Snow White Parade (50th Anniversary - 1987)

Snow White's "Golden Anniversary Celebration" at Disneyland included a twice daily 12 minute royal parade that ran down Main Street USA from early summer until fall. The lineup began with banner-carriers on horseback followed by Donald Duck and a host of dancing lords and ladies.

Banner-Carriers (Screen capture via home video shot by haborhouse55)

Banner Float followed closely by Donald Duck (via haborhouse55)

Banner Float close-up. Image courtesy of the Raymond Collection. Used with permission. 

Riding alone atop a float of topiaries with a "Once upon a time" banner behind him, Goofy read the proclamation handbill from the previous post. In another video, Mickey and Minnie are on this float with Goofy. This addition to the lineup may have occurred later in the year. It appears that Mickey and Minnie were originally located near the end of the parade in their own horse-drawn carriage.

No mice...

Goofy (via Hetchel)

Mice...

Goofy with Mickey and Minnie (via haborhouse55)

Dancing mirror-carriers proceeded the Evil Queen's float where she conversed with the Magic Mirror. Dopey followed in a giant washtub.

Dancing Mirrors (via scottof83)

Evil Queen Float (via haborhouse55)

Dopey Float (via haborhouse55)

More dancers led the way for Chip and Dale with Daisy Duck who were busy cleaning a "cottage" float.

Cottage Float (via haborhouse55)

Three dancing wheelbarrow pushers came next, followed by the rest of the Dwarfs--either on or marching in front of a diamond mine float.

Wheelbarrows (via haborhouse55)

Dwarf Mine Float. Image courtesy of the Raymond Collection. Used with permission.

It's interesting that this section also included six dancing and spinning diamonds. However, after a couple of weeks, they were removed from the parade. Have not heard the reason why.

Dancing Diamonds (via Hetchel)

Accompanied by the Pinocchio gang, two cast members pulled a diamond cart behind the Dwarfs' float.

Diamond Cart (via scottof83)

Heel-Kicking Good Times (Photo copyright LBBear. Used with permission.)

Dancing crows pranced in front of the Old Witch and her smoking cauldron float.

Dancing Crows (via haborhouse55)

Witch's Cauldron Float (via haborhouse55)

If Mickey and Minnie weren't at the front of the parade with Goofy, they would be here in a horse-draw carriage. In close pursuit were additional dancing characters including Alice. Then more lords and ladies.

Mickey and Minnie (via Hetchel)

Dancing Alice (via scottof83)

Lords and Ladies (via haborhouse55)

This was of course way before the time of Jasmine, Tiana, and Rapunzel, and it even predates Ariel and Belle. So for the finale, the only other Disney princesses, Aurora and Cinderella, danced with their princes in front of Snow White and the Prince who waved from their float.

The Other Royal Couples (Photo copyright ThemeFabrication. Used with permission.)

Snow White Float (via haborhouse55)

Prince and Snow close-up (via scottof83)

The parade was shot on home video from the train station by haborhouse55 and is available on DVD from the LaughingPlace.com. At least two other videos exist online and can be seen below.

The first was posted in two parts by scottof83...

Videos posted by

The next video, posted by Hetchel, is in three parts and features the Dancing Diamonds that were taken out of parade after only a couple weeks...

Videos posted by

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While most of the Snow White hoopla seemed to occur at Disneyland, the first princess was included in some Florida celebrations too. Themed paper plates and cups were used at many of the food stops, and she and dwarfs did appear in the Walt Disney World 15 Years of Magic parade.

15 Years of Magic Parade (Screen capture via ProgressCityPublicTV)

Commemorating the theme park's Crystal Anniversary milestone, the parade began in October 1986 and continued until September 1987. In the new year, to kill two birds with one stone so to speak, Snow White was inserted near the front of the lineup as a way to commemorate the 50th year of the film too.

A blurb in the July/August 1987 issue of Tampa Bay Magazine mentions the new parade sequence and tells of a Wishing Well float that they would be riding on...

[CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE]

July/August 1987 Tampa Bay Magazine, p.14

In my online search, I was able to locate video clips from both the 1986 pre-Snow White parade and also the 1987 version with the princess and dwarfs. However, there's no sign of the Wishing Well float. It's pictured in the publicity shot above, so it did exist at some point, but nothing has surfaced on video so far.

In the 1986 parade, you will see Mickey and Minnie start it off followed by a group of dancers. Next comes a giant birthday present, then a character float with Pluto, Chip and Dale and others. No Snow White.
 

Excerpt from video originally posted by mcrtnyfan.

In this April 1987 clip, Snow White and the Dwarfs have been inserted into the parade between the first Mickey/Minnie and the Pluto/Chip and Dale floats. But the princess and her seven friends are walking the route without a vehicle of their own...

Excerpt from video originally posted by drummerboy74.

Another short 1987 clip shows Snow White and the Dwarfs still walking "floatless" behind Mickey and Minnie...

Excerpt from video originally posted by awesoman.

So Snow White did make an appearance in the WDW parade, but it really felt like more of an afterthought. Without question, the Disneyland parade commemorated the 50th anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in a much more authentic way.