Walt Disney World | 4th of July Spectacular | 1989 | Main Street Electrical Parade | Sandi Patty

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Disney Decade was in full swing, and part of it was advertising what’s new at Walt Disney World Resort. Disney parks were no stranger to “live” events from the parks. The Happy Easter Parade, Christmas Day Parade, and yes, The 4^th of July Spectacular. While Disney has “live-streamed” some recent 4^th of July performances, it just doesn’t quite feel like the anticipation of waiting to watch the “live” fireworks on July 3^rd in the 1980s. The special, like the Christmas and Easter Parades, evolved over the years; and in 1989, America’s 213^th Birthday the focus was on Disney recording artists and the newly opened MGM Studios theme park.

The Spectacular kicks off at Washington Square, New York, New York, or in this case, at Walt Disney World MGM Studios. Remember the Studios had just opened just two months earlier on May 1^st, 1989 – New Kids on the Block are at Pleasure Island along with the Mannequin Dancers. Mickey Mouse Club Members are at the new Typhoon Lagoon Water Park; boy that footage looks familiar, almost like I’ve seen it before. Carol Channing is at Cinderella’s Castle; Janie Fricke, at the Theater of the Stars, and The Temptations in front of Oscars Service Station at MGM Studios. Disneyland has just opened the new Splash Mountain while Willard Scott and Gretchen Carlson, Miss America, host the All-American Parade at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom along with the Main Street Electrical Parade, and Sandi Patty closing out the Spectacular during the “live” fireworks performance. Happy 213^th Birthday, America!!

You might also like Walt Disney World 4th of July Speculators 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, or The Voices of Liberty on the 4^th of July?

You might also like a look at the Toy Story 4 Press Conference, and To Infinity and Beyond, a look at What’s next at Disney Parks (2018)