A Christmas Fantasy Parade
| A Christmas Fantasy Parade | |
|---|---|
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| Disneyland | |
| Area | Main Street U.S.A., Fantasyland |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | November 13, 1994 |
| Closing date | January 8, 2017 |
| General statistics | |
| Attraction type | Parade |
| Theme | Christmas |
The "A Christmas Fantasy Parade" was 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, Pluto, Goofy, Clarabelle Cow, Elsa, Anna, Woody & Buzz Lightyear, 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 Scrooge McDuck, Roger Rabbit, Max Goof, characters from Lilo & Stitch, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, Aladdin, and also young children.
On November 16, 2016, Disneyland has announced that the long-running of A Christmas Fantasy Parade was officially retired after 22 years. The final performance concluded on January 8, 2017.
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 stuffed Teddy bear sitting beside her. (Duffy the Disney Bear in 2011 and 2012)
- 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 Mickey, Minnie, and Chip 'n' Dale.
- Donald (Pluto until 2013; Duffy the Disney Bear in 2014) sits atop the roof of the mailroom, 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, while Eeyore pulls a sleigh. Four skiers swing around them.
- 8 snowpeople scurry along, 4 male, 4 female.
- A snowy Christmas Tree rolls down the parade route.
- 6 skaters skate down the parade route on roller skates.
- Elsa and Anna stand atop an ice-themed float with an Olaf figure.
- 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 Pluto (Max Goof until 2013), 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.
- 4 Ball Dancers dance beautifully in front of the Candlelight Ball float accompanied by Snow White and her prince.
- Tiana, Prince Naveen, Cinderella, Prince Charming, Aurora, Prince Phillip, Belle, and Beast dance on a ballroom float.
- 4 Ball Dancers dance beautifully behind the Candlelight Ball float accompanied by Ariel and Prince Eric.
- Santa's Toyland Unit:
- Jessie and a Green Army Man ride in a military hum-dinger.
- Sheriff Woody from Toy Story on a rocking horse is atop a Toy Block float.
- The Green Army Men ride on top the giant Toy Factory float making toys.
- 6 Toy Factory Elves dance alongside the float.
- Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story in a spaceship is atop a Toy Block float.
- Until 2010, there used to be two Toy Block floats featuring characters from Who Framed Roger Rabbit and The Little Mermaid.
- Santa's Finale Unit:
- 8 Finale Dancers (4 male, 4 female) dance and sing to Christmas carols in front of a moving Christmas Tree adorned with jewels.
- 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.