The Disney Villains kicked off this week’s Christmas parade taping at Magic Kingdom, marching down a holiday-decorated Main Street, U.S.A., ahead of the rest of the parade.
The tapings, held November 10 and 11, are for ABC’s Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade, which airs Christmas morning at 10:00 AM Eastern. Robert Irwin and Malia Baker are hosting this year’s special.
Villains Lead the Parade
The segment opened with performers carrying a “Happy Holidays” banner. A nearby monitor showed a line for Robert Irwin asking viewers about their favorite Disney villain.
The Queen of Hearts danced at the front, surrounded by card soldiers. Cruella de Vil followed in a white vintage-style car with her henchmen Horace and Jasper. Ursula came next, holding out a golden scroll as a nod to her contracts in The Little Mermaid.
Gaston, Jafar, Captain Hook, and Smee joined the group, along with Cinderella’s stepfamily and Dr. Facilier.
The Villains Float
A teal float closed the segment. It featured stone arches, shelves of old books, a book labeled “Black Magic,” and giant clawed hands reaching over the top, with Chernabog towering above. Mother Gothel from Tangled also appeared.
Maleficent stood at the center in her horned headdress, while the Evil Queen posed beside the Magic Mirror in an ornate gold-and-purple frame.
The dark float stood out sharply against Main Street, U.S.A.’s garland and bows, especially with festive parade units like candy canes and sugarplums following behind.
Second Year in a Row
This is the second straight year the villains have had their own section of the Christmas Day parade at Magic Kingdom. Last year, Disney promoted it as the first time the villains were taking over Christmas morning at the park.
A Likely Nod to Villains Land
The villains’ prominent role may connect to Villains Land, the new area being built in Magic Kingdom’s northwest corner on the site of the former Rivers of America. It’s possible the broadcast will reference the land, though ABC hasn’t shared details about the special’s content.
At D23 in August, Disney confirmed two headliners for Villains Land. The first is a Maleficent roller coaster that will take riders through an enchanted briar patch around Maleficent’s mountaintop fortress, with elements Imagineers say have never been used on a coaster. The second is a Magic Mirror dark ride that begins in the catacombs beneath the Evil Queen’s palace before guests are sent into the Mirror Realm.
Seeing Maleficent and the Evil Queen with the Magic Mirror on the parade float lines up closely with those attractions. Dr. Facilier is also expected to appear in the land.
The Story of Villains Land
The land’s storyline centers on a Wishing Well corrupted by an evil wish. Its dark magic attracts villains from across Disney’s animated films. Disney has said Cruella, the Evil Queen, and Dr. Facilier have used that magic to create their own lairs, each of which will serve as a shop or restaurant. Disney has compared the land’s size to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Construction Update
Work on Villains Land is still in early stages. Crews have been grading show building pads and installing underground utilities, with infrastructure work targeted for completion by 2028. Disney has not announced an opening date.
How to Watch
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade airs December 25 at 10:00 AM Eastern on ABC. Fans hoping for a Villains Land tease will want to tune in.
Are you excited to see the villains on Christmas morning?
