The 1985 Disney Easter Parade launched this Walt Disney World holiday tradition on television. ABC aired the special on April 7, 1985. The parade took place at Magic Kingdom and introduced a format fans would see for years.
Joan Lunden and Rick Dees hosted the first broadcast. Together, they guided viewers through a mix of music, celebrity appearances, and Easter fun on Main Street, U.S.A. The special featured The Oak Ridge Boys, magician Doug Henning, Jack Wagner, New Edition, George Burns, and the Radio City Rockettes. As a result, the debut parade felt both festive and star-filled.
What stands out most is how fully Disney committed to the special from the start. This was not just a simple park parade shown on television. Instead, ABC presented it as a full Easter event from Magic Kingdom, blending celebrity guests, musical performances, comedy, and Disney atmosphere into one national broadcast.
The 1985 show also plays like a time capsule of mid-1980s Walt Disney World. Main Street, U.S.A. became the stage, while the guest lineup reflected the television and music culture of the era. Because of that, the first special feels closer to a classic network variety show than a modern park promotional broadcast.
More importantly, Disney backed that first telecast with a major production effort. Disney historians have noted that costumers created or refreshed hundreds of costumes for the parade, using thousands of yards of fabric, ribbon, and flowers. That extra detail helps explain why the first broadcast already felt polished enough to launch a recurring Easter tradition.
Because the 1985 special made such a strong debut, the Happy Easter Parade returned in later years. Over time, it became a seasonal tradition for Disney fans through the late 1980s and 1990s. Today, the first broadcast still matters because it marks the beginning of the series and captures an older style of Disney television.
Watch the First-Ever 1985 Parade
Watch the first televised 1985 Disney Easter Parade and revisit the start of this Walt Disney World Easter tradition.
More Walt Disney World Parades
- Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade Archive.
- Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade Archive
- Walt Disney World 4th of July Speculators
