The Wonderful World of Disney was a dedicated Parade unit in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that featured various Disney floats and balloons.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
From 1962 to 1967, the second balloon of Donald Duck had been flying in the parade near a non-Disney float.
In 1968, Macy's and Walt Disney Productions teamed up to introduce a new float into the parade that would precede the Donald balloon which was titled "Mickey Mouse's 40th Birthday Celebration". The float featured various Disney characters parched on top of a large birthday cake.
In 1969, the Wonderful World of Disney unit was created. 3 new Disney floats were introduced: Captain Hook's Pirate Ship, The Three Little Pigs, and The Disney Wagon. The Pirate Ship was inspired by Peter Pan and featured the titular character and Wendy. The Three Little Pigs featured large figure versions of the pigs and the Big Bad Wolf from the Silly Symphonies and was sponsored by Disneyland. The Disney Wagon was a simple wagon holding a few characters, mainly Mickey and Friends. The Dwarfs and Snow White also appeared as specialty characters, not appearing on a float of their own. Some of the Dwarfs, however, rode The Three Little Pigs float.
From its debut to 1974, a marching band had the honor of becoming the "Disney Honor Band" for the unit. In 1970, a float promoting the release of The Aristocrats appeared alongside all the other floats, and was retired the same year it debuted. In 1971, a float based on Walt Disney World debuted. Due to the weather conditions, Donald nor the new Mickey Mouse balloon couldn't appear. In 1972, the unit dedicated the first anniversary of Walt Disney World. All the floats reappeared (except for The Three Little Pigs) and the new Mickey balloon made its proper debut, while Donald retired. The floats and Mickey returned again in 1973 to celebrate 50 Years of Disney Cartoons, alongside the debut of a new Alice in Wonderland float made to promote the reissue of the movie in March 1974.The unit was retired after the 1976 Parade, but the Disney floats and Mickey Mouse balloon continued to appear until 1981, and 1983 respectively.
Layouts[]
(This is not fully complete yet)
1969[]
- Disney Wagon (New) - Mickey Mouse; Pluto; Goofy; Baloo, and King Louie
- Donald Duck Balloon
- Captain Hook's Pirate Ship (New, to promote the 1969 reissue of Peter Pan)
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Specialty Characters)
- The Three Little Pigs (New)
1970[]
- Cardinal Dougherty High School Marching Band (Disney Honor Band)
- The Disney Wagon - Mickey and Minnie Mouse; Goofy, and Pluto
- The Aristocats (new, to promote the movie of the same name)
- Donald Duck Balloon
- Captain Hook's Pirate Ship - Peter Pan; Wendy; Captain Hook, and Smee
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Specialty Sharacters)
- The Three Little Pigs
1971[]
- Colonial High School Grenadier Guard Marching Band (Disney Honor Band)
- Disney Wagon - Mickey Mouse; Minnie Mouse; Pluto, and Goofy
- Donald Duck Balloon (removed)
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Specialty Characters)
- Captain Hook's Pirate Ship
- The Three Little Pigs
- Walt Disney World (New) - Pinocchio (to promote the 1971 reissue of said film)
- Mickey Mouse Balloon (new, removed)
1972[]
- Cardinal Dougherty High School Marching Band (Disney Honor Band)
- Disney Wagon - Pluto; Goofy, and Dumbo (to promote the 1972 reissue of said film)
- Donald Duck Balloon
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (specialty characters)
- Captain Hook's Pirate Ship - Peter Pan; Wendy; Captain Hook; Smee; Tinker Bell, and Rick Springfield
- Walt Disney World - The Country Bear Jamboree, Mickey Mouse, Miss Disneyland, and Miss Walt Disney World (to celebrate the first anniversary of Walt Disney World)
- Mickey Mouse Balloon
1973[]
- Trinity High School Marching Band (Disney Honor Band)
- Disney Wagon - Mickey Mouse; Pluto, and Goofy
- Alice in Wonderland (to promote the 1974 reissue of said movie)
- Captain Hook's Pirate Ship
- Walt Disney World - Robin Hood; Little John, and Prince John (To Promote Robin Hood)
- Mickey Mouse Balloon (to celebrate 50 Years of Walt Disney Productions)
1974[]
- Spring Branch Sr. High School Marching Band (Disney Honor Band)
- Alice in Wonderland (to promote the reissue of said movie)
- Disney Wagon - Mickey and Minnie Mouse; Pluto and Goofy
- Walt Disney World - Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
- Mickey Mouse Balloon
- Captain Hook's Pirate Ship
1975[]
- Walt Disney World - The Singing Rhodes Kids
- Disney Wagon - Mickey Mouse; Pluto, and Goofy
- Mickey Mouse Balloon
- Captain Hook's Pirate Ship
1976[]
- Mickey Mouse Balloon
- Disney Wagon - Mickey and Minnie Mouse; and Donald Duck
- Walt Disney World - Goofy; Pluto and The Shaggy Dog (To promote The Shaggy D.A.)
- Captain Hook's Pirate Ship - Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, John Darling, & Tick Tock Crocodile (To promote the 1976 reissue of Peter Pan)