Parades from the Past - Party Gras Parade

The year was 1990 and Disneyland was celebrating 35 years of magic. The 35th anniversary of Disneyland was marked with a Party Gras parade. The Latin music and larger than life floats made this an occasion to remember. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see this parade in person (my first trip to Disneyland wasn't until 15 years later for the 50th anniversary).

Thanks to YouTube, this great parade lives on.

Rememer When?

During Walt Disney World's 15th anniversary in 1996 every guest would get a ticket upon entering the either the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT Center from the Dream Machine for a chance to win a car (one given away per day) or some other prize?

Walt Disney World's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

Gone, but not forgotten, Mr. Toad's wild ride lives on thanks to YouTube. Although the last ride to "nowhere inparticular" took place on September 7, 1998 (at WDW at least; the ride still lives on at Disneyland), I still remember it like it was yesterday.

EPCOT Center - 25 Years Later - EPCOT '94

Back in 1994, EPCOT Center, as it was then known, was renamed EPCOT '94 and then EPCOT '95 the following year. The idea was to give the park a World's Fair type name to make it seem more relevant or new (at least the marketing folks at Disney thought they needed to give EPCOT Center an image boost; however, in my opinion Epcot was and still is relevant and new). However, it soon became clear the renaming the park each year was going to be too difficult. Changing the signs, brochures, merchandise, etc. was all to much, so in 1996 the park became just Epcot.

Here's a clip from a new show at Epcot '94, Epcot94 Presents Splashtacular

Remember When?

The tickets at Walt Disney World had date stamps and you had to have your hand stamped if you wanted to re-enter the park (and then it was stamped with ink that was only visable under black light)?

Parades from the Past - Mickey's Street Party

The first parade I remember seeing at Walt Disney World was in 1984. It was Mickey's Street Party and it was fantastic. I had seen other parades at the Magic Kingdom before but was too young to remember any of them. After looking online for a clip of this parade for years, I finally came across two clips on YouTube.

It seems just like yesterday yet it seams so dated. The 80's clothes and hairstyles seem so foreign. And the great synthesized 80's music is dated but great! I think this is one of, if not the best, Disney parade song. I wish they did parades like this still.

In case you didn’t catch it in 1984, here it is again for you!

EPCOT Center - 25 Years Later

Just over 25 years ago the world was introduced to EPCOT Center. EPCOT was an acronym fro Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. It’s funny that 25 years ago it seemed like such a strange name; almost like it would never catch on. Now, the park is just named “Epcot” as a word and not an acronym. I wonder if kids today know that “Epcot” used to stand for something and is not just a “word” the Disney folks made up?

The name is not the only thing that’s changed at Epcot over the past 25 years. Over the coming months, in a nod to Epcot’s 25th anniversary, I’ll post some of my favorite memories of Epcot of the past.

Welcome to Walt's Wide World

"Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world."

Walt Disney said these words about Disneyland, the theme park that opened in July, 1955 among the orange groves of Anaheim, California. He was right when he said "Disneyland will never be completed" because even today, more than 50 years later it continues to grow and change. It has also lead to Walt Disney World in Florida with its own Magic Kingdom plus Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom.

And overseas, there are now Magic Kingdoms in France, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. And let's not forget about DisneySea in Tokyo and The Disney Studios in Paris. With so much growth and change I've decided to start a blog devoted to the Disney theme parks; the past, present, and future.