Something Borrowed, Something New

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Even though we’ve covered the general walkthrough of Walt Disneyland Park, doesn’t mean that there’s nothing left to explore there. In the next few posts I will be covering parades, park shows and seasonal overlays. To kick this series of posts off, let’s explore the smaller day parade of Walt Disneyland Park,

Mickey’s Philharmagic Parade

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Mickey’s Philharmagic Parade is a swinging celebration of Disney’s musical diversity found in many of their theatrical movie pieces. The parade is supposed to really simulate and expand on the many different styles of music found in Guests favorite films. Watch as beloved melodies from classic Disney movies come alive through music, cheery Disney characters and impressive parade floats. The music will be similar to the more modern parade soundtracks of Soundsational, Storybook Express and Festival of Fantasy. This means that there is a general theme song called ‘’Make a Sound’’ accompanied by reimagined versions of classic and familiar Disney songs.

Leading the way is the Golden Harp from Mickey and the Beanstalk singing her most beautiful songs. She is a golden living musical harp with a yellow dress, red lips, blonde hair and brown eyes. Besides, she is a powerful user and living object of magic. The harp beholds the power to enchant a land with happiness and prosperity by singing. Even though, she’s not part of the Fantasia series, she is part of the general opening Fantasia unit of the parade. Fantasia is a visualization of music and therefore is something that can not be missed in the line-up of this parade. The opening unit is very powerful as it captures most of the segments of the films as well as the live-action shots of the orchestra illuminated in blue and gold. Watch as enchanting fairies and flowers dance on winding plants around the float. Dancers will also be dressed to look like the flowers, mushrooms and leaves that dance to Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Chinese Dance, Arabian Dance, Russian Dance, Dance of the Flutes and the Waltz of the Flowers in the first Fantasia movie. Behind the harp a magical garden filled with ancient Greek creatures, Gods and structures are formed. Hiding in the garden is also the Green Sprite and a small music box themed to the Steadfast Tin Soldier. Behind the float you can see Madame Upanova and her ostriches, Hyacinth Hippo and her servant hippos, Elephancine and her bubble-blowing elephant troupe and Ben Ali Gator and his troop of gators dancing to their Dance of the Hours. The music of this unit will be a medley of the different pieces of classical music, the general theme song and the song of the Golden Harp. The unit’s climax is based on Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, the opening of the first Fantasia movie.

Fantasia Unit Music:


- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’Toccata and Fugue in D Minor’’
- ‘’Nutcracker Suite’’
- ‘’The Pastoral Symphony’’
- ‘’Dance of the Hours’’
- ‘’Pines of Rome’’
- ‘’Symphony No.5’’
- ‘’Piano Concerto No.2, Allegro, Opus 102’’
- ‘’The Carnival of the Animals’
- ‘’The Firebird Suite’’
- ‘’My, What a Happy Day’’

Our next unit is based on a less popular Disney franchise, but is still a Disney property that is very much connected to the meaning of music. Based on the 1970 animated film The Aristocats, The Scales and Arpeggios unit brings the world of Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz to life. The parade float will be themed to a collection of oversized musical instruments, somewhat similar to the Aristocats float that was part of Tokyo Disney’s Happiness is Here Parade. The dancers are dressed as jazz cats while swinging to the various songs of the animated classic. Behind the collection of instruments, Guests will be able to greet quite large animatronic figures of Duchess and Thomas O’Malley. The unit’s musical climax will be based on when Scat and Crew break down their song, ‘’Everybody wants to be a Cat’’(everybody, everybody, everybody wants to be a cat).


Scales and Arpeggios Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’The Aristocats’’
- ‘’Scales and Arpeggios’’
- ‘’Everybody Wants to be A Cat’’
- ‘’Thomas O’Malley Cat’’

The cats disappear from our vision and we see a bunch of wild animals roaming the streets of Walt Disneyland Park. This is the Jungle Rhythm Unit, based on Tarzan, Jungle Book and the Lion King. This will actually be quite a large parade float and totally captures the African and Asian heartbeat behind the soundtrack of the earlier mentioned Disney films. Opening this unit are the dancers who are dressed and themed to animals from the African Savannah. Their costumes are quite similar to the ones in the Lion King Broadway musical. On the float itself we find a smaller, yet still impressive version of Pride Rock. On top, stands an audio animatronic puppet of Simba. Behind Pride Rock, a thick jungle grows. Audio animatronic puppets of Timon and Pumbaa greet Guests. Near the back of the float are Mowgli, Kaa, Balou and King Louie gathered around King Louie’s throne. Behind the float you will find Terk and a bunch of dancing gorillas and monkeys. A mini-float themed to Tantor holding a gramophone horn and Tarzan and Jane on his back closes this unit. The unit’s climax is based on ‘’The Circle of Life’’ from The Lion King.

Jungle Rhythm Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’The Circle of Life’’
- ‘’Hakuna Matata’’
- ‘’Just Can’t Wait To Be King’’
- ‘’Bear Necessities’’
- ‘’I Wanna Be Like You’’
- ‘’Trashin the Camp’’

The sound of African drums fade away and we start hearing slower melodies, causing us to slowly fall into a sense of romance. This feeling comes alive in the Love Songs Unit in the form of a garden filled with flowers and heart shapes. This garden of topiaries will be somewhat similar to the Princess Garden in Disney’s Festival of Fantasy Parade and Disney’s Jubilation Parade. Instead of just limiting the float to royal couples, it features other romantic couples from Disney movies. Opening the unit are Tony and Joe from The Lady and the Tramp, arguably one of Disney’s best movies when it comes to capturing romance. The float opens with a romantic table dinner attended by audio animatronic figures of the two lover dogs themselves. On the right side behind them are Bambi and Faline figures, while on the left Wall-E and Eve can be seen sitting on a bench. The highlight of the float, however is the enchanting dance floor behind the garden. This is where the royal couples, Belle and Adam, Aurora and Philippe, Snow White and Ferdinand, Cinderella and Charming, Rapunzel and Flynn and Aladdin and Jasmine waltz to a romantic medley of their love songs. The unit’s climax is actually based on ‘’Can You Feel the Love Tonight’’, even though the Lion King has no presence in this unit. It is used, because of it’s general message of love. The style of the music will mostly be altered to sound like a romantic guitar playing.


Love Songs Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’Can You Feel The Love Tonight’’
- ‘’Bella Notte’’
- ‘’One Song’’
- ‘’So This Is Love’’
- ‘’Once Upon A Dream’’
- ‘’Beauty and the Beast’’
- ‘’See the Light’’
- ‘’A Whole New World’’


The Gospel Truth is our next unit and is based on the style of the music of Hercules. The style of the music will be expanded with it’s gospel theme and even tries to include Greek influences in its soundtrack. Opening the unit are the Muses singing and dancing to your favorite Hercules songs accompanied by mythological heroes and soldiers supporting the Muses. The float will be themed to clouds. We see Pegasus soaring in the sky holding Megara and Hercules on his back. Behind him is a giant figure of Zeus(similar to King Triton in the Paint the Night Parade) surrounded by Greek pillars and temple structures. The unit’s musical climax is based on the powerful and triumphant Go the Distance.

The Gospel Truth Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’Go the Distance’’
- ‘’A Star is Born’’
- ‘’Zero to Hero’’
- ‘’The Gospel Truth’’
- ‘’I Won’t Say I’m in Love’’

From soaring in the skies, we now dive underwater to join Flounder, Ariel and Sebastian in a Caribbean Calypso. The dancers that open this unit are a combination of the costumes found in Disney’s Festival of Fantasy and Carribean and Brazilian carnival costumes. The float itself will be similar to the one that was originally envisioned for Disneyland’s Parade of Dreams featuring Ariel on a swing and Sebastian on top leading his undersea orchestra. The musical climax will be based on the Under the Sea part in which Sebastian assigns every fish type a part in the celebration(the lute play the flute, the carp play the harp, the plaice play the bass and they soundin sharp etc.)

Caribbean Calypso Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’'
- ‘’Under the Sea’’
- ‘’Kiss the Girl’’
- ‘’Ariel’s Voice’’
- ‘’Part of Your World’’

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This swinging calypso transitions into a Mexican/ Latin American Fiesta. The Gran Fiesta Unit is opened by dancers dressed in traditional South American clothes. Behind them, on the float is a stage similar to the one that is seen in the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. On the float will be costume versions of Donald Duck, Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles performing their best songs. Behind them a vertical construction brings the underworld to life. Here you can see Miguel and his family performing songs from Disney Pixar’s Coco. Pepita is also featured on the float, soaring with pride. Behind the float you will find undead Mexican dancers entertaining Guests. The musical climax of this unit will be based on ‘’La Llorona’’ from Coco.

Gran Fiesta Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’The Three Caballeros’’
- ‘’La Llorona’’
- ‘’Remember Me’’
- ‘’The World es Mi Familia’’
- ‘’Un Poco Loco’’
- ‘’Saludos Amigos’’
- ‘’Baia’’

The street is empty for a short while, but soon dancing puppets similar to the ones in Disneyland’s Parade of Dreams wander the streets. This is the Puppet Show unit, based on Disney’s classic animated movie, Pinocchio. The many songs in this animated feature will be given a German/ northern Italian touch. The float features an oversized version of Geppetto performing a puppet show with Pinocchio, the Dutch Puppet and the French Puppet. Next to Geppetto, Figaro, Cleo and Jiminy Cricket can be found. Behind the float you can find the Russian Girl Puppet and her Rasputin Dancer Puppets performing an active dance routine. This unit’s musical climax is based on the Russian Puppet Part in I’ve Got No Strings.

Puppet Show Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’I’ve Got No Strings’’
- ‘’Give A Little Whistle’’
- ‘’Little Wooden Head’’
- ‘’Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee’’

The Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride Unit takes over after the Russian puppets have performed their dance and are replaced by traditional Polynesian luau dancers. Behind them on the float, Lilo and Stitch can be seen riding the waves as they are surrounded by living tikis singing to this unit’s soundtrack. Behind the float an actual fire dancer is performing a rough routine to impress Guests. The musical climax is based on the Aloha E Komo Mai part( Iki tooki nee hai, iki tooki nee hai, aki tiki baba, aki tiki baba etc.)

Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride Unit:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’Aloha E Komo Mai’’
- ‘’He Mele No Lilo’’
- ‘’Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride’’
- ‘’Devil in Disguise’’
- ‘’Burning Love’’
- ‘’Jailhouse Rock’’

We’re almost nearing the end, but there are three units left to cover and enjoy. Jazz Jubilee is the first one and is based on the last hand-drawn animation style movie, The Princess and the Frog. It features Tiana, Naveen and Louis the trumpet-playing alligator ride aboard a large Mardi Gras inspired float. The dancers are dressed as New Orleans Jazz dancers from the 1920s. The musical climax of this unit is based on I’m Almost There.

Jazz Jubilee Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’Almost There’’
- ‘’Dig A Little Deeper’’
- ‘’When We’re Human’’
- ‘’Down in New Orleans’’
- ‘’Gonna Take You There’’

Then a more Grim feeling takes over the atmosphere on the streets. Curious devil-like creatures scare Guests while performing a diabolical dance. This is the Boo Boo Boogie unit and celebrates Disney’s many baddies and their theme songs. The float will be themed to castle ruins, somewhat reminding us of Maleficent’s Castle in the Forbidden Mountains. On the float you’ll find Cruella de Vil, Judge Claude Frollo, Ursula, Maleficent, The Evil Queen, Jafar, Hades, Captain Hook, Mother Gothel, Scar, Doctor Facilier, The Queen of Hearts, Gaston, Lady Tremaine and Yzma. They are all planning to take away these happy melodies and replace them with their evil tunes. Their musical climax is based on The Night on Bald Mountain musical segment even though the unit doesn’t feature Chernabog himself. Behind the float Governor Ratcliffe leads a troop of evil servants.

Boo Boo Boogie Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’The Night on Bald Mountain’’
- ‘’Cruella de Vil’’
- ‘’Poor Unfortunate Souls’’
- ‘’Savages’’
- ‘’Be Prepared’’
- ‘’Mother Knows Best’’
- ‘’March of the Cards’’
- ‘’The Gospel Truth’’
- ‘’Gaston’’
- ‘’Friends on The Other Side’’
- ‘’Hellfire’’
- ‘’The Elegant Captain Hook’’
- ‘’Maleficent’s theme’’
- ‘’The Evil Queen’s Theme’’
- ‘’Arabian Nights’’

And last but not least, the finale also known as Mickey’s Orchestra Unit. This unit features Mickey as the conductor of a grand orchestra of magical instruments while characters such as Goofy, Daisy, Chip and Dale(audio animatronic) and Pluto(audio animatronic) will also be present on the float. Not only the main fab five characters will be present, but musical characters such as the Three Little Pigs, some of the seven dwarfs and characters from the classic short, The Band Concert are part of the musical celebration. What Mickey doesn’t notice is that he’s also enchanting brooms that magically start to come to life and dance to the music. The unit’s musical climax is based on ‘’The Mickey Mouse March’’.

Mickey’s Orchestra Unit Music:

- ‘’Make A Sound’’
- ‘’The Mickey Mouse March’’
- ‘’When You Wish Upon A Star’’
- ‘’The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’’