Parades and Fireworks

Tuesday January 18, 2016                                                                             Most Recent Posts:
Fort Wilderness Campground                                                                        It’s a MAGIC Kingdom
Walt Disney World                                                                                        Through Epcot to Beaches and Cream
Orlando, Florida



If you haven’t seen the post about our morning and early afternoon at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom you can find it at the first link at the top.  This one will make more sense if you’ve read it. 

First, in answer to yesterday’s question about Mouse Ears, my readers know me pretty well.  Yessiree it would be the Winnie the Pooh Ears.

Now back to the MAGIC Kingdom.

It’s now mid afternoon, 3:00 to be exact and the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade begins with dancers leading the floats of the various princesses.

Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and her prince.

Mulan and what’s his name.  :-)

The floats and the costumes are just fantastic but then what would you expect, it’s Disney.

The Little Mermaid

Captain Hook and his ship which seems to be carrying Peter and Wendy. 
They are followed by Smee and the ticking Crocodile.  We can hear the ticking.

Some of the characters I’m not familiar with but I wonder how in the world the person inside moved this guy down the street.

These guys look pretty ominous for Disney but I guess this must  be Pixar. 
The dragon certainly isn’t as cuddly as Puff or as helpful as Elliot.

But breathing fire is way cool!

For something a little more sedate here come the White Rabbit, Alice and the Mad Hatter  although there is that hooka pipe in Alice in Wonderland.  But I perhaps that would make one really sedate.

I want this costume for my next halloween party.

The 7 dwarfs chaperone Snow White although for dwarfs they certainly look bigger than she is.

And where would Pinocchio be without Jiminy Cricket?
I always thought “let your conscience be your guide” was one of the best pieces of advice in any movie.

Can you see the bubbles??

This is actually only a small sampling of this fantastic parade.  Nothing but smiles in the audience.
What a happy time.

We’re ready for dinner now and take the People Mover over to Future World.  

The People Mover is a favorite of Nancy and Bill’s youngest granddaughter Samantha so this picture is for her and all the other Nancy and Bill fans.

The Starlight Cafe is their choice of eatery tonight and I snag us a fairly secluded table in the back overlooking the DJ on the main floor.   Check him out..

We’re walking back over to get a spot for the electric light parade when we find out Bill has never ridden the Fantasyland Carousel.  We’ll fix that right away.

A native of south Florida and the tropical offshore islands, the soft, light weight and easily carved wood of gumbo limbo was used for making carousel horses before the advent of molded plastics.

The riders wait to mount their steeds.

Trick riders.
Boys will be boys no matter how old they are.

Nancy catches a kiss on the carousel.

After the carousel we try to walk back through the castle to enjoy the simply astounding frescoes on the walls but we should have known they’d have it blocked off for the parade.

I walk up to the rope and take this picture  to remind myself for another visit.
Not that I haven’t seen them before, but they are so gorgeous once is never enough.

We walk around the castle and take up a spot right on the corner in front of the castle.  The parade should be coming right toward us.

And it does.
Looks like the little engine that could is moving around the circle toward us.
Such anticipation. 
I think this is probably everyone’s favorite of the many parades at Disney World.

Goofey is the engineer and the yellow lights dancing all around the floats are Tinkerbell.

Here come Alice and the Cheshire Cat.

Followed by Cinderella.

The prince is still trying to find the one to fit the slipper.

The clock striking twelve follows them.

With the slipper shining brightly on the pillow, the ugly step sister attempts to persuade the prince it will fit her.

Guess she’s not having much success shoving her foot in his face.

Yo HO, Yo HO, A pirate’s life for me!

That would be Captain Hook to the left, Peter Pan in the Middle and one of the crew on the right steering the boat.

And of course, Tinkerbell

The canon fires as they pass us by.  Thank goodness no one is hurt.

Smee rows as fast as he can but he cannot catch up to the Pirate Ship.

The Seven Dwarfs mine train is filled with jewels.

Here's my kind of dragon, one with wings. 
This really is fantasyland if those little wings will fly this size dragon.

And there is lucky Pete riding high on his dragon friend Elliot.

The final float is  To Honor America with the American Flag and giant sparklers .

It’s complete with marching Revolutionary War soldiers.

At the end is a brilliant golden eagle.

I snap this picture of our companions just before the fireworks start. 
I’m amazed you can see them with no flash.

And if all the rides and shows and parades aren’t enough,
here come the fireworks as the castle changes colors.
What a spectacle!

All over now. Time to go home.
What a great show!
What a great day!
It’s a MAGIC KINGDOM!!

THE END