Topsy Turvy Cavalcade - a look back

[Disneyphenom]

So, Horse_Bunny and I were digging through the old family photographs for an upcoming video podcast. We were marveling at how many of the shots were from the Disneyland Resort -- especially during the years when we were dating.

Granted, we met at Disneyland, and had our first dates there. We both worked there later on. Plus, I was working on a Disneyland website at the time, so it's not like there wasn't a good reason. But that site is long gone, and we figured it would be nice to at least share some of what we have in our archive. Most will pop up on a rather expansive gallery on HorseAndRabbit.com. But we thought it might be nice to share some of our favorites here at MiceChat.

Our first entry takes us to the Topsy Turvy Cavalcade. At least, that's one of the names given to this Hunchback of Notre Dame parade-let. An old Cast Member friend of ours suggested that, if you tacked together all of the name variations it had been given over the years, it probably had the longest title of any parade in Disneyland history. "The Hunchback of Notre Dame Festival of Fools Topsy Turvy Day Cavalcade." Official? Nope. But pretty darned funny.

It's interesting that most Disney films at the time got either a parade or a show -- whereas "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" got both. At least the Cavalcade pulled double-duty. Not only did it provide entertainment for Guests, but it also played as a perfect advertisement for the Festival show, much the same way yesteryear's free circus parade encouraged people to buy tickets for the big top event.

It ALSO was the reason I met my eventual wife-to-be. But that's a story that will come out in the little video project I'm working on...

So, folks -- let's set the WABAC machine to December of 1997 (when the majority of these photos were taken), and take a peek at the Topsy Turvy Cavalcade!

Here it comes, walkin' down the street...


A bit closer, you can actually tell that Clopin and Esmeralda are up there.


Clopin performs a one-finger point, which at Disneyland is a big no-no.


I'll stop posting photos of the cart getting closer... we have enough of these in a row that I could probably piece them together to make a full motion video. So, let's jump a bit down the street to see the usual band of gypsies accompanying the cart. I guess there's not enough room for them at first, what with the "it's a small world Holiday" construction walls up.


For the guys, the one decent photo we have of Esmeralda on her own. Judging by the amount of Clopin-centric photos we have, I think Horse_Bunny had control of the camera.


See, another photo of Esmeralda -- only because she happened to be on the same cart with Clopin. LOL


And one of the spinny-headed gypsies. Wonders of the internet, I actually started chatting with the female head-spinner via email a while back.


Captain of the Guard, and the least liked character from the film (for whatever reason), Phoebus.


Well, at least Esmeralda liked him. Loved him, in fact. Unfortunately, their union would result in devil-spawn Zephyr. Wow, Disney, you couldn't have come up with a nice period name?


And there's the Miniser of Justice, Judge Claude Frollo. See, I'm not surprised he's ALSO doing the one-finger point. He's evil.


This is why I love the face character for Frollo. If you boo him, you get a reaction.


Keep doing it, though, and he does his best to ignore you.


So, in the midst of the Cavalcade, there was a show stop that had a reenactment of the Festival of Fools scene from the movie. Quasimodo is crowned King of Fools.


And dragged up onto Clopin's cart. Of course, Frollo interrupts the ceremony, and poor Quasi runs back to his float -- er -- the Cathedral.


A different take on the Cavalcade from later in the run. Frollo spent the last half of the parade's history on the Cathedral float when his horse, Snowball, sadly passed away.


One of my favorite shots -- I think because of the various gypsies and guards around the Cathedral. I suppose I should also point out the Victor and Hugo walkarounds.


Another view.


Almost forgot that Laverne was on there too. Hanging out on the rear, where nobody's gonna see her.


And so, let's end this little flashback of the Topsy Turvy Cavalcade with it rolling into the literal sunset.


If you enjoyed this little trip through yesteryear, please let me know. We have plenty of other photographs laying around here... and you'll never know what we'll end up sharing. I also would like to put out another call for video of the actual Disneyland "Festival of Fools" if you have any. I'm trying to cut together the definitive version of the show to share online, but am missing a few portions of the presentation. (Again, because of the Clopin-centric nature of the footage that I happen to have.)

Bye for now!

[filmfreak11]

awesome post. i watched the show quite a few times, i don't really remember seeing the parade. i really like how this all came to life.

i quite like the Frollo face character as well. I think there's an exception to the 2-finger point for entertainment. I honestly don't know, but that's what it seems like to me a lot.

I'm watching the sequel right now. Horrible. Just as bad as the Cinderella sequels.

[Micoofy Duck]

OH MY FREAKIN MICKEY! I love, LOVE, love The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Thank you for this! Wow!

Wish I was there for the parks celebrating this movie.

[DisneyGal]

I don't remember this though I saw the show. Thanks for sharing.

[MonstersGoBoo!]

Great pictures! I never got to see the parade, but I heard it was nice.

Thanks for sharing.

[Armadillo4]

This is a very cool thread Disneyphenom!!! Those pics are absolutely wonderful to look at. I never visited the park for most of the 90s, so this is all new to me. I would have loved to have seen this in person!

Thanks for sharing these photos with us! And I can't wait until your next video project surfaces.

[Kritter]

I remember this and loved it so much!

Thank you for this!

[orbitalpunk]

Nice!

[WheresMickey]

Great picutres, I never got the chance to see this in person. Thanks!

[princedalton]

I didn't know that characters aren't supposed to point. Makes sense I guess. Is that really a rule for the cast? Not to point?

[horse_bunny]

Originally Posted by princedalton

I didn't know that characters aren't supposed to point. Makes sense I guess. Is that really a rule for the cast? Not to point?

Well, for most CMs, you can do a two-finger point or gesture with the entire hand. I would have thought that the same would apply to the characters.

(The two finger point is one of those strange things that stick with you after you're no longer cast. I've run into quite a few people outside of the parks who have done so, and 9 times out of 10, I find out they're former Disneyland employees.)

[Kuzcochik]

Disneyphenom, When you said you were posting pics I didn't know what to expect (honestly I thought it was more baby pics since that's been the trend lately [for good reason]).

These are great! I think all I have is a pic of Lavern from this parade buried somewhere deep in my pit of a bed room.
Your comments throughout this cracked me up though (about as good as that day when we sat and watched like every version of the parade you had on tape :P)
I love that it's Clopin-centric and that I could tell it must have been horse_bunny w/ the camera b/c of that :P

Originally Posted by Disneyphenom

I really really really like this pic. With Esme pining for Feeble... (I'm going to stop now). I do like the pic though.




Also.... I miss Once Upon a Time In Anaheim... (there I said it, I'm sure I'm the only one, but I said it)

[Disneyphenom]

Originally Posted by Kuzcochik

Disneyphenom, When you said you were posting pics I didn't know what to expect (honestly I thought it was more baby pics since that's been the trend lately [for good reason]).

Ha! See, even though you know that the new podcast is gonna be about Wyatt, you shouldn't expect all the photos to be him. We have to tell the story from the beginning... and we mean THE BEGINNING. (Thus, why I was digging through photographs that included the first shots of me and Julie on the day we actually met)

Originally Posted by Kuzcochik

Also.... I miss Once Upon a Time In Anaheim... (there I said it, I'm sure I'm the only one, but I said it)

Knowing the feedback we got at the time, you ARE the only one who would miss that site. ;-)

[Disneyphenom]

Originally Posted by filmfreak11

awesome post. i watched the show quite a few times, i don't really remember seeing the parade. i really like how this all came to life.

The cavalcade seemed to run on days the Festival of Fools wasn't. That made sense right when the movie had come out, but later on when there were other parades running at the same time... ::shrugs::

[SingingAngel7242]

Originally Posted by Micoofy Duck

OH MY FREAKIN MICKEY! I love, LOVE, love The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Thank you for this! Wow!

omg! I totally agree! That's amazing!!!!!