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 submit shares the schedule replace, why it’s probably taking place, and dates & particulars for seeing Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade and perhaps 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–at the very least, not but–however reasonably, the elimination of one other parade. Walt Disney World simply ‘refreshed’ its showtimes schedule for November 2025, and among the many adjustments was Competition of Fantasy Parade being faraway from the lineup on November 8-9, 2025 at Magic Kingdom.
Though leisure anomalies can occur every now and then (or this yr, very often!), that is one thing we’ve been expecting and truly 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 (“Great 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 came about 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 return at Animal Kingdom, given the opening of Zootopia: Higher Zoogether and Zootopia 2 hitting theaters over Thanksgiving.
It’s frequent 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 individual (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 might 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 Great 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 Great World of Disney: Magical Vacation Celebration.” D23 Members will be capable of watch because the magic involves life by means of dwell 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 Forged Members. (There’s most likely additionally a simultaneous sign-up for Forged Members at Disneyland; I doubt they’re being ignored.) Though there’s typically a music 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 in addition at Walt Disney World.
The “why” of the Thanksgiving particular being filmed at Disneyland is two-fold.
First, Sleeping Magnificence Fort is already lined in snow. Not like Walt Disney World, Disneyland additionally nonetheless does the glistening icicle lights. And although Disneyland celebrates Halloween (and to a larger 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 Fort seem like Christmas for the filming of the particular, which is mainly a glorified stage present. This could occur a few weeks earlier at Disneyland than it might at Magic Kingdom, which could be helpful for the turnaround time of the Thanksgiving particular.
Second, Magic Kingdom now has Starlight Evening Parade, which didn’t exist final yr.
With the newest leisure calendar replace, two nightly showtimes had been added to the schedule for November 8-9, 2025. Whereas the manufacturing crew has labored round Fortunately Ever After prior to now, I’ve gotten the impression that they had been lower than enthused about doing so.
That plus two parade performances would possibly’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 as a result of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering.
My guess is that we’ll nonetheless see daytime filming round Magic Kingdom on November 8-9, 2025. Some nighttime performances are additionally doable. In spite of everything, there’s time each earlier than Starlight and after the evening parade. Up to now, recording has occurred just about all day, and was as soon as nonetheless taking place 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 Social gathering kicks off on November 7, 2025 for particular occasion company who buy the $189 per individual onerous tickets, MOUACP will probably as soon as once more be proven throughout Magic Kingdom’s common park hours on Saturday, November 8, 2025 and Sunday, November 9, 2025.
Which means Annual Passholders, common ticket holders, and all different day company will be capable of benefit from the vacation parade, included within the common worth of their admission. It’s not really free–everybody pays to enter the park, a technique or one other–however you aren’t paying something additional (therefore the air quotes round “free”). Should you’ve already purchased an AP or park tickets, no double-dipping–which is sort of an enormous deal for company 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 probably be carried out at 2 p.m. on each November 8 and November 9, 2025. It would possibly 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).
Not like the fixed beginning and stopping of the stage present numbers–the place a single music can require a dozen-plus takes if it entails dance choreography that will get tousled–and lengthy gaps in between, MOUACP is introduced as a full, largely uninterrupted run-through. The characters would possibly decelerate their floor routines across the digicam crew, however it’s largely a standard pass-through.
Final yr, there was no parade viewing alongside Principal Road for normal company. The curbs had been lined with chosen (off-duty) Forged Members and a ‘curated’ viewers within the newest Disney vacation apparel, and many others. Day company coming into or exiting the park had been routed by means of the bypass corridors behind Principal Road.
This was unlucky as a result of it restricted viewing choices to Liberty Sq. or Frontierland, and this was regardless of larger crowds there for the precise function 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 at the very least some parade viewing on Principal Road, as making an attempt to suit the ever-increasing crowd again in Frontierland is a problem. Up to now, the parade had restricted sections of a ‘planted’ photogenic viewers, and the digicam crew centered on them for response pictures. The whole lot of MSUSA being closed is extreme, particularly on a busy vacation weekend.
Whereas MOUACP may even be “free” in the course of the dwelling 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 lodges, park tickets, Lightning Lanes, and possibly airfare.
Including insult to harm, it’s the busiest week-plus of your entire yr, each single yr. And by a large margin. We’ve “joked” that the group 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 to this point above a standard 10/10 that it skews the size.
You should have a neater time seeing Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade the weeks of Christmas and NYE, although. Though the parks are busier and wait occasions are larger, fewer company are there for the precise function of catching MOUACP like they are going to be November 8-9, 2025.
Word that each of those weeks make the ‘worst’ facet of our checklist 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 might sound 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, lots of followers speculated that it was merely a scheduling error. Truthfully, not probably the most outlandish thought, as that sort of factor has been identified to occur.
Even so, phrase bought out and plenty of vacationers, locals and Annual Passholders flocked to Magic Kingdom for the parade filming. Should you’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 well-liked with every passing yr.
In each of the final two years, I’ve spent one of many whole 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. Should you’re questioning whether or not to do or skip Magic Kingdom on lately, I’ll cowl that right here with a recap of my expertise…
Previous to the final two years, we had caught lots of bits and items of parade filming over the earlier 2 a long time. A part of that is purely unintended, as we’ve been in the appropriate (or mistaken) place on the proper/mistaken time. The opposite half is…nicely, 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 occasions, 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 had been easier occasions, and we might simply keep away from filming of the vacation specials.
Again then, we by no means went out of our method 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. After I first approached safety, I instantly thought, “what have I gotten myself into?!” There have been large traces to enter the park, and the parade route was already packed.
Since phrase had gotten out in regards to the probability of MOUACP filming, roughly half of the Sunshine State descended upon Principal Road. Though the primary parade wasn’t for just a few hours, the entrance row of the sidewalks was already stuffed with company. In doing a fast scan of the group, most had been simple to clock as Annual Passholders. (If , .)
And who might blame them? It was a uncommon alternative to see Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade with out dropping $170+ per individual for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Social gathering 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 just a few 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 midst of Principal Road to seize footage of the parade. Apart from a few occasions 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 introduced as a standard parade.
As an alternative of doing a number of takes of the parade with begins and stops, they merely report it a number of occasions. From a crowd perspective, extra performances is best, because it dilutes demand. The worst congestion will likely be for the very first MOUACP. The bottom will likely be for the final. Ideally, there will likely be 4 performances over 2 days.
There are execs and cons to the ABC Vacation Specials being filmed in Magic Kingdom.
The nice is that journey wait occasions are decrease than they might be in any other case. Crowd ranges, as measured by wait occasions, haven’t been horrible over the weekend in Magic Kingdom both of the final two years. The filming attracts lots of company away from points of interest, making another elements of the park really feel downright uncrowded for a part of the day.
This might be fairly good on a standard day, however it’s implausible 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. (Word that that is implausible by vacation weekend requirements, not in absolute phrases–our favourite week after Thanksgiving sometimes sees a lot decrease wait occasions.)
The dangerous of the filming is that Principal Road and Cinderella Fort Forecourt are packed all day. At the least, if there find yourself being musical numbers filmed in Magic Kingdom. If not, there will likely be congestion alongside the parade route that’ll dissipate as soon as that’s achieved.
The primary yr Disney did this over Veterans Day, they filmed segments throughout the park. Navigating MK was difficult at occasions in consequence. Varied thoroughfares closed and site visitors turned one-way in different elements of the park. Final yr, filming was restricted to the parade route, after which the Cinderella Fort 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 at the very least some daytime musical numbers, which is able to once more draw company away from points of interest to look at filming. If not, Magic Kingdom rides might even see larger wait occasions.
The times I’ve achieved this prior to now, I’ve camped out to look at the parade, caught just a few 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 partaking nighttime numbers.
Watching the opening for the Thanksgiving particular is a extremely enjoyable expertise. It is a prolonged musical medley with fast transitions and, to this clumsy and uncoordinated man’s eye, lots of fancy and hard dance strikes. However as a result of it’s fancy and hard, the performers stored messing up about halfway by means of and having to do it another time.
Attending to a sure level within the routine triggered pyro. So we stored seeing fireworks, then they’d goof up, and it’d all need to be achieved 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 probably the most pyro I’ve ever seen in a single day at Walt Disney World. That’s actually saying one thing, since we’ve achieved New Yr’s Eve and Fourth of July at each Magic Kingdom and EPCOT numerous occasions!
The fireworks had been clearly enjoyable, however there was additionally a implausible communal power as everybody was cheering for the performers to get it proper. It felt like being at an elementary college competitors filled with constructive mother and father, however with a lot, significantly better performers.
Once more, I wish to emphasize that we have no idea whether or not there will likely 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 may be not. Or in the event that they perhaps simply go for a single music or two as change-up numbers early within the night (earlier than the primary Starlight) or later within the evening (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 may well make navigating the park a little bit difficult relying on which walkways (if any) are blocked off, however the upside is that the added leisure lowers wait occasions.
Decrease wait occasions (relative to a standard vacation weekend–not in absolute phrases) means you’ll be able to pivot and do points of interest if the viewing areas are too crowded for the parade or musical numbers. Primarily based 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 one among lately.
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 lots of bloggers, vloggers, influencers, and Florida followers who wish to be “first” at all the things. These teams will disproportionately go to on Saturday.
The very massive caveat I’d add is to mood your expectations. My very favourite a part of the expertise is the late evening filming and fireworks, and there’s a powerful probability that may not occur November 8-9, 2025. It’s additionally fully doable that “phrase will get out” this yr and much more individuals will go to Magic Kingdom than will keep away from it, that Walt Disney World will additional restrict parade viewing–the checklist 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 might be superior, terrible, or someplace in between. There’s solely two years of “precedent” for this, every of the earlier two years have diversified considerably from each other, and there might be even greater adjustments for 2025. The implausible experiences I’ve had prior to now might not repeat this yr. Our suggestion additionally comes with a warning!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Will you be making an attempt to catch Mickey’s As soon as Upon a Christmastime Parade for “free” on November 8-9, 2025? Have been you in Magic Kingdom in the course of the day or at evening when the Vacation Specials had been filmed in 2023 or 2024? What was your expertise? Any questions we may also 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!
