Disneyland and Magic Kingdom parade
America on Parade
("AOP") was a parade created for
Disneyland
and the
Magic Kingdom
for the
United States Bicentennial
and for Disneyland's 20th and The Magic Kingdom's 5th anniversaries.
[1]
It was created under the direction of Disneyland's Director of Entertainment,
Bob Jani
. The parade float units were designed by New York theatrical designer Peter Larkin. The first run was in the summer of 1975 and was originally designed to run through 1977, to commemorate the United States Bicentennial. America On Parade ran once during the afternoon and again just prior to the nightly fireworks display. It traveled the full length of Disneyland from
It's a Small World
to Town Square at the beginning of
Main Street, U.S.A.
and at Magic Kingdom from
Liberty Square
to Town Square at the beginning of
Main Street, U.S.A.
The various parade float height design created a problem because returning the parade units to the starting point required traveling behind the public areas, encountering over-pass bridges and tunnels. The taller units were rigged to telescope up after collapsing to pass under the low ceiling obstacles. Other units' stacked towers were hinged to drop or fold on top of the parade float.
Soundtrack
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The
Sherman Brothers
who had left
Disney
Studios to work for independent film companies were asked to write a special song for the
American Bicentennial
. The song was called "
The Glorious Fourth
" and was performed as a part of AOP.
The parade also featured synchronized music to which performers danced set routines created by Disneyland
choreographers
(Barnett Ricci and Marilyn Magness). Each of the parade performers sported costumes appropriate to the float around which they danced, as well as enormous heads fixed on a custom-built apparatus for support, with the performer looking through the neck, giving the parade a carnival appearance.
The parade's soundtrack was Don Dorsey's first project for Disney. He used synthesizers and antique carousel organs to create the soundtrack.
[2]
During the parade's run, Dorsey conceptualized a system which Disney would develop a computer-controlled system called "
Mickey Track
" that controls the parade's music from 1980 and on. This system was later installed at
Tokyo Disneyland
in 1983,
Disneyland Paris
in 1992, and
Hong Kong Disneyland
in 2005.
[3]
TV special
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In 1976, a TV special "Walt Disney's America on Parade" aired, showing the parade and presented by
Red Skelton
.
[4]
Floats
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On less busy days in 1975 and 1976, some non-holiday units were cut. The "School Days" is cut during months of summer and December.
- Spirit of '76 - the starting float featured Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy standing on a drum, next to a heavily themed eagle float, with Mickey holding a variant of the Stars and Stripes as the three friends all opened the parade. Donald played the flute, and Goofy played a hand-made drum.
- Columbus's Ship - in 1492, before the creation of America, Italian explorer
Christopher Columbus
travelled the then-unknown seas, seeing what kind of discoveries he has managed to find and bring him into the new worlds. This float resembled a pirate ship.
- The First Thanksgiving - in 1621, the Pilgrims created what would become Thanksgiving. This float was represented by a giant turkey puppet.
- This unit is shown after the Columbus's Ship and Ben Franklin for the month of November only.
- Salem Witch Trials - in 1692, more than two hundred people were accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts. This float featured two costumed characters about to be executed with another preparing the execution.
- This unit is shown after the Columbus's Ship and Benjamin Franklin for month of October only.
- Benjamin Franklin - in 1752,
Benjamin Franklin
flew a kite during a thunderstorm and discovered the power of electricity. This float featured Benjamin Franklin flying a kite without lightning.
- Dunking Stall
- Square Dancing
- Giant Bell
- Giant Cannons
- Betsy Ross - in June 1776,
Betsy Ross
raised the flag of what would be the United States in Philadelphia at the request of George Washington.
- Rowing Boat
- Riverboat
- Stagecoach
- Discovery of Gold
- Voting Rights
- Sunday Band Concert
- School Days
- cut in December and summer months.
- Transportation
- Sports
- Sunday Picnic
- Modern Tech
- Disney - in honor of the 20th anniversary of
Disneyland
, a special unit was made. After the 20th ended in 1976, it was moved to the
Magic Kingdom
for its fifth anniversary.
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Television
- The Movie Industry
- Circus Comes to Town
- Hot Air Balloons
- Statue of Liberty and the Golden Eagle
Accidents
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In 1976, an unidentified woman sued the Disney Parks Corporation because she claimed that one of the
Three Little Pigs
at the It's a Small World end of the parade route grabbed and
fondled
her during this parade. She claimed to have gained 50 pounds (23 kg) as a result of the incident and sued Disney for $150,000 in damages for assault and battery, false imprisonment, and humiliation. The plaintiff dropped charges after Disney's lawyers presented her with a photo of the costume, which had only inoperable stub arms, a common feature among the shorter characters that was eliminated in later years.
See also
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References
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External links
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Motion pictures
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Stage musicals
and musical revues
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Theme park
attractions
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Books
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Related
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