Friday, August 12, 2022

Magic Kingdom Parade, 1988

Today I am sharing the first of four blog posts featuring photos taken by Lou Perry during a 1988 visit to Walt Disney World. As we have seen previously, Lou loves parades! Take a look HERE and HERE to see some past examples. Of course I wanted to know the theme of this particular parade, and found that this one was called "Spirit of America". Apparently it started in 1987 and ran for approximately a year - this thing was elaborate, with many large, unique floats (though I suspect that some were repurposed from earlier parades). 

Whether he was at Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom, Lou liked to view his parades from the steps of Main Street Station. It eliminated the problem of having his views eclipsed by bouffant hairdos. This first image shows the Motorized Firetruck, with the hosts of "Good Morning Britain". Timmy Mallett is threatening the crowd with an oversized maul, while Mike Morris and Kay Burley pretend to not be embarrassed.


Next comes the marching band known as the Main Street Philharmonic, resplendent in red, white, and gold. They're followed by a float that appears to have a large graham cracker in front.


Say, that's no graham cracker! That's the U.S. Constitution. Could it be the biggest copy ever made? I'm going to say "yes", based on 0 minutes of research. These days such a thing might be printed on a giant inkjet printer (Really! They make billboards that way), but back then a squad of artisans must have painted it by hand.


Mickey and Minnie Mouse are wearing their finest colonial outfits, complete with powdered wigs. Just behind them is what must be the Liberty Bell. 


Next we have a float with a bunch of clean-cut singers in dazzling white. I watched a video of this parade to hear which patriotic song they might be singing, but it's a tune specifically composed for this event. They might have been lip-syncing the song, too.


A lighthouse brings to mind the rocky shores of Maine, perhaps. A-yuh. Unfortunately they did not play the deafening sound of a foghorn. Such a lost opportunity. Just behind the lighthouse is what I believe is a "little red schoolhouse". Let the whippings commence!


A silo brings to mind thousands of acres of rolling farmland. Those silos hold corn, wheat, oats, and all the things we need to make delicious pre-sweetened breakfast cereals. Sorry, I'm getting emotional...


If there's a silo, there's probably a barn right next to it. This is a barn that housed giraffes, a source of meat in the early days of this country's history. Say, who's that up in the hayloft?


Well I'll be! It's Clara Cluck. I'm always happy to see one of the old-time Disney characters, and Clara definitely qualifies. She debuted in 1934 in the Mickey Mouse short subject, Orphan's Benefit. Looking good, Clara!


Many thanks to Lou and Sue! Stay tuned for more "Spirit of America" in the coming weeks.

35 comments:

MIKE COZART said...

Next to America on Parade and Main Street Electrical Parade , The Spirt of America Parade is one of my favorites! And I’m not a parade or fireworks person.

Nanook said...

Major-
No kidding, Mike - these are wonderful floats-! (Although I do believe they missed a great opportunity to position a pair of stockades along with the 'little red schoolhouse'-!)

Extra points for the 3D lettering proclaiming: We The People.

Thanks to Lou and Sue, and that Major fella.

JB said...

#1- Hmm. I don't know who these cele-Brit-ies are. I bet the crowd was scratching their heads as well. Anyone know why they were in this parade? Maybe they represent British rule, before the Revolution.

#2- Whoa! This photo must be at least 200 years old, judging by the American flag on the left. It only has 13 stars!
The composition of this photo is especially nice, with the parade angling around the corner. And Major, I believe that's a Triscuit, not a graham cracker.

#3- Hey, how about that! I was right; it's a giant Triscuit. But why would they write the Constitution on a Triscuit?... Unless... YES! Paper was rare and expensive in the 1700s. So they had Betsy Ross put down her sewing and had her bake a giant wheat cracker. The original document was written on a Triscuit! I knew I'd figure it out if I thought about it hard enough.

#4- Like Nanook said, it's interesting how the lettering "We the People" is sculpted and standing proud of the rest of the document. Nice of Philadelphia to loan the Liberty Bell To WDW for this parade.

#6- Even on a parade float, Disney makes realistic looking rocks around that lighthouse. Anyone know what those things are, hanging on the side of the schoolhouse?

#7- It occurs to me that scarecrows look a lot like clowns... and clowns are oftentimes creepy. And these scarecrows look pretty creepy to me.

Many thanks to Lou & Sue & Major for letting us view the parade.

TokyoMagic! said...

It seems a little odd to be having this parade in 1988. It almost seems like it's twelve years too late. But I know that WDW had their own version of America On Parade in 1975/76. Oh hey, there was an Olympics held that year, I wonder if that was the connection. Not that you can't be patriotic any other year!

I love the Clara Cluck costume. Mike pointed out that Clarabelle Cow is/was used in Disneyland parades at times, like the Christmas Fantasy Parade. She and Horace Horsecollar actually walk around Tokyo Disneyland at times....at least, they were still doing that about 10 years ago. Tokyo also used Clara Cluck in at least one of their parades. The float used here for Clara, is actually the repurposed Dumbo's Firehouse float that we have seen on GDB (I think) in the past, with Dumbo poking his head out of the windows. Disneyland had an identical "Dumbo" float that was used in various parades.

I don't think that is a schoolhouse behind the lighthouse float. The building has a dock in front of it, with rocks below. And I think that might be a lobster trap sitting on the dock. Could those things hanging on the side of the building be some sort of fishing tackle? But what are those ladies holding under their arms? Caped cods?

I'm looking forward to more pics from this parade! Thank you, Lou, Sue and Major, too!

Chuck said...

September 17th, 1987, was the bicentennial of the signing of the US Constitution, so I’m sure that was the impetus for this parade’s theme.

As usual, Lou picked a great spot to take photos from. I’m wondering if you wanted that vantage point today if you would have to stake it out the moment the Park opened and then guard it with your life (or the life of one of the more expendable members of your party, say the extra magic-user or possibly the thief).

The upstairs window in Clarabelle Cluck’s repurposed firehouse perfectly frames a drinking fountain (note to self: pick up a bag of sugar next trip to the grocery).

Thanks again, Lou and his facilitators!

TokyoMagic! said...

Chuck, duh! Of course it was the 200th anniversary of the signing of the U.S Constitution! I wonder why Disneyland didn't have this same parade? Now that I think of it, I believe that 1987-1988 was when Disney was having their Blast to the Past, Circus Fantasy, or State Fair events and parades.

Bu said...

Good Morning Britain! We lost! Something to get in a Fire Engine and have a celebration about! I don't think they got the connection- and I am sure that Good Morning Britain was doing their show from the Park, and this was just another press opportunity. This was a frequent thing, and would randomly thrust random press opportunity people or animals (like Benji) into parades. WDW did have it's fair share of Brits, as it was on the closer side of the pond- so it's kind of like doing the Today show in front of some English castle. I don't understand the strawberry giant juice bar he's holding, but I'm sure all of Britain did. The fire engine looks odd...like "not finished"...maybe it's me. Clara's house is Dumbo's tower from "Fantasy on Parade". It's from the scene in the movie. The Mike Curb Congregation looks great on the float with some interested decoration choices. Mike Curb was also the Lt. Governor of California at one time...Gov.Jerry Brown went out of town...and suddenly Mike Curb was causing all kinds of shennanigangs as he became "in power". The news loved it. Of course, this is not the ACTUAL Mike Curb Congregation, it is a very very elaborate reproduction or hoax. You are correct that State Fair, Blast to the Past, Circus Fantasy et.al. was Disneyland's response to the parade scheme of the '80's. The best was American Gazette. Lots of live music and performers. It was lovely. My TG pals in WDW would always lament about the bru ha ha that went into a WDW parade. Lots of TV shows, etc. like a Macy's parade. Apparently it was kind of Hell for them. Or they thought it was anyway. Numerous kittens to wrangle. The show people were difficult and often unbridled. As a closing note: all the Elmos in China are Chinese and Fantasyland is closed. Trees also have no scale, I can't see the dent or fudgie, and the 80's were awesome. (I missed some posts, so I am catching up.) Thanks for the pics Lou and Sue.

Stefano said...

Thanks to Lou and Sue and the Major, this parade is new to me and very appealing.

It looks like the Liberty Bell crack is behind Minnie, there is a vertical glint on it.

TokyoMagic!, I think the misses are holding baskets of clams, because Maine has chowder and Boston has beans.

Egads, the scarecrows are roped to crosses, trying to break free, with a wicked looking pitchfork behind the one on the right; Disney isn't Disney without some fright.

TokyoMagic! said...

Stefano, I think you are right about those being clams. I hope they all had little faces, just like the ones in "Alice In Wonderland." Or were those oysters?

In the photo of the "Up With People" float, we can seen the Gorton's Fisherman and his identical cousin, riding on the lighthouse float in the background. Then in the next photo, there is nobody on the float. Where did they go? Did they leave to take a break, right in the middle of the parade? Never trust the Gorton's Fisherman! Or his identical cousin!

Andrew said...

Thanks to Lou's parade photos, I made sure to see the Main Street Electrical Parade from the Train Station. It's probably different at WDW, but during the 10:45 showing, I was the only person watching the parade from that spot. It really was a great place for photos. Thanks, Lou, Sue, and Major!

JG said...

Great photos (as always) of an interesting parade. Disney always goes all-out on these things. And people love it.

The “schoolhouse” is a mini Motif No. 1 in Rockport MA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motif_Number_1,

those are fishing net floats hanging on the wall.

Thanks Lou and Sue and Major.

JG

DrGoat said...

Continuing with what was great about the 80s!
Thanks so much Lou and Sue. Stitch together Lou's photos would be a great 3 hour movie. I remember that parade, it was a lot of fun, brings back happy memories.
Up with People? Back in the late 60s I think, a group of us went to one of their shows. We didn't know what it was and it was free so we went. We stuck out like sore thumbs with our long hair and fringe jackets.
Thanks to you Major and Lou and Sue again for those great photos.
TM! They were oysters and they were so cute, but Disney spared us their fate off screen.

TokyoMagic! said...

JG, thanks for the fishing shack info!

DrGoat, ah yes...oysters! Disney likes to kill characters off-screen, don't they? Bambi's mom, Nemo's mom, Tod's mom (Fox & the Hound), Cinderella's mom, Anna & Elsa's parents, Lilo's parents, Alice's oysters. One death that gets shown on screen is Tony Perkins' character getting Cuisinart-ed, in The Black Hole. That is supposedly what gave the film it's PG rating.

Nanook said...

@ TM!-
If you look very carefully, you can just spy a hand and the sleeve from a yellow slicker peeking out from behind the left side of the lighthouse. Perhaps the 'Gorton twins' danced their way to the backside of the float-?

TokyoMagic! said...

Nanook, I see that arm! I bet they were passing out fish sticks to the crowd! Okay, so maybe you can trust the Gorton's Fishermen.

Chuck said...

I watched a video of this parade over lunch. The song that Doodletown Pipermania was singing wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for in a hard-hitting, pro-American song. It’s possible I may have seen Team America: World Police one time too many.

Nanook said...

@ TM!²-
Looking at a couple of videos of the parade, it seems our "Groton Fishermen" often abandon the float and walk, dance (and shake hands with the guests). In one parade, there was merely one fisherman spotted; and in another, there were four - who danced in the street with some gals from the 'pier' float that follows the lighthouse.

TokyoMagic! said...

Nanook, I was just watching the parade footage (Thanks for that link, Chuck!) Those Gorton's Fishermen were all over the place! And gee, there were a lot of recycled floats used in this parade. I wonder if that steamboat was the one from America On Parade, in 1976? It kind of looked like a revamped version of it. And I was wrong. That group isn't Up With People, it's Hooray For Everything!

Major Pepperidge said...

Mike Cozart, did you see this parade in Florida? Or did they have a version of it in Anaheim?

Nanook, ha ha, all floats should feature at least one torture device. Did you know that the actual Constitution has 3D lettering just like on that float?

JB, yeah, I had to look those people up, fortunately their names were legible on the vehicle. 13 stars? Don’t be crazy, the flag has always had 50 stars, I know because of one of my past lives. Triscuits, yum. How about a QUADRISCUIT? Is that too many iscuits? It WAS nice of Philadelphia to loan that crazy bell, but they should have at least patched up that crack. I think those things on the side of the schoolhouse are fishing floats, note the lobster trap near the ladies. A good scarecrow should be creepy, otherwise what’s the point!

TokyoMagic!, yes, you can watch old videos of Florida’s “America on Parade”, even now I’m not crazy about that one. It’s not bad, just not one that I would have wanted to see more than once. I love seeing Clara Cluck too, as I’ve said many times, I’d love it if they dug out more obscure OLD Disney characters. How about an early, long-beaked Donald? That would be so cool! You’re right, a schoolhouse doesn’t make much sense, I am revoking JB’s schoolhouse identification certificate immediately. I think the ladies are holding baskets of apples?

Chuck, well, OK, I guess you win the complete set of the 1987 edition of Encyclopedia Britannica (well, it’s missing the “S” volume, but no biggie). Yes, Lou got some real beauties, and he obviously loved to capture these parades! I love that he loved them. I’ll bet he didn’t have to stand there all day, though you might have to do that these days. Might as well buy two bags of C&H sugar, you’d be surprised how quickly you’ll go through it.

TokyoMagic!, this looks like it was a very expensive parade, so I can understand why they didn’t have two versions of each float, but I do wonder if these floats all eventually made it to California in one form or another.

Bu, I can only assume that the Brits were there in the spirit of friendship, 200 years later! After all that hubbub, we don’t have to shoot at Redcoats anymore. Not often anyway. I am not surprised that WDW has lots of folks from England, but I have been surprised at how many Aussies I see at certain places. They love to travel! The fire engine looks OK to me, but hey, I’m no expert. Interesting about Clara’s tower being from the old Dumbo float, that answers my question (sort of) about these floats being reused. Mike Curb, yuck. What an oddball. Probably a rich oddball though, and that’s all that matters. “American Gazette”, that sounds potentially saucy. Or am I thinking of the “Policeman’s Gazette”? As for your Tour Guide friends: Hey! With great power comes great responsibility! They represent America! When we elected them (we did elect them, didn’t we?), they took on all kinds of onerous chores.

Major Pepperidge said...

Stefano, yes, I had never heard of this parade before. In fact, looking up parades, I found lists of MANY parades that I’d never heard of. Baskets of clams, well I’ll be! Ha ha, I love it when Disney makes something horrific, unitentionally.

TokyoMagic!, little faces, and even littler hats. Yes, Alice had oysters. But you knew that! I hope that the Gorton’s Fisherman catches lots of fish sticks, man I love those, with plenty of tartar sauce. Maybe even on a toasted bun. Fit for a king! Those fishermen must have been swept over by a rogue wave. THE PERFECT STORM.

Andrew, I’m so glad you got to see the Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland! Did you attempt to take photos??

JG, Rockport, MA? Is it a rock? Or is it a port? I need to know.

DrGoat, hmmm, a 3-hour movie might be a bit much. But that’s just me! Did you go to WDW very often? Wow, I have seen photos of you from “back in the day”, I can only imagine your response to that clean-cut “up with people” music!

TokyoMagic!, I agree with DrGoat, I’m glad we were spared seeing them being eaten. They looked like little babies. Cinderella’s mom died attempting a skateboard trick, you probably forgot that scene. BTW, I started watching “The Black Hole” on Disney+ and couldn’t get through 20 minutes. It’s so clunky!

Nanook, many people don’t realize that those fishermen who sailed the Grand Banks loved to dance. A LOT.

TokyoMagic!, yay, another fish stick reference!

Chuck, i could never get into the Doodletown Pipers because they were too hard core. Can you see “Team America: World Police” too many times?

Nanook, the fishermen applied fake fish slime before they shook the hands of guests, it really made the experience so vivid!

TokyoMagic!, I have heard theories that the One World Government is actually run by Gorton’s Fishermen. I always loved that “Hooray for Everything” performed a version of “Walk on the Wild Side”!

Melissa said...

#1: Wow. Timmy's Hawaiian shirt and shorts are certainly... a choice. If he can't hit us over the head with his mallet he'll do it with his wardrobe. He should have taken fashion advice from the kid in matching red floral shirt and shorts in the lighthouse picture. Speaking of matching and kids, I spy two little tykes at right in matching red-and-white Mickey shirts and dark shorts. But different-colored sneakers, the little rebels!

#2: I have vague memories of seeing a marching band on Main St. in 1983. I wonder if it was the Philharmonic? Or possibly a Figment of my Imagination.

#3: If they'd written the Constitution on a cracker the country could have turned out pretty crummy. Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week.

#4: Talk about writing that leaps off the page!

#5: They should have just sung "Golden Dream." It's pure schmaltz, but it's good schmaltz. And it would have been good synergy between the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Center. Everybody loves synergy! Except those dirty commies.

#6: I grew up down the road from an disused historic lighthouse on Lake Ontario. I couldn't walk by it without making the foghorn noise. I was hoping that really was a schoolhouse float so I could make a joke about having an animatronic Willie Olson standing in the corner.

#7: Those scarecrows are pretty darn creepy. It looks like they're crucifying a pair of evil clowns. In front of all those innocent kids! Well, I guess they have to learn about the hard facts somewhere.

#8-9: I'm almost certain I've seen that same barn float, complete with Clara in the hayloft, in a more recent parade. I want to say the "Boo to You" parade? Or maybe it's just very similar.

Even on non-patriotic-anniversary years, there's always been a bit more "Spirit of '76" at WDW than at Disneyland, what with your Liberty Squares and your American Adventure pavilions. They used to have a whole fife and drum corps that played regularly in Liberty Square; it was pretty neat. Now they've just got the Muppets.

Thanks to Lou & Sue & the Major too, for this trip down the parade route that is Memory Lane.

Melissa said...

"Disney likes to kill characters off-screen, don't they? Bambi's mom, Nemo's mom, Tod's mom (Fox & the Hound), Cinderella's mom, Anna & Elsa's parents, Lilo's parents, Alice's oysters."

I saw Inside Out in a crowded theater on opening weekend. It was an intergenerational audience, and everybody was having a great time. Then The Sad Thing Happened, and there was a hush over the whole auditorium. Out of the darkness somewhere behind me, I heard a tiny little voice pipe up, "Mommy? What happened to Bing Bong?" And I swear there was a collective sharp intake of breath from every adult in the house. I couldn't hear the mother's reply, but I'm willing to bet we were all reliving our memories of Bambi's Mom, Nemo's Mom, Tod's Mom, etc., etc.

I remember hearing an interview with someone who was at the premiere of Snow White, who said that when Snow White "died" they looked over and saw tears streaming down Clark Gable's face.

MIKE COZART said...

I saw this parade in Florida … I can still hear the underscore song “show your spirit America from sea to shinning sea… ITS THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA ….”

This parade did not perform at Disneyland. I liked “ The American Gazette parade” at Disneyland … but it was like a junior high school production compared to the production scale and quality of Walt Disney World’s “Spirit of America” . “Spirit of America” showcased the music and look of distinct regions of the USA linked with a common underscore theme song. Disneyland’s “American Gazette Parade “ was a salute to the 20th Century American Hero … and showcased a series of “live” newspapers
Headlines showcasing the music and fads of each passing decade of the 20th Century starting with 1900. I don’t recall there being a theme song to American Gazette Parade or a underscore linking the float “decades” . Thee was the Disneyland band leading off … then each decade had its own live band playing the music style of that decade with dancers on the street …. And period automobiles . Period dressed parade performers pushed large newspaper headlines and period Themed sets on wheels for each passing decade.

Disney showed a enhanced version of the parade on television when it debuted hosted by Marc Sommers and Ruth Bledsoe ( from the Cosby Show) Willard Scott did news breaks showcasing new things at Epcot Center and the vacation kingdom between the parade segments and also a full ride on Malestrom at the then new Norway pavilion in World Showcase.

Tokyo : the Riverboat float was not the America on Parade float …. Similar and I’m sure the 1976 float was used as inspiration. The 1987-1988 riverboat had a large deck area for “cake walkers “ to dance on.

The scarecrows actually jump off the float and dance - and when they did it was a surprise and the parade watchers went wild and clapped and cheered.

It doesn’t surprise me the parade grand martials were British this day ( a tad odd for the Spirit of America Parade ) but next to Americans , more British visit Walt Disney World than any other people on Earth. It’s been that way since the 1980’s and still is today. In fact it’s possible even longer … marketing used to produce many theatrical releases films about Walt Disney world ( the Disney channel used to show in its early days) …. Those attraction posters that say “Disneyland USA” on the bottom rather than a “land” …. Are sometimes called HOTEL POSTERS …. But they were produced for use by (mostly) British travel agencies - eventually Disney decided there was no need to specially mark the posters and eventually just used the regular attraction posters. This also explains the batches of attraction posters that often show up on EBAY coming from Great Britain.

DrGoat said...

Major,
I've never been to WDW. I thought this was in Disneyland! Is my memory that bad. I was sure we saw a parade like this in Disneyland. I remember banners like that hanging from the lamp posts. Or is my brain scrambled more than I thought.

Major Pepperidge said...

Melissa, Tim wants to dress appropriately for a Disney parade! No professorial tweeds necessary. Those kids must have had those outfits bought for them at the park that day? I think it’s interesting that they call the WDW band a “Philharmonic”, that seems pretty grand. Your cracker remark earns you 23 “Boag” points. Redeemable at all Woolworth’s stores. A disused lighthouse sounds pretty cool, I’ll bet all the kids tried to get up to the top, though they were probably eaten by the ghost that lived there. Why would Clara Cluck be in a Halloween parade? Unless she’d been plucked, which you have to admit would be pretty gross. When you say “they’ve just got the Muppets”, do you mean that Muppets actually walk around to meet guests?

Melissa, I remember seeing “Inside Out” with a friend, and looking forward to it so much, after hearing so many good things. I guess there is a lesson about not seeing a movie with high expectations, because we both walked out and thought, “It was OK”. I’ve barely thought about it since. And Bing Bong did not endear himself to me the way he seemed endear himself to everyone else. I guess I’m just a grump.

Mike Cozart, I suppose that Disneyland’s relatively small size made it not appropriate for such a massive parade with so many big floats. Oh well. There was definitely a period when I felt like Anaheim was given the scraps while Orlando got the filet, so to speak. I don’t feel as if there is quite such a dichotomy now, thankfully. The American Gazette parade probably used a mashup of the usual patriotic songs that we’ve all heard a zillion times. Sounds like the televised parade that you mentioned was the usual Disney offering… it always astounded me at just how awful so many Disney TV shows were, especially when they were “celebrating” the parks. “What Z-grade celebs can we get? How many song and dance numbers can we cram in?”. I just want to see the parks! It’s so easy!

DrGoat, ha ha, it’s OK! You’d be amazed at how many “Disneyland” slides on eBay are actually from WDW. I guess only us the fans can tell the difference!

"Lou and Sue" said...

"And I’m not a parade or fireworks person."

Mike C., I'm not either...I head for the short lines while everyone is jammed along the parade route. Though I will say, I LOVE viewing these parades with all the Jr. Gorillas...it's a lot more fun seeing everything through gorilla-eyes.

"As usual, Lou picked a great spot to take photos from. I’m wondering if you wanted that vantage point today if you would have to stake it out the moment the Park opened and then guard it with your life (or the life of one of the more expendable members of your party say the extra magic-user or possibly the thief)."

Ha! Chuck, that was sometimes ME. But as I've mentioned before, my dad was so much fun, and he would also let me pick out a nice souvenir at the end of a trip, when I "assisted" him. I always liked to help him. Great memories!

Gotta run...will be back later to finish my comments...

JB said...

Major, I'm with you when it comes to Disney TV 'specials'. Just show us the park! Give someone a video camera and let 'em walk around for 42 minutes (one hour with commercials). No celebs. No song and dance numbers!

Sue, "gorilla-eyes". Is that another word for beer goggles?

Anonymous said...

JB, you can find videos like that of today's Park on the Fresh Baked YouTube video channel.

He has several that are 2-4 hours long with either a commentary of the blogger, or just ambient acoustics of the locale. I listen to these often at work as background noises, but the video is good too (i just have limited screen space), here is a link to one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IJtt0B6RlU

Here is the channel with more:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3CQqdxZZ-SStEI4GVMRRFw


My top Disneyland sounds:

Train Announcer and train bell at Main St. Station
Tomorrowland Music Loop
Pirates of the Caribbean original "Yo-Ho" theme (not the movie)
Jungle Cruise boat engine
Monorail Air Horn
Mark Twain paddle and steam.

These are sanity-inducing, especially on a Friday. Thanks to Dr. Goat for introducing me to the blogger, David Ericson.

JG

Dean Finder said...

I was in middle school when the 200th anniversary of the Constitution was a thing. I didn't realize until years later that they were trying to recapture the national obsession with the Bicentennial a decade earlier.
Melissa, you're correct that there's a barn in the Boo to You parade, only I think it's Clarabell Cow in it. I think it's tied to a creepy pumpkin patch and scarecrow thing.
JB, there is a youtube channel by ResortTV1 that is mainly just walkaround videos at the Florida park. There's also RetroWDW that features restored home movies of well known parades and attractions as well as some real obscurities.

Melissa said...

I just went and rewatched video of the 2019 Boo to You parade, and if that's not the same silo and barn they're pretty good copies. They come in at the 7:10 minute mark here in the "Halloween Hoedown" section of the parade, which is a sort of autumn-harvest-pumpkin-patch affair. Farm kids and the Country Bears square dancing to "Ghost Riders in the Sky" while Clara calls the steps from her hayloft. It's kind of cute.

Now I'm going to have to look up the American Gazette parade from Disneyland; it sounds pretty keen.

Melissa said...

Or maybe it's Clarabelle calling the dances from the silo while Clara clucks along in the loft. It does kind of sound like April Winchell's voice.

"Lou and Sue" said...

TokyoMagic! My dad took pictures of that State-Fair-whatever-it-was at DL. I'll have to get scans to Major to post.

Andrew, I'm looking forward to telling my dad that you're following in his footsteps. Also, I'm amazed that you were the only one taking pictures from that vantage point. I can't wait to see your pictures!

Chuck, thank you for the link to today's parade. It was cute. I was waiting for Tigger to do a face-plant while jumping around on that surfboard and wave.

Thank you, everyone, for so many nice comments for my dad, and for all of today's laughs!

Major Pepperidge said...

Lou and Sue, I do love the fireworks, although the crowds have made them a lot less fun. And when the fireworks are over, you have 50,000 people all jammed into a relatively small area, some heading to Fantasmic, others heading to any restaurant that has a seat, etc. You sure were lucky to have a dad who loved Disneyland so much! My dad liked it, but for him it was a once-a-year thing, in other words, Navy-Nite.

JB, I remember reading an article about the Disney park specials, I wish I could remember where, but it was all about the production company that Disney hired to make those terrible shows. Couldn’t they see how awful they were??

JG, I started watching Fresh-Baked videos back when Sue linked to one, I like the host’s style, and he has a lot of knowledge about what’s going on at the parks. Plus he is articulate, sometimes the downfall of a podcast or YouTube channel is that the host has too many pauses and “uhs” and “ums”. I might rip the audio from some of those videos you linked to, so that I can put them on my iPod (yes, I still use an iPod), I like the idea of having ambient Disneyland sounds in my ears! Your list of favorites is hard to argue with, though I do love the sound of “When You Wish Upon a Star” when you walk through the castle.

Dean Finder, while I vividly remember “Bicentennial mania”, I don’t remember anything about the 200th anniversary of the Constitution. I was probably playing video games and sassing my parents (even though I was in my 20s). Thank you for the heads up on “ResortTV, I will definitely have to check it out!

Melissa, I like how “Boo to You” sounds like somebody is heckling you. Why don’t they rename it, “You Need To Workshop These Jokes”? Farm kids, where did they find them? I think they are lab-grown.

Melissa, who the heck is April Winchell? Any relation to Paul Winchell??

Lou and Sue, oh I’d like to see the State Fair photos, I haven’t seen much of that. And YES, I am SO looking forward to seeing Andrew’s photos and reading his detailed (I hope) trip reports. How about a 10 part series! Tigger can’t do a face plant, he just bounces! Thank you for these great photos, there are more to come from this parade, as I said before!

Bu said...

More parades....WHO can FORGET ....TOTALLY MINNIE!! I LOVEEEEEEE that parade!! It is an 80's-Tastic...spectacular!!! RUN to YouTube and see it!!! Girl Power before Girl Power! "She's got a laugh that will..make you smile...guess who...yellow shoes...who else could it be but Minnie Mouse!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkFISpBIJFA Yes...you get to see Cinderella Alice in Wonderland and Snow White ROCKING OUT...completely out of character...leg warmers...ballet barres...and I'm not kidding...

Melissa said...

@Major, April is the voice of Clarabelle and some other minor characters I can’t remember. And she is Paul’s daughter!