Disneyland Park

Roughly 30 minutes onstage

Like almost every other show in the park the 45th Anniversary Parade will be canceled if there are poor weather conditions, such as rain or high winds. Listen to the PA along the parade route to hear if the parade will run that evening.

Although this parade is new you don't need to arrive hours before the parade starts to get good viewing seats. One hour to thirty minutes before showtime should be fine to get curbside seats. You can even sneak in under the rope within ten minutes before the show starts, but don't expect to find spots for a large group.

I think one of the best places to sit it by City Hall. If you stand on the brick walls that are around the planters, you can see over everyone. There are also four seats, two on each side of the entrance that you can also sit in. If you don't find seats here, the top of the Main Street Train Station stairs are nice for viewing also. There are benches set up at the top so that you can spend you time waiting in comfort. The Small World area is now very nice to watch parades from, because of the terraced seating put in for the defunct streetacular, Light Magic. There are also places to sit on the curb all along Main Street, Central Plaza and Small World way. Ropes are set up so people sit about three to four deep from curbside. You can stand at the back along the rope and still see almost the whole parade.

The 45th Anniversary Parade is the second Disneyland parade designed by French Opera Director, Jean-Luc Choplin. His elaborate style is seen throughout the parades design and costuming. As I write this summary the parade is undergoing some changes. The current music is that of Pomp and Circumstance, the graduation music. Because of poor reviews of the parade and the slow speed at which it seems to go by, the music and choreography is being updated and changed. These changes should happen somewhere around the beginning of March 2000. The parade itself is very rich in color and design, with very elaborate costumes and floats. Many of Disney's favorite characters are present and most ride aboard one of many floats. Guests see the Blue Fairy of Electrical Parade fame, lead the processional and watch it conclude with the Fab Four. Most watching the parade will notice its strong roots in Fantasia 2000, Disney's newest animated feature. One of the new elements in this parade is the increased guest interaction. About one hour before show time Cast Members walk the parade route and choose guests who are waiting curbside to don animal hats and tutu's and become part of the parade. These guests will dance and throw confetti while walking along in the parade. Guests who are part of the show get to keep the animal hats as a gift.

All along the viewing area, there are restaurants and food carts. If you are on Main Street you have a choice of, the Blue Ribbon Bakery, Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, the Main Street Cone Shop, and the Main Street Fruit Cart. Keep your eyes open for vendors that go up and down the street before show time selling cokes, and miscellaneous other snacks. Also if you have the time and want to sit down, the Carnation Café, the Plaza Inn, and Plaza Pavilion all offer nice food, but you cannot take this food with you to your curb side command post. It's a Small World does not have the wide range of food. There is a restaurant at the Fantasyland Theater where you can find some quick treats and if you wish to venture into Toontown you can find Pluto's Dog House, Daisy's Diner, and Clarabells Frozen Yogurt. Also you can find food at the Village Haus Restaurant in Fantasyland. Keep your eyes open here too, because vendors go up and down the street selling cokes and other food items.

There are quite a few restrooms all along the parade route. On Main Street restrooms are located at: south of City Hall in the Guided Tour Gardens, north of City Hall. Also in the Town Square area there are restrooms to the south of the Bank of Main Street, a.k.a. Annual Passholder Processing Center. Carnation Café, Plaza Inn, Plaza Pavilion, and Carnation Plaza Gardens all have restrooms. There is also one to the right of the entrance of Tomorrowland. By It's A Small World restrooms are located at: the Fantasyland Theater, in Toontown, between the Matterhorn and Sleeping Beauty's Castle (This may be difficult to get to because of the walkway closures, and crowds around the parade route). In addition, if you want to walk a little way, the Village Haus restaurant has a restroom to the west of its entrance.