

Before there was Disney’s Hollywood Studios, there was the Disney-MGM Studios theme park at Walt Disney World. And before there were Block Party Bash, High School Musical, Power Rangers, or the Disney Stars and Motor Cars parade, there were a number of other street-based forms of entertainment in that theme park. So today we’re…
Disney-MGM Studios has changed very slowly over the years in its ultimate transition to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Throughout this transition, the Studios theme park was the place to find parades and street shows that revolved around whatever the hit movie or television show was at the time.
In 1992, that hit television show was Dinosaurs, a sitcom about a family of giant prehistoric anthropomorphic lizards leading their daily lives. So in bringing them to Disney-MGM Studios, what else would be more appropriate than… a street party!
I don’t know where or when exactly this concept of theme park street parties began, but I suppose it’s comforting to know that today’s Move It, Shake It, Celebrate it! street party at the Magic Kingdom had Dinosaurs as one of its ancestors.
From one reptile to another: Following lounging lizards in 1993 were the heroes in a half-shell, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. At the time, the fearsome foursome had a hugely popular cartoon as well as a pair of live action films. So into Disney-MGM Studios rolled the Turtle Van, April O’Neil, along with Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo, and Raphael, to show off their… singing and dancing?
Why does everything in a theme park involve singing and/or dancing? Why couldn’t the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles come out and battle Shredder? While showing off the Turtle Van was an excellent touch, those costumes really needed some more work.
Beginning in 1994, Disney-MGM Studios began a long line of Disney and/or Pixar movie-based parades.
Aladdin’s Royal Caravan - 1994 - Highlight: Fake cartoony people along its floats
Toy Story Parade - 1996 - Highlight: Green army men raising a flag, Iwo Jima-style
Mulan Parade - 1998 - Highlight: Never-ending dragon/Great Wall of China
These are just some of the highlights of Disney-MGM Studios street parties and parades that existed during the years leading up to the Disney Stars and Motor Cars parade premiere in 2001.
Did you have a favorite Disney-MGM Studios parade or street party? Comment!
distant creations is a blog about the world and more. the world is: amazing. amusing. creative. confusing. this blog is here to deliver the best and most bizarre of the world and beyond. from distant lands to your home town.
topics to be featured here include technology, movies, television, music, collectibles (mainly action figures), theme parks (mainly Disney), video games, and any other interesting or strange news that pops up in the world.
the name 'distant creations' originated when I needed a term to summarize my many projects. my creations encompass a wide variety of fields and areas and are thus deemed as 'distant'.
Cara
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:25 am
I saw the Aladdin parade on my first trip to Disney World!! It was amazing!!
Roddy Barros
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:31 am
I remember seeing the Sinclair Family tour around the World Showcase in a double-decker. And I loved the TMNT show.
you forgot the Ace Ventura skit, Ricky. :)
Ricky
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:42 am
I wouldn’t say I “forgot” the Ace Ventura skit so much as “left it out on purpose.” But if you insist:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVgocQlUlWQ
Roddy Barros
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:59 am
Bad memories, I take it? hehehe
David Hayes
April 2nd, 2009 at 3:49 pm
I loved the Hercules parade– especially to hear the muses sing!