100 Years of Magic Celebration: A Parade-Lover’s Delight

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100 Years of Magic Celebration: A Parade-Lover’s Delight
All 4 Walt Disney World Parks to Showcase Processions

For the first time ever, a parade spectacle will unfold daily in all four Walt Disney World theme parks during the 100 Years of Magic Celebration beginning Oct. 1, 2001. And that’s exactly as it should be, according to Disney entertainment experts.

“The 100 Years of Magic Celebration is a tribute to the imagination of Walt Disney,” says John Haupt, managing producer for the parades. “We have tried to tie our live entertainment to his penchant for creativity.”

That creativity, according to Marty Sklar, vice chairman and principal creative executive for Walt Disney Imagineering, often involved parades. “Walt loved parades,” says Sklar, who worked with Walt for many years. “Parades were important at Disneyland from ‘Day One’.”

Adds Haupt, “Nothing beats a parade when we want to create an entertainment spectacular for lots of people.”

So during the 100 Years of Magic Celebration, Disney milestone moments are presented in parade units inspired by snow globes in the Magic Kingdom. Motorcars take on the visual personality of Disney characters in Disney-MGM Studios. The jungle beat is a pageant of party animals in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The dreams of children float on the evening air in Epcot.

The magic of the four parades is brought to life by legions of entertainers -- a total of more than 300 -- plus nearly 60 parade-unit drivers and other support personnel.

Then there’s the “supporting cast” -- thousands of theme park guests who are invited to take a role in the fun. Some are selected to actually ride along. Some have the chance to step off the curb and join the Disney characters in a brief activity. Others help make the magic happen when the characters musically invite them to shout a special phrase.

All four parades incorporate the new “Suite of Dreams” music written especially for the 100 Years of Magic Celebration.

Here’s a peek at the parade fun that’s in store in each of the four theme parks.

“Share a Dream Come True” Parade
Mickey Mouse and 100 Disney characters star in the Magic Kingdom parade, “Share a Dream Come True,” highlighting favorite moments from the early days of Mickey Mouse cartoons to the newest animated Disney characters.

Vignettes are captured in giant snow globes with live Disney characters inside. The spectacular opening float features Mickey Mouse waving from inside his snow globe atop a “Mouse-ument” of Mickey statuettes depicting Mickey through the years.

Each float is “a moment to remember,” said producer Bill Anoka, from the charming “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “Pinocchio” to the adventure of flight in “Mary Poppins,” “Dumbo” and “Aladdin.” The parade stops momentarily along the route to invite guests into the street to celebrate with the characters. The finale is a magnificent castle floating on clouds, with Tinker Bell’s magic wand revealing a character carousel rising from the clouds inside the final snow globe.

“It’s heartwarming and playful,” said Haupt. “Disney fans are going to love this tribute.”

“Tapestry of Dreams” Parade
The “Tapestry of Nations” street festival at Epcot has been transformed into “Tapestry of Dreams,” a parade celebrating children, dreams and the legacy of Walt Disney.

“This parade surrounds World Showcase with enormous drums, fanciful puppets and spectacular pageantry,” says Haupt. “It celebrates the dreamer in all of us.”

Throughout the day at Epcot, Kidcot Fun Stop activity kiosks around World Showcase will offer children cardboard compasses illustrating the 11 World Showcase countries with a press-out “coin” in the center of the compass. As the nightly procession begins, recorded voices of children tell their dreams for the world as three “dream spinners” dance along. During the parade, young guests can make a wish as they toss their “coins” into a dream catcher that passes by in the procession.

“The dream spinners call upon guests to imagine a vision of the future where all of our best dreams come true,” says producer Taz Marosi. The dreams are woven into a tapestry of vibrant sights and sounds as the parade, with brilliant puppets that conjure up sprites, angels, birds and other ethereal creations, encircles World Showcase.

“The parade explodes with rhythm, color and music,” says Marosi. “It’s a brand new experience.”

“Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle” Parade
The new parade at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a traveling, interactive island street party that features Disney characters “on expedition” and a tribute to their animal friends. As the procession winds through the park, a menagerie of abstract animals comes to life in handcrafted theatrical designs -- “bursts of living color,” says producer Paul Nichols.

During each parade presentation, nearly two dozen guests get in on the action in customized rickshaws that accompany the Disney characters traveling in safari vehicles. Minnie Mouse, for instance, appears as if she brought all the comforts of home along on her safari, with steamer trunks, wardrobe cases, hat boxes, even a bathtub (with bubbles continuously floating out).

Party Animals and energetic Party Patrols coax the audience into a sing-a-long music fest as the parade winds throughout the park.

“Disney Stars and Motor Cars” Parade
In the shadow of a shimmering blue, 12-story tall Sorcerer Mickey hat that has been created as a visual centerpiece for the celebration, all the resident stars at Disney-MGM Studios participate in a celebrity cavalcade worthy of a red-carpet event, the “Disney Stars and Motor Cars” parade.

“We bring the stars to you,” says producer Taz Marosi. The luminaries -- Aladdin and Jasmine, Luke Skywalker, Rolie Polie Olie, Miss Piggy, Mary Poppins, Mickey Mouse and more -- all are on hand for a Hollywood celebration honoring Walt Disney’s career in motion pictures.

More than a dozen stars ride in customized cars, many of them vintage models: the “Aladdin” car is outfitted to look like the Genie, the “Toy Story” car is in the shape of Andy’s bed. The final car, a 1929 Cadillac, will carry Mickey, Minnie and friends.

Walt Disney, who got his start in motion pictures, is honored in a pre-show that pays homage to his pioneering creativity. Commentators along the parade route will share Walt wisdom as the parade makes its way through the park.

The History of Walt and Parades
Walt Disney was infatuated with parades from the time of his youth in Missouri. “When the circus came to [Kansas City],” chronicles author Bob Thomas in Walt Disney: An American Original, “Walt followed the parade from beginning to end, his sister Ruth striving hard to keep up with him. He devised his own circus parade, enlisting Ruth and the neighborhood children to help decorate floats atop play wagons.”

More than 40 years later, Walt’s love of parades had a whole new “stage”: Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland in California.

“On ‘day one,’ Walt read a dedication and then the parade started,” says Disney historian Dave Smith. That was July 17, 1955. The Disney characters -- Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Snow White and others -- took on a new, three-dimensional life in a procession that marched to the beat of the Disneyland Band. Actors Fess Parker (Davy Crockett) and Buddy Ebsen joined in the fun. The parade featured TV commentary by Ronald Reagan.

On Thanksgiving Day in 1955, Walt introduced a circus parade. The following Easter, there was an Antique Automobile Parade. In December 1957, the Christmas in Many Lands Parade premiered. Then came Cavalcade of Bands. And The Parade of Toys. Then the Christmastime extravaganza Fantasy on Parade. And Tencennial Celebration Parade in 1965 to salute Disneyland’s first decade.

-- Posted July 2, 2001

Source: Company Press Release