Happiness is the richest thing we will ever own.
While you wouldn’t expect this particular aphorism to come from our pal Donald Duck, ironically credited to “never show a bit of temperament,” who seems to get “stuck with all the bad luck,” he did in fact say it in the 1990 animated classic DuckTales the Movie. And if our fractious friend can distill such optimism even when times are tough, so can we. Thus, today I’m bringing you an ode to the happy continuation of the Festival of Fantasy parade, which will return to Magic Kingdom Park on the anniversary of its 2014 debut, March 9.
If you have missed the presence of daily parades down Main Street, USA; it’s time to celebrate.This fan favorite parade is returning for not just one daily showing, but two! The smaller character cavalcades will also continue throughout the day.
Personally, before I had children I preferred to use parade times to ride the more popular attractions in the parks. All those people lined up to watch the parade go by took the wait times way down, and my go-go-go mentality just really needed to capitalize on that opportunity to run from ride to ride at breakneck speeds.
As our children have grown, they have naturally become endeared to seeing their favorite Disney characters in whatever venue is currently available to them. Even between our vacations at home they would enjoy watching the different parades on YouTube, and would wave at the TV with gusto when their character of choice rode by. It’s one of my favorite memories of my little ones, to recall how their excitement wasn’t quelled by the television proxy of a parade. I think they figured if they waved hard enough and yelled loud enough, the characters would take notice anyway. Paint the Night at Disneyland was a particular favorite (Disney, if you’re reading this, please bring this to Walt Disney World. PLEASE!).
Now we try to stop for parades, and especially for cavalcades where we can see some of the more rare characters. Of course, people who don’t visit Walt Disney World often are going to want to make time for these events. But what I didn’t expect was that this appreciation extends to people who are in the Magic Kingdom more days than not.
One afternoon some years ago at the Main Street Emporium we were stopping to buy souvenirs during the parade. There were unusually few people inside the store, and we were the only people in line to check out. As I approached the register, the parade music started up, and the Cast Member not helping us made a beeline for the door, to stand on the sidewalk and wave to the characters and dance along with the music. The kind Cast Member helping us was looking over her shoulder at the passing parade, swaying with the music, clearly planning to join her friend as soon as our transaction was complete. In that moment, their obvious joy and enthusiasm for something they experienced every day brought tears to my eyes (honestly it still does). They were happy to see us, to chat with our kids about the thrill of a new toy to take home, to make sure we received the best discount on our new treasures. And even after multi-year tenure in this merchandise location, the exuberance with which they met the daily parade was striking. This moment, for me, is Disney goodness in a nutshell. I love to interact with a Cast Member who is every bit as happy as I am to be there.
Maybe my favorite viewing of this particular parade was in May of 2019, on a vacation with my brother, sister-in-law, and parents, when we got to watch Festival of Fantasy near the train station on Main Street. It was another moment in which I wished I could freeze time, watching my Dad, brother, and husband hold up our children so they could get a better view; knowing that my children were thrilled in that moment to see their favorite movie icons, and feeling my own heart swell with gratitude for all the ways my kids are loved and celebrated, and how fortunate they are to have such a rich childhood, filled with happiness of all sorts.
And so, if you find yourself in the Magic Kingdom after March 9, I hope you’ll take a moment to witness Maleficent in all her fire-breathing glory, join Rapunzel in singing your dreams into reality, and be inspired by Merida’s Bravery (see what I did there?) before queueing for your next daring adventure. Even if you’re not the most enthusiastic about the parade, I think you’ll find the joy of those around you to be infectious in the best way possible.
