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Festival of Fantasy Steps Aside for ABC Holiday Parade Filming at Magic Kingdom
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Magic Kingdom — and that means Main Street U.S.A. is about to turn into a full-blown film set once again. Disney has quietly removed the Festival of Fantasy Parade from the schedule on November 8 and 9, a sure sign that it’s time to roll cameras on the ABC Disney Parks Holiday Specials featuring Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.
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While Disney hasn’t officially confirmed the taping, this timing perfectly matches the pattern of previous years, when early November dates were used for filming the televised holiday spectaculars that air on ABC during Thanksgiving and Christmas week.
Guests who visit the park on those dates might just find themselves in the middle of some TV magic. In past years, Disney has run two showings of the Christmastime Parade during filming — usually around 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. — complete with crowd control, pauses for retakes, and the occasional surprise celebrity performance.
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Adding to the holiday buzz, production for this year’s specials has already begun across Walt Disney World. Earlier this week, a performance was filmed at Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life featuring Mariah the Scientist, confirming that the cameras are rolling for this year’s seasonal showcase.
The Christmastime Parade will make its official guest debut during the first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party of the season on November 7, 2025, just one day before the likely filming dates. After production wraps, the Festival of Fantasy Parade is scheduled to return on November 10.
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