The afternoon parade at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World became a tradition from its opening day in October of 1971. In fact, the afternoon parade has been a Disney tradition since opening day of Disney’s first park, Disneyland, in 1955! Gathering to see your favorite characters dancing and waving is itself a magical experience and one that you won’t want to miss, even if you only have one day at the park. When the parks reopened following closures related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the way visitors were able to meet and interact with characters, including during parades, were greatly affected. From limited appearances to distanced waves and selfies, Disney got creative with how guests could safely see their favorite princesses and pals, which are such a big part of what makes Disney World “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”
And this is when and why character cavalcades began at Walt Disney World. Appearing in all four Walt Disney World parks, specifically on the river in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, character cavalcades rolled through the main drags several times of day during the second half of 2020, all of 2021, and the beginning of 2022. While the number of cavalcades that remain are few, visitors to Magic Kingdom can still view one each day. In contrast to the Festival of Fantasy Parade which seems to crawl by, the Adventure Friends Cavalcade is very quick, lasting only 2-3 minutes from your viewpoint. Regardless, this cavalcade fits in a lot of fan favorites friends, many who traditionally do not appear in Magic Kingdom or anywhere in Walt Disney World! This is who you can expect to see in the Adventure Friends Cavalcade in Magic Kingdom.
• Miguel from the movie Coco
• Woody and Jessie from the Toy Story movies
• Mr. and Mrs. Incredible
• Elena of Avalor from her series on Disney Junior
• Merida from the movie Brave
• Raya – from Raya and the Last Dragon, the most recent character to officially join the cavalcade
• Nick Wilde and Lt. Judy Hops from Zootopia
• Princess Jasmin, Aladdin, and Genie
• Timon from The Lion King
• Moana
• Meeko the raccoon from Pocahontas
• Baloo the bear and King Louie the ape from The Jungle Book
• Mulan
• Pocahontas
• Mirabel – from the hit movie Encanto. This is currently the only place to spot any members from the Madrigal family in Walt Disney World!
• Panchito Pistoles and José Carioca from The Three Caballeros, the movie that is depicted in the boat ride found in the Mexico Pavilion in the World Showcase at EPCOT.
• Mary Poppins and Bert the chimney sweep, dressed in their carousel costumes
The Adventure Friends Cavalcade currently appears just once daily, but be sure to check the My Disney Experience app for show times as it may change with the seasons. It follows the same route in Magic Kingdom as the afternoon parade, beginning in Frontierland, passing through Liberty Square, winding around Cinderella’s Castle and down Main Street U.S.A., and finishing at the Town Square. The above list of characters is subject to change without notice, but typically you will be able to see those that are intended to make an appearance. Have you had the chance to see the Adventure Friends Cavalcade in Magic Kingdom? Which character do you look forward to seeing in this procession? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured Photo by Disney
Written by
Shelley Wehler
Contributing Writer
Shelley is a stay-at-home mother of two girls living outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Her love of all things Disney has grown even more as she sees the magic come alive through the lens of her young daughters. She spends her free time keeping up with the latest in Disney news and daydreaming of her next trip to the parks!
