Seeing ABC’s Disney Parks Christmas Parade Reside Is Not What You’d Count on, However IS Superior!

ABC filmed the 2024 “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” at Walt Disney World again in mid-November. I spent the day watching it dwell in Magic Kingdom, from park opening till after park closing, and share pictures & my expertise–plus when the present airs on ABC, Disney+ and YouTube, the performer lineup, and predictions for 2025 theme park bulletins.

Let’s begin with the fundamentals about ABC’s Christmas Day Parade. To not damage the phantasm, however ABC’s Disney Christmas Day Parade doesn’t air dwell–and hasn’t been for some time. It’s pre-recorded over a month upfront over a pair days concurrently the Thanksgiving weekend particular. The silver lining is that, relying upon your age, your complete childhood won’t be a lie. If you happen to bear in mind the model hosted by Regis Philbin and Joan Lunden, that will’ve been dwell (not less than, partially).

These days, exhibiting as much as Walt Disney World or Disneyland on Christmas Day to see celeb performances dwell can be a reasonably large blunder. Positive, you’ll be capable to see Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade in individual…however not the celebrities or musical performances or something particular. It’ll simply be the parade itself, which runs throughout Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering, then for a few week-plus stretch within the lead-up to Christmas and New 12 months’s Eve…oh, and a random day or two in mid-November when the ABC particular is recorded.

The overwhelming majority of this yr’s ABC’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade was filmed at Walt Disney World over the course of Veterans Day Weekend–again on Saturday and Sunday, November 9 and 10. I watched it dwell on that Sunday, which is what this submit covers (together with the earlier yr).

For these planning forward for 2025 Walt Disney World holidays, it’ll most likely be filmed across the identical weekend subsequent yr. This has been the case for 2 consecutive years, and it looks like it really works nicely for Disney–the manufacturing course of appeared actually easy this yr, particularly as in comparison with earlier years when the parade was filmed in early December.

See our record of the 10 Greatest and 10 Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025 & 2026, because the weeks round this date make each lists. With that stated, regardless that Veterans Day and Jersey Week are on the “worst” aspect, the crowds aren’t as dangerous as they was–and are extra avoidable in case you choose your parks properly. This week is certainly worse than the one earlier than or after it, in addition to all the months of August and September, however it’s not dangerous–just like the three-week stretch from Christmas to early January.

As for what to anticipate from the ABC Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade, the particular options vacation classics, plus authentic music, and heartwarming tales about how the Disney Parks convey households collectively. It additionally showcases new sights which are coming quickly or just lately opened at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, in addition to sneak peeks of flicks and exhibits coming to theaters and streaming companies. Mainly, these specials are one half leisure and one half infomercial for all issues Disney.

The 2024 ABC Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade is hosted by Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, and was as soon as once more filmed at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The parade itself options fan-favorite Disney Characters, gifted performers, festive cheer, and enjoyable music.

The ABC Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade isn’t simply Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade, although. There are additionally numerous musical performances by huge names on the Cinderella Fort Forecourt Stage. Extra performances had been recorded at Disneyland Resort in California, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Level, and Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii.

Right here’s how and the place to observe the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade on December 25, 2024:

• ABC Tv Community: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. EST/9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. CST/5:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m. MST/PST
• Disney+ Streaming Service: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. EST/10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CST on Disney+ as a part of “Spend Christmas Day with Disney+”
• YouTube: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. EST/10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CST

The massive change for 2024 is that the Christmas Day parade will stream an hour afterward Disney+ and YouTube. In earlier years, it’s been out there the subsequent day. I don’t learn about you, however regardless that I do know the parade was filmed over a month in the past (as a result of I noticed it in individual!), watching it the day after Christmas simply isn’t the identical. Even when it’s not dwell dwell, it’s nonetheless a tv ‘occasion’ that’s greatest loved when everybody else is, on Christmas morning!

“Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” will even characteristic musical performances for the particular together with the next:

• Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro – “Winter Wonderland”
• Elton John – “Tiny Dancer”
• Andy Grammer and Junkanoo Celebration Performers – “Santa Claus Is Coming To City”
• John Legend – “This Christmas”
• Carly Pearce – “(Everyone’s Waitin’ For) The Man With The Bag”
• Pentatonix – “12 Days of Christmas”
• Disney on Broadway Stars Kalilah Black, Lauren Nicole Chapman, Daniel Gardner, Bradley Gibson, Marq Moss, Amber Owens, Melaina Rairamo, John Riddle, Michael James Scott and Jessica White – Medley
• Forged of “Descendants: The Rise of Crimson” – “Crimson Christmas” / “Jolly to the Core”
• Anika Noni Rose – “Christmas (Child Please Come House)”
• SEVENTEEN – “Rockin’ Round The Christmas Tree”

You gained’t wish to miss the unimaginable floats and dazzling decorations of the parade at Walt Disney World and all the vacation magic that involves life. Plus, catch a sneak peak at what’s to return in 2025 on the Disney Parks!

We all the time watch the ABC Disney Christmas Day Parade particularly for that reason–to see what’s teased or revealed for the yr to return. Truthfully, I’m not anticipating a lot in that regard this yr. Neither Walt Disney World nor Disneyland have a lot within the pipeline for the subsequent couple of years, so there isn’t actually a lot that may be revealed. Listed here are some potentialities and predictions which are considerably sensible:

• New Tropical Americas Idea Artwork or Particulars
• New Check Monitor 3.0 Idea Artwork
• WDW Leisure Announcement for 2025
• WDW Summer time 2025 Celebration
• New Starlight Parade Idea Artwork or Debut Date
• Disneyland seventieth Anniversary First Look
• Sneak Peek at Walt Disney Audio Animatronics Determine

That’s actually about it. Disney has already indicated there will probably be a primary have a look at the upcoming Disneyland seventieth Anniversary celebration, in order that’s a given. The massive query is then what will probably be shared for Walt Disney World. Asserting a begin date for Starlight Night time Parade or no matter else Walt Disney World has deliberate for Summer time 2025 makes probably the most sense, particularly since households begin fascinated about and reserving subsequent yr’s journeys whereas watching these exhibits.

As for my expertise watching the filming of the 2024 ABC Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade dwell in individual, it was superior. That is the second consecutive yr I’ve sought out parade filming weekend, after years of avoiding it.

Previously, we’ve warned that the particular may be boring to observe in individual and it creates congestion. What you’re seeing on tv now may look like it’d be enjoyable to see in individual, however is the results of meticulous work in capturing, re-shooting, and cautious enhancing. This is applicable to the musical performances on the Cinderella Fort stage, not the parade itself. The “fast” songs interspersed all through the particular truly take a lot, for much longer to movie than Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade!

This isn’t to say it’s not satisfying to observe (it’s!), we simply wish to set expectations appropriately. There’s a number of stopping, pausing, and restarting. The songs you see carried out on stage are usually not like a standard live performance with the performer singing a wide range of totally different vacation hits. It’s the identical track a number of instances, after which the subsequent performer shifting on to their track…additionally carried out a number of instances. What you see within the span of a pair hours on tv can take a number of days to report.

The massive draw back of watching Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade is the crowds and congestion.

With this being the second consecutive yr that Disney has recorded the ABC Christmas Day Parade on the very same weekend, phrase has gotten out amongst locals and diehard followers. As quickly because the schedule up to date in October, we shared you can see Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade filmed in the course of the day totally free! with readers. This web site wasn’t the one one.

Consequently, crowds had been heavy alongside the parade route to observe Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade with roughly half of the Sunshine State descending upon Principal Road. Final yr, I confirmed up a pair hours upfront to stake out my favourite spot–the right dead-on view of Cinderella Fort. This yr, that space was already filled with folks a lot earlier (as such, the parade pictures are from final yr–I had a really suboptimal angle this yr and most of my pictures are rubbish in consequence).

Who may blame followers for staking out spots so early? It was a uncommon alternative to see Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade with out dropping $150+ per individual for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering or visiting the weeks of Christmas and New 12 months’s Eve. It’s an incredible alternative to get pleasure from a superb parade that’s usually paywalled.

Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade is basically introduced in its regular, uninterrupted kind for the ABC Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. There are a number of principally unnoticeable modifications, however nothing main–a gap banner, a number of characters, plus each Santa and Mrs. Claus.

It’s cool to see the manufacturing in motion. Cameras swoop up and down in the midst of Principal Road to seize footage of the parade because it runs principally as regular. Except for a few instances when it appeared just like the parade slowed down and lingered only a bit in that space, Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade is an everyday parade in the course of the recording. That is the one factor that’s roughly the identical dwell in individual as it’s at residence.

This implies there was no beginning and stopping or a number of takes. Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade is perhaps 1-2 minutes longer than regular, which isn’t dangerous. If something, there are fewer interruptions dwell in individual than there are on the ABC particular!

Past this, there are execs and cons to the ABC Vacation Specials being filmed in Magic Kingdom. Strains for rides had been shorter than they’d’ve been in any other case. Crowd ranges, as measured by wait instances, had been low to average over the course of each days, regardless of it being a vacation weekend.

The added bonus was that Magic Kingdom had longer hours to accommodate the filming and accompanying visitor disruptions. The park opened at 8 am each days, closing at midnight on Saturday and 11 pm on Sunday. To the very best of my recollection, that was the solely midnight closure at Magic Kingdom this complete vacation season thus far (December 30-31 can have longer hours).

The draw back of the filming on the day I visited was that everything of Principal Road was closed off for a number of hours, and all the space in entrance of Cinderella Fort was blocked off for the on-stage performances. I didn’t discover another pathways blocked off, as was the case final yr, however these are sometimes short-lived, so it’s doable that I merely missed the closures.

Truthfully, I didn’t watch any of the daytime performances in entrance of Cinderella Fort.

There have been a pair ‘classes’ that I discovered final yr. The primary was that the daytime performances had been a lot, rather more crowded and it was troublesome to see something happening.

The second was that there are fireworks–tons and plenty of fireworks–in the course of the nighttime performances. Given these two issues, skipped the daytime stage exhibits and did rides then, returning within the night for these musical numbers and the accompanying pyro.

The largest draw back of this was that I missed Elton John, considered one of my all-time favourite musicians. He recorded songs proper round sundown into the early night, presumably so his set could possibly be used for each the Thanksgiving and Christmas Day specials. This additionally implies that I didn’t catch any of the performances that’ll be used for the ABC Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. I’ll be watching at residence for the primary time like everybody else.

No less than, I assume. Disney usually makes use of the nighttime footage for the Thanksgiving particular, which is “set” at evening. The ABC Christmas Day Parade is about, because the title suggests, in the course of the day. So the daytime performances are used for that. It’s a intelligent method to get extra mileage out of the two-day recording, which happens at just about all hours of the day and is filmed when sundown is round 5 pm!

Listed here are extra of my pictures from the ABC Christmas Day Parade filming in Magic Kingdom:

Finally, spending all day in Magic Kingdom for the 2024 ABC Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade filming was a enjoyable expertise, and one I’m very comfortable to have had! This was my second consecutive yr doing it, and I actually hope to have the ability to repeat it in 2025. Assuming it occurs Veterans Day weekend once more, that must be straightforward to perform.

It’s additionally one we’d now actively suggest to different Walt Disney World followers. My recommendation to anybody studying this on the fence about visiting Magic Kingdom on lately is to do it. However slightly than staking out a parade spot 3-4 hours upfront, simply get a subpar view in Frontierland on the final minute. After that, skip the remainder of the daytime performances and return to the Cinderella Fort hub space after Fortunately Ever After. Get pleasure from a pair hours of performances with fireworks, decrease crowds, and higher visibility.

All in all, seeing Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmas Time, even amid heavy crowds alongside the parade route (they’re solely more likely to worsen as phrase continues to get out), is a number of enjoyable. Similar goes for the on-stage performances, particularly these at evening for the Thanksgiving particular, full with tons of fireworks. If you happen to don’t thoughts considerably elevated crowds over the vacation weekend and components of the park being closed off (not rides, however walkways) whereas recording is occurring, it’s a good time to go to! It helps that Veterans Day isn’t as busy because it was, a pattern we’d additionally anticipate to proceed in 2025.

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YOUR THOUGHTS

Have been you in Magic Kingdom in the course of the day or at evening when the 2024 Vacation Specials had been filmed? Did you watch the parade, musical performances on stage, or each? What was your expertise? Have you ever been in Walt Disney World or Disneyland throughout previous filmings? Would you wish to attend? Ideas on ABC’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade or the Thanksgiving weekend particular? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!