The fan favorite “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” has returned to Disneyland as part of the Get Your Ears On – A Mickey and Minnie Celebration. The resort wide event celebrates the 90th anniversary of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. The popular daytime parade puts music in motion with Disney characters, performers and two new parade floats with eye-catching visuals and whimsical elements.
“We are so delighted that ‘Mickey’s Soundsational Parade’ is making a triumphant return to Disneyland Park,” said Steven Davison, executive creative director of parades & spectaculars for Disney Parks Live Entertainment. “These colorful new floats kick off the parade with a really invigorating new energy. And this crowd-pleasing processional is filled with tons of excitement, including many of your favorite Disney characters, high-spirited performers, live musicians and so much more.”
In this beloved parade, a bevy of favorite Disney characters stomp and strut down Main Street, U.S.A., including Aladdin, Ariel, Cinderella and Peter Pan following “the leader of the club” Mickey Mouse.
Here are some fun facts to remember when you see “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” yourself:
- As the rockin’ new opening to the parade, the Mickey pull toy float stands 19 feet tall, more than 10 feet wide and runs nearly 25 feet long from the back of the float to the front of the string being pulled by Goofy.
- Joining the procession are mischievous chipmunks Chip n’ Dale. The two rascals have been entrusted with pushing a celebration cake for Mickey Mouse, which is 12 feet tall, and more than 9 feet in diameter.
- Nine themed floats carry the characters down Main Street, U.S.A.
- 92 performers – with more than two dozen Disney Characters – bring the parade to life.
- Mickey Mouse lends his musical “expertise,” performing live on an oversized real acoustic drum set — a first in Disneyland parade history.
- The cymbal dancers in the Aladdin sequence create rhythm using hand cymbals.
- The Three Caballeros sequence features Piñata dancers in folkloric-style costumes, and flower dancers costumed to look like traditional Mexican paper flowers.
- Rapunzel’s tower is the tallest element in the parade. At 34 feet, it is precisely the same height as the Main Street, U.S.A. Emporium.
- The Jungle Book unit features King Louie (The Jungle Book) and Terk (Tarzan) dancing with four monkey companions.
- “The Princess and the Frog” unit includes New Orleans-inspired jazz, and Tiana’s riverboat is made of musical instruments including a clarinet smokestack and tambourine paddle wheel.
- Tinker Bell plays the mushrooms of Pixie Hollow, part of the Never Land unit, using her wand as a drumstick.
- The grand finale Mary Poppins drum unit is pulled, in part, by a giant huntsman (from the movie’s Jolly Holiday sequence) pedaling a large bicycle.
- The Mary Poppins drum unit also features a moving carousel complete with kites flying overhead, penguins riding carousel horses, and piano keys that appear to “play.”
- Eleven Mary Poppins chimney sweeps perform a dance to the song “Step In Time” using their brooms as percussive.
- The float designs were inspired by different styles of music, from marching bands, to Latin rhythms, to old-fashioned music machines…and more.
- The parade’s soundtrack brings 30 Disney tunes to life with percussive rhythms.
- “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” first premiered at Disneyland park on May 27, 2011.
Here’s one more fun fact. The new Tin Toy Drum float was modeled on a vintage toy from Disney designer and and Imagineer couple Kevin Kidney & Jody Daily. The massive pull-toy float was imported from Tokyo Disneyland to Anaheim for this edition of “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade.”
Let us know in the comments if you plan to visit Disneyland this year to see the return of “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade!”