How do quests get to be in the parades?

[eek40]

Hi everyone, I see pictures now and then of familys leading the parades. I was wondering does anyone know how they get picked for this honor?



Aimee

 

[ToyStory Fan]

Getting picked to lead or "Grand marshall" a parade is random. A CM will approach you in the park as you enter or while walking around.

There are certain points in the MK parade that the floats stop and characters will invite children up to dance etc.

 

[ducklite]

We were chosen to be a "float family" this past March for the AK parade. We were eating breakfast at Donalds when we were approached by a CM and asked if we'd like to participate.

The other float families were a newlywed couple, a couple from the UK, and another family with two kids.

We were told to meet at a certain time and place and taken backstage for "costuming" and then we climbed aboard our floats. They told us that at a certain point we had to look at the camera and wave, and a CM was on the parade route and snapped our picture with a disposable camera, then handed it to us. The park photographers also took photo's which we could purchase int eh gift shop afterward. We weren't allowed to take any photos while backstage.

It was a really cool experience

Anne

 

[summerrluvv]

Originally posted by ToyStory Fan
Getting picked to lead or "Grand marshall" a parade is random. A CM will approach you in the park as you enter or while walking around.

There are certain points in the MK parade that the floats stop and characters will invite children up to dance etc.

My son got pulled out into the street to dance during the parade with snow Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It was really cute and he loved it!

 

[momto2]

My son also got picked to dance with the lion king dance in a MK parade a few years ago. He was little so one of the 'lions' held his hand. He absolutely loved it! It sure would be fun to be picked as a family to ride the float. I'll keep all our fingers crossed.

 

[Mamacelt]

Originally posted by ToyStory Fan
There are certain points in the MK parade that the floats stop and characters will invite children up to dance etc.

Please share where those points are - it would make my oldest son's year to dance with the characters. This is our first trip, so I'm not really familiar with the parade route, except for our guidebook maps. Thanks!

Lyanne
only 32 days to go!

 

[catwho]

Where the parade stops is pretty random. It has to do with where the parade is in the music when they stop. It's all choreographed and we have seen the dancing happen in front of Pecos Bill, when the parade turns the corner onto Mainstreet, and at Mainstreet before it loops around (near the photoshop) So there is really no guarantee on that either, nor that your son will be chosen. Our middle child was chosen and our older child wasn't (talk about a pouty tween for the rest of the day!) Of course our middle child was already bopping to the music so that may have made the difference. Almost 6 years ago I got to waltz with Prince Charming (Cinderella's)!! I can remember it clearly because I was so dizzy and I didn't know if it was the excitement of dancing with a prince, swirling around in the dance or symptomss of early pregnancy LOL!! (I was 6 weeks pregnant) I was just standing there beaming nearly crying (like I usually do) and there he was holding his hand out to invite me to dance!

I miss TON/D parade at Epcot. The puppets were very interactive in those parades and we have lots of pictures of our kids dancing and shaking hands with the puppets!

It's all random, but they do notice kids that seem enthusiastic (into the music, clapping, already dancing) but not pushy (like jumping up and down going "me me me me")

 

[TMTIP]

My daughter was asked to dance with Cinderella's Prince Charming! She was about 4 years old--she (and I) loved it! That is something that you never forget.