Embedded Files
Floats Overview
Concept art depicting the opening and closing floats of the parade along the parade route in Disney California Adventure.
The Firebird Suite - Opening
The parade opens up with a small float dedicated to the Spring Sprite, whose figurine is mostly decorated with green carnations that represent health, resilience, good fortune and youth. The Spring Sprite figurine is soaring over a sign that has written over it: Fantasia in Bloom. The sign is surrounded by beautiful dahlias in a variety of colors which represent elegance, inner strength, change, creativity, and dignity.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Just behind the Spring Sprite is a float based on one of Fantasia's most iconic segments, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice". Mickey Mouse, dressed in his apprentice garb from the segment, stands atop a rock formation in the center of the float, conducting waves of blue and purple flowers (blue roses, cornflowers, delphinium, Himalayan blue poppies, hydrangea). Brooms (limited motion animatronics) are gathered around the sides of the float, "pouring" more flowers out of buckets to add to the waves.
Pastoral Symphony
Heralding the arrival of Bacchus is a troupe of eight fauns. They jauntily hop down the street, weaving past each other, occasionally venturing further out to approach guests on either side of the parade route. The two fauns at the front of the group each hold a wicker basket full of Anemones of varying color, which they occasionally throw around them.
Directly following the fauns is the lush Grecian landscape of the Pastoral Symphony. Above a barrier of clouds stands the beautiful daffodil-accented greenery of Olympus. At the front of the scene is a small pool (of blue hyacinths) at the banks of which sit a pair of pastel centaurs, apparently wrapped up in each other. They occasionally turn their heads to look at the passing viewers before returning their gaze back to each other. Following the pink and purple rock of Mount Olympus up a small hill toward the back of the float, guests will quickly notice the most animated feature of this float. Bacchus himself (a costumed character) sits on his throne, his donkey at his side, as he gleefully kicks and offers cheers to his audience as he passes. Behind him, a pair of younger female centaurs struggle to pour a large cask of wine. In their struggle, the wine has flowed over a tray of goblets, creating a stream of red Dianthuses which flows down the hill and over the side of one of the clouds.
Nutcracker Suite
Split up into two smaller but connected floats, The Nutcracker Suite is the most enchanting aspect of the parade. It begins with Waltz of the Flowers dancers rollerblading on the street as if skating on ice ahead of the float. Shortly after, jokester mushrooms dance to ‘The Mushroom Dance,’ laughing at themselves tumbling over and pranking one another.
The first float, Waltz of the Flowers, sees autumn meet winter in a beautiful battle that meshes them together with harmony. Fairies stand tiptoe on giant brown/orange leaves set atop blue ice covered black rocks at its base. Bluebells, Cornflowers, Violets, Butterfly Weed, Chrysanthemum, Bearded Irises, Daylilies, and Black Velvet Petunias give the float harmony along the color wheel with an abundance of complementing colors.
Directly connected but thematically distinct, Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy pops with vibrancy. At its base are colorful flowers but at night, and to show this are therefore muted, but on top lies a glistening spiderweb. Massive flowers, ironically adorned with miniature ones in comparison, hold up this web halfway up their stems with the top of the flowers bringing that pop. Within reach of The Sugarplum Fairy, she’s able to instill her magic upon them lighting them up with joyful color. She waves to all below her who are thanking her for bringing her gift to the world! Iris, Roses, and Tulips line the night’s dark floor, while the giant flower stems use Hellebores, Rosas, and Dianthus Caryophylluses. The glorious flower heads are adorned with Marigolds, Anemones, Spray Roses, and Begonias with the web itself relying mostly on White Jasmine Vines wrapped around structural supports.
Pines of Rome
The Pines of Rome float is intimidating, almost desiring respect, but it does so being powerfully beautiful. At the float’s base is a color-changing Aurora Borealis with a high-tech LCD-display capable of being visible no matter how bright the California sun shines! Whale representing a ‘rite of passage’ that many whales will soon follow. Blessed with the deep blues of the Scarlet Pimpernel, the curvy whites of the Calla Lily, and the aspiring magenta of Lilacs, Pines of Rome is a more subdued but deep—rich—colored float. The giant tale rotates side to side and sprays unsuspecting audience members, causing you to literally carry this burden, a reminder of this beautiful passage the whales have with you far past the parade’s end. To symbolize their achievement and worthiness, heavy fog is disbursed every few minutes to show them literally flying through the sky!!
Dance of the Hours
"Dance of the Hours" is the next segment to be represented. A float lined with ornate columns and covered in pastel-colored mums, orchids and irises trudges down the parade route. Alligators, hippos, ostriches, and elephants (some costumed characters, others limited motion animatronics) perform an elaborate dance routine amongst the flowers. One hippo has fallen asleep on a couch at the back of the float. A small pool is also featured, three elephants standing in the water blowing bubbles out of their trunks.
Rite of Spring
The roar of a tyrannosaurus rex signals the arrival of the parade's "Rite of Spring" float. The float is topped by palm trees and flower-covered volcanoes with "lava" flowing out of them (the volcanoes are covered by tropical hibiscus, dahlia and oriental poppies, whereas the lava is formed by red roses). Amongst the trees are gigantic animatronic dinosaurs, limited in motion but realistic enough to send chills down anyone's spine. A mighty tyrannosaurus rex and a stegosaurus battle, pterodactyls flap their wings, and brachiosaurus raise their long necks into the air.
Carnival of the Animals
Up next is a float inspired by Carnival of the Animals. It features a flamingo playing with a yo-yo figurine. The flamingo is decorated with an assortment of Hyacinths that represent playfulness and bark. Additionally, the figurine will be standing over an assortment of blue hydrangeas that represent beauty, abundance and gratefulness.
The float is surrounded by a group of dancers in roller skates. They’ll be wearing flamingo-reminiscent costumes and a begonia pinned into their shirts. They’ll circle around the for a couple of seconds every three minutes. And after that, they’ll perform a couple of tricks like jumping and speeding up a little to simulate the speed of the piece.
The Firebird Suite - Finale
The final float is made of two sections tied together by a log covered in moss. The first section represents the Firebird, which decorated by Black Velvet Petunia that are associated with gloom and Red Marigolds that symbolize despair. Meanwhile, the second section is filled with Lotus flowers that represent rebirth, fertility, creation, and purity. And it also features one of the biggest figurines of the parade, the Sprite of Spring in all of her glory. Like the first float, this parade is also mostly made of is mostly decorated with green carnations. However, it’s also decorated with some beautiful green zinnias that symbolize everlasting love, remembrance and tribute.
Next: Conclusion
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