1991 Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade: Surprise 20th Celebration, Euro Disney & SpectroMagic

Two Parades and a 20th Anniversary Celebration

Live from the Walt Disney World Resort in sunny Florida, it’s the 1991 Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade—celebrating 20 magical years with two parades: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parade at Disney-MGM Studios and the brand-new 20th Anniversary Surprise Celebration Parade at Magic Kingdom.

Hosts and Opening Highlights

Mickey and Minnie were joined by Joan Lunden and Regis Philbin on Main Street, U.S.A. with Mayim Bialik (Blossom) reported from Disney-MGM Studios.

Spectacular Performances and Parade Magic

The Surprise Celebration Parade featured 40-foot-tall Disney character balloons, including Roger Rabbit, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, and Mickey. The Voices of Liberty sang Christmas carols at Magic Kingdom, while Mayim reported from Disney-MGM Studio,s where she highlighted the new Beauty and the Beast stage show.

Backstage, Regis gave us a look at SpectroMagic. The all-new nighttime parade dazzled with costumes, lighting, and an original soundtrack, all debuting on TV.

International and Resort Features

Lee Greenwood and Sandi Patti performed at EPCOT’s American Gardens Theatre as part of President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush’s special “Points of Light” tribute.  The tribute was part of the 20th Anniversary celebration, which took place that October.

The Disney Girls toured the Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Caribbean Beach, and the new Dixie Landings and Disney Vacation Club resorts.

At Disneyland, viewers enjoyed Mickey’s Nutcracker and holiday cheer from the West Coast.

Behind the Scenes and Overseas Magic

Mayim Bialik visited the animation building at Disney-MGM Studios, where animators worked on Beauty and the Beast. The program included scenes from the animated film and glimpses of animators in action.

We visited Euro Disney, which was then under construction outside Paris. Euro Disney Ambassador Sabine Marcon gave a sneak peek at the site set to open in April. We also traveled to Tokyo Disneyland, open since 1983, where 10 million guests had already visited. A holiday performance from Tokyo rounded out the international showcase.

Grand Finale with Santa

At Walt Disney World, Santa Claus closed the parade on Main Street, U.S.A., with a magical message and seasonal cheer for viewers coast to coast.

Looking for more nostalgia? Try the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parades, Happy Easter Parades. 4th of July Spectaculars and the Disney Family Albums.