Did anyone see the 5/7/06 3:15pm Parade of Dreams?

[mickey's jedi]

I was the Grand Marshal! It was my birthday, and I had my sticker on, of course, a CM picked me (and my 4 year old daughter, my best friend and her 4 year old daughter) to ride in the fire truck at the head of the parade!

It was a totally cool, once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Did anyone tape the parade or take pictures?

Thanks!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Hi Mickey's Jedi -- sorry I wasn't there, but what a neat way to celebrate your birthday!

 

[mickey's jedi]

thanks Mary Jo! It was really fun - I had a "mouse ear-to-mouse ear" grin the whole time!

As I watched the crowds go by, I noticed how many cameras were pointed at us in the fire truck - Hoping soemone out there that was taping might see these posts!

 

[Disney Hot Mama]

What fun for you and your group. I always wondered how the grand marshall was choosen. We were in the parade years ago with the hippo's but Grand Marshal is a much more important role. I hope you were treated wonderfully by the Disney crew. Did you get to keep the nice sign the have on the side of the car? Did you receive any other goodies? What a great birthday present at the happiest place on earth!!

 

[mickey's jedi]

thanks!

The CM said that sometimes they have a celebrity available, and sometimes it's a charity thing like make-a-wish, but sometimes it's random - we had just come out of the opera house (it was about 9:30am) I had my 4 year old daughter with me and my best friend and her 4 year old daughter - the CM also said they "like to have groups with kids in them". The CM had noticed my birthday sticker - so I think that was the clincher!

We got escorted backstage (near small world) about a half hour before parade start and the fire truck was waiting for us. Tigger, Eeyore, Pooh, Marry Poppins, Bill the Penguin and Burt came out and played with the kids a few minutes before the start. They gave us all gold mouse ears to wear, and they told us the sign on the side of the truck would be waiting for us at package pick up at the front of the park! I did my best princess wave (elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist, wrist) and my daughter blew kisses the whole time. The Mayor of Main Street also had everyone yell "happy birthday" once we were on Main Street! When we got to the end, we were taken up to the platform at the railroad station and there was a roped-off bench for us to sit and watch the rest of the parade from.

We took photos with our own cameras before the parade started (I wish I had brought my video camera that day!) - the only thing that I could say that I wish had happened, is that Disneyland took an "official photo" while we were on the route - I would have been happy to pay for it.

Nonetheless - it was very very awesome!

My secret wish was to be in that parade you were in, and get to dance (not necessarily with the hippos but to do a routine like that)!

 

[maberlyne]

You lucky girl!!!! What an awesome experience!

You got me excited for a minute, though - we're going to be going over my bday and I thought, maybe if I hang around... but the youngest "kid" in our group will be 19 . Darnit! I'm so happy for you, though!!

 

[mickey's jedi]

You never know what magical things can happen at Disneyland! I don't think the "kids in the group" is any kind of rule... Although you know how the 2 billionth guest "happened" to be a kid... who I understand was in line with the family to buy tickets for the day... And there is a old story about how the first person through the gates in 1955 was an adult, but it ended up Walt posed with 2 kids near the front of the line and those kids came to be known as the first guests...

Certainly go get your birthday sticker at City Hall - Although nothing is official, I hear lots of stories about little free doo-dads from CMs who are in a good mood that day!

Have a great time on your birthday!