A Christmas Fantasy Parade
The "A Christmas Fantasy Parade" is an annual parade presented at Disneyland Park in the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA. The parade is a holiday parade that runs (usually) from the weekend before Thanksgiving until the Sunday after New Years. It debuted in during the 1994 Holiday Season, replacing the "Very Merry Christmas Parade." The parade features several Christmas themed floats and a catchy soundtrack, along with favorite Disney characters such as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Max Goof, Clarabelle Cow, Scrooge McDuck, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket, Mister Geppetto, Woody & Buzz, Belle, Beast, Snow White and her Prince, Princess Aurora, Prince Phillip, Cinderella, Prince Charming, Ariel, Prince Eric, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and the Babes in Toyland soldiers. Earlier versions of the parade included Roger Rabbit, characters from Lilo & Stitch, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, Aladdin, and also young children.
The Parade Units
Currently, the parade has seven units, each consisting of at least one float. The following are descriptions of the seven units:
- Opening Unit:
- Music box float, with a dancing ballerina atop a revolving platform, and a giant stuffed bear sitting beside her.
- Toy Soldiers from Babes in Toyland marching that play trumpets and snare drums
- Santa's Mail Room Unit:
- Mailroom float, with Mrs. Claus greeting park guests, accompanied by Donald and Daisy
- Pluto sits atop the roof of Mrs. Claus's Cottage, trying to place the star on the top of the Christmas tree.
- 4 Female Mailroom Elves and 2 Male Mailroom Elves perform with mail bags along and atop the float.
- Welcome to A Winter Wonderland Unit:
- Tigger and Winnie the Pooh ride on sleighs.
- 8 Snowflake performers skate down the parade route on roller skates.
- A snowy Christmas Tree rolls down the parade route.
- 8 Snowpeople scurry along, 4 male, 4 female.
- Mickey and Minnie ice skate atop the Ice Rink float.
- Eeyore pulls a sleigh.
- A Recipe for Gingerbread Treats Unit:
- Clarabelle Cow and 6 Gingerbread Cookies dance down the street.
- 6 Candy Bakers (3 Male, 3 Female) help Goofy and Max, who are atop the Gingerbread float, wreak some havoc.
- Candlelight Christmas Ball Unit:
- Lady Tremaine, Drizella, and Anastasia (Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters) are not invited and therefore walk in front of the unit while playing with guests.
- 8 Ball Dancers dance beautifully in front and behind the Candlelight Ball float.
- Princess Aurora, Prince Philip, Snow White and her Prince, Belle, Beast, Ariel, Prince Eric, Cinderella, and Prince Charming are all invited to the ball.
- Santa's Toyland Unit:
- Chip and Dale lead the unit in the "Humdinger," a mini Hummer-type vehicle.
- Woody from Toy Story on a rocking horse is atop a Toy Block float.
- Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket (or Foulfellow or Gideon), and Geppetto ride on top the giant Toy Factory float.
- 6 Toy Factory Elves dance alongside the float.
- Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story in a spaceship is atop a Toy Block float.
- Santa's Finale Unit:
- The Seven Dwarves hold buckets full of jewels as they dance in front of a moving Christmas Tree adorned with jewels.
- 8 Finale Dancers (4 male, 4 female) dance and sing to Christmas carols.
- Santa Claus sits atop his sleigh on the Finale float led by the 8 Reindeer.
- Two Finale Elves dance on the back of the Finale float.
- Two or Three Rope Carriers end the parade.