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100 Years of Magic and Four Great ParadesWalt Disney World's Latest Celebration is a WinnerBy Suzanne Hall
Not me! During my most recent visit, I planned my hours at the 47-square-mile theme park which put the Orlando, Florida, area on the map around the parades. I’m a sucker for parades. I’ll gladly sit in stopped traffic to watch marchers and floats go by. I’ve even unknowingly run into the street to snap pictures of a funeral parade in New Orleans. Although I did put the camera away when I saw the hearse, I continued to watch and had to restrain from clapping for the band. Clearly, the very friendly folks at Disney World had people like me in mind when they planned their 100 Years of Magic Celebration. This 15-month long tribute celebrates the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney’s birth on Dec. 5, 1901. It began officially and a little quietly on Oct. 1, 2001, in the shadow of the September 11 terrorist attacks. It’s in full swing until the end of 2002 with new shows and attractions and four brand-new parades–one in each park. There’s a chance to see each parade at least once daily. The schedules are posted in the parks and in the guide maps available free at each park. Once you know the timing, you can plan your park adventures around the parades. Since I’m not the only one who loves parades, the crowds build quickly. So allow yourself plenty of time to find your spot. Watch for the uniformed Disney employees, called cast members, lining the route with tape. Then park yourself with your toes on the edge of the tape and get ready for the fun. Epcot was the first Disney World park I ever visited. So it was to Epcot I went to see my first 100 Years parade. I opted for the 6:10 p.m. step off. Arriving at about 4 p.m., I had plenty of time to wander through the World Showcase. I never tire of this melting pot of music, dance, food and culture. Don’t miss the live “statue” outside the French pavilion. She’s quite amazing and had young and old alike wondering. Maybe I was in an especially patriotic mood, but I was thrilled and moved during what was my first visit to the American pavilion’s show “The American Adventure.” It’s aired once an hour and well worth seeing. Since Epcot’s “Tapestry of Dreams” parade goes right through the World Showcase, it was easy to grab a glass of wine before finding my spot at the tape for the parade. And what a parade it was. Celebrating children, dreams and the Walt Disney legacy, the spectacle opens with the Dream Catcher float, adorned with bells, wind chimes and colorful fabric. Giant puppets and costumed performers follow. Near the end of the parade, the voice of Walt Disney reminds all that “The era we are living in today is a dream coming true. Today we are the shapers of the world tomorrow.” Because I can’t ever go to the Magic Kingdom without visiting “It’s a Small World,” I arrived midmorning. After wandering through the shops along Main Street USA, I waited my turn to take this delightful boat ride around the world. Yes, this attraction has been around for a long time and maybe it’s a little old fashioned. But I still love to sing along and try to identify all the different countries.
The “Cinderella’s Surprise Celebration” performance takes place several times each day. I caught a 12:45 p.m. performance, which gave me plenty of time to shake hands with the Disney characters after the show, take a ride and rest my feet on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority and have some lunch before the 3 p.m. “Share a Dream Come True Parade.” Mickey Mouse and 100 Disney characters star in this spectacular, which features favorite scenes from early Mickey Mouse cartoons as well as Disney’s newest animated characters. The scenes are captured in larger-than-life snow globes. The final float is a castle floating on the clouds with Tinker Bell’s magic wand revealing a Disney character carousel.
I’ve never been to Africa or Asia, but I felt like I had after visiting this park. The buildings, costumes and attractions all come together to provide a true other world experience. I spent hours enjoying the sometimes silly but also educational Kilimanjaro Safari ride, walking the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, riding the Wildlife Express Train and soaking in the sounds and sights of the animals and birds. The Kali River Rapids ride is a tame white-water adventure that left me dripping wet and lined up for a second time. In all my experience here was memorable to say the least and I hadn’t even seen the parade yet.
I hated to leave the Animal Kingdom and I’ll definitely go back. But I still had one more parade to see and another park to visit. Disney-MGM Studios is the centerpiece of the 100 Years of Magic festivities. Both a working film, TV and animation studio and a theme park, it is where much of the Disney magic gets its start. It is also home to the new 122-foot-tall Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat and Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream, an inspiring and entertaining exhibit highlighting Walt Disney’s life and his creations. And, of course, it has its own special parade. Since the “Disney Stars and Motor Cars” parade was scheduled for 2:30 p.m, I arrived at the park around 11:30 so I’d be sure to get a seat for the 12:45 p.m. “Beauty and the Beast” stage show. Afterwards I took the Great Movie Ride, which combines live action with great movie clips. Then, I found my spot along the tape to see my last parade for this visit. Again, I wasn’t disappointed in the music or the outrageous cars that both look like and carry Disney characters. I was sorry, though, when the last, a 1929 Cadillac with Mickey and Minnie and Goof as chauffeur rolled by. It meant my latest visit to Walt Disney World was over and I could no longer watch a different parade every day.
Walt Disney World Guest Information Images by Suzanne Hall
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Most
visitors to Walt Disney World plan their days around the crowds and their
favorite attractions. They follow the experts’ very good advice about
getting to the parks early, hitting the most popular attractions when others
people are eating, and taking advantage of Fastpass, a system which provides
quicker access and shorter lines at certain attractions.
From
“It’s a Small World,” it’s only a short walk to Cinderella’s Castle, scene
of one of the 100 Years of Magic celebrations new live shows. Filled with
music, laughter and misadventures, it brings together Disney characters from
the past and present in a performance that’s equally fun for children and
adults. Near the castle is the new bronze statue of Walt Disney and Mickey
Mouse. It’s a fitting reminder that the Disney magic began with a mouse.
Disney’s
Animal Kingdom opened in 1998. I’d never been so I decided to allow myself
plenty of time to see if it was as good as everyone said it was. I also
didn’t know what time the parade started and I didn’t want to miss it.
“Mickey’s
Jammin’ Jungle” parade once again is a sight to behold. Complete with
character-based safari vehicles, animal puppets and drum scupltures, it
rocks with music and festivity as it winds through the park. As they do
during each parade, the cast interacts with spectators to make sure that
everyone is having a great time.
No
one, especially me, needs a special reason to visit Walt Disney World. But
the 100 Years of Magic celebration is special – even if you don’t love
parades.