Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade |
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The official logo for the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade used from 2009 to 2013.
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| Presented by | Various |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English/Spanish |
| Production | |
| Production location(s) | Walt Disney World Resort |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC (English) Telemundo (Spanish) |
| Original release | 1983 – present |
The Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade is a special TV show that airs every Christmas Day on ABC. It's filmed mostly at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The filming usually happens about a month before Christmas Day.
This show often includes parts from other Disney parks around the world. These include Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. It also features segments from parks in Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. The broadcast also highlights Disney Studios and Disney Cruise Line. This parade has been on TV every year since 1983, except for 2000.
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What to Expect at the Disney Christmas Parade
The parade travels down Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom. You'll see many famous Disney characters. These include Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck.
Parade Floats and Performances
The parade features colorful floats with celebrities and musical performances. You'll also see marching bands from schools across the USA. The show highlights events and attractions from Disney theme parks. It also includes characters from Star Wars, Marvel Studios, and Pixar.
Just like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, this parade ends with Santa Claus. A popular part of the show is seeing the iconic Babes in Toyland soldiers. These soldiers are from the 1961 Disney film.
How the Parade is Filmed
Most of the program is filmed in November. This allows it to be ready for broadcast on Christmas Day. In the past, until the early 1990s, the parade was shown live on Christmas Day on CBS. Disney later bought ABC, and the parade moved there in 1996. It continued to be broadcast live on ABC for a while. Another show was recorded as a backup or for international use.
The recorded parts of the parade show highlights from across The Walt Disney Company. This includes movies, TV shows, music, cruises, and new attractions.
Holiday Specials and Broadcasts
Since 2016, Disney and ABC have aired other holiday specials before the main parade. These shows, like The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration, feature many of the same stars. They often tie into popular Disney franchises like Descendants.
Freeform also airs specials like Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic. This show takes you behind the scenes of how the Disney parks get ready for the holidays. These specials are part of Freeform's popular 25 Days of Christmas event.
During the parade, you'll see holiday greetings from stars of Walt Disney Pictures, Disney Channel, and Disney+. You'll also see greetings from ABC Network, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and The Muppets. The CEO of Walt Disney usually starts the parade with a welcome message.
The special is also shown on the American Forces Network. Telemundo airs Spanish versions of the show with different titles, often featuring Latin musicians. Until 2018, it was also shown in Canada on CBC Television. In 2005, the parade won an award called the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Special.
History of the Disney Christmas Parade
The idea of a Disney holiday parade on TV started a long time ago.
Early Beginnings with Walt Disney
Walt Disney himself presented the first holiday parade from Disneyland Park in 1962. It was part of his weekly TV show, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color. This show was called "Holiday Time at Disneyland." This was also the first time the Babes in Toyland soldiers appeared on TV. These soldiers are still a well-known symbol of Disney Parks holiday parades.
Parade Hosts and Evolution
The Walt Disney World's Very Merry Christmas Parade began on ABC in 1983. Joan Lunden was the first host, and Mike Douglas was her co-host. Over the years, other famous hosts included Alan Thicke and Regis Philbin.
In 1991, the parade started featuring both Magic Kingdom Park and Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios). Philbin and Lunden hosted for many years, with Mayim Bialik as a guest interviewer. Later, Philbin was joined by Kelly Ripa. Over time, the parade also started showing more from Disneyland Park in California.
The parade has aired every year since 1983, except for 2000 and 2020.
Parade Name Changes Over Time
The show's name has changed several times. In the 1980s and 1990s, it was called The Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade. Then it became Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade.
From 2009 to 2013, it was known as the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. After that, the name changed almost every year. It was Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration in 2014 and Disney Parks Unforgettable Christmas Celebration in 2015. In 2016 and 2017, it was Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebration. Finally, in 2018 and 2019, it was Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade.
Due to the pandemic, the 2020 show was "reimagined." It included highlights from past parades and other special features.
See also
