Disney Character Performer Trapped in Parade Float, Thousands of Guests Witness Malfunction
A routine performance of Mickey’s Boo To You Halloween Parade at Magic Kingdom Park took an unexpected turn when a Disney character performer became trapped in their parade float. A guest at the park captured the incident on video and praised the Walt Disney World Resort cast member for staying composed under pressure.
Mickey’s Boo To You Halloween Parade is a highlight of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, running twice nightly on party nights. The parade features floats inspired by the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean/Peter Pan (1953), Disney Villains, and more. Each night, the Headless Horseman sets the stage with a ride from Frontierland, through Liberty Square, and down Main Street, U.S.A.
On August 26, Instagram user @gallivant.with.katie shared a video from the parade showing Ursula, the villain from The Little Mermaid (1989), seemingly pausing mid-performance. Observers quickly realized the moving platform the performer was standing on had become stuck on the trolley tracks along Main Street, U.S.A.
Despite the mishap, Ursula remained in character, dancing and entertaining the crowd as technicians rushed to the scene. She used a hand signal to communicate the issue to the maintenance team while keeping up appearances for Disney Park guests.
“Cast Members are HIGHLY trained for anything and if this isn’t proof, I don’t know what is!” the Walt Disney World Resort guest wrote.
Multiple attempts were made to free the float while Ursula continued interacting with guests. After “a few minutes,” the cast member was able to step away from the platform, and Ursula floated safely down Main Street, U.S.A. The parade then resumed without cancellation, much to the relief of thousands of spectators.
The video quickly gained attention on social media, with fans commending the professionalism of the Magic Kingdom cast members and Disney character performers who kept the magic alive during the incident.
“I always think it’s so cool to watch the background dancers, in this case flotsam jetsam,” @schroedermc26 wrote. “They notice she’s not moving anymore and know that’s off beat and they know to circle and distract while they fix it it’s cool.”
Other viewers empathized with the Disney character performer; after all, who hasn’t tripped over those trolley tracks on Main Street, U.S.A.?!
“Get my stroller wheels caught in the trolley tracks all the time,” said @tedd_stepan. “They’ll getcha!!”
“Those tracks are no joke,” @cyaford2019 replied. “I about broke my ankle one time when I wasn’t paying attention to the ground.”
Have you ever seen a malfunction during a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort parade? Share your experience with Disney Dining in the comments!
