We continue our look back at Walt Disney World anniversary celebrations today with a trip to 1991 and the 20th anniversary of the resort. The theme that year was Surprise Celebration, with surprise elements each day and new surprise features added as the year went on. (All photos ©Disney)
Ahead of the celebration kickoff, a group of cast members gathered in front of the railroad station at the Magic Kingdom for an official anniversary photo. I was there that day and lucky enough to be chosen to take part in the photo. That's me, standing at the railing by the engine cab in the Haunted Mansion butler costume. Look around in the photo, and you'll also discover several costumes from the park's past which are no longer in use today: the yellow vest of the Diamond Horseshoe server, the original It's a Small World sailor outfit, the old mustard yellow Fantasyland lederhosen, the red and white with mouse ears from Mickey's Starland and the blue-clad crew of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (there are several of those guys at the upper right).
Roger Rabbit played a big role in the celebration of the 20th. Still riding high on the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Disney's newest star led the Surprise Celebration Parade. He also popped up "unexpectedly" in shows across the park to surprise guests with prizes, ranging from 20th anniversary T-shirts to caps with plush Rogers affixed to the bill.
The Surprise Celebration Parade was a spectacular, Mardi Gras-inspired procession of colorful costumes, giant character balloons and (for the first time at WDW) stilt walkers. The parade made its grand debut the morning of October 1, 1991, immediately following a park rededication ceremony presided over by Michael Eisner and Roy E. Disney.
I was at the park on that day, as well, but this time as a guest. For the ceremony, I was standing under a large yellow balloon just to the left of the photo above. I had a great view... of the back of the dedication float. Even though I couldn't see well, it was impossible not to be excited by all the Disney Legends in attendance or to get choked up when Roy picked up the dedication plaque and reread the words his father had spoken on that very site 20 years earlier.
Another major element of the 20th anniversary celebration was the premiere of SpectroMagic, a new nighttime spectacular to replace the original Main Street Electrical Parade. My memories of SpectroMagic are of the crunch to get the parade ready on time. I recall working on the Jungle Cruise dock when our manager came down looking for people willing to pull some overtime helping out on the parade. The available shifts were either 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Brutal. I was willing to do it, though, for the chance to see something new up close and personal.
I was scheduled off the next day, so I chose the day shift. I spent those twelve hours backstage at the Magic Kingdom Production Center meticulously placing black tie-wraps on either side of every light bulb on the Silly Symphony float. The show's director wanted the lights in SpectroMagic to be precise, unlike the shaky lighting strands on the old parade. Whenever SpectroMagic makes its return to the park, look for those tie wraps, and think about all those Jungle Skippers (and other cast members) it took to get everything just right.
For me, the 20th Anniversary Surprise Celebration was my first big event as a Disney cast member. I've had the opportunity to participate in many more, even grander events since then, but the 20th will always hold a special place in my memory.
No comments:
Post a Comment