Friday, April 11, 2008

Main Street Electrical Parade - Back at Disneyland?

The Main Street Electrical Parade, could it be coming back to Disneyland? It’s been over at Disney’s California Adventure since the summer of 2001. According to Al Lutz, the current plan (miceage.com link) is to have the the Electrical Parade return to Disneyland in the spring of 2009.

Let's take a look back at the famed parade. From the Summer of 1973, this is the first (and I believe only) appearance of the MSEP on a Guide Book. Oh, what the heck, I will post this entire book on Bonus Sunday.







Since this little “Facts and Features” flyer mentions the soon to be released “Pete’s Dragon” I’ll place it at 1977. “1. Study the Map on the back of this flyer carefully.”





Here’s the map they want you to study carefully! Seems pretty simple to me, but I’ll study it a bit longer anyway…





Well, I thought America Sings got short handed with space in the big souvenir books of the late 70’s and early 80’, The Main Street Electrical Parade got almost zero space! Out of 8 Guides (73 to 86) this is all I could find. “Stuff from the Park” has some great rare shots of the parade in action (link).







Now from October 17, 1996, your Souvenir Program to an Annual Passholder Event “Farewell, Main Street Electrical Parade”.





WOW an entire special event just to celebrate the closing of a parade. Where was the party when the Skyway closed? PeopleMover? Rocket Jets? Mission to Mars? America Sings? Ok, I’ll stop.





Oh, I see, special merchandise, now I get it. Oh and how many people bought the “authentic light bulb” for $10? There’s one on Ebay (link) buy-it-now for $19.99.





Interesting how this Souvenir Program is mostly Black and Yellow. Was there some kind of message in that?



So is it coming back? (Said in my best Paul Frees voice) "It could only happen at Disneyland"

This weekend: For Saturday I’m trying to stitch together a super opening year (1971) Magic Mountain Wall Map. Sunday is Mega Bonus Sunday. All these in there entirety; Summer 1960 Vacationland, 1974 Disneyland Family Special (United Air Lines), Summer’s 1973 and 1974 Guide Books.

4 comments:

Major Pepperidge said...

Of all the parades I've seen at Disneyland, the Main Street Electrical Parade is the only one that I can say I truly looked forward to! Seeing it a DCA was OK, but like most people, I missed seeing it on the street it was supposed to be seen on.

Jason Schultz said...

When I was working in City Hall in the summer of 2001, a man and wife came in and said they'd been defrauded and wanted their money back for the light bulb they purchased. I was all prepared to break into laughter with them, but they were dead serious! My explanation that the light bulbs had actually been from the parade, and that the parade wasn't even performing at Disneyland Park, did have a palliative effect, though I think the Guests left unconvinced.

Anonymous said...

Great to see the picture of the original Chinese Dragon unit (before they replaced it with one of Elliot from Pete's Dragon.) The Chinese Dragon also appeared on the first version of the MSEP soundtrack vinyl record, before they revised the music in 1977 to include Brazzle Dazzle Day.

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Als ich in der City Hall, die im Sommer 2001, kam ein Mann und seine Frau an und sagte, sie worden war betrogen und wollten ihr Geld zurück für die Glühbirne sie gekauft haben. Ich war ganz bereit, in Lachen mit ihnen zu brechen, aber sie waren todernst! Meine Erklärung, dass die Glühbirnen tatsächlich von der Parade gewesen, und dass die Parade nicht einmal erklingt in Disneyland Park, hatten eine palliative Wirkung, obwohl ich glaube, die Gäste links überzeugt.ffxi gil kaufen
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