Feb. 11, 2011: Eureka! - The California Adventure Parade

**Werner Weiss** · 02-10-2011, 10:52 PM

Here's a major update to a Yesterland article first published more than four years ago, with more photos and much larger photos.

The original daytime parade at Disney's California Adventure was Eureka! - The California Adventure Parade.

Link to Eureka! - The California Adventure Parade.

Do all Disney theme park parades need to have Disney characters?

Please discuss it here.

**mark** · 02-11-2011, 06:36 AM

Count me in as one of those who loved the Eureka parade. It did remind me of a time when Disney was unique, and I wished they had kept the strong California element a la Epcot. I do like the new changes, but I saw the parade (sans the "hip theme song) as a success.

**mistryl** · 02-11-2011, 08:09 AM

I kind of mocked the parade at the time. I mean, the song says "Come away with me" over and over, and the parade is about California, which implies they mean come with me to California... but we're already *in* California. That said, the music got stuck in my head and grew on me, and some of the parade really was neat. I have to admit that I kind of miss the thing now. It's a shame that it couldn't figure out what exactly it wanted to be, because it really could have been greater than it was.

**danyoung** · 02-11-2011, 08:17 AM

I never got to see this parade, but I do enjoy the song that I have on the DCA cd. Thanks for the look back.

One note - you say that the Electrical Parade moved to DCA in July of 2001. That's not right, is it?

**ni_teach** · 02-11-2011, 08:56 AM

I think that the Eureka parade was a very good parade. I think if they had made some changes here and there to it could have been even better.

**DisWedWay** · 02-11-2011, 09:43 AM

I really don't feel Disney characters are essential to parades in Disney's California Adventure. Disneyland yes. I think the Eureka theme was a "Great" choice and loved your history behind it. Gold was discovered in 1848 and brought all the 49ers to California to find it in 1849. The parade was very bright and had goldish tones which fit. I was kind of looking for that prospector and his trusty pack mule to go with the Eureka theme.

**jmuboy** · 02-11-2011, 10:22 AM

Count me as someone who loved the Eureka parade also. I think a revised version of this parade - even with Disney characters added (but not overkill) would still be a great addition to the park. I was not a fan of the music however. But that's easily fixed. Eureka was one of those things that obviously had a lot of money poured into it during the DCA birthing process. it was a quality parade. I think its lack of popularity was tied to DCA's lack of popularity.

**Timekeeper** · 02-12-2011, 12:58 AM

I think of Eureka! as a companion of sorts to Golden Dreams. If revised and revisited, it could work.
It was a lovely parade and I wished I knew where to find the music for that Parade...

Timekeeper

**danyoung** · 02-12-2011, 05:17 AM

There was a cd of music from DCA. I don't know if it's still out there, but I always enjoy mine!

**rstar** · 02-13-2011, 08:32 AM

I think not all Disney parades must have Disney Characters, but it must have a "heart". As you mentioned, Werner (in another great update to Yesterland!), that Eureka! was a mismash rather than unified (like Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration). While it was flashy, it had no real message or point. The "story" may have been California history (which I love, so I enjoyed this parade), or more specifically the story of the mythical Eureka diety whom most people have never heard of so they couldn't relate to this parade, or take it to heart. While I could enjoy Eureka!, my favorite Disneyland parade was The Lion king Parade. It had a story everyone knew, it had a heart, great music, wonderfull performers, and the flashy "wow" factor as well. It was such a big hit, that it went on to become a popular Broadway show!

**Disneykin Kid** · 02-13-2011, 02:09 PM

I saw the Eureka parade, it was decent, I enjoyed it, I think it would have been acceptable if the rest of DCA added up to a quality Disney theme park, which it didn't. Things that are creative and well executed always have a place, even if they don't feature Disney characters. Country Bears, Haunted Mansion Ghosts, Pirates, they weren't Disney characters before their attractions opened. Just don't try to make them hip - a death knell, IMO.