Picture this. Main Street, U.S.A. is covered in garland and big red bows. Holiday music is playing. Everything is merry and bright. And then… here come the Disney Villains.
Yep, that actually happened this week during the Christmas parade taping at Magic Kingdom. The villains marched right down Main Street, U.S.A. like they owned the place. And as someone who is still not over Halloween, we’re not mad about it.
But a lot of guests watching were pretty surprised. And if you follow Disney news, you probably already know why the villains might be getting so much screen time.
Wait, What Parade Was This?
Magic Kingdom held two daytime Christmas parades on November 10 and 11 for ABC’s holiday special. It’s called Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade, and it airs on Christmas morning at 10:00 AM Eastern. This year’s hosts are Robert Irwin and Malia Baker.
And guess who opened the whole thing? The bad guys.
Here’s Who Showed Up
It started with two performers holding a red “Happy Holidays” banner. Behind them, a monitor had a line for Robert Irwin asking about everyone’s favorite Disney villain. So yeah, they were definitely leaning into it.
The Queen of Hearts led the way, dancing in her red, black, and yellow gown, with card soldiers all around her. Off with their heads, but make it festive.
Then came Cruella, riding in a fancy white vintage car with gold lamps, wearing her famous white fur coat. Horace was driving, and Jasper was along for the ride.
Ursula was right behind them, and at one point she held out a golden scroll to guests. Clearly she’s still trying to get people to sign her contracts.
Gaston was out flexing, of course, with Jafar nearby. Captain Hook and Smee joined in, and Cinderella’s stepfamily was hilarious, fighting each other for camera time. Dr. Facilier was there too, grinning in his feathered top hat.
The Float Was Next Level
Then came the big villains float, and wow. It was teal with stone arches, shelves of old books, and a book labeled “Black Magic.” Giant dark, clawed hands reached over the top, and Chernabog loomed above it all. Mother Gothel from Tangled was there too.
Maleficent stood right in the middle with her arms up, horns and all. And the Evil Queen posed next to the Magic Mirror in a gold and purple frame.
Seeing that spooky float roll past all the Christmas garland on Main Street, with candy canes and sugarplums coming right after, was honestly kind of iconic.
This Isn’t the First Time
The villains actually joined the Christmas Day parade last year too. Disney even made a big deal about it, saying it was the first time the villains were taking over Christmas morning at Magic Kingdom. So now it’s two years in a row.
Okay, Let’s Talk About Villains Land
Here’s where it gets interesting. If you’ve been following along, you know Villains Land is coming to Magic Kingdom. And a bunch of the villains in this parade are going to have homes there.
At D23 in August, Disney confirmed two big rides for the land. There’s a Maleficent roller coaster that takes you through an enchanted briar patch around her mountaintop fortress, with stuff Imagineers say has never been done on a coaster before. And there’s a Magic Mirror dark ride that starts in the catacombs under the Evil Queen’s palace before the mirror sends you into the Mirror Realm.
So Maleficent and the Evil Queen with the Magic Mirror on that float? Yeah, that feels like a pretty big hint. And Dr. Facilier is expected to be part of Villains Land too.
We’re thinking there’s a good chance the Christmas broadcast gives Villains Land a little shoutout.
What’s Villains Land About?
The story centers on a Wishing Well that got messed up by an evil wish. That dark magic pulls in villains from all over Disney movies. Cruella, the Evil Queen, and Dr. Facilier have all used it to build their own lairs, and each one will be a shop or restaurant. Disney even compared the size of the land to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
When Can We Go?
Not anytime soon, unfortunately. Construction is still early on where the Rivers of America used to be. Crews are working on the ground and underground utilities, with that part supposed to be done by 2028. Disney hasn’t said when it’ll open.
Set Your Alarm for Christmas Morning
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade airs December 25 at 10:00 AM Eastern on ABC. If you want to see the villains steal Christmas, and maybe catch a Villains Land hint, make sure to tune in.
So, who’s your favorite villain?
