Here's one story that iI could find about Disney and the Rose Parade - 1959 Rose Parade and Zorro.
ZORRO'S RIDE IN ROSE BOWL PARADE SEEN BY FOURTEEN MILLION VIEWERS
Close to fourteen million American families watched Zorro atop his prancing, black stallion on live TV on New Year's Day. This was the largest, longest, and most colorful Tournament of Roses Parade in the sixty-nine year history of the event.
There were sixty-two floats, twenty-two bands and literally scores of equestrian units, but none was so universally known as Guy Williams attired as the dashing Zorro.
Lining the streets of Pasadena during the parade were an estimated million and a half spectators. With them, Zorro was clearly a smash. As they saw the black figured horseman approaching, they set up a din heard for miles.
Counting the many millions who saw the parade via delayed telecast, on news programs, in hometown newspaper picture spreads and through newsreels, the total estimated audience exceeded one hundred million persons of all ages.
The live broadcasts were carried border to border by ABC and NBC, and beyond by the Armed Forces Network. NBC beamed the parade in compatible color to most of its stations. (Many) spent long moments on the prancing masked man and pointed out his enormous popularity with the younger generation.
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Many young spectators were dressed in Zorro suits themselves. Many gave and received in kind a warm and sincere wave from Zorro. Hundreds of thousands more were content to cheer enthusiastically.
Excellent crowd control kept Zorro's fans very orderly even when he was forced to hold the black horse just a few feet away from them.
It was not until Williams entered the final dispersal area that thirty youngsters broke ranks to surround him. They had obviously planned the autograph ambush long before."