Festival of Fantasy Parade coming to Magic Kingdom in 2014

JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
I don't see how that follows. The parade has not even opened yet. Even if they wanted to add Frozen to it, floats -- especially ones of quality that would fit in for this parade -- take time to design and build. It seems pretty reasonable to allow the parade to actually debut and exist for a while before changes are made.
That is a load. Floats can be updated. They just won't be. I am sure there will also be floats that have "pools" of characters. Disney parades always do. Or a mini float could be added.

Disney is simply terrible about the parks reflecting what is current with the rest of the company.
 

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
That is a load. Floats can be updated. They just won't be. I am sure there will also be floats that have "pools" of characters. Disney parades always do. Or a mini float could be added.

Disney is simply terrible about the parks reflecting what is current with the rest of the company.

This is true. FOF is going to be spectacular, but there's no real reason why a Frozen unit couldn't have been prepared. Once upon a time, parades that were devoted solely to one movie debuted day and date as the corresponding film. It would be nice if Frozen could be added this year, but it's HIGHLY unlikely based on how Disney operates now.

I honestly believe upper management view it as risk mitigation. Why build an attraction or create a show/parade devoted to a film if that film could flop? Now they test the waters with meet-n-greets and if the movie is successful enough, they MIGHT get around to getting it represented in the parks.

In Steve Davison's defense, he has kept World of Color at DCA very current, switching out segments for new films when they're released. Tron, Pirates IV and Brave all got that, and World of Color - Winter Dreams featured two Frozen numbers and was hosted by Olaf, and that show debuted two weeks before Frozen's release date.
 
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JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
This is true. FOF is going to be spectacular, but there's no real reason why a Frozen unit couldn't have been prepared. Once upon a time, parades that were devoted solely to one movie debuted day and date as the corresponding film. It would be nice if Frozen could be added this year, but it's HIGHLY unlikely based on how Disney operates now.
I think the Mulan parade was the last of these.
 

candydog

Member
Reasoning that they didn't include Frozen because the design/build process was already in the late stages before Frozen's release is in fact very fair. Frozen debuted at Thanksgiving and it's now January and the parade is already complete and sitting in the park pretty much.

Parades like these are designed as a complete package - with each float specifically designed to fit in with the rest of the line-up. Why would they shoehorn another float in at the last minute when they already have a finished product? There are plenty of other ways to bring Frozen into the parks. And besides, the design and build process along with music changes and casting/dance/choreography additions wouldn't just happen overnight. They take time and planning. The Frozen float would have had to have been greenlit a couple of months ago at the latest and to be fair, that would have been a HUGE gamble, as no one would have known whether or not the movie was going to be successful.
 

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
The Frozen float would have had to have been greenlit a couple of months ago at the latest and to be fair, that would have been a HUGE gamble, as no one would have known whether or not the movie was going to be successful.

Putting a float into a parade for a movie that was moving merchandise months before its release date is not a huge gamble. In the 90's, they did complete parades for brand new movies. One float for a new princess movie in a huge parade that will be successful no matter what (MK audiences put up with the snowglobe dreams of celebrating magical wishes parade for 12 years) is not a gamble.
 

SpectroMan93

Well-Known Member
DLP has a Frozen float (or half a float) already and was done in time for the movie's release.
To be fair, their half-Frozen float is just a retooling of the Ariel part of the princess float that was already in the parade, and most of the work done was very simple (though that Olaf animatronic is somewhat impressive). Still, you cannot compare a partial renovation of a float to what it would take to create a full-blown Frozen float to the size and scale that the FOF floats are on. Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely love for their to be a Frozen float in the parade. But considering what we already have is amazing in itself, it doesn't matter to me that Frozen wasn't represented, and those of you who are complaining that it isn't are starting to come off as a bit spoiled and greedy.
 

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
To be fair, their half-Frozen float is just a retooling of the Ariel part of the princess float that was already in the parade, and most of the work done was very simple (though that Olaf animatronic is somewhat impressive). Still, you cannot compare a partial renovation of a float to what it would take to create a full-blown Frozen float to the size and scale that the FOF floats are on. Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely love for their to be a Frozen float in the parade. But considering what we already have is amazing in itself, it doesn't matter to me that Frozen wasn't represented, and those of you who are complaining that it isn't are starting to come off as a bit spoiled and greedy.

Personally, I'm not complaining - I don't care either way if there is a Frozen float in the new parade. The issue is that there COULD have been one. The excuses they've given in the couple interviews about the parade are not valid reasons, that's all I'm trying to point out. If they wanted a Frozen unit, there could have been one - WDI works with WDAS to get artwork and info on movies that haven't been released yet, and have for years.

The issue is that now whenever a movie is a hit (or in Frozen's case, a HUGE hit), Disney is caught with their pants down with nothing prepared other than a couple face characters because committing in advance is too risky.

Now, it could have been a creative decision. Maybe Steve and his team didn't want a Frozen unit, and that's totally valid. But to say it was because it was too late? That's BS.

And guests WILL complain that Frozen isn't included. It's the biggest hit they've had in years, and little girls want Elsa and Anna and Olaf and they want them now.
 

Soarin' Over Pgh

Well-Known Member
The Disneyland lion king parade was the best parade I've ever seen. I miss the days of celebrating a new movie, taking that gamble that maybe it'll suck but maybe... Just maybe... It'll still be at the top of the charts six weeks after release. The lion king one was so colorful and cheerful and energetic, and yet dedicated to only one movie. With no human characters, too!

Edit to add...Drew, what's a pre parade? o_O
 

SpectroMan93

Well-Known Member
The issue is that now whenever a movie is a hit (or in Frozen's case, a HUGE hit), Disney is caught with their pants down with nothing prepared other than a couple face characters because committing in advance is too risky.

Now, it could have been a creative decision. Maybe Steve and his team didn't want a Frozen unit, and that's totally valid. But to say it was because it was too late? That's BS.

And guests WILL complain that Frozen isn't included. It's the biggest hit they've had in years, and little girls want Elsa and Anna and Olaf and they want them now.
Agreed. I think it could chalk up to either a creative decision to not have it, or possibly one of the budget cuts done at the beginning. Though, Disney reacts rather quickly when it comes to guest reaction to parades. Remember when they added all the characters to CADCT when people wanted more characters walking along the route? If guest response to the parade is that Frozen is wanted, I'm sure they can retool the castle float or have a quick fix float to incorporate the movie asap. And who knows, maybe TDO will green light a fully-fledged Frozen float for Festival of Fantasy (I love alliteration) if the demand is that high and long-lasting.
 

SirLink

Well-Known Member
The Disneyland lion king parade was the best parade I've ever seen. I miss the days of celebrating a new movie, taking that gamble that maybe it'll suck but maybe... Just maybe... It'll still be at the top of the charts six weeks after release. The lion king one was so colorful and cheerful and energetic, and yet dedicated to only one movie. With no human characters, too!

Edit to add...Drew, what's a pre parade? o_O

A parade before a parade ... the name says it all but it had some cowboys, a barn covered in cut out of some of the characters and 3 half fiberglass cows ...
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Personally, I'm not complaining - I don't care either way if there is a Frozen float in the new parade. The issue is that there COULD have been one. The excuses they've given in the couple interviews about the parade are not valid reasons, that's all I'm trying to point out. If they wanted a Frozen unit, there could have been one - WDI works with WDAS to get artwork and info on movies that haven't been released yet, and have for years.

The issue is that now whenever a movie is a hit (or in Frozen's case, a HUGE hit), Disney is caught with their pants down with nothing prepared other than a couple face characters because committing in advance is too risky.

Now, it could have been a creative decision. Maybe Steve and his team didn't want a Frozen unit, and that's totally valid. But to say it was because it was too late? That's BS.

And guests WILL complain that Frozen isn't included. It's the biggest hit they've had in years, and little girls want Elsa and Anna and Olaf and they want them now.

But this speaks to the Disney who sees itself as a IP holding company, They DONT take creative risks even spending a few thousand dollars for a (fake) snow covered hill or an Icy pond for Anna,Elsa and Olaf to wave from.
 

NoChesterHester

Well-Known Member
I think people are vastly underestimating how long it actually takes to execute these things properly. Disney fans rail against anything not "up to standards" but now suddenly expect a Frozen float thrown together?

The movie wasn't a certified hit until three weeks ago when it somehow hit #1 again after six weeks in release.
 

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