July 1, 2011: America on Parade

[Werner Weiss]

Happy birthday to the United States of America! It’s been 200 years since the nation’s founding in 1776. (At least that was the case back when this parade ran.)

Link to America on Parade

Please discuss it here.

[indianajack]

That looks amazing, I wish they'd do something like this again. I'm afraid I won't be around in 2076 for the 300th, so perhaps something special in 2026...

[jpg391]

I remember America On Parade as if it where yesterday. Its hard to believe that it took place in 1975-1976.

[KENfromOC]

I still think this, along with the original Main St Electrical Parade, was the best parade they have ever done. I remember it well and still have lots of memorabilia from that summer, including paper napkins, popcorn boxes, commemorative plates, coins, etc.
It was the quintessential Disney show - I would like to see them bring this back in some form!

[JiminyCricketFan]

It was nice seeing the photos of the parade. I remember it well. It was not a highlight for Disney. The Main Street Electrical parade was a masterpiece, but the tall non-smiling characters were not a hit. It was a nice try, but that was the beginning of the dark time at Disneyland when Disney made something and it really was not as wonderful as you hoped.

[Disneykin Kid]

I remember America on Parade fondly, the stylized floats remind me of the Soundsational Parade, but somehow I think they were done better in AoP. I disagree on the big heads, I understand that you might think they were creepy, but I think they were overall well done, better than recent efforts.

[SpcMtn77]

Creepy.

[EC82]

I have nothing but fond memories of it. I must be one of the only people around who LIKED the nostalgia and the "big heads," which to me captured a nostalgic view really nicely. Well, then again, I even liked them at EPCOT Center. They were just as creepy as a giant mouse with a three-foot-wide head. I'm a big fan of Disney doing "non-Disney" things, and I remember really loving this parade as a kid. Also, it's great to see those pictures of the Matterhorn without telephone wires emanating from the top!

[disneydancer76]

I was tickled pink to see this story. I'm a bicentenial baby ( July 1, 1976) and it was so awesome to see pictures of my favorite place on the day I was born.

Pretty strange to see the parade route go through tommorowland like that in between the Matterhorn and the Submarine ride.

[tl77]

Does anyone know if the characters and floats for "America on Parade" were designed by, or inspired by Mary Blair?

at any rate, I love that late 60's - mid 70's, swoopy, psychedelic, look Disney was doing in those days

[Werner Weiss]

Does anyone know if the characters and floats for "America on Parade" were designed by, or inspired by Mary Blair?

at any rate, I love that late 60's - mid 70's, swoopy, psychedelic, look Disney was doing in those days

My understanding is that Mary Blair's final project for Walt Disney Productions was the Grand Canyon Concourse tile mural project for the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. The hotel opened in 1971.

I've seen concept art for America on Parade, and the style of that art is completely unlike that of Mary Blair.

[tl77]

Oh ok, I googled the concept art, but I though the characters in the parade photos had a very "Small World-esque" look to them, and some of those, gravity defining, skewed floats reminded me of Mary Blair's concept art for Alice in Wonderland. The high backed Chair that Betsy Ross sits in looks like it's straight out of the Alice and Wonderland concepts

I love your site though, and thanks for unearthing all these great memories, designs, and architecture