Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Sunday at DisneyLand/ToonTown
From: kat@gtc.com (Kathryn Fielding)
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 19:47:43 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Genisco Technology Corp.
Keywords: ToonTown stars hoopla
Summary: parade


As we were walking in from the parking lot, we noticed that the
section of the parking lot in front of the kennel (Bambi?) was
blocked off with cones. We also noticed the largest collection
of limousines that we had ever seen. The area in front of the
kennels has tables with lots of balloons, and buses with signs
labeled "TOONTOWN VIP" were unloading in front of this.

Upon entering the park, there was a large crowd lined up along
the sidewalks, as if waiting for a parade. There was nothing
in the brochure, but we were informed that it was for the
celebrity opening of ToonTown. Disney had television cameras
lined up at various locations along Main Street to film the
event. So, not knowing what to expect, but being incurably
curious, we joined the crowd and waited.

The parade started on Disney Standard Time (about 10 minutes late).
The music consisted of one song repeated over and over and over 
and over... "Whistle, twee..ToonTown thud thud thud.."

There were a couple of round signs being spun in large mouse-eared
shaped frames announcing ToonTown. These were pushed by the clean-cut
male and female songleader types that they often use in "generic"
parades. Some of these were also carrying large balloon arches. 
The signs, balloons and songleaders were recycled throughout the
parade. 

The actual parade consisted of a fleet of classic cars - Packards etc.
with a Disney character either riding, or walking and dancing alongside.
Most of the cars were labeled "so-and-so and family", except not all
of them were labeled so it was a little confusing who you were
looking at sometimes. Riding in the first car was of course Mickey
and his pal Michael (wearing his Disneyland Michael pin). Other
celebrities included: George Lucas (and family) who received a lot
of applause, Candace Bergen, Sally Field, Whoopi Goldberg, Danny
Elfman, Tim Selleck, John Goodman, Tony Danza, Robin Williams (and
family), and Ted Danson along with some of the other actors/actresses
from Cheers.

Robin Williams received a lot of applause. They had the genie riding next
to him (of course). He appears to be quite the proud father; he was sitting
on the back on a Packard convertible, with his legs in the rumble seat.
Somehow they managed to wedge the genie in next to him, and Robin
was wearing his child in a large backpack/papoose type thing. It 
really looked funny seeing this incongruity as they drove down the
street.

The other funniest group was the one from Cheers. They were riding in
the fire wagon that usually gives rides up and down Main Street. The
sign had been taped over so it read "and Family". They jammed a whole
lot of people and kids into the car, so it was difficult to tell who
was there (and they were all wearing their official ToonTown baseball
caps). The actors who played Norm and Cliff were there, as well as
Woody Harrelson, (possibly Rhea Perlman, but it was really hard to
tell) Woody, someone else and Ted Danson were hanging on the back, and
Ted Danson had taken his sign and was holding it over his rear end,
which attracted a lot of attention, laughter and applause.

Many of the celebrities had a Guest Relations person following the
car at a discreet distance. These people were carrying items which
I guess they didn't want to stuff in the car - cameras, hats, backpacks,
strollers. It was really funny watching people nicely dressed in Disney
guest relations outfits, walking behind a car carrying a stroller and
trying to look inconspicuous.

There were a lot more people in the parade, but I've forgotten many
of the names, and didn't recognize all of them. The parade was long
enough that they were recycling characters and cars - Belle, the Mad
Hatter and Tigger each went buy twice.

So they all went merrily off down the street heading towards ToonTown,
where the rest of us were not permitted. They had it blocked off at the
Toy shop at Small World. Lots of flowers, balloons and stuff like that.

There were lots of other people running around with special ToonTown
badges, and there was apparently something going on for them inside
the Walt Disney Story - and they had a special showing of Fantasmic
for the privileged early in the evening - with the viewing areas roped 
off. This ended up being a little upsetting because we were told that
we couldn't watch this show, and had to wait for the regular showings
which ended up being cancelled because of the Santa Ana winds which
came up about 7:00. *sigh*

The train was blocked off for most of the day on Sunday, they were using
it to transport the special people around the Park - probably to avoid
crowds mobbing the celebrities.

That's all I can think of for now.

-Kathryn

(Tigger's number one fan!)


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kat@gtc.com                                       genisco!kat

My opinions are exclusively mine!