"A Christmas Fantasy Parade" is an annual parade presented at Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The parade is a holiday parade that runs (usually) from the weekend before Thanksgiving until the Sunday after New Years. It debuted during the 1995 Holiday Season, replacing the "Very Merry Christmas Parade". The name of the parade was inspired by similar name at Tokyo Disneyland.
The current version of the parade used since 2008 described here has seven units, each consisting of at least one float. The following are descriptions of each of the seven units, described from the 2008 incarnation:
Opening
Music Box - The title float, recycled from the title float from The World According to Goofy. It features a row of books, with a revolving music box containing a dancing ballerina, and a stuffed teddy bear behind them. Behind them is a reef with the parade's logo in the middle. The Disneyland logo appears on top.
Toy soldiers - The Toy Soldiers from Babes in Toyland marching that play trumpets and snare drums, as well as bass drums and cymbols.
Santa's Mail Room
Mail Room - Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Mrs. Claus greet guests in the mail room as the mailroom elves move right ahead, delivering the presents. Pluto sits up sits atop the roof of the mailroom, trying to place the star on the top of the Christmas tree.
Welcome from a Winter Wonderland
Frosted wonders fill the air. Swirls of snowflakes fall. Winter's magic everywhere, Bringing joy to all. New friends dancing in the snow, Warming heart and hand. Skating o'er the pond we go, In a Winter Wonderland.
Title - This float reads the unit's name and the unit's story.
Frosty Tree - Skiing snowflakes lead the way to a frosty Christmas Tree.
Ice Skating Rink - 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. This is then lead up to a large ice skating rink, depicting Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse skating along like pros.
Recipe for Gingerbread Treats
A spoonful of Sugar, A dash of Cinnamon & Spice & Everything Nice, A cup of Hope and Happiness, A sifting of Kindness, A splash of Yuletide Dream, Lots of Laughter. Mix ingredients together with tender loving care. Bake in a warm & cosy oven. Share this delightful treat with everyone you meet!
Title - The unit's title and a decription of the story appear on this book float, reused from The World According to Goofy.
Gingerbread House - The unit is led by 6 Candy Bakers (3 Male, 3 Female) and six gingerbread cookies who dance along on the street. They help Goofy and Max Goof wreak some havoc.
The Candlelight Christmas Ball
Romance dances merrily, On the wings of fantasy. Gracefully twirling, to and fro. Swirling 'rounf, like fallen snow. Prince and Princess, hand in hand. Joy and peace reign thru the land. True love comes to oen and all. At our Candlelight Christmas Ball!
Title - Leading away is Lady Tremaine, Drizella Tremaine, and Anastasia Tremaine (Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters), who are not invited and therefore walk in front of the unit while playing with guests. The title float reads the unit's story, with a tag reading "You're formerly invited to the Candlelight Christmas Ball". As with the other book floats, this was recycled from The World According to Goofy.
Toyland, Toyland, Dear little girl and boy land. While you dwell with it, You are ever happy then. Childhood's Toyland, Wonderful world of joy land. Wouldn't it be fine if we could stay there forevermore?
Title - The title unit reads the unit's title and story.
Nut-mobile - Chip and Dale lead the unit away after the title float in a red buggy with a load of acorns in the back.
Toy Block Float #1 - Woody rides on a rocking horse atop the block.
Toy Factory - The large toy factory has various toys being produced. Pinocchio, Geppetto and Jiminy Cricket help produce them. 6 Toy Factory Elves dance alongside the float.
Toy Block Float #2 - Buzz Lightyear rides a spaceship atop this Toy Block float.
Santa's Finale
Tree - The Seven Dwarfs lead the way to a large glowing Christmas Tree, which starts off the finale.
Santa's Sleigh - Santa Claus sits atop his sleigh on the Finale float led by the eight Reindeer, roaming the world. Two Finale Elves dance on the back of the Finale float. Two or Three Rope Carriers end the parade.
Updates
2008:
New Toy Factory float added.
2009:
Winnie the Pooh characters are added. Tigger and Winnie the Pooh ride on sleighs before the title float, while Eeyore pulls a sleigh after the Ice Skating float.
Clarabelle Cow returns to the Recipe for Gingerbread Treats unit, on foot with the cooks and Gingerbread Cookies.
2010:
The title float at the beginning gains a minor update, with the Disneyland logo now being on the reef itself in 3D letters instead of on top printed on.
The title float is refurbished, with the parade's title now on a red banner over the reef, which itself is no longer covered. The stuffed Teddy Bear also returns to the float.
Duffy the Disney Bear moves to the Santa's Mail Room float, replacing Pluto.
The Dancing Snowflake costumes are updated.
The Pooh characters move prior to the Frosty Tree float in the Winter Wonderland unit.
Pluto replaces Max Goof on the Gingerbread House unit.
The military hum-dinger is removed from the Santa's Toyland unit, with Jessie now appearing on foot, prior to the title float.
The second Toyblock float is removed, due to age. Buzz is moved to the Toy Factory float, while Woody's toy block takes it's former spot.
2024:
The Santa's Toy Factory float will be rethemed into Monsters, Inc., Green Army Men have been take over by Sulley and Mike, Buzz would be still on the float.
1995-2007 version
This section includes the floats from the original incarnation of the parade, along with it's own updates.
Opening
Music Box - The title float, recycled from the title float from The World According to Goofy. It features a row of books, with a revolving music box containing a dancing ballerina, and a stuffed teddy bear behind them. Behind them is a reef with the parade's logo in the middle. The Disneyland logo appears on top.
Santa's Mail Room - Mrs. Claus' sits inside the mail room as the Mailroom Elves perform with mail bags along and atop the float, one of which trying to put the star on the tree. This float was recycled from the 1987 Very Merry Christmas Parade.
Toy soldiers - The Toy Soldiers from Babes in Toyland marching that play trumpets and snare drums, as well as bass drums and cymbols.
Toy Factory - The large toy factory has various toys being produced. Pinocchio and Geppetto help out producing them. This float was recycled from the 1987 Very Merry Christmas Parade.
Skating Rink - Ice skating Snowflakes follow away with a Ice Skating rink float, featuring Chip and Dale.
Recipe for Gingerbread Treats
Title - The unit's title and a decription of the story appear on this book float, reused from The World According to Goofy.
Gingerbread House - Two cooks and 6 Gingerbread Cookies dance down the street. The Gingerbread house float, recycled from the 1984 Fantasy on Parade, features Daisy Duck and Clarabelle Cow cooking up christmas treats.
The Candlelight Christmas Ball
Title - This float reads the unit's story, with a tag reading "You're formerly invited to the Candlelight Christmas Ball". As with the other book floats, this was recycled from The World According to Goofy.
Mickey's Christmas Carol - Based on the 1983 short of the same name, this float consists of a Christmas village featuring a house. Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck stand outside, while Goofy (as Marley's Ghost) appears inside the house.
Giant Christmas Tree - 8 Finale Dancers dance and sing to Christmas carols in front of a moving Christmas Tree adorned with jewels. These carolers had live microphones and would lead guests in sing-alongs.
Santa's Sleigh - Santa Claus sits atop his sleigh on the Finale float led by the eight Reindeer. Two Finale Elves dance on the back of the Finale float. Two or Three Rope Carriers end the parade.
Updates
1996
The Toy Soldiers were moved to after the Title float.
The Toy Factory float was expanded with the addition of a Ferris Wheel float connected to it.
Toy Blocks moved to after the Toy Factory float.
The "Recipe for Gingerbread Treats" and "Greetings from a Winter Wonderland" units swapped spaces.
The dancing Gingerbread Man moved to after the Gingerbread House float.
The ice-skating Snowflakes were replaced with dancing Snowpeople.
A large Christmas Tree float and a snowmobile were added after the Ice Skating rink float, featuring Aladdin, Jasmine and Genie.
Lumiere was moved to the front of the Christmas Ball float, allowing for princesses and princes to dance in the middle.
The "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" unit was renamed "A Classic Christmas Homecoming". Goofy moved to the front of the float.
Live Dickens carolers and live musicians were added.
Pluto (dressed up as Rudolph) added to the Santa's Sleigh float.
1997
The Seven Dwarfs moved to appearing before the mail room float.
Dopey appears on top, putting up the star on the tree.
"The Candlelight Christmas Ball" and "Greetings from a Winter Wonderland" units swapped positions.
1998
Alice and the Mad Hatter replace Daisy and Clarabelle Cow on the Gingerbread House float.
The Ice Skating Snowflakes return.
Belle and Beast move out of "The Candlelight Christmas Ball" unit and into the "Greetings from a Winter Wonderland" unit, replacing Chip and Dale on the Ice Skating Rink float.
Toy Soldiers moved back to between the title float and mail room float.
The "Santa's Toy Factory" unit moved to before the "Santa's Finale" unit. With that, a title book float was added for the unit.
2004:
2005:
New Santa's Sleigh float added.
2006:
The "Greetings from a Winter Wonderland" unit was renamed to "Welcome to a Winter Wonderland", and a book float replaced the previous title float.
2007:
Both Toy Block floats became Toy Story floats, Ariel was moved to "The Candlelight Christmas Ball".
Accidents
On December 16, 2018, the Santa's Sleigh float manfunctioned when the sleigh collapsed and leaned forward, leaving Santa dangling on his safety harness.
After the incident, Santa displaced Chip and Dale on the mail room float, the Finale float, along with the entire unit except the Rope Carriers, was removed for inspection and repairs.
Voice Cast
Jack Wagner as opening and closing announcer (1995 only)
Bill Rogers as opening and closing announcer (1996-present)