Walt Disney World has quietly up to date the calendar, which strongly suggests two of my favourite absolute days of the yr are returning to Magic Kingdom this vacation season! This publish shares the schedule replace, why it’s doubtless occurring, and dates & particulars for seeing Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade and possibly extra leisure for “free.”
The replace in query is definitely not Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade (MOUACP) being added to the calendar–no less than, not but–however somewhat, the elimination of one other parade. Walt Disney World simply ‘refreshed’ its showtimes schedule for November 2025, and among the many modifications was Competition of Fantasy Parade being faraway from the lineup on November 8-9, 2025 at Magic Kingdom.
Though leisure anomalies can occur now and again (or this yr, very often!), that is one thing we’ve been looking ahead to and really anticipated to see occur. Now we’re left ready for the opposite shoe to drop, which is the addition of Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade to the calendar. Which will or might not occur.
Regardless, this follows the identical sample from every of the previous two years when manufacturing crews used that very same weekend in November to report segments for the annual televised vacation specials that air on ABC and Disney-owned streaming companies over Thanksgiving weekend (“Fantastic World of Disney: Vacation Spectacular”) and on December twenty fifth (“Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”).
Manufacturing has truly already began at Walt Disney World for the musical performances, the place filming happened in late October in Animal Kingdom in entrance of the Tree of Life with a efficiency by Mariah the Mad Scientist. Since Disney all the time tends to make use of these specials as synergistic alternatives, we wouldn’t be shocked if there’s extra to come back at Animal Kingdom, given the opening of Zootopia: Higher Zoogether and Zootopia 2 hitting theaters over Thanksgiving.
It’s widespread for Walt Disney World to movie the daytime performances in different parks considerably sporadically. We noticed Likelihood the Rapper one random day at EPCOT 4 years in the past, and numerous different performers I couldn’t determine in particular person (however subsequently stated, “oh yeah, I bear in mind seeing him/her!” as soon as the specials aired).
Whereas the daytime musical numbers are recorded randomly at each Walt Disney World and Disneyland, it’s normally the case that the nighttime segments that largely represent the Thanksgiving particular are filmed at Walt Disney World on the identical nights because the daytime parade. This yr, that will be the evenings of November 8-9, 2025.
Nonetheless, I’m far much less assured than regular that the nighttime segments will truly be filmed at Walt Disney World in November 2025. There are a pair causes for this…
D23 is internet hosting “The Fantastic World of Disney: Magical Vacation Celebration In a single day Taping” on October 24-25, 2025 at Disneyland.
Throughout this offered out occasion, D23 Members have the unique alternative to attend an in a single day taping of “The Fantastic World of Disney: Magical Vacation Celebration.” D23 Members will have the ability to watch because the magic involves life by means of stay performances that fill the park with that particular magic that solely Disney can do, per the occasion description.
Usually, this in a single day filming can be at Walt Disney World, and can be for Solid Members. (There’s in all probability additionally a simultaneous sign-up for Solid Members at Disneyland; I doubt they’re being ignored.) Though there’s generally a tune or phase filmed at Disneyland for the Thanksgiving particular, it might be unprecedented for this a lot of it to be recorded at Disneyland and likewise at Walt Disney World.
The “why” of the Thanksgiving particular being filmed at Disneyland is two-fold.
First, Sleeping Magnificence Citadel is already lined in snow. In contrast to Walt Disney World, Disneyland additionally nonetheless does the glistening icicle lights. And regardless that Disneyland celebrates Halloween (and to a higher diploma than Magic Kingdom), the park doesn’t host any onerous ticket occasions.
With the elimination of a handful of Halloween decorations, they’ll make the Central Plaza in entrance of Sleeping Magnificence Citadel appear like Christmas for the filming of the particular, which is mainly a glorified stage present. This may occur a few weeks earlier at Disneyland than it may at Magic Kingdom, which is perhaps helpful for the turnaround time of the Thanksgiving particular.
Second, Magic Kingdom now has Starlight Night time Parade, which didn’t exist final yr.
With the most recent leisure calendar replace, two nightly showtimes have been added to the schedule for November 8-9, 2025. Whereas the manufacturing workforce has labored round Fortunately Ever After previously, I’ve gotten the impression that they have been lower than enthused about doing so.
That plus two parade performances may’ve been a dealbreaker for filming the nighttime vacation particular segments at Magic Kingdom. And it’s not as if Walt Disney World can cancel Starlight on these dates; it’s already not proven on many nights on account of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion.
My guess is that we’ll nonetheless see daytime filming round Magic Kingdom on November 8-9, 2025. Some nighttime performances are additionally attainable. In spite of everything, there’s time each earlier than Starlight and after the night time parade. Previously, recording has occurred just about all day, and was as soon as nonetheless occurring once I left Magic Kingdom round 2 a.m.
The surest factor, although, is Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade. After Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion kicks off on November 7, 2025 for particular occasion friends who buy the $189 per particular person onerous tickets, MOUACP will doubtless as soon as once more be proven throughout Magic Kingdom’s common park hours on Saturday, November 8, 2025 and Sunday, November 9, 2025.
Because of this Annual Passholders, common ticket holders, and all different day friends will have the ability to benefit from the vacation parade, included within the common worth of their admission. It’s not actually free–everybody pays to enter the park, a technique or one other–however you aren’t paying something further (therefore the air quotes round “free”). For those who’ve already purchased an AP or park tickets, no double-dipping–which is sort of an enormous deal for friends attending the parks this time of yr!
By way of planning information, we don’t have any confirmed particulars but for 2025, so we’ll share some previous precedent from the final couple of years.
Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade (MOUACP) will doubtless be carried out at 2 p.m. on each November 8 and November 9, 2025. It may even be proven at 11 a.m. on one or each days, however there’s no assure of that (it’s gone each methods within the final couple of years).
In contrast to the fixed beginning and stopping of the stage present numbers–the place a single tune can require a dozen-plus takes if it entails dance choreography that will get tousled–and lengthy gaps in between, MOUACP is offered as a full, largely uninterrupted run-through. The characters may decelerate their floor routines across the digicam crew, but it surely’s largely a traditional pass-through.
Final yr, there was no parade viewing alongside Major Avenue for normal friends. The curbs have been lined with chosen (off-duty) Solid Members and a ‘curated’ viewers within the newest Disney vacation apparel, and so forth. Day friends getting into or exiting the park have been routed by means of the bypass corridors behind Major Avenue.
This was unlucky as a result of it restricted viewing choices to Liberty Sq. or Frontierland, and this was regardless of increased crowds there for the precise objective of seeing Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade (it was truly added to the schedule final yr, whereas it wasn’t the earlier yr).
Our hope is that there’s as soon as once more no less than some parade viewing on Major Avenue, as attempting to suit the ever-increasing crowd again in Frontierland is a problem. Previously, the parade had restricted sections of a ‘planted’ photogenic viewers, and the digicam crew targeted on them for response pictures. The whole thing of MSUSA being closed is extreme, particularly on a busy vacation weekend.
Whereas MOUACP will even be “free” in the course of the residence stretch of the vacation season, there’s inarguably extra of a catch then. That’s the most costly time to go to Walt Disney World from the angle of inns, park tickets, Lightning Lanes, and doubtless airfare.
Including insult to damage, it’s the busiest week-plus of your entire yr, each single yr. And by a large margin. We’ve “joked” that the gang calendar ought to go to 11/10 particularly for the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve, as a result of that interval is thus far above a traditional 10/10 that it skews the dimensions.
You’ll have a neater time seeing Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade the weeks of Christmas and NYE, although. Regardless that the parks are busier and wait instances are increased, fewer friends are there for the precise objective of catching MOUACP like they are going to be November 8-9, 2025.
Notice that each of those weeks make the ‘worst’ aspect of our record of the 10 Finest and 10 Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2025, 2026 & 2027.
Nonetheless, the dates between Jersey Week and Veterans Day will not be practically as dangerous because the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Yr’s Eve. Once more, we’re speaking 8/10 crowds vs. 11/10. Veterans Day may appear dangerous…till you’ve additionally skilled the week between Christmas and NYE. It’s insane.
This marks the third consecutive yr that MOUACP has been carried out throughout common working hours over Veterans Day weekend. When the change was first made final yr to the leisure lineup, a variety of followers speculated that it was merely a scheduling error. Actually, not essentially the most outlandish thought, as that kind of factor has been recognized to occur.
Even so, phrase obtained out and lots of vacationers, locals and Annual Passholders flocked to Magic Kingdom for the parade filming. For those who’re an Annual Passholder, the very first thing I’d strongly advocate doing ASAP is making park reservations for these dates. I don’t imagine both of them booked up final yr, however as phrase continues to get out, these dates are going to grow to be extra in style with every passing yr.
In each of the final two years, I’ve spent one of many complete days of those tv specials being filmed in Magic Kingdom (can’t do each as Saturday is Jollywood Nights), from park opening till lengthy after park closing. For those who’re questioning whether or not to do or skip Magic Kingdom on today, I’ll cowl that right here with a recap of my expertise…
Previous to the final two years, we had caught a variety of bits and items of parade filming over the earlier 2 a long time. A part of that is purely unintentional, as we’ve been in the best (or fallacious) place on the proper/fallacious time. The opposite half is…properly, additionally coincidental. Earlier than Disney began doing the Thanksgiving weekend particular in 2016, the Christmas Day parade filming normally occurred the primary week of December.
As we’ve talked about numerous instances, that’s been our favourite week to go to Walt Disney World for the final ~15 years. We knew that there’d be overlap with the parade filming and didn’t keep away from the parks. These have been easier instances, and we may simply keep away from filming of the vacation specials.
Again then, we by no means went out of our technique to watch the parade filming. Solely within the final two years have I particularly sought out the filming of the ABC vacation tv specials. And I’m glad that I did!
In opposition to my higher judgment, I arrived at Magic Kingdom simply after opening. Once I first approached safety, I instantly thought, “what have I gotten myself into?!” There have been large strains to enter the park, and the parade route was already packed.
Since phrase had gotten out in regards to the chance of MOUACP filming, roughly half of the Sunshine State descended upon Major Avenue. Regardless that the primary parade wasn’t for a couple of hours, the entrance row of the sidewalks was already stuffed with friends. In doing a fast scan of the gang, most have been simple to clock as Annual Passholders. (If you already know, you already know.)
And who may blame them? It was a uncommon alternative to see Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade with out dropping $170+ per particular person for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Occasion or visiting the weeks of Christmas and New Yr’s Eve (when most Annual Passholders are blocked out, anyway). That actually sounded good to me, so I joined the group!
There have been a couple of modifications to Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade for the ABC Christmas Day Parade, however nothing main–a gap banner, added characters, plus each Santa and Mrs. Claus.
It was neat to see the cameras swooping up and down in the course of Major Avenue to seize footage of the parade. Apart from 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 was offered as a traditional parade.
As an alternative of doing a number of takes of the parade with begins and stops, they merely report it a number of instances. From a crowd perspective, extra performances is healthier, because it dilutes demand. The worst congestion shall be for the very first MOUACP. The bottom shall be for the final. Ideally, there shall be 4 performances over 2 days.
There are execs and cons to the ABC Vacation Specials being filmed in Magic Kingdom.
The great is that experience wait instances are decrease than they might be in any other case. Crowd ranges, as measured by wait instances, haven’t been horrible over the weekend in Magic Kingdom both of the final two years. The filming attracts a variety of friends away from points of interest, making another components of the park really feel downright uncrowded for a part of the day.
This is able to be fairly good on a traditional day, but it surely’s incredible on a vacation weekend in Magic Kingdom. There’s no assure of a repeat of this in November 2025, however crowds this low in Magic Kingdom on a weekend with longer hours in November or December is superb. (Notice that that is incredible by vacation weekend requirements, not in absolute phrases–our favourite week after Thanksgiving usually sees a lot decrease wait instances.)
The dangerous of the filming is that Major Avenue and Cinderella Citadel Forecourt are packed all day. A minimum of, if there find yourself being musical numbers filmed in Magic Kingdom. If not, there shall be congestion alongside the parade route that’ll dissipate as soon as that’s carried out.
The primary yr Disney did this over Veterans Day, they filmed segments throughout the park. Navigating MK was difficult at instances consequently. Varied thoroughfares closed and visitors turned one-way in different components of the park. Final yr, filming was restricted to the parade route, after which the Cinderella Citadel stage. The congestion was much more remoted.
Clearly, it’s unattainable to know what the plan is for November 8-9, 2025. I’d assume they’re going to movie no less than some daytime musical numbers, which can once more draw friends away from points of interest to observe filming. If not, Magic Kingdom rides might even see increased wait instances.
The times I’ve carried out this previously, I’ve camped out to observe the parade, caught a couple of stage present performances in passing all through the day (by no means tenting out for them), after which returned within the night for the extra participating nighttime numbers.
Watching the opening for the Thanksgiving particular is a extremely enjoyable expertise. This can be a prolonged musical medley with fast transitions and, to this clumsy and uncoordinated man’s eye, a variety of fancy and hard dance strikes. However as a result of it’s fancy and hard, the performers saved messing up about halfway by means of and having to do it over again.
Attending to a sure level within the routine triggered pyro. So we saved seeing fireworks, then they’d goof up, and it’d all need to be carried out once more. If the pyro was triggered, there can be an extended delay between takes, as they’d have to attend for the fireworks to be reset and the smoke to clear.
In mixture, this was essentially the most pyro I’ve ever seen in a single day at Walt Disney World. That’s actually saying one thing, since we’ve carried out New Yr’s Eve and Fourth of July at each Magic Kingdom and EPCOT numerous instances!
The fireworks have been clearly enjoyable, however there was additionally a incredible communal vitality as everybody was cheering for the performers to get it proper. It felt like being at an elementary faculty competitors stuffed with optimistic dad and mom, however with a lot, a lot better performers.
Once more, I wish to emphasize that we have no idea whether or not there shall be any nighttime recording on November 8-9, 2025. Given Starlight and the in a single day recording at Disneyland, it wouldn’t shock me within the least if there’s not. Or in the event that they possibly simply go for a single tune or two as change-up numbers early within the night (earlier than the primary Starlight) or later within the night time (after the second Starlight).
In the end, spending all day in Magic Kingdom for the ABC vacation particular filming is a enjoyable and memorable expertise. It could make navigating the park a bit difficult relying on which walkways (if any) are blocked off, however the upside is that the added leisure lowers wait instances.
Decrease wait instances (relative to a traditional vacation weekend–not in absolute phrases) means you may pivot and do points of interest if the viewing areas are too crowded for the parade or musical numbers. Based mostly on how I’ve loved the expertise every of the final two years, I’d advocate Walt Disney World followers go to Magic Kingdom on certainly one of today.
For an much more granular suggestion, I’d go for watching Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade on November 9 over November 8, 2025. There are a variety of bloggers, vloggers, influencers, and Florida followers who wish to be “first” at every part. These teams will disproportionately go to on Saturday.
The very giant caveat I’d add is to mood your expectations. My very favourite a part of the expertise is the late night time filming and fireworks, and there’s a powerful likelihood that may not occur November 8-9, 2025. It’s additionally fully attainable that “phrase will get out” this yr and much more folks will go to Magic Kingdom than will keep away from it, that Walt Disney World will additional restrict parade viewing–the record of draw back dangers goes on and on.
Level being, I need you to be cognizant of what you’re getting your self into–it may very well be superior, terrible, or someplace in between. There’s solely two years of “precedent” for this, every of the earlier two years have assorted considerably from each other, and there may very well be even greater modifications for 2025. The incredible experiences I’ve had previously might not repeat this yr. Our suggestion additionally comes with a warning!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you be attempting to catch Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade for “free” on November 8-9, 2025? Had been you in Magic Kingdom in the course of the day or at night time when the Vacation Specials have been filmed in 2023 or 2024? What was your expertise? Any questions we may help you reply? Listening to your suggestions is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!