Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

[LittleScienceGuy]

I just wanted to hear some of your thoughts, feelings, and memories of the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade.

It is, in my opinion, THE best show/attraction at Disneyland ever. Even though this was created after Walt Disney died, I think that he would be overjoyed to see how creative Bob Jani and Jack Wagner were when they created this. Further, I think he would also be happy to see how long it has endured.

I'm glad that the parade still exists and performs in California Adventure today, but I really miss it in Disneyland, and hope it returns someday. I dream about it. Then again, this is supposed to be the place where dreams come true, right?

[Ex-SmallWorld CM]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

I couldn't agree with you more, Little Science Guy. MSEP is my all-time favoite Disneyland parade ever and I still get excited when the parade starts whether watching it live or on video. The music is so catchy that I literally start dancing to it and dancing the steps of the parade. The soundtrack was the beginning of a love for electronic music. When I first saw the parade in 1981, it stuck with me ever since. I saw the parade in 1985 and remember those wonderul units that were in the parade such as the Return to Oz and the classic Small World units. Like you, I am happy that the parade is back at California Adventure and in its electrifying glory (despite missing units).

Long live the Electrical Parade!

[MooglePower]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Sadly, it has passed from Main Street. I'm glad that I can still keep the memories that I have of it.


The MSEP was always the highlight of my trips to Disneyland. I remember quite fondly the tune of Baroque Hoedown playing. Indeed, it is something that I still enjoy playing on the piano.

[thrax]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Cinderella had a giant dress made out of lights

[elly]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

i adored this parade so much during the 80s..i hadn't seen it since then until our trip to DLR in december when we got to see it over at DCA. As soon as the music started up, i cried.

[Radiobarry]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

i adored this parade so much during the 80s..i hadn't seen it since then until our trip to DLR in december when we got to see it over at DCA. As soon as the music started up, i cried.

I am 50 years old, and worked at the park for eight years during the 70's and 80's, so you know that the Main Street Electrical Parade has been a big part of my life since it first started in 1972. It ran all but a few summers and more between then and when it had its grand finale in the late 90's.

I've seen it at DCA and it's nice, but it seems out of context to me the way I used to enjoy it for so many years.

To be in the Town Square, seeing the blue fairy coming down Main Street, to feel the cool summer breeze...to hear that first synthesized souder...the voice of the late Jack Wagner "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls....then the synthesized singers...the lights go out, Baroque Hoedown comes up....

Chills and goose bumps.

To me it is and always will be The Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade.

--Barry

[Neverlandtink]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Out of context is RIGHT, Barry! Hopefully someone will come to their senses and bring the "Main St. Electrical Parade" back to where it belongs.

Can you imagine the crowds in Disneyland when it does go back?? The merchandising posibilities are endless!

Also, back in the 80's there was an It's a Small World unit in the parade. Does anyone remember that? It wasn't very elaborate (probably why they got rid of it) but it was cute. Barry, do you know if it was always in the parade? Werner, is there any way of getting a list of the original units?

Did anyone hear the Disneyland podcast with the composer of the original Baroque Hoedown? It was awesome!

[Ex-SmallWorld CM]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Out of context is RIGHT, Barry! Hopefully someone will come to their senses and bring the "Main St. Electrical Parade" back to where it belongs.

Can you imagine the crowds in Disneyland when it does go back?? The merchandising posibilities are endless!

Also, back in the 80's there was an It's a Small World unit in the parade. Does anyone remember that? It wasn't very elaborate (probably why they got rid of it) but it was cute. Barry, do you know if it was always in the parade? Werner, is there any way of getting a list of the original units?

Did anyone hear the Disneyland podcast with the composer of the original Baroque Hoedown? It was awesome!

Ooh, yes! I do remember the It's A Small World unit and I have some video of it on YouTube. I am lucky enough to own many versions of the soundtrack with the units' musical loop.You can see the classic unit here:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5TO8897tjA[/youtube]

I would have enjoyed hearing the composer of Baroque Hoedown (Jean Jaques Perrey) on that podcast. I have the LP where the original song was found by Jack Wagner.

Speaking of nostalgia, does anyone hear remember the Toy Soldiers carrying flags and banners behind Casey Jr/Bass Drum, The Briny Deep Unit (which was reincarnated as the Little Mermaid unit in WDW's SpectroMagic), and the Disney Neon Finale? I have a Super 8mm of the parade with these cool units intact.

[Neverlandtink]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Awesome, Ex-SmallWorldCM!

Thanks for sharing that. It's a lot bigger than I remember. Is that the only attraction represented in the parade? Everything else I can think of is either from a movie, or the USA (the Eagle unit).

Do you have a nickname we can use?

[hidnmickey]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

I have great memories of EP as we called it in what used to be 'Show Services'. Although I drove many of the floats over the years, my favorite was Drum & Train (because I got to drive it dressed as Goofy). I got a kick out of pointing to a child in the crowd and seeing their face light up when they realized Goofy was waving at them.

Aaahhh to see the Blue Fairy moving down Main Street again... would bring back great memories. Heck, I might actually become a CM again if that happened. :o)

[hidnmickey]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Ooh, yes! I do remember the It's A Small World unit and I have some video of it on YouTube. I am lucky enough to own many versions of the soundtrack with the units' musical loop.You can see the classic unit here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5TO8897tjA

I would have enjoyed hearing the composer of Baroque Hoedown (Jean Jaques Perrey) on that podcast. I have the LP where the original song was found by Jack Wagner.

Speaking of nostalgia, does anyone hear remember the Toy Soldiers carrying flags and banners behind Casey Jr/Bass Drum, The Briny Deep Unit (which was reincarnated as the Little Mermaid unit in WDW's SpectroMagic), and the Disney Neon Finale? I have a Super 8mm of the parade with these cool units intact.

Thanks for posting the video Ex. These floats were before my time at DL. :o)

[Alice Fairchild]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

I love the lights parade so much!!!! Almost every year I get the White Rabbit to come over and give me a hug as he walks down the street with the rest of them, but still my favorite is Cinderella and the others dancings under the lights with their dresses all lite up.

[SCUBAbe]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

my only memory is watching elliot disappear. I loved that as a child. My parents and I watched the electric parade in DCA and my father said my face lit up just like when I was a child. I love that parade.

[NeverNeverland]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Well, my memory isn't about it in DL... But one of the few things I remember about visiting WDW as a child was the ELP. It just amazed me. When I saw it in DCA, after all those years, it INSTANTLY brought me back to WDW, and I cried too. It was magical! :love: Too bad nobody ever wants to stay and watch it I'm sad I never saw it in DL itself.

[Ex-SmallWorld CM]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Regarding the video, thanks for the compliments, everyone! Wow, to see MSEP at Walt Disney World would have been a dream come true since they had a different set of floats i.e. Dumbo's Circus and among others before it left for Disneyland Paris in 1991. I have only seen this version of video.

[Tinkerbell]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Ahh, the soundtrack of my childhood! It's absolutely delicious! There has never been a parade as great as MSEP! I want it back on Main Street in the summertime where it belongs. It's classic, it's fabulous, it's magical, and dripping with everything Disney should be! Perfection!
That was a great video! Thanks for uploading it!

[SusieP.]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Ahh, the soundtrack of my childhood! It's absolutely delicious! There has never been a parade as great as MSEP! I want it back on Main Street in the summertime where it belongs. It's classic, it's fabulous, it's magical, and dripping with everything Disney should be! Perfection!
That was a great video! Thanks for uploading it!

That's a great description, the soundtrack of childhood AND summer. Sigh. It's still great, but it's just not the same at DCA.

[LittleScienceGuy]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

I couldn't agree with you more, Little Science Guy. MSEP is my all-time favoite Disneyland parade ever and I still get excited when the parade starts whether watching it live or on video. The music is so catchy that I literally start dancing to it and dancing the steps of the parade. The soundtrack was the beginning of a love for electronic music. When I first saw the parade in 1981, it stuck with me ever since. I saw the parade in 1985 and remember those wonderul units that were in the parade such as the Return to Oz and the classic Small World units. Like you, I am happy that the parade is back at California Adventure and in its electrifying glory (despite missing units).

Long live the Electrical Parade!

I agree with everything you just said. lol. I'm trying so hard to not go off on a rant here, 'cause I can very easily. Trust me. lol. That's so cool you were around to see those classic floats that don't get much mention these days. My memories of the parade don't start until about 1988. I was like... 2! lol! The It's A Small World unit must be very near and dear to your heart since you once worked on the actual attraction. ^_^ Do you have any video of the Return to Oz float? I'd love to see it. As well as any others I missed due to being born too late. lol.

[LittleScienceGuy]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Sadly, it has passed from Main Street. I'm glad that I can still keep the memories that I have of it.


The MSEP was always the highlight of my trips to Disneyland. I remember quite fondly the tune of Baroque Hoedown playing. Indeed, it is something that I still enjoy playing on the piano.

True, it is no longer on Main Street at the moment. However, the spirit has never left the street. Somehow, over the course of those 24 wonderful years that the MSEP was in Disneyland, the two (Main Street & Electrical Parade) became as close as Peanut Butter & Jelly. That kind of marriage isn't easy to break. Everytime I look at some of the animated bright lights on the signs of Main Street, I see the MSEP. Everytime I see the animated patterns on Mickey's Drum in the Electrical Parade, I see Main Street. No matter what, the spirit remains. I still believe the parade will return to Disneyland. Just gotta remain patient.

I agree with you totally. I remember having a feeling of supreme satisfaction when we left the park after seeing the MSEP. I was a very picky little kid. the type that would normally cry or pout when we left a theme park. However, I never threw a tantrum when we left Disneyland because we always saw the MSEP before we left, and I knew that our trip was complete. Can you show me how to play the song on the piano? I was just thinking about the other day, ironically. I really do want to learn how to play it.

[LittleScienceGuy]

Re: Thoughts and/or memories of the Main Street Electrical Parade

Cinderella had a giant dress made out of lights

You just touched on one of the things about the MSEP that fascinated me to no end when I was a little kid. Everything was lit up, even their clothes! There was little to nothing without lights on it. So much attention to detail, and so clever. You gotta tip your hat to the old imagineers for that one.