"New" parade to the Magic Kingdom end of this year?

[kcw]

If what our Keys to the Kingdom tour guide said back on Feb 22 is true, then WDW already has 2 of the floats from POD and that WDW should start running POD by the end of this year.

they're still running PoD at DLR, so WDW wouldn't have two of the floats. The biggest problem I see with this (PoD leaving at the end of this year), is that DLR would lose its parade a year and a half before its 55th anniversary. I would imagine they'll have a new parade for that, so it would make more sense (to me anyways) to keep PoD there for at least another year (or maybe the 1.5), and debut a new 55th parade in Jan (or maybe July)

 

[Chape19714]

As long as we get the Alice and Ursula Floats, I'll be happy.

Seriously, I really think that PoD is coming soon, WDW would benefit greatly from it.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

FWIW, Back in January I spoke to a supervisor in MK's Guest Relations who told me not to expect PoD until late 2009 early 2010.

There definitely is a nice repeatability factor for PoD, although, if you like to sit in the same spot each time you're going to get the same show. I personally have seen the Ursula float and the Pinocchio one (amazing!). Really good music, too.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I saw a little bit of PoD during my Disneyland trip 2 weeks ago. It definitely has impressive floats, but frankly it just seems like another parade to me.

And I seem to be in the minority here, but I don't like the music for PoD. I don't really like the Phil Collins Disney songs, so it bothers me that the main theme is from Brother Bear. I prefer the music for MK's Dreams Come True parade.

 

[jrh1985]

If what our Keys to the Kingdom tour guide said back on Feb 22 is true, then WDW already has 2 of the floats from POD and that WDW should start running POD by the end of this year.

First of all, POD is still running Full Tilt at DL. But, if your Keys to the Kingdom tour guide has some info we don't know about. 1 of 2 things could be happening. 1. WDW could be surprising us and buliding their own POD. 2. Or, they just have the begining and the ending floats made, and are waiting for DL. I'm leaning to #2.

Remenber everyone, WDW can't use all of DL's POD. 2 of the floats feature Disneyland.

As for when it will open, if WDW wants to use POD before Once Upon A Christmastime Parade goes back on daytime duty. I would think that POD last "dance" at DL will be Labor Day.

 

[Azerin]

Well... I visit both parks at least once a year (and sometimes more) so have seen PoD a couple times... I tend to see parades at WDW more often then DL and I love that parade so I won't be upset if it mostly moves to WDW even though it won't be completely new... just as long as Disneyland gets a new parade and not the current MK parade I also wouldn't mind if they switched the Electrical parade with Spectro The current parade at MK has been there a LONG time (since 2000?) with only the minor change to get rid of the snowglobes so I would say it is past time for a new MK parade. Since Disneyland switches completely to their Christmas parade in December and doesn't have the PoD I think that would make an obvious time to make the switch if it is going to happen but *shrug*

 

[Coasterman18]

This has been in the works for around a year now... soft opening for the parade will be Jan 2009...

Here are the changes you should be seeing in the upcoming months (construction will take place after Block Party Bash is up and running and the project team can focus on moving POD):

- Parade Base will be undergoing a MAJOR overhaul do to the costume sizes of DLR being smaller. WDW POD Costumes will mostly be new due to the size requirements for cast members at WDW.

- New Parade float warehouse- Due to the overwhelming size and mainly height of POD floats compared to the floats we currently have; they will be building an extension. This extension will accomadate Main Street Electrical Parade (YES you heard it correct MAIN STREET ELECTRICAL PARADE) that will be coming in December 2009 to replace SPECTROMAGIC...)

THE RUMOR IS TRUE!

 

[jrh1985]

This has been in the works for around a year now... soft opening for the parade will be Jan 2009...

Here are the changes you should be seeing in the upcoming months (construction will take place after Block Party Bash is up and running and the project team can focus on moving POD):

- Parade Base will be undergoing a MAJOR overhaul do to the costume sizes of DLR being smaller. WDW POD Costumes will mostly be new due to the size requirements for cast members at WDW.

- New Parade float warehouse- Due to the overwhelming size and mainly height of POD floats compared to the floats we currently have; they will be building an extension. This extension will accomadate Main Street Electrical Parade (YES you heard it correct MAIN STREET ELECTRICAL PARADE) that will be coming in December 2009 to replace SPECTROMAGIC...)

THE RUMOR IS TRUE!

Will this be MSEP Dreamlights? or another return of
DEP that WDW gave DCA in 01?

 

[disney9752]

Will this be MSEP Dreamlights? or another return of
DEP that WDW gave DCA in 01?

i'll take either, it would be nice if its msep in its original form with the small world floats wdw used to have. its still an improvement over spectro.:sohappy:

 

[bluefaery]

First of all, POD is still running Full Tilt at DL. But, if your Keys to the Kingdom tour guide has some info we don't know about. 1 of 2 things could be happening. 1. WDW could be surprising us and buliding their own POD. 2. Or, they just have the begining and the ending floats made, and are waiting for DL. I'm leaning to #2.

Remenber everyone, WDW can't use all of DL's POD. 2 of the floats feature Disneyland.

As for when it will open, if WDW wants to use POD before Once Upon A Christmastime Parade goes back on daytime duty. I would think that POD last "dance" at DL will be Labor Day.

I'm leaning towards #2 also.

they're still running PoD at DLR, so WDW wouldn't have two of the floats. The biggest problem I see with this (PoD leaving at the end of this year), is that DLR would lose its parade a year and a half before its 55th anniversary. I would imagine they'll have a new parade for that, so it would make more sense (to me anyways) to keep PoD there for at least another year (or maybe the 1.5), and debut a new 55th parade in Jan (or maybe July)

I'm just the messenger. I didn't say that he was telling the truth. I'm just passing along 3rd party information.

 

[lilclerk]

I do wonder if they'd keep the Walt Disney dedication quote in the WDW version? It wouldn't fit as well as it's the Disneyland dedication.
Though I did tear up when I first heard it and ended up recording the parade music on my digital camera (yes it's crappy, no I don't care) just for it..

 

[mousermerf]

Personally, I would like to see Parade of Dreams at WDW. I haven't seen it at DL, so it would be a new experience for me.

Of course, this type of thread always brings out the strong opinions of cloning, but instead of simply claiming "cloning is bad" or "cloning is good," I would like to interject a few questions/observations.

1. What percentage of guests visit BOTH WDW and DL (or other international parks) during the normal lifespan of a parade?

2. What is the cost of designing, constructing and producing a NEW parade?

3. What is the cost of transfering a parade to another park?

4. What would the MAJORITY of guests see as the lifespan of a parade?

In other words, if the parade "budget" allows for a brand new parade every 10 years or a transfer every 5 years, how many guests would have NOT seen that parade in another park during that time so that the transferred parade would, in essance, be a new parade for them?

Personally, I think the parades should be treated similar to a traveling production. Invest major money into the design and production of a new parade every few years and move it from park to park so that each park has a "new" parade on a sliding timeline.

It's a very good parade. It's not like most parades that we've seen, and since most WDW gusts don't come often, they'll see it fresh each time. It's made to cater to a frequent guest crowd. Each segment doing different things for the show stop - not like the usual "drift by slowly then dancers" parades we're used to. It's more like a show on wheels that stops twice and you get to see two small circus acts. Yeah, you sorta get screwed if you in that one wrong spot that gets 2x the ribbon wavers, but if you're a character buff you're in heaven.

Otherwise you've got aerialists, trampolines, bungie work,tumblers, and all kinds of choreography - much more then slowly drifting and the usual dancing we're used to. Oh, and there's some ribbon waving.

It's actually a parade worth watching, i was shocked myself and i'm the first to say "eww, parade" at WDW and keep huffing to the TTA.

 

[mousermerf]

Quick regis and Kelly clip that shows the Pinnochip float isolated before it opened to the public.. just to make one ask "Why exactly don't we want this parade?"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=g7uZQcxvNYs

 

[Azerin]

It's a very good parade. It's not like most parades that we've seen, and since most WDW gusts don't come often, they'll see it fresh each time. It's made to cater to a frequent guest crowd. Each segment doing different things for the show stop - not like the usual "drift by slowly then dancers" parades we're used to. It's more like a show on wheels that stops twice and you get to see two small circus acts. Yeah, you sorta get screwed if you in that one wrong spot that gets 2x the ribbon wavers, but if you're a character buff you're in heaven.

Otherwise you've got aerialists, trampolines, bungie work,tumblers, and all kinds of choreography - much more then slowly drifting and the usual dancing we're used to. Oh, and there's some ribbon waving.

It's actually a parade worth watching, i was shocked myself and i'm the first to say "eww, parade" at WDW and keep huffing to the TTA.

Even through I have seen the parade a few times at Disneyland that is one reason I would be excited to see this parade move to WDW... while I do get to Disneyland fairly often I don't go there nearly as much or for as long (normally DL for me is a 1-2day side trip while WDW is a whole trip in itself)... I know there are "acts" of this parade I have not seen and would love to be able to really see it a few times and see the different parts. I also love the sound track... wish they had that on a CD I have the song that forms the basis of it thanks to Disneymania but I would be thrilled to have the actual parade version.

It seems like Disney has moved parades (or components of them) from park to park for a long time (like Electrical Parade) and since most people normaly go to one or the other it is like a new parade for most.

I would absolutely be thrilled if they created Dreamlights for WDW... but Electrical Parade is still my all time favorite parade so even if they just moved it from CA to MK I would be happy... I like Spectro... but would pick Electrical Parade any day over it.

 

[lilclerk]

I would absolutely be thrilled if they created Dreamlights for WDW... but Electrical Parade is still my all time favorite parade so even if they just moved it from CA to MK I would be happy... I like Spectro... but would pick Electrical Parade any day over it.

Wasn't the Electrical Parade in the MK a long time ago?

 

[Azerin]

Wasn't the Electrical Parade in the MK a long time ago?

Yup... I believe it started in Disneyland... moved to MK... went back to DL (I'm not sure if it really went back... just know it wasn't at MK for a few years)... came back to MK... then went to California Adventure.

So it has gone back and forth a few times

 

[Bill Smugs]

The Main Street Electrical Parade was original built for Disneyland; a second version was then built for the MK. During the 20th anniversary celebration of WDW they shipped the Disney World version off to Disneyland Paris, during that time Spectromagic daubed. Also around the same time Disneyland retired their version for the extremely short lived Light Magic night time spectacular.

When DCA opened they needed something to keep people in the park longer and brought the Main Street Electrical parade out of storage which needed allot of work done to it to make it show ready and because Disneyworld has the facilities to refurbish allot of the larger items for all the parks world wide it was sent to Florida. During the time that they had the Disneyland version they were celebration Walt's 100th birthday the temporally replaced spectromagic with the Main Street Electrical parade well Spectro received its own rehab. After its limited run it was sent back to California where it debuted at DCA as Disney's Electrical parade.


And now to those that want to see it come back I say let it go it is not returning. Also with all of the recent changes to Spectromagic it's probably not going anywhere either. Also any talk about enlarging the parade storage area is all talk it is a fairly large sized warehouse as it is. If you want a good idea of the size take the Keys to the kingdom tour they take you right up to it, or you can use Google earth or any other satellite map program and look at the area behind SplashMountain.

 

[Biff215]

When DCA opened they needed something to keep people in the park longer and brought the Main Street Electrical parade out of storage which needed allot of work done to it to make it show ready and because Disneyworld has the facilities to refurbish allot of the larger items for all the parks world wide it was sent to Florida. During the time that they had the Disneyland version they were celebration Walt's 100th birthday the temporally replaced spectromagic with the Main Street Electrical parade well Spectro received its own rehab. After its limited run it was sent back to California where it debuted at DCA as Disney's Electrical parade.

I could be wrong, but I think MSEP was brought to WDW before the Millennium Celebration. I seem to remember seeing it when I worked there for the College Program in the spring of 2000. I don't remember exactly when it left, but it may have been replaced by Spectro for the 100 Years of Magic celebration.

 

[jrh1985]

I could be wrong, but I think MSEP was brought to WDW before the Millennium Celebration. I seem to remember seeing it when I worked there for the College Program in the spring of 2000. I don't remember exactly when it left, but it may have been replaced by Spectro for the 100 Years of Magic celebration.

You are correct. DL's MSEP was there May 28, 1999 to April 1, 2001. I should know about Opening Day, I lived thru Three HOURS of HEVY HEVY RAIN!! begining at around 5:30 P.M. MSEP was at 9:00 and 11:00 that night

Same thing happened again when I was there in 2002 with TOD. Only with TOD, it took 2 days and 4 trys to see it

Both times, The Weather cleared in the nic of time. When that happens you feel that there's a bit of magic in the air. Like what happened to ROE on 10/1.