What Time Is The 3 O'Clock Parade?

Believe me when I tell you, Disney cast members get asked this question a lot. The answer seems pretty obvious, right? If you've ever been to the Magic Kingdom, then you know the daily 3 o'clock parade is not to be missed. In fact, people sometimes line up an hour or more just to get a good view!

So what do people mean when they ask what time the 3 o'clock parade is?

Isn't the answer right there in the question?

Are they wearing their Mickey Mouse ears a little too tightly?

The key is to figure out what people are really asking for. An intuitive cast member knows to dig deeper.

Fact: the parade route is longer than you might think. It usually begins on Main Street USA near the fire station. It winds down Main Street, past the castle, through Liberty Square and exits in Frontierland near Splash Mountain. And sometimes, it runs in reverse direction, beginning in Frontierland. The first float in the parade travels the entire parade route in about 40 minutes.

So, depending on where you're standing along the route, the parade may not pass you by until 3:20 pm. You could be waiting for twenty minutes! Which means the question "What time is the 3 o'clock parade" isn't so ridiculous after all!

Figuring out what's at the heart of a question and helping each and every guest is the hallmark of the world-famous Disney customer service. It's what sets Disney apart from other organizations. And it's the difference between an exhaustive vacation filled with war stories and "can you believe we missed the parade" stories and...well...a magical vacation. 

As Authorized Disney Vacation Planners, we not only listen to your questions - even the ones that might seem ridiculous - we dig a little deeper. Is this your first cruise? Was your last trip to Walt Disney World so long ago that you don't remember anything about a castle? Are you overwhelmed about the details? Unsure if you need a passport?

We're here to listen, so feel free to ask us anything. 

(One last thing - we can also tell you the best place to watch the 3 o'clock parade!)