Chapter 29
Don’t Rain on My Parade

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We made our way back through Liberty Square toward the hub. The ropes were already getting set up for the parade to start!

It was still a little early, so we stopped for a few Photopass pictures in the hub.

In this one it looks like Pluto is eating Tracy’s face. We had several pictures that turned out like this when I was wearing this hat…

We arrived back in Town Square at about 2:30, and we didn’t need to meet Brick until 2:45. Since we were meeting outside the Firehouse anyway, we decided this would be as good a time as any to grab some cards and start trying to understand the new Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game. We went into the Firehouse and told the cast member we were new to the game. She gave us each key cards and a set of five cards and then took us to the back of the room where they show you how to play. After the introduction, Tracy’s mission had her continuing in Main Street USA while mine sent me to Adventureland. Neither of us was very clear how exactly our cards would come into play, and we found ourselves questioning whether we’d really have time to do much with the game on this trip.

Getting our cards took us right up until about 2:45, so as we left the Firehouse, we ran right into Brick. He was already busy talking to the other family who would be Grand Marshals with us. Once we were all there, he explained again the whole process of being Grand Marshals and what our job would involve. We would be riding in the car at the front of the parade, which is modeled after an antique car from the turn of the century. He told us that only two such cars exist in the world—one in the Magic Kingdom and the other in Disneyland. In just a few minutes, we would be led backstage where the car would be waiting. Just like in the tours and other situations where you go backstage, no photography would be allowed. When the parade started and we came out, we would officially be “on,” meaning it was our job to smile and wave at everyone as we rode at the front of the parade route. As Brick explained it, if by the end of the parade our faces weren’t hurting and we could still lift our arms, we would have done something wrong.

Since we would be riding in the parade and unable to take our own pictures, two Photopass photographers would have the job of taking pictures of us down the entire parade route. After the parade was done, we could go to the photo center at Exposition Hall and have all the photos added to our own Photopass cards. We were also given a certificate good for a free 8×10 photo print. At the end of the parade route in Liberty Square, there would be a roped off section where we could go after getting out of the car so that we could watch the whole parade go by with a good view.

Next, Brick presented us with complimentary pairs of Mickey ears with our names engraved into the backs of them, as well as a certificate with the date on it listing us as Grand Marshals of the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade on May 22nd, 2012.

He actually said that since Tracy and I were wearing our Duffy and Pluto ears respectively, he’d rather we kept those on and he gave us a bag to put our free Mickey ears into. Next, we lined up for some Photopass shots of our families in front of the Firehouse.

The other family who were co-Grand Marshals with us was from Georgia. They had two daughters, one of whom was there celebrating graduating from high school.

As time ticked by and we got closer to the 3:00 start time, we were led backstage through the door between the Firehouse and the Harmony Barber Shop. This was such an exciting moment for me, having never been backstage at a Disney park before. It seems so glamorous and at the same time it must be so mundane for the cast members. Obviously, the real magic takes place onstage. Tracy had already been backstage once before when her marching band was getting ready for their parade on their high school trip, but the official Disney parades are apparently a little more intense than that experience.

We got behind the wall and our car was there waiting for us. The family of four was put in the front seats and Tracy and I got the backseat. The car was HOT. It had leather interior and 3:00 was probably the hottest time of the day. I had to basically just trust that adrenaline and the excitement of this experience would keep me from feeling sick despite the heat. Luckily it did.

Even though there was officially not supposed to be any photography allowed backstage, Brick took our camera and set up a nice picture of us with the Grand Marshal sign on the car.

Right as we were posing for that picture, I felt something moving behind me, and when I turned around, there was Pluto poking his head through the other side of the car! It was time for the characters to start taking their places, so Pluto was bounding around and joining the rest of the characters that lead off the parade. Next, we saw several princes and princesses walking out of their holding area. They smiled and waved at us as they made their way back to their places.

As 3:00 ticked nearer, we were given an official two minute warning, and Brick reminded us of our smile and wave duties one more time. Looking behind us, we could see the characters ramping each other up for the performance ahead. The fur characters were bouncing around, getting ready to go on, and the energy felt electric.

Our two minute warning turned out to be a false alarm, and we were told that we were holding for another minute or so. Tracy and I got ready in our places, however, straightening out our hats and figuring out the best position for waving.

Suddenly, the music started up and we heard our names being announced as the honorary Grand Marshals for the parade. The doors opened, and our car started going forward. We passed Brick, who gave us one more “smile and wave” gesture, and we were out in Town Square.

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