Throwback Thursday: Disneyland’s Summer of ’96

For today's Throwback Thursday, let's go back to the 1996, perhaps the greatest year in Disneyland Park's history with its collection of attractions and shows. But what I think is unquestionable is the summer of 1996 gave us the greatest collection of live entertainment in the park's history. One of the greatest daytime parades ever, a classic nighttime parade saying goodbye, a nighttime spectacular that was still very new and two great musical stage shows, one staged unlike anything seen at the park before or since. I challenge anyone to come up with a better collection. Ladies and Gentlemen ... the summer of 1996.

Lion King Celebration

Playing twice a day in the afternoon was (in my opinion) the best daytime parade in Disneyland's history. The procession marched in to I Just Can't Wait to be King then paused (as long as it wasn't too hot) and performed to a soulful version of The Circle of Life. There were dancers dressed as all kinds of jungle life, incredibly athletic pole dancers, the first Audio-Animatronic in a parade (Zazu), live African drummers and a finale featuring dancing kids pulled out of the audience and even a dove release. There's not been anything like it since.

Festival of Fools

New for the summer of 1996 is a whole new kind of stage show taking place in the round. The Festival of Fools is based on 1996's Hunchback of Notre Dame. It's a little more artsy than most Disney shows which fits for this more-artsy-than-usual Disney film. In addition to the staging, the lead - Quasimodo - doesn't do his own singing. Instead, four vexilators ("to vexilate is to bear flags!") do the singing for him. The flip side of this is it allows Quasi to be portrayed by a stunt man and there are some great swinging stunts throughout. The Festival of Fools had a cult following unlike anything I'd seen up until then. While I wasn't a true cult member (though I knew many), I did see the show dozens of times.

The Spirit of Pocahontas

This was a far more traditional Disneyland stage show playing several times per day at the Fantasyland Theater. But boy did I love this show. The highlights for me were the native American dancers performing Colors of the Wind, Chief Powhotan and, of course, Pocahontas. In fact, Pocahontas was often portrayed by Eden Espinosa (shown above) who later went on to be a star on Broadway in Wicked, Brooklyn and Rent.

Fantasmic!

Still, easily, the best show in Disneyland's history, and it's now 23 years old! But back in 1996 it was only four years old and was awing guests two - and often - three times per night on the Rivers of America. "A journey beyond your wildest imagination". There are a million high quality videos of Fantasmic! on YouTube, but here's one from way back in 1994.

Main Street Electrical Parade

The original nighttime spectacular was celebrating its "Glowing Away" season in 1996. The 24 year old parade had seen better days. Crowds were down and on more than one occasion I saw a tractor come out to help a float finish the route. But Disneyland turned this all into a positive by capitalizing on the parade's nostalgia and announcing 1996 would be its final year. And wow, did the crowds come streaming in! The parade received the send off it deserved. While the parade has had comebacks at Walt Disney World and Disney California Adventure, it never again (so far) has reappeared at Disneyland.

Fantasy in the Sky

There's Magic in the Stars was still three years away in 1996. Back then Disneyland firework shows were still loud booms in the sky more-or-less synced to music with no story to speak of. I've never been a huge fireworks fan, so I love how Disney uped the firework ante with Magic in the Stars, Holiday Wishes and everything that's come since. Nevertheless, in 1996, after a day like the one above, there was no better way to end it than a classic presentation of Fantasy in the Sky.