one spot. You SHOULD see it, and love it as much as much as we do. It has everything you could ever want in a parade. Dancing reindeer, marching toy soldiers, festive music, Santa, and Disney characters dressed in their Holiday best. You can catch this parade at a Very Merry Christmas Party, or the week before Christmas or after Christmas.
1) Mickey’s Boo To You Parade
Disney’s Halloween Parade, Boo To You, can only be seen at Mickey’s Not So Scary Party, but it’s worth the cost of admission. It’s considered in the Disney fan community to be the best parade that the parks put on (and we would agree if we weren’t such a huge fan of the December holidays). The parade isn’t scary, it’s just spooky fun, and being able to see it on Main Street, with fog piped in, and the building lit up spooky colors, is quintessential Halloween fun.
We hope our power rankings of Disney Parades can help you decide what to spend your time sitting on the sidewalk of Main Street for hours for, and what to skip. We no matter what you decide, you’ll have a great time (you’re in Disney World, after all!).