Anyone Been Grand Marshalls Of The Parade at MK

[WDW Vet]

We were Nov 3, 1995 of the Mickey Mania parade. There use to be a show called WDW inside out and one show was about unique jobs at WDW. So they talked about the Mayor and how he picked the grand marshall.

So we were there and I pointed Ray out to my wife and told her he's the guy that picks the grand marshall of the parade. So she said to go ask him if we can be the grand marshalls. So we went over and asked for a picture and after I took the shot I asked if we could be the grand marshalls today. He smiled and said he already picked a family. He looked at my two kids and asked me how long we'd be at WDW and I told him we were leaving the day after tomorrow. So he asked for our names and resort and room # and said the family he had for the next day may have to cancel and he would call our room before 9 am if that happens.

The next morning we sat around the room and it was 5 minutes after nine and we figured they didn't cancel so we headed out to the park. Just as the hotel door closed we heard the phone. I scramble to get the room key out of my pocket when my wife body checks me and in the same motion slams her room key in and flings he door open. She dives on the bed and grabs the phone before the 3rd ring. It was Ray, we are the grand marshalls!

So we rode in the fire truck and my son who was 3 rang that bell the entire time. My daughter was 6 and she said she felt like a princess. It was so neat to hear your name announced and everybody was cheering us. I remember waving to the people and smiling so wide that my face hurt later in the day. We had such a fantastic time! We got out of the fire truck and the CM had us stand right by the parade exit. Every single CM and character that was in the parade stopped by us. It was truly a magical experience.

Anyone else have the honor? Love to hear your story.

 

[unkadug]

That is SO cool. I'm grinning from ear to ear reading your story!

 

[beanbunny]

My mom, daughter & I were lucky enough to be chosen about a year & a half ago. I was just pushing my mom down mainstreet just after park opening & my daughter had just run ahead for fast passes when we were pulled aside by a manager. He started talking to us & asked a few questions. Before we knew it, he said he would love to show off their new "car" that was now wheelchair accessible & asked if we would like to be grand marshals for the parade that afternoon. Of course we jumped at the chance & were told to meet back by Splash Mountain by 1:30. When we got there, he had mouse ears with our names stitched on them, showed us around back stage a bit, loaded us up into the car & off we went. So much fun!!! I can't tell you how much my 84 year old mom laughed & laughed. Sadly, I lost her about 2 months ago but think of her often having the time of her life at Disney. What memories! I will cherish them forever.

 

[DAKOTADISNEY]

In 2008 our family (me, husband and daughters 13 and 8) were walking down main street shortly after it opened and a CM asked our daughters why they weren't in school. He joked with them that he had a math tutoring session that he'd like them to attend. He then pulled us aside and asked us if we'd be around all day and if so if we would like to be Grand Marshals of the afternon parade. YES! We felt like we won the lottery! We walked on air the whole day. We met up with the CM before 2:00pm where they had mickey ears for us. They treated us royally and everyone was so nice! We were in the parade car with LeRoy (the driver, a very sweet man) and Daisy.

The whole experience was so much fun and will go down for us as one of the best days ever.

 

[mickeysshoes]

WOW what great stories. I would love to be able to have this happen to us!! I guess i need to just start talking to cast member in the morning and keep my fingers crossed!!

 

[BeGuy]

In 2006 my wife and I were walking down Main St when we were stopped and asked if we wanted to be Grand Marshals of the parade. Of course we said "yes". They took our names and when we showed up for the parade they had made up ears with our names on them to wear in the parade. We were in one of the antique cars that led the parade and had to spend the entire time waving to people. My arms were ready to fall off by the time we completed the parade. Luckily for us my parents were visiting at the same time so I was able to get them to take pictures of us. Disney did give us a free picture taken by a Disney photographer as well. Overall it was an incredible time and we have a picture and certificate to prove it. It was an experience we'll never forget.

 

[Korfar]

We were chosen a few years back. We rode in an old style limo with another family. It was cool to be picked. The story is the day before we were picked we had a CM ask if they could take pictures of our family for some training material. We agreed. The next day we entered MK at rope drop. We were walking down Main St and my kids wanted to trade pins. We happened to meet the same guy that asked us for pictures. He remembered us and asked if we wanted to be in a parade that afternoon. We enthusiastically accepted. He asked all our named and where we were from. When we went to the staging area they had Mickey ears for all us embroidered with our names. It was the coolest experience we have had there.

 

[jimmyjam1973]

We leave Thursday morning and I was watching videos of the parades to my 6 year old who asked who the people in the cars/floats were. I told her that they were lucky families who were chosen to be in the parade. She said that she hopes we're one of the lucky ones. I told her not to get her hopes up since there are soooo many families and so few "lucky" ones.

 

[bmarkelon]

Wow, these are all such fabulous and magical memories. Thank you all for sharing them. I'll have my fingers crossed in August that we are the "chosen ones". Makes me think of those green aliens in Toy Story, haha! "He has been chosen! Oooooo!"

 

[Poofiesdream]

so jealous wish we were chosen!

 

[PhilharMagician]

We have never been picked for Grand Marshall @ MK, but we were picked once for the Jingle Jungle Parade @ AK. We all had our matching MVMCP holiday shirts on and we happened to walk past a few managers and one of them called to us and asked if we would like to be in the parade. We of course said yes. We were in the lead car with Rafiki starting the parade. The parade in AK has like 5 families in various floats throughout the parade. One nice thing was they had a Kodak disposable camera and they took pics of us backstage and as we entered Harambe. They then gave us the camera to take the remainder of the pics and then develope them. It was a lot of fun, but that music (which I love) really started getting to me by the time we got to Asia. I was just about to jump ship.:lol:

 

[WDW Vet]

Hey guys,

thanks for the great stories. Actually after I started the thread I went and found the folder with our pictures and certificate. We showed our neighbors who were over. His son is now the same age that my son was when we were GM. He couldn't believe how small and thin my son was then. He's 6'3 240 lbs now.

But hang in there and keep your eyes open. Every CM you see make sure you make eye contact, smile and say hello. You never know!