New Year, Old Parades ~ Photoniks ~ Episode 13

New Year, Old Parades ~ Photoniks ~ Episode 13

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Happy New Year! It is officially 2026, and to kick off the first episode of the year, Mr. Daps and Clocky are diving into the archives to look at the quintessential New Year’s tradition: The Parade.

While the Rose Parade might be the world’s most famous January march, Disneyland has a storied history of unique, wild, and sometimes bizarre processional celebrations. From 30th-anniversary milestones to movie tie-ins that literally “went bananas,” we’re breaking down the rare slides of parades past.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

  • The 30th Anniversary “I Love a Parade” (1985): We analyze a stunning shot of Mickey and Donald near “it’s a small world.” We talk about the effective use of “ribbon banners” to create movement and spot a massive balloon release that probably wouldn’t fly in today’s environmentally conscious parks.
  • A Different View of the Route: Notice how close the crowds are! We discuss the “thin” parade routes of the 80s where you could practically reach out and grab a float, compared to the wide safety buffers of 2026.
  • The 1986 “Circus” & Wild West Parade: Goofy riding a bull? Check. Gingham-clad dancers with picnic tablecloths? Check. We also spot a vintage Mark IV Monorail gliding past the Matterhorn in the background.
  • Mickey’s 50th Birthday (1978): A look back at the 70s era of the park, featuring the Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf, and the Hallmark Gold Crown store on Main Street (long before it became Disney Clothiers).
  • Herbie Goes Bananas (1981): The highlight of the episode! Clocky unearths a photo of the “Love Bug” himself, mouth wide open and overflowing with plastic bananas, during an early 80s Christmas processional.

“Picture-in-Picture” Highlights:

  • [02:23] Movement in Stillness: Breaking down the 30th Anniversary float and the “VHS-era” Disneyland logo.
  • [07:45] Country Bears on Stilts: Identifying the “hoedown” float and the confusing Alice in Wonderland-style lanterns used for a Western theme.
  • [12:38] Studio Chaos: Chip and Dale in bright pink and orange 80s jackets, surrounded by film reels and boom mics.
  • [17:10] The Love Bug: A deep dive into Herbie’s appearance, the vintage Kodak booth, and the “Fantasyland Depot” train station that preceded Toontown.
  • [25:50] The “No-Sea-Green” Speakers: Spotting the classic park infrastructure hidden in plain sight.

Connect With Us:

What is your favorite Disneyland parade of all time? Do you prefer the classic character marches or the high-tech spectacles of today?

Happy New Year from the PhotoNik team! We’ll see you in two weeks for more trips down memory lane.

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