One of the constants in my childhood Walt Disney World vacations was parades; I don’t remember a time when my parents decided to skip them. They seemed to enjoy the spectacle, which is totally understandable. Disney regularly changed up the parades every year or two, so we rarely saw the same one multiple times. I don’t have many specific memories from the daytime parades, but I can recall the feeling of waiting in the hot sun and watching floats go by. Parades were not my favorite thing to see as a kid beyond the Main Street Electrical Parade.

Looking back on those visits today, I’m fascinated by the wide range of themes used by Disney within their parades. Thankfully, my dad recently uncovered more photos of parades from our early trips in the ’70s and ’80s. I’d forgotten that Disney even had one themed to the Constitution for that document’s bicentennial. I’ve compiled these photos in this article to give you a glimpse at Disney World’s past. Not all of them are stunning by today’s standards, but they rarely look boring. Join me as we take a trip back to the early days of Disney parades!

America on Parade!

Let’s begin with one of Disney’s most notorious parades, which operated on both coasts in the summer of 1976. America on Parade included large characters with giant heads that remain one of the odder things in Disney’s parade history. My parents visited Walt Disney World in 1976 when I was a baby and thankfully snapped pictures of this amazing experience. I provided all of them in a photo essay a few years back, and the above picture offers a taste of that collection.

I’ll stick with the 1970s with this next picture, which comes from a family vacation in 1978. This afternoon parade actually included Pete’s Dragon! We can see the large float moving by the Refreshment Corner (now Casey’s Corner). Elliott the dragon is well-known for its role in the Main Street Electrical Parade, but I did not realize it was part of a daytime parade. Unlike Maleficent in the Festival of Fantasy, Pete’s Dragon did not shoot fire. Given this picture’s timeframe, I suspect it comes from the Character Parade (also known as the Cavalcade of Characters). Pete’s Dragon was released in 1977, so having Elliott here makes a lot of sense.

Here’s another photo from the same 1978 parade. I’m stunned by how basic the floats are compared to today. Mickey just stands at the top of a float themed to a gift, and other pals just hang out nearby. I believe that Mr. Smee or one of Three Little Pigs is relaxing and waving to guests while the main attraction stands above him. You can also see the Seven Dwarfs marching in the background. It’s not a clear picture but does a nice job capturing a Disney parade in the late ‘70s.

Celebrating Disney World and America

Another common trend on my trips as a kid was the constant celebrations at the parks. We visited Disneyland during the 30th anniversary in 1985 and then joined the excitement for Disney World’s 15th anniversary. We actually visited in the summer of 1987, but the parade was still operating during the yearlong celebration. Unlike the previous photo, we stood among a tight crowd of people for this parade. The floats have gotten a little fancier, but it’s still a pretty basic set-up. Mickey and Minnie are just standing in front of a sign for the big event.

In September 1987, Disney switched over to another parade honoring America with a focus on the Constitution. The All-American Parade maintained the patriotic feeling of America on Parade but without the giant heads. We see Mickey and Minnie in period garb presenting a copy of the opening lines of the Constitution. It looks like we’re watching this parade from the Frontierland side, which was common when I was a child. Why reserve a spot for hours on Main Street when it’s much easier over here? I’ve continued that trend with my family recently.

Disney Characters in Strange Places

Here’s a silly picture of three Country Bears going on what appears to be a hayride. I appreciate that Disney commandeered actual horses for this float, and that just adds to the strangeness. The bears also look quite cramped inside that small wagon. Given the limited vision in those costumes, I suspect that cast members had to be extremely careful not to bump into anyone.

Here’s one last picture from the All-American Parade with Tigger doing some surfing. The tiger usually bounces, but apparently he’s trying something different for this party. Seeing Tigger in a swimsuit is odd, but this float still works for me. The large wave stands out more than a lot of the floats in early parades. My only question is why Tigger is the choice to be involved here. I suspect it’s because he’s the type of fun-loving character that would go surfing.

Fond Disney Memories

Disney has shown they can nail a high-tech parade; the Festival of Fantasy is a perfect example. They can promote the most popular characters through an effective mix of music, dancing, and effects. Even so, I miss just how goofy early parades were at the parks. Disney tried a lot of different things and sometimes failed, but they took a shot. The price tag on modern parades makes it tougher to change them as often. It makes me appreciate a time when we’d see new offerings nearly every trip. These photos offer a small glimpse at those experiences.

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All photos on this page are by Paul Heaton.

Related Photo Essays

A Visit to the Disney/MGM Studios in 1989

Disney’s America on Parade

A Visit to Disneyland in 1968