Parade Of Dreams Redux

**Bornieo Goes Bananas** · 06-06-2005, 01:20 PM

As many have spoken, PoD is an excellent parade but seems to be lacking "something." For me that something is CHARACTERS! The animals, stilt walkers and such are great, but we need Disney Characters.

What caught my attention was the stop for the Alice float and what makes that section much better than the others. Reason: CHARACTERS! During the climax of the stop, when the gold flags are waiving and the music is jumping, just the image of the Characters is what I think makes the parade. A shear highlight. Right now, near the other units, there is alot of empty space that could be filled out and, I think, keeps the guests from enjoying the show to the fullest.

So, how can they do this with the rest?

One way is to put more variant charaters in between the floats, similar to Parade of Stars. But, keep them themed to the float they're near, like put Robin Hood and Jungle Book characters by the Lion King unit. Then when the Walt speach begins, they line the route with the gold flags and I think that would make for quite an image.

Another would be to have units that are larger 'carriers' that can hold a 6-7 characters and when they do a stop, they appear and join in. The carriers can be disguised as maybe a large cake, baloons or presents. The doors would lower and the characters would come dancing out.

Like I said, the dancing Salt and Pepers are great and the stilted flowers are cool, but we need to see Robin Hood, Roger Rabbit, The Three Pigs, Aladdin, The Genie, Tarzan & Jane, Terk, Baloo, and all the Disney Afternoon folks.

This is about Disney and everyone should be in on the celebration!

Who else should join in?

**GeneralShang** · 06-06-2005, 01:39 PM

Good idea. I have heard rumors that the Finale float (which is sort of lacking) will get more characters. However, I don't know if they can put those Carriers you talk about because the parade itself is already HUGE in length. But I think putting more characters is definitely a good idea.

But there are 50+ characters (more than any other parade) in POD. And I mean characters that you can put a name to. Not just Salt and Pepper. Like Flora, Fauna, Merryweather, Peter, Tink, and Blue Fairy. I counted them once. hehe. I was bored.

But I would LOVE to see Aladdin and Jasmine in the finale unit. Maybe even Pocahontas and John Smith (like it was in the concept drawings). Maybe put in Mulan and General Shang!! hahaha. Don't know where they'd fit in though. Tarzan and Jane can SORTA fit in the Lion King unit.. like behind it or something.

**AaronInCal** · 06-06-2005, 03:00 PM

I thought when Disney began promoting this parade last year they said there would be more characters than in any other parade before. Wonder what changed?

**Witches of Morva** · 06-06-2005, 03:07 PM

ORGOCH: It's called MONEY!! They don't wanna' SPEND it!! Heck! Us Cauldron gals is MORE 'n available ta help flesh out the dang Parade! My big fat sister, Orwen, could make it look like they was a cast a THOUSANDS, if'n she was let in ta frolic down the streets. (Course one romp down the road from HER and it'd wipe out most a the folks lined up ta watch. So, on second thought, better just leave things as they is...)

**Gwyren** · 06-06-2005, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Bornieo Goes Bananas

As many have spoken, PoD is an excellent parade but seems to be lacking "something." For me that something is CHARACTERS! The animals, stilt walkers and such are great, but we need Disney Characters.

Add more girls in catsuits near the Lion King float... that would cause me to enjoy the parade a bit more.

**grvtydefy** · 06-06-2005, 03:46 PM

Totally agree- I think more characters could just add more excitement to the parade, and would not be extremely expensive (in comparison to adding new floats) I, however, think that one of two things need to happen with the show stops-

1) They become more exciting for ALL of the units- while Alice, Lion King, and Pinocchio might be good, the others seem to be lacking. For example, the Little Mermaid- right now, all that happens is she lifts up like 5 feet, right? I think MORE needs to happen. I had heard about pop jet fountains that were supposed to go during the stop- are these happening? If not, they should be. How about bubble machines that fill the air with bubbles, making it feel like you are under the sea? They need to really make you feel like you are ENTERING their world. Maybe some cool lighting effects for the opening float (at night). the fairies could dance around and then "enchant" certain things which would light up- like lamp posts and buildings around their stop, which could be wired with fiber optics or something.

2)Get rid of the showstops all together- is it possible for the Lion King, Pinoc, and Alice units to go into show stop mode while still moving (maybe slower). I like the Welcome tune, but maybe it could be used differently. As a transition song between units? (I know there have been complaints about hearing the songs of two floats at the same time, maybe during the period where you are close enough to hear the music from both floats, they could both be playing "Welcome") Or maybe put a slightly shorter version of "Welcome" in after every two or so floats, where the floats would go into showstop mode, but remain moving. (This way the transformations uch as the raising of the Lion King treee would still be seen.)

So either make the transformations more universally impressive, or get rid of them, I say. I still like the parade though- I just think it could be improved.

**FantasmicFanatic** · 06-06-2005, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by grvtydefy

Totally agree- I think more characters could just add more excitement to the parade, and would not be extremely expensive (in comparison to adding new floats) I, however, think that one of two things need to happen with the show stops-

1) They become more exciting for ALL of the units- while Alice, Lion King, and Pinocchio might be good, the others seem to be lacking. For example, the Little Mermaid- right now, all that happens is she lifts up like 5 feet, right? I think MORE needs to happen. I had heard about pop jet fountains that were supposed to go during the stop- are these happening? If not, they should be. How about bubble machines that fill the air with bubbles, making it feel like you are under the sea? They need to really make you feel like you are ENTERING their world. Maybe some cool lighting effects for the opening float (at night). the fairies could dance around and then "enchant" certain things which would light up- like lamp posts and buildings around their stop, which could be wired with fiber optics or something.

2)Get rid of the showstops all together- is it possible for the Lion King, Pinoc, and Alice units to go into show stop mode while still moving (maybe slower). I like the Welcome tune, but maybe it could be used differently. As a transition song between units? (I know there have been complaints about hearing the songs of two floats at the same time, maybe during the period where you are close enough to hear the music from both floats, they could both be playing "Welcome") Or maybe put a slightly shorter version of "Welcome" in after every two or so floats, where the floats would go into showstop mode, but remain moving. (This way the transformations uch as the raising of the Lion King treee would still be seen.)

So either make the transformations more universally impressive, or get rid of them, I say. I still like the parade though- I just think it could be improved.

The Lion King and Pinnochio accrobatics cannot be done while the float is in motion for legal safety reasons. I also doubt that it would be safe to do accrobatics on the Alice unit trampoline while that float is in motion. I like the show stops, they should stay.

FF

**grvtydefy** · 06-06-2005, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by FantasmicFanatic

The Lion King and Pinnochio accrobatics cannot be done while the float is in motion for legal safety reasons. I also doubt that it would be safe to do accrobatics on the Alice unit trampoline while that float is in motion. I like the show stops, they should stay.

FF

If that's the case, then I definitely think they should keep the show stops. I still believe that some of them need to punched up a notch- but the acrobatics are too neat to get rid of. But something needs to be added to the floats where the only thing that happens is characters waving around gold ribbons- even if it's just more characters so there is more action.

**DisneyFunGuy** · 06-06-2005, 06:29 PM

Yep, I totally agree! More characters would certainly add a lot more to POD. And while they're at, add more dancers/performers too! Make it more festive and *party-like!* I love the idea that Bornieo Goes Bananas mentioned, about the larger carriers to hold more characters in. Having these carriers look like giant b-day cakes, presents, etc. would be a sure way to make this parade more of an anniversary celebration!

Hopefully the *powers that be* in Disney will tweak POD and make it better! Perhaps this'll happen by July 17th!

**GeneralShang** · 06-06-2005, 06:57 PM

The parade is already HUGE in size. Though it may not look like there are lots of dancers/performers in the parade because they're so spread out in each unit, this parade has 106 performers total each parade.

And to add, I've seen the pop jets work. They squirt up from the sea anemones on the side of the float. When I first heard about it though, i imagined the water squirting from one sea anemone to another like the Splash Mountain in WDW squirting onto either side of the log. I guess that was too hard to do because then water would REALLY be everywhere.

And would you believe that the Welcome music was originally supposed to be LONGER than it is right now? Aren't you glad that they cut it down to its current size?

Though I don't really have a solution for the floats that lack the sort of excitement that Pinocchio, Lion King, or Alice floats have, I wish that the Finale float will bring back the confetti that was supposed to have blasted out from the castle onto the crowd. However, the rumor is that custodial does not want to sweep it up...
But I do like grvtydefy's idea for BUBBLES!

**EagleWings** · 06-06-2005, 07:33 PM

I definetely think they need more characters. I just started going to Disneyland last Summer when they had the Parade of Stars and it really made my day to see so many characters and be able to participate in it! I miss that parade so much. *sigh*

**GeneralShang** · 06-06-2005, 07:36 PM

What? really? is that for real?... wow to each their own. I applaud you for going against the norm. hehe.

**grvtydefy** · 06-06-2005, 07:57 PM

I'm glad that the pop jets do work sometimes- I think that consistency there would really add to Little Mermaid's Transformation.
I had an idea for the opening or finale float (or both, I guess). This is probably sort of stupid, but whatever! So does anybody know those things they sometimes have at outdoor festival- type things that are like a giant sheet of colorful fabric that is being blown upwards by a fan at the base to create a billowing effect? Well I propose that they add a giant gold sheet to the back of the opening float that, during the show stop, after the float is "enchanted" by the fairies, will billow up behind the float. Maybe the word "WELCOME" would be printed on it. Similarly, for the castle finale, maybe many large strips of gold fabric could be blown upwards during it's showstop. I feel that these would give these floats some added height. Wow, reading that backwards, I have no idea what I am talking about! Oh well, maybe somebody will understand it!
BTW, what does the Beauty and the Beast float do?

**grvtydefy** · 06-06-2005, 08:22 PM

Here's an example of the kind of thing I'm talking about:

**GeneralShang** · 06-06-2005, 08:23 PM

Oh I totally understand what you're saying! Those things are cool. My friend from highschool used to say that she wants to be one of those when she grows up! haha... she's crazy. But yes, I DO know what you're talking about. They usually have arms and are bobbing up and down like crazy, right? Well, it would add a little more OOMPH to a lackluster float.

Beatuy and the Beast... they use gold flags instead of banners (like the ones in the Aladdin stage show) and the chandelier spins with crazy strobe lights.

Which actually reminds me -- POD is SOO much better at NIGHT than in the day. I can't believe that they have parade times at 7:00pm instead of 7:45pm this week (weekdays only). 7:45pm is already too early because the sun is still out! the parade looks much better with all the lighting effects!