Hyperspace Moutain, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Mine Train, the Haunted Mansion, the Tower of Terror, The Lion King and the Rhythms of the Earth or It’s a Small World (hop the music in your head)… Each has its attraction or favorite show at Disneyland Paris, for which he is willing to wait several minutes, even hours. But there is also an attraction that he cannot miss, which comes to him, and which is part of the history and the spirit of Disney: the parade on Main Street!
From November 13 until January 9, the park celebrates the Christmas season, with as a novelty, Mickey and his Sparkling Christmas Parade, an unprecedented parade. The opportunity to come back to this rather American tradition, but which the French have adopted.
Disney, “a heritage of characters”
“At Disneyland Paris, the visitor must be filled, announces Emmanuel Lenormand, director of the parades. This is why satisfaction surveys are carried out throughout the year when entering and leaving the park. “And it emerges that if, of course, the public comes for the attractions, they also like to find” a heritage of characters “. “Mickey, Minnie, the Disney princesses, the new Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel franchises,” lists Emmanuel Lenormand. People come to see stars, they want their picture with Mickey, Woody or Sleeping Beauty. However, the parades bring together in the same place, in a minimum of time, full of characters, stories, music. Like a Proust madeleine. “
If Disneyland Paris had a daily parade when it opened in 1992, this was not necessarily the case for the very first park opened in 1955 in Anaheim, California. There was indeed a parade for the inauguration, and event parades, but it was not until 1960 for what can be considered the first daily parade, Parade of Toys, and 1972 for the pioneer and popular Main Street Electrical Parade. “Parades are anchored in American culture, with big bands, brass bands, or, for example, the Santa Claus parade or the Thanksgiving parade in New York”, adds Jeanne Debost, executive producer of the season. “Disney Enchanted Christmas”.
A parade has a lifespan of 7-8 years
If the Halloween and Christmas parades are often highlighted, we must not forget that the so-called classic parade runs every day, all year round. Since ? “The current parade, Disney stars on parade, was released in 2017 for the park’s 25th anniversary, ”explains the director. With seven tanks, it highlights Mickey, always, “this is the history of Disney”, but also Peter Pan, The Lion King, or even, “on the strength of their success and our investigations”, Toy story, The world of Nemo and Snow Queen. If there are no rules, Emmanuel Lenormand estimates that the lifespan of a parade is around 7-8 years, the time to make the floats profitable, “but also to give visitors time to take advantage of it, because some only come every 3-4 years and like to find “their” parade “.
Disney parks around the world can also lend floats or parades, such as the 25th anniversary shared with California, or another recovered from Tokyo in the 1990s. But Mickey and his Sparkling Christmas Parade is a completely new parade, entirely created in Paris. “We wanted to offer something new, but also very European,” explains its director. Paris, City of Light? It will therefore be a luminous parade, to be seen day and night.
When will we see a “Stars Wars” or Marvel parade?
“Five tanks several meters high and tens of tons for a tribute to Christmas trees, from Minnie and her cookie tree to Santa Claus and his snow globe,” he continues. Nearly 300 to 400 people worked on it: designers, draftsmen, engineers, electricians, costume designers, choreographers, dancers… A multitude of trades for a show in front of 30-40,000 people. Because I see Disneyland Paris as a huge stage. “
Nothing is left to chance, and every detail should be consistent with the rest of the park, a snowflake on a float can end up decorating a placemat or muffin dining. “It’s about telling a story throughout the day, whether it be merchandising, horticulture or decoration,” concludes Emmanuel Lenormand. And when will the Avengers or the Jedi be on a Disney tank? “Everything is possible”, especially with the upcoming opening of universes Star wars, Marvel and Snow Queen by 2025.