Day Trippin'

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

I think you'll like it- the music and all the performers have to be seen and heard live to truly appreciate it.

 

I hope so.  That's why I'm reserving judgment until October.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Isn't the Snugly Duckling the bar they go to and sing at when she first leaves the tower? The skeletons are weird though. I don't have any ideas for those. 

 

I need to see that parade. It looks so cool!

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

Okay, this is just a guess.  But I think the reason Rapunzel is on a Viking-style ship might be a nod to the fact that Rapunzel and Anna and Ilsa are contemporaries.  When you see the guests arriving for Ilsa's coronation, if you watch carefully, you will see Rapunzel and Flynn.

 

[Beckers 1,136]

Weren't the guys at the bar Vikings?

[devores 382]

 

 

 

Do the above floats look familiar?

 

If you've seen the parade Im sure you've seen them.

 

Now to blow your mind.........

 

The above photos were taken in Tokyo, Japan. Its a parade called Jubilation and it is now retired. WDW got the floats from them to use in the "new" FOF.

 

Hows that make you feel? The brand spanking new parade we waited on for so long is just a bunch of repurposed floats from Japan.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Dave,

You mean to tell me we got a cheap Asian knock off for our new parade?

[Beckers 1,136]

Do the above floats look familiar?

If you've seen the parade Im sure you've seen them.

Now to blow your mind.........

The above photos were taken in Tokyo, Japan. Its a parade called Jubilation and it is now retired. WDW got the floats from them to use in the "new" FOF.

Hows that make you feel? The brand spanking new parade we waited on for so long is just a bunch of repurposed floats from Japan.

Wow. I just read it started in 2008. So our new to us parade has parts that are already 6 yr old.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Recycle....Reuse....Repurpose.  Disney is just being Green, Fiends!  

[Beckers 1,136]

Recycle....Reuse....Repurpose. Disney is just being Green, Fiends!

I wonder how much they saved by doing it?

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I wonder how much they saved by doing it?

 

I can't imagine how much those parades cost to develop.  I really don't have an issue with it....don't they have a history of moving parades around to different parks?  Makes sense to me.  Lets different people see the parades, while offering something new from time to time in the various locations.  I really doubt I'll ever get to one of the foreign Disney parks, which is probably the case with a majority of people, so why not? 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Isn't the Snugly Duckling the bar they go to and sing at when she first leaves the tower? The skeletons are weird though. I don't have any ideas for those. 

 

I need to see that parade. It looks so cool!

 

Yes, the Snugly Duckling is the bar where Rapunzel and Flynn meet up with a bunch of rough criminal types.  They have that big musical "I Have a Dream" number where the big guy reveals that he wants to be a mime. Very funny.  But were these guys Vikings?   I missed that detail.  And, maybe there were a bunch of skeletons hanging around the Snuggly Duckling too, but I don't remember that.

 

I guess what is happening is that the group from the bar has joined Rapunzel and Flynn on some type of voyage on the Viking Ship.  And they brought the Snuggly Duckling sign along.  Where are they all going?  And, what are those giant swinging things that Flynn and Maximus are on supposed to be?  Would it be too much trouble for one of the parade designers to explain this?

 

Okay, this is just a guess.  But I think the reason Rapunzel is on a Viking-style ship might be a nod to the fact that Rapunzel and Anna and Ilsa are contemporaries.  When you see the guests arriving for Ilsa's coronation, if you watch carefully, you will see Rapunzel and Flynn.

 

 

Very cool, Marty.  I've heard of this, but did not actually notice it in the movie.

 

But, Rapunzel has her short hair there.  On the float, it's still long.  I'm confused.

 

Weren't the guys at the bar Vikings?

 

Were they?  If so, then the Viking ship makes sense. Again, I haven't watched the movie very many times, but I didn't pick up on the fact that they guys were Vikings.  I thought they were a bunch of thieves and the Snuggly Duckling was kind of their hide-out.

 

 

 

 

Do the above floats look familiar?

 

If you've seen the parade Im sure you've seen them.

 

Now to blow your mind.........

 

The above photos were taken in Tokyo, Japan. Its a parade called Jubilation and it is now retired. WDW got the floats from them to use in the "new" FOF.

 

Hows that make you feel? The brand spanking new parade we waited on for so long is just a bunch of repurposed floats from Japan.

 

 

Thanks for posting those, Dave.  I knew that some of the floats were from Tokyo, and this confirms which ones are repurposed.

 

But, it's only those two.

 

The rest of the parade is all new.

 

At least I think it is.

 

We are going to be looking at that float with Pinocchio on it in the next update.  Of all the floats in the parade, it's the one that confuses me the most. 

 

Dave,

You mean to tell me we got a cheap Asian knock off for our new parade?

 

Classic.

 

Wow. I just read it started in 2008. So our new to us parade has parts that are already 6 yr old.

 

That's the Disney way.

 

I have not doubt that I will be taking my grandchildren to see the FOF parade.  And probably the MSEP too.

 

Recycle....Reuse....Repurpose.  Disney is just being Green, Fiends!  

 

Exactly.

 

They care so much about the environment.

 

I wonder how much they saved by doing it?

 

I'm sure they know exactly how much.

 

They probably used some kind of formula to determine how much stuff they could reuse and still get away with billing this as new.

 

I can't imagine how much those parades cost to develop.  I really don't have an issue with it....don't they have a history of moving parades around to different parks?  Makes sense to me.  Lets different people see the parades, while offering something new from time to time in the various locations.  I really doubt I'll ever get to one of the foreign Disney parks, which is probably the case with a majority of people, so why not? 

 

I agree- why not reuse it?  In fact, it would be cool if they rotated parades and shows more often.

 

TCD

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

I tried googling Tangled Vikings to see if there was proof of a connection.  Did you know there is a video game called Tangled Island that has Vikings in it?  Not very helpful, but since TCD TR's are about learning stuff, i thought I would mention it here.  Like you all care.  

 

I next added Disney to the search and got this hit: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Pub_Thugs

 

It does seem that some of the Pub Thugs names are Scandinavian (Tor, Vladamir) and some are wearing horned helmets.  That leads me to conclude they are Vikings.  But I have been wrong before.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I tried googling Tangled Vikings to see if there was proof of a connection.  Did you know there is a video game called Tangled Island that has Vikings in it?  Not very helpful, but since TCD TR's are about learning stuff, i thought I would mention it here.  Like you all care.  

 

I next added Disney to the search and got this hit: http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Pub_Thugs

 

It does seem that some of the Pub Thugs names are Scandinavian (Tor, Vladamir) and some are wearing horned helmets.  That leads me to conclude they are Vikings.  But I have been wrong before.

 

Very good, Marty.

 

Thanks for the link.  Now I know that big mime's name is Ulf.

 

But, like all Wikipedia articles, there's some inaccurate information in that one. For example, it says that the guy with the cupid wings is named Shorty, and "In the Disney theme parks, Shorty's likeness can be seen throughout New Fantasyland."  That is news to me, and I've been throughout New Fantasyland many times.

 

TCD

[caveat lector 181]

It amazes me how Disney creates landscapes that look like they been there for decades. Your picture of the bridge (while waiting for SOG) is neat. Even with the tarp originally covering the stream, it still looked like it had been there since cavemen roamed the grounds.

Why is the mime wearing lipstick?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

It amazes me how Disney creates landscapes that look like they been there for decades. Your picture of the bridge (while waiting for SOG) is neat. Even with the tarp originally covering the stream, it still looked like it had been there since cavemen roamed the grounds.

Why is the mime wearing lipstick?

 

I agree-they did a really good job with all of the theming in New Fantasyland.  It looks great.  I enjoy just walking around and seeing it from all the different angles.

 

Don't all mimes wear lipstick?  It sure seems that way to me.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Let's look at some more parade photos.  I would encourage everyone reading along to add your thoughts about these next two floats- as I am confused about what is supposed to be happening.

 

We left off with the bird guys and stilt walkers, and we pick it right back up with them.

 

The bird guys have cool costumes, and they like to stop and wow the crowd by extending their wings:

 

 

The stilt guys also add a lot to the parade, and like to walk up to parade watchers and try to scare them:

 

 

Prince Phillip is here, and he is fighting against the stilt walkers and bird men.  I understand that this is supposed to represent the scene in Sleeping Beauty where Maleficent is using her evil powers to fight the prince:

 

 

More stilt walkers trying to scare folks in the crowd:

 

 

Your basic fire breathing dragon shot:

 

 

If you look down toward the castle, you can see the hot air balloon float, which is the end of the parade.  This parade goes slow, but I think it has less in it to see than some other parades that have been performed in the MK:

 

 

After he fights the stilt walkers and bird men, the prince faces the dragon:

 

 

And the dragon fights back:

 

 

So, here's my problem with all of this:  What is this dragon supposed to be? In the movie, Maleficent uses a spell to transform herself into a dragon to fight the prince.  But this Steampunk Dragon isn't supposed to be Maleficent, is it?  I mean, you can see the dude in there driving it:

 

 

Take a closer look at that guy:

 

 

What the Fort?  He looks like a guy driving a forklift at the Home Depot.  Are those ear protectors he's wearing?  And, do you see that red thing there at the bottom left?  To me it looks like one of those reusable fabric grocery bags. Is that the guy's lunch?

 

Obviously, they want us to see that a guy is operating the dragon.  It's not a real dragon.  It's something that somebody built.  But who? Maleficent?  Why would she build a dragon when she can just turn herself into one?  And who is the guy driving it?  Is he with the bird men and stilt walkers?  If so, why doesn't he have a nice costume like they do?

 

Somebody please explain this to me.

 

Seriously, it bothers me.

 

But, it is a cool looking float:

 

 

To further confirm that this is a machine that someone built and not a real dragon, we see a big spinning wheel and the inner workings here in the middle of the float:

 

 

Here's something else that bothers me - an evil genius is able to build a menacing dragon, complete with the ability to breath fire, but one of the bird men have to work the tail with a stick?:

 

 

So, what, the bird guys built this dragon to fight the prince?  Why?  Why does it have to be a dragon?  And why does it need a tail if the tail is just going to be operated by one of them with a stick?

 

The tail guy has a fun job.  He also likes to interact with the audience.  Here, he has swung out all the way over near us:

 

 

And, now he's back behind the dragon:

 

 

So, I like this dragon float.  In fact, I think it makes the whole parade.  But, still, it confuses me.

 

After the dragon come the dwarfs. This is also something I find interesting.  Merida and Rapunzel get floats all to themselves, and a bunch of other princesses get to ride with their princes on that first float, but Snow White and her crew have to walk like a bunch of animals?  Who decided that?  Did DIT design this parade?:

 

 

 

Not only that, but Snow White has to share the spotlight during this part of the parade with Jiminy Cricket and Alice:

 

 

Then come some colorful dancers:

 

 

 

And Pinocchio on top of a whale:

 

 

I kind of understand this.  Pinocchio spends some time in a whale in the movie.  But why does the whale have a wind-up toy crank on its side?  So, this is not supposed to be the whale that swallowed Pinocchio in the movie, but a giant toy whale?  Do I have that right?  Why?

 

I don't know what's going on here.  On top of the whale, we see what looks like a roller coaster and other stuff, which I presume is a reference to the Pleasure Island sequence in the movie.  But, then here's Dumbo sitting on the whale's tale, with another float being pulled behind:

 

 

There's all kind of crazy stuff going down on that attached float- elephants, hippos, ostriches, gators, and to top it off Donald and Daisy are there, and there's a giant crown above them.

 

What the Fort again?  What is going on here?

 

You can see that Timothy the Circus Mouse stands at the front of the towed float interacting with Dumbo:

 

 

So, what?  Is this second float a circus?  There's an elephant holding up two girls who look like birds on swings:

 

 

 

OK, maybe we are at the circus.  But, then, for no apparent reason, Pluto is on the back of the float:

 

 

He's not in a circus costume or anything.

 

It's just Pluto hanging out on the back of a random float.

 

Why?

 

I actually asked Twin #1 to explain this mess to me.  She knew that this float had been repurposed from Japan.  She said she thought it was just supposed to represent a circus.

 

But, why is Pluto there?

 

And Donald and Daisy?

 

She couldn't explain it- but she said people in Japan are crazy.  So that goes a long way to explaining it.

 

Now, here's something I find interesting.  Take a closer look at what's going on with this float in that photo Devores posted from when it was in Japan:

 

 

As you can see, over there in the land of the Rising Sun, they had real live clowns on that float.  And a boat.  And pigs.  That makes so much more sense.  Twin #1 is right.

 

Behind this float, we find Goofy and Chip and Dale- dressed in what I guess is circus attire:

 

 

We had a lot of good character interaction at this parade- this time with Goofy.  This would be a reason not to watch the parade from the Train Station:

 

 

Chip and Dale have capes.  What are they, magicians?:

 

 

I thought I would be done with parade photos after this post.

 

But, the next one will begin with a few more.

 

Then we'll move on.

 

So, can anyone help me out with the dragon and whacky circus floats?  What are they supposed to be?  What's the back story?  Anyone?

 

TCD

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

It seems like some of the villains have been turned into machines.... kind of like a dream perhaps? 

 

I think the whale is circus themed too. I figured it's a tie in with the Storybook Circus part of Fantasyland. 

[devores 382]

Technically none of it makes sense. The whole story behind the parade is to celebrate the NEW Fantasyland.

 

This is why we have the circus scene and Pichnocio and the princesses. But no where in the park is there a Maleficent. So how'd she make it in the parade and such a huge part. And the story of Maleficent stems from Sleeping Beauty. Where's that tramp? Oh yeh, she got the boot to allow the frozen sisters to ride in the parade, even though when it started, they weren't even in the park.

 

So I gave up trying to figure out the hodge podge parade they have now and just enjoy it for what it is. The land of misfit floats.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

It seems like some of the villains have been turned into machines.... kind of like a dream perhaps? 

 

I think the whale is circus themed too. I figured it's a tie in with the Storybook Circus part of Fantasyland. 

 

What villains got turned into machines?  Maleficent is the only one.  And who did it?  And what kind of lame powers did that person have if the machine has to be operated by some fat guy in ear muffs?

 

If that float is supposed to be circus themed- then put the characters in their costumes from Storybook Circus.  Pluto doesn't make any sense at all.

 

The "it's all just a dream" theory might be right- it is a cop-out, but it could all be explained away that way.

 

Technically none of it makes sense. The whole story behind the parade is to celebrate the NEW Fantasyland.

 

This is why we have the circus scene and Pichnocio and the princesses. But no where in the park is there a Maleficent. So how'd she make it in the parade and such a huge part. And the story of Maleficent stems from Sleeping Beauty. Where's that tramp? Oh yeh, she got the boot to allow the frozen sisters to ride in the parade, even though when it started, they weren't even in the park.

 

So I gave up trying to figure out the hodge podge parade they have now and just enjoy it for what it is. The land of misfit floats.

 

A hodge podge parade of misfit floats? 

 

Exactly.

 

But, I assume some genius Imagineers somewhere came up with these ideas.  I think it was you that said everything has a backstory.  I want to know what they were thinking.

 

I think it's pretty poor that Aurora got the boot off of the princess float.  Especially since the whole dragon/Prince Phillip/Bird Man/Stilt Walker scene relates to her.

 

TCD

[Judy in Texas 150]

Great pictures, TCD!

 

My two cents... I think so much of the WDW theming and the meaning behind detail goes un-noticed by the average visitor.   Isn't each section of the store on Main Street themed around a certain era?  The addresses on the buildings in Frontierland are years of some significance?  While it's fun and interesting to see the detail, I go to WDW to enjoy myself, not to think and ponder what the Imagineers meant by placing a certain piece at that specific angle on that specific shelf.  

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Great pictures, TCD!

 

My two cents... I think so much of the WDW theming and the meaning behind detail goes un-noticed by the average visitor.   Isn't each section of the store on Main Street themed around a certain era?  The addresses on the buildings in Frontierland are years of some significance?  While it's fun and interesting to see the detail, I go to WDW to enjoy myself, not to think and ponder what the Imagineers meant by placing a certain piece at that specific angle on that specific shelf.  

 

OK, I accept that.  I'll let some of my questions go.

 

But I still need to know why there's a fat guy with ear muffs driving the dragon. 

 

TCD

[dvccamper 32]

I think they don't want people to think too much about the parade, just accept the potpourri of characters/situations.

I like the parade very much when we saw it with the exception of the dragon. The parade is so colorful and upbeat, I don't think the dragon fits. To me it looks like a cast off from some over budget, futuristic dark film that bombed at the box office.

But I like your observation of the driver of the dragon with his lunch next to him. If only you could have gotten a shot of him taking a bite of his sandwich.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

OK, I accept that. I'll let some of my questions go.

But I still need to know why there's a fat guy with ear muffs driving the dragon.

TCD

The dragon was in a cold place and hungry. Everyone knows fat guys in ear muffs make the best eating. He's not controlling her. He's trying to get out before the gears grind him up and feed him to the guy controlling the tail.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I think they don't want people to think too much about the parade, just accept the potpourri of characters/situations.

I like the parade very much when we saw it with the exception of the dragon. The parade is so colorful and upbeat, I don't think the dragon fits. To me it looks like a cast off from some over budget, futuristic dark film that bombed at the box office.

But I like your observation of the driver of the dragon with his lunch next to him. If only you could have gotten a shot of him taking a bite of his sandwich.

 

I guess you're right.  This is just what Dave said- don't try to make any sense out of it.  Sorry, but I  just can't do it. 

 

I have the same problem with Star Wars- who paid for all that stuff these people are flying around in?  What do they eat?  Do any of them have jobs? What about health insurance?  How do they file their tax returns?  How can they all breath the same air?  I could go on.  None of this stuff bothers Star Wars geeks.  I don't understand it.

 

I like the dragon.

 

A photo of the Dragon Pilot munching on a ham and cheese would be priceless.  I'm going to try for that shot!

 

The dragon was in a cold place and hungry. Everyone knows fat guys in ear muffs make the best eating. He's not controlling her. He's trying to get out before the gears grind him up and feed him to the guy controlling the tail.

 

Wow.  You could seriously be an Imagineer.

 

If I ever hear their version, I'll bet yours is better.

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Andrew....you are asking too many questions about the parade.  It's not meant to make any sense, like many things from Japan. 

 

Keep in mind, those floats were built by the same people that brought us such products as the Baby Mop.

 

 

That's right....why have your baby just crawling around on the floor uselessly when they could simultaneously be cleaning the house? 

 

And also, the same people came up with a way to eat noodles without you hair falling into the broth. 

 

 

Suffering from a cold?  Never fear....the Japanese have you covered there too. 

 

 

And lest you think that walking around town with a roll of toilet paper strapped to your head will result in you being alone in life....never fear.  Just get yourself a companion pillow so you never spend a night alone. 

 

 

 

Kind of puts those floats in perspective, don't you think?