Magic Kingdom Parade
The Magic Kingdom Parade is a large theatrical presentation at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World which dates back to the beginning of the theme park. As of December 2014, the daily parades are called Festival of Fantasy and Main Street Electrical Parade.
The parades are composed of many floats, each of which has its own theme music which is synchronized with a rhythm track that plays underneath the theme music for all floats simultaneously. As the floats move through the park, the appropriate theme music plays through loudspeakers that are hidden on each float as well as through land-based loudspeakers along the route. Banks of audio speakers are individually controlled within specific zones on the parade route which enables parade intro music to play as the parade approaches each area. A complex electronic tracking system manages the sound so that the correct theme music plays alongside each float as it travels by and pans from one group of loudspeakers to the next synchronously. Originally designed by Don Dorsey for "America on Parade", the system was automated in 1980, and the new system was implemented for the Main Street Electrical Parade. The system (DECS) is now standard across all Disney parks, and has been used by other parks as well.[1]
Each of the parade floats are self-propelled units that are driven by highly trained Cast Members who are hidden inside the decorative floats. All of the floats run only on battery power and recharged daily to prepare for each performance.
History
Magic Kingdom parades
- America on Parade (June 6, 1975 – September 6, 1976)
- Mickey's 50th Birthday Parade (1978)
- Dumbo's Circus Parade (January 2, 1979 – December 21, 1979)
- Tencennial Parade (October 1, 1981 – September 30, 1982) A parade celebrating the 10th anniversary of Walt Disney World. Theme song was "Disney World Is Your World".
- Mickey Mouse Character Parade (October 1983 - May 1984)
- Donald's 50th Birthday Parade(1984)
- Mickey's Street Party (January 1985 - 1986)
- 15 Years of Magic (October 1, 1986 - September 1987)
- Spirit of America (1987-1989)
- Mickey's All-American Birthday Parade (1988–1990)
- Disney Character Hit Parade (1990 - September 1991) also known as the Zip Parade.
- 20th Anniversary "Surprise" Celebration Parade (September 22, 1991 - December 1992) renamed surprise celebration parade when the 20th Anniversary celebration ended
- Surprise Celebration (January 1992 - June 1994) New name for the "20th Anniversary Surprise Celebration" when the 20th Anniversary Celebration ended
- Mickey Mania (June 1, 1994 – September 30, 1996)
- 25th Anniversary "Remember the Magic" Parade (September 30, 1996 – September 30, 1997) became "Disney's Magical Moments Parade" when the 25th Anniversary Celebration ended. This parade was the first interactive parade at the MAGIC KINGDOM park and featured 7 show stops, later reduced to 5 show stop locations along the route.
- Disney's Magical Moments Parade (October 1, 1997 – September 30, 2001)
- Share A Dream Come True Parade (October 1, 2001 – August 9, 2006) became "Disney Dreams Come True Parade"
- Rainy Day Cavalcade a viable substitute to the regularly scheduled day time parade that is pulled into place at the last moment in the event of rain and utilizes the attraction operations main street cars and Omni bus as an alternative.
- Main Street Trolley Parade (February 2003 – present)
- Disney Dreams Come True Parade (August 10, 2006 – January 22, 2009) became "Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade"
- Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade (January 23, 2009 – January 4, 2014)[2]
- Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party (February 12, 2009 – October 23, 2014)
- Festival of Fantasy Parade (March 9, 2014 – present)[3]
- Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It! (October 24, 2014 – present)[4]
Nighttime parades
- Main Street Electrical Parade (1977–1991, 1999–2001, 2010–present)
- SpectroMagic (1991–1999, 2001–2010)
Special event and holiday parades
- Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade (televised ABC 1987 -1996? maybe 1997)
- Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Parade (1997-2005) later called Mickey's Boo To You Parade
- Mickey's Boo To You Parade (2005 – present) held as part of "Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party"
- Mickey's Christmas Cavalcade (1975-1986) an early incarnation of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade ended in 1993. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade reused some of the music and made new float theme. Neither parade used an underliner.
- Fantasy On Parade (1986-1993) featured new parade music with a regal flair - "and enjoy the beauty, all the joy and beauty."
- Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Parade (1994 – 2006) replaced by Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
- Mickey's Once Upon A Christmastime Parade (2007 – present)
- Disney's Enchanted Adventures Parade (2007 – 2009) held during Disney's Pirate and Princess Party
- The Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade (? - 2009) held every year on Christmas morning on the Disney-owned ABC. Renamed Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade in 2009.
- Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade (2009 – present)
Dreams Come True parades
The Share A Dream Come True Parade which ran from 2001 until 2006 was changed to the Disney Dreams Come True Parade in 2006 and ended on January 22, 2009. The Share A Dream Come True Parade had the Disney style floats with original music and characters but incorporated snow globes which held many of the characters. The Disney Dreams Come True Parade was similar to the previous parade, though many of the floats were changed, and the snow globes were removed. This parade also had new soundtrack which was previously been used for Disney's Dreams on Parade... Moving On at Tokyo Disneyland. The Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade replaced the Disney Dreams Come True Parade on January 23, 2009. The parade incorporated the new What Will You Celebrate? theme that both the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland were using.
References
- ↑ Dorsey, Don. "Everyone loves a parade". Retrieved 25 February 2015.
- ↑ ""Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade" Has Emotional Farewell After 5 Years Running". WDW News Today. January 5, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
- ↑ Fickley-Baker, Jennifer (February 24, 2014). "'Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade' Debuts March 9 at Magic Kingdom Park". Disney Parks Blog. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
- ↑ "'Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It!' Street Party". WDW Magic. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
External links
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