Although Magic Kingdom is known for its many kid-friendly attractions and Cin¬derella Castle, one of my fa¬vorite parts of the park is all of the “shows” going on around the park at various times every day. It seems like there’s always something exciting happening at every turn- clowns performing in Storybook Circus, a trolley com¬ing down Main Street, USA, or royal aristocrats coaching little lords and ladies the finer points of etiquette in New Fantasyland. However, every time my family makes a trip to the Magic King¬dom, we make it a point to see a few of our favorite experienc¬es while we’re there. Here are some of my personal favorites:
The Dapper Dans – Main Street, USA.
During our past visit to WDW, I discovered how much I actu¬ally love the Dapper Dans. This old-fashioned barbershop quar¬tet is charming, talented, funny, and generous, always willing to stand for a picture or chat af¬ter they are done with their set. Wherever they sing, they’re sure to draw a small crowd, but it al¬ways amazes me that so many people simply walk by without a glance. Next time you find yourself on Main Street, USA, do yourself a favor and stop to listen to these amazing sing¬ers. Each set is slightly different from the last, so you can even come back and listen multiple times in a day. Whether you’re old or young, a Disney fanatic or Disney newbie, you’re sure to be entertained with the Dapper Dans’ songs, jokes, and chimes.
Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pi¬rate Tutorial – Adventureland
Who doesn’t love Captain Jack Sparrow? In this interactive tu¬torial, a few select kiddos can learn how to swish, stab, and distract their way through a swordfight with Jack’s trusty companion, Mac. Jack Sparrow himself even makes an appear¬ance, and once the training is over, you can pledge your alle-giance to the Captain and join him in singing the song, “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life for Me.” This show occurs several times throughout the day, but you can usually find the showtimes in the Magic Kingdom Times Guide. We usually stop to watch Jack a few times each trip, and even though the jokes and script can get a little repetitive after you’ve seen it several times, the un¬predictable actions of the kids chosen from the crowd makes each show a new experience.
Flag Retreat Ceremony – Main Street, USA, Town Square
The Flag Retreat Ceremony oc¬curs every day at 5:00 p.m. in Town Square, right around the flagpole. For each ceremony, a park-going Veteran is selected to help lower the flag and fold it. Joining the ceremony is the Main Street Philharmonic, WDW Security, the Dapper Dans, and a special Guest selected to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Patri¬otic songs like “The Star Span¬gled Banner” and “God Bless America” are played as the flag is lowered and folded. It can be an emotional experience, and some people are moved to tears. We saw the ceremony for the first time this past summer and were extremely glad we had caught it, as it has now become a trip staple. Not very many people know about this Magic Kingdom tradition, but it is defi¬nitely something worth seeing.
