As all my photographer friends out there know, taking pictures at Disney is always a fun challenge. The crowds offer some difficulties as you try to capture the perfect shot with a great background. The Festival of Fantasy parade is an explosion of color and fun that make photos really pop. But where can you find these perfect shots?
This photo was taken by me in front of the castle just a few weeks before the dragon stopped operating for a brief period
In front of the castle
What better background for your photo than right in front of Cinderella Castle? Across the street (behind the Partners statue) allows you to have the colors you want with minimum crowd background. This is one of the tougher spots to get parade viewing for as the crowds do start to build up 45 minutes prior to the beginning of the parade. If you are taller, take a few steps back as the parade begins and shoot over the kids sitting on the curb to get the best possible pictures.
Photo taken by me in March 2017
Shooting down is always flattering, and the train station gives you the perfect place to get a full street view. What I love about this site is that you can get many different angles and views. From this vantage point, you can get the full Main Street, U.S.A. view with the castle in the background, the parade rounding the corner near Tony’s Town Square Restaurant, and the back of the parade as it exits Main Street. I also love the American flags in the background. This is another hard spot to get if you are not willing to spend the time waiting. Height plays an advantage here, and a few benches are available, that, if you hop up on at the right time, can give you a stellar angle.
This photo was taken by me near the Country Bear Jamboree in 2018
Start of the parade route
If parents get the opportunity to hold a seat for the parade, they are most likely trying to get on Main Street for the classic view. But, if you are less concerned about the surroundings and more concerned about getting your perfect closeup, Frontierland near the start of the parade route is the spot for you. It is a lot easier to get lower pictures of the walking characters from the side of the walkway. The other advantage of this spot is that, as soon as the parade is over, you are right near big ticket rides like Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, allowing you to hop on with a shorter wait time due to the parade being over 20 minutes away from reaching the Train Station at that point.
