Disney Significantly Reduces Theme Park Christmas Celebration

Disneyland Resort fans were thrilled to get a first look at this year’s A Christmas Fantasy Parade during a special cast member preview held on Wednesday. But that excitement quickly faded as guests noticed some long-loved elements were missing from the parade.

Since its debut in 1995, A Christmas Fantasy Parade has been a cornerstone of Disneyland Park’s holiday celebration. Over the years, the parade has seen its fair share of updates—characters from Lilo & Stitch (2002) and Mulan (1998) have come and gone, and at one point, even child actors joined the fun, performing as the parade’s cheerful elves. While the parade’s look has shifted over time, the holiday magic has always been a constant.

But this year, it seems some of that magic may have been trimmed. Reports from Disney Parks fans who attended the cast preview indicate that Disneyland has removed several classic elements from the parade for the 2024 season.

Redditor u/TheDisneyScoopGuy shared a screenshot from Instagram user @finding_denny’s story, where they described some of the changes observed:

It looks like A Christmas Fantasy parade is getting downsized at Disneyland this year. Last night was the cast member preview

It looks like A Christmas Fantasy parade is getting downsized at Disneyland this year. Last night was the cast member preview
byu/TheDisneyScoopGuy inDisneyland

“[They] basically got rid of a bunch of the book floats and got rid of the Toy Story float that had the green army men,” the Instagram user shared. While some guests noted that characters from Monsters, Inc. (2001) were added in place of some missing Toy Story favorites, the total absence of other beloved parade staples left a noticeable gap in the festive lineup.

Disney Parks fans’ response was immediate. Many expressed frustration over what they perceived as a decline in Disneyland Resort’s entertainment offerings, particularly for special events like holiday parades.

“Yikes. I hope the higher ups fork up the money to pay these performers better sooner than later,” wrote Reddit user u/Secret_Awareness3040. “Entertainment is taking a downward turn at the resort lately. A hopeful side of me wishes for the park to shape up in time for next July (70th anniversary).”

Another Redditor, u/dahk14, joked, “Pretty soon it will be the Christmas fantasy cavalcade… Mickey, Santa and Frozone will walk down Main Street with an 8-count of choreo.”

Many echoed similar feelings, with some pointing out that reduced offerings paired with high prices feel like “yet another example of charging more and providing less,” as Redditor u/-FROSTY-one commented.

For those who won’t be able to see the parade in person, TikTok user @nattybabe shared clips from Wednesday’s Disney cast member preview, offering a glimpse at this year’s altered A Christmas Fantasy Parade:

@nattybabe

A Christmas Fantasy Parade at Disneyland 2024♥️ #disney #disneyland #christmas #disneylandchristmas

♬ A Christmas Song Long Version – 1 Minute Christmas Sounds🎄

Has Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort modified your favorite entertainment offerings? Disney Fanatic would love to hear from you in the comments.