Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade

The official logo for the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade used since 2009.

The Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade is an American television special that airs on Christmas Day on ABC, taped primarily inside the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, approximately one month prior to Christmas Day. A Spanish simulcast of the parade has aired on Univision under the titles Desfile de Navidad Disney, (Feliz) Navidad Disney, and Navidad Mágica Disney, and typically air Spanish singers who sing Christmas carols as well as their latest hits. Past shows have included segments featuring other Disney theme parks in Orlando, Florida; Anaheim, California; and around the world. The program has aired annually since 1983, with the exception of 1989 and 2000 when Disney aired a Christmas Eve "Tracking Santa" special instead. In 1999, a nighttime version of the parade was shown on Christmas Day. In the 1980s and 1990s, the program was known as The Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade. Until 2009, the parade was referred to/known as the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade.

The parade down Main Street, U.S.A. features appearances of Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Pluto, Scrooge McDuck, and Chip 'n Dale, as well as floats featuring celebrities, musical performances, marching bands from various schools and community groups across the USA, and highlights of events and properties at Disney theme parks and other Disney productions. The parade concludes with the arrival of Santa Claus. Most of the program is taped in November and early December for broadcast on Christmas Day. However, until the early 1990s, the parade was broadcast live on Christmas Day, usually on CBS, with whom Disney had partnered for Thanksgiving and New Year celebrations as well, until Disney bought out ABC in 1996.

The 2005 edition of the parade won Harborlight Entertainment and ABC the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Special.

History

The parade was first telecast, as Walt Disney World's Very Merry Christmas Parade in 1983; Joan Lunden and Mike Douglas were the hosts.^[1] Alan Thicke later replaced Douglas, and Regis Philbin was later added as an on-street interviewer. Eventually Philbin took over as co-host, and Kelly Ripa (his cohost on Live with Regis and Kelly) later joined him.

The parade has been aired every year since 1983 except for in the year 2000.^[1]

Hosts and entertainers

This film, television or video-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it with reliably sourced additions.

Present Announcer

The new voice of Walt Disney World, Joe Hursh.

1985

Hosts Joan Lunden and Ben Vereen; on-street interviewer Regis Philbin. Regis Philbin previews The Living Seas at EPCOT Center and Ben Vereen previews Captain EO. Ben Vereen sings Go Tell It on the Mountain. Special holiday messages from US President Ronald Reagan, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, as well as from World Showcase Cast Members from France, China, Mexico, Italy, Germany, Morocco and Japan.^[2]

1990

Hosts Alan Thicke and Joan Lunden; featuring Regis Philbin, Amy Grant and Jaleel White.

1991

Hosts Regis Philbin and Joan Lunden; featuring Mayim Bialik,

1992

Hosts Regis Philbin and Joan Lunden;

1993

Hosts Regis Philbin and Joan Lunden; on-street interviewer Robby Benson. The parade was broadcast live. Appearances by Kathie Lee Gifford and John Davidson. Reading of The Night Before Christmas by President Bill Clinton. Announcer: Dick Tufeld.

1994

Hosts Regis Philbin and Joan Lunden; featuring Margaret Cho, Nancy Kerrigan and Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

1995

Hosts Regis Philbin and Joan Lunden; featuring Richard White, Jodi Benson, Brianne Leary, J.D. Roth and Ben Savage; portions of the parade were aired live.

1996

Hosts Jerry Van Dyke and Suzanne Somers; entertainment by Gary Beach, Brianne Leary, Sandi Patti, J.D. Roth, Ernie Sabella, and Samuel E. Wright. Brianne Leary goes backstage on the production of 101 Dalmatians.^[3]

1997

Hosts Melissa Joan Hart and Ben Savage.

1998

Hosts Caroline Rhea and Richard Kind.

1999

Hosts Mitchell Ryan and Susan Sullivan; performances by *NSYNC, 98 Degrees, Harry Connick, Jr., SHeDAISY, James Ingram and Wayne Brady.

2000

No parade this year (a "Tracking Santa" special aired in its stead).

2001

Hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa; co-host Wayne Brady; performances by Aaron Carter, Charlotte Church, Mandy Moore, Baha Men.

2002

Hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa; on-street interviewer and entertainer Wayne Brady; entertainment by The Wiggles, Hilary Duff, Raven-Symoné, Alexis Kalehoff; appearances by John Ritter, Star Jones-Reynolds and Andrea McArdle.

2003

Hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa at Walt Disney World; George Lopez at Disneyland. On-street interviewer Robin Roberts. Entertainment by Disney Channel's Christy Carlson Romano, Raven-Symone, Anneliese van der Pol, and Orlando Brown; American Idol's Clay Aiken; Playhouse Disney's Bear in the Big Blue House; Jump 5.

2004

Hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa at Walt Disney World; Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, and on-street interviewer Gonzo the Great at Disneyland. Music performances by: Mariah Carey, Wynonna Judd, Ashanti, Kelly Clarkson, Jump 5 and Diana DeGarmo. Plus: Zach Braff, Jesse McCartney, Erik von Detten, Meredith Vieira and ABC's stars. Disney Channel Stars: Raven-Symone, Christy Carlson Romano and Bear from Bear in the Big Blue House. Also: SHeDAISY, Waneze and America's Funniest Home Videos's Tom Bergeron. Special guest appearance: Julie Andrews.

2005

Hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa at Walt Disney World; Ryan Seacrest at Disneyland. Entertainment by Playhouse Disney's The Wiggles; Brian Setzer Orchestra; Lonestar; Vanessa Williams; Star Jones; Tiger Woods; Julie Andrews; John O'Hurley; Fantasia; Aly & AJ; The Cheetah Girls; The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe's stars Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, and William Moseley.

2006

Hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa at Walt Disney World; Ryan Seacrest at Disneyland. Entertainment by American Idol stars Ace Young, Kevin Covais, Paris Bennett, and Mandisa; Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana; RBD; Playhouse Disney's The Doodlebops; Daniel Powter; Disney Channel's Brenda Song; High School Musical stars Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, and Lucas Grabeel; Beyoncé; Andrea Bocelli; Bianca Ryan; Aly & AJ; Michael Bolton; Dancing With the Stars winner Emmitt Smith; and Tiffany's Dance Academy. Appearances by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's Ty Pennington, Eduardo Xol, and Paige Hemmis; Johnny Depp and Travel Channel's Samantha Brown.

2007

Hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa at Walt Disney World; Ryan Seacrest at Disneyland. Entertainment: Patti LaBelle, the cast of "Dancing With the Stars" (Sabrina Bryan, Hélio Castroneves, Drew Lachey, Joey Fatone, Cheryl Burke, Julianne Hough, Derek Hough), Jon Secada, Jessica Simpson, Katharine McPhee, Jonas Brothers, the cast of Disney's Animal Kingdom's Festival of the Lion King, Miley Cyrus, and the cast of High School Musical. Giselle from Enchanted was featured with the Disney Princesses in the parade for the first time.

2008

Hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, with Ryan Seacrest. Airs on ABC. Entertainment: Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, David Archuleta, Sarah Brightman, Jose Feliciano, David Cook, Vanessa Williams, the Imagination Movers, Corbin Bleu (who debuted a new song)^[4] and Dance the Magic dancers from dance studios from all over the country.

2009

Hosts Kelly Ripa and Nick Cannon at Walt Disney World, with Ryan Seacrest at Disneyland. Airs on ABC. Entertainment: Demi Lovato, Celine Dion, Stevie Wonder, Jonas Brothers, Yanni, Kris Allen, Steve Rushton, Selena Gomez, and Dance the Magic dancers which include dance schools from all over the country. Regis Philbin did not host this year due to hip surgery a week before taping the parade. 2009 marked the show's change in title to Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade as part of a branding consolidation announced in February.^[5]

2010

Hosts Ryan Seacrest and Maria Menounos at Walt Disney World, with Nick Cannon at Disneyland. Airs on ABC. Entertainment: Mariah Carey, Selena Gomez, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with Dancing with the Stars dancers, Debby Ryan, Amber Riley, Ten year old soprano Jackie Evancho from America's Got Talent, Sean Kingston, Darius Rucker, and American Idol season 9 winner Lee DeWyze. Kelly Ripa did not host this year due to a stress fracture.

2011

Hosts Mario Lopez and Maria Menounos at Walt Disney World, with Nick Cannon and Marlee Matlin at Disneyland. Airs on ABC. Entertainment: Justin Bieber, Jennifer Hudson, Scotty McCreery, Cee Lo Green, The Muppets, Christina Aguilera, OneRepublic, Phineas and Ferb, China Anne McClain from A.N.T. Farm and her sisters, Bella Thorne and Zendaya from Shake It Up, Katie Leclerc and Sean Berdy from ABC Family's Switched at Birth, singer-songwriter Nathan Pacheco with Welsh mezzo-soprano vocalist Katherine Jenkins.

2012

Hosts Mario Lopez at Disneyland, Maria Menounos and Nick Cannon at Walt Disney World. Airs on ABC. Entertainment: Backstreet Boys, tobyMac, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Wanted and Ross Lynch at Disneyland.^[6] Colbie Caillat, Lady Antebellum, Phillip Phillips, The Cast of Modern Family, Gabby Douglas, Sophia Grace & Rosie, Brad Paisley, Yolanda Adams

2013

Hosts Nick Cannon at Disneyland with Neil Patrick Harris and Lara Spencer at Walt Disney World. Airs on ABC. Entertainment: Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo, Jordin Sparks, the cast of "Teen Beach Movie" (Ross Lynch, Maia Mitchell, Grace Phipps and Garrett Clayton), Mary J. Blige, Il Volo, The Wanted, Ne-Yo, Candice Glover, Dove Cameron, and Samantha Brown. Darth Vader and some Stormtroopers also tried to take over the parade.

2014

Hosts Rob Marciano at Disneyland and Robin Roberts with Tim Tebow at Walt Disney World with Sarah Hyland at Aulani. Airs on ABC. Renamed Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration. Entertainment: Alex & Sierra, Gavin DeGraw, Lucy Hale, Train, Laura Marano, Trey Songz, Sabrina Carpenter, Prince Royce, Lexi Walker, Trisha Yearwood, and Ariana Grande.

2015

Hosts Robin Roberts, Jesse Palmer and Janel Parrish. Airs on ABC. Renamed Disney Parks Unforgettable Christmas Celebration. For the first time since the 1980s, all of the major broadcasting elements are at Walt Disney World (despite the title insisting that both major parks would be involved as they have for over 25 years). Entertainment: Jason Derulo, Ariana Grande, Seal, Jhene Aiko, Charles Perry, Tori Kelly, Reba McEntire, Andy Grammer, Charlie Puth, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, and Cameron Boyce. A number of the performances for this year are based around the album We Love Disney, which was released the previous October.

Before Philbin and Ripa, the long-time hosts were Joan Lunden and Alan Thicke, with Philbin on the street interviewing guests. Philbin had been involved with the program continuously from 1991 to 2009.^[4]

See also

• Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

References

External links

• VeryMerryParades.com - tribute site
• ABC Feature Page for the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade
• Archived ABC Feature Page for the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade