Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade

This is the very first Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade to be aired on network television from 1985. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney during the 80's and 90's, before being abandoned in the early 2000's by the Eisner regime. This is the only nighttime Easter Parade that aired. From here on out it always aired on Easter afternoon after most Americans had returned home from attending morning church services. The parade always ended with the crowd singing Irving Berlin's Easter Parade as they dispersed after the festivities. This unique parade in the history of the Easter parade, is more of a concert format with some parade edited in. Although this is a format is much more common today, it was unusual at the time. The Independence Day Parade that would begin airing a few years later was always a nighttime parade closer in format to this debut Easter parade. It's still a time capsule into Walt Disney history past and pop culture past. Joan Lunden and Rick Dees co-host this parade with magician Doug Henning appearing throughout. There's also an appearance by the dinosaur animatronic from the then upcoming Touchstone Pictures release Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend. The studio had high hopes for this film as their answer to Raiders of the Lost Ark centered around the mythos of the cryptid creature known as Mokele mbembe. Lunden was then the current co-host of Good Morning America while Dees was a popular comedian and radio personality of the day. Henning was a well-known magician of the time. He later got involved in politics before passing away of liver cancer in 2000. This archetype of hosts for the parade broadcasts would continue with the parade for decades even though the hosts would change. Joan Lunden is the longest-running host of the Disney parade broadcasts. She would co-host the Easter Parade until 1996. This parade broadcast was executive produced by Walt Disney's grandson Walter Miller. Original air date April 7, 1985 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the second Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade to be aired on network television from 1986. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney during the 80's and 90's, before being abandoned in the early 2000's by the Eisner regime. This is the only time the parade was merged with the New York City Easter Parade in a joint broadcast, making it a unique parade broadcast in its history. The New York City Easter Parade had debuted on TV the year before on CBS while the Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade aired later that night on ABC. This broadcast aired on CBS and alternated between the two parades. After this year, the Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade always aired on Easter afternoon after most Americans had returned home from attending morning church services. The parade always ended with the crowd singing Irving Berlin's Easter Parade as they dispersed after the festivities. It's a time capsule into Walt Disney and America's history past and pop culture past. Robby Benson and Anna Alicia co-host the Disney World portion of the parade with Ken Kercheval and Susan Howard hosting the New York City Easter Parade portions of the show. Benson was a movie star at the time and would go one to be the voice of the Beast in the 1991 Disney animated feature Beauty & the Beast. Alicia was one of the main cast members on the soap opera Falcon's Crest. Original air date March 30, 1986 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the third Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade to be aired on network television from 1986. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney during the 80's and 90's, before being abandoned in the early 2000's by the Eisner regime. This broadcast aired on ABC. The Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade always aired on Easter afternoon after most Americans had returned home from attending morning church services. The parade always ended with the crowd singing Irving Berlin's Easter Parade as they dispersed after the festivities. It's a time capsule into Walt Disney and America's history past and pop culture past. Joan Lunden and Ben Vareen co-host this parade with Alan Thicke and Regis Philbin. It’s the same dynamic of the Christmas parades of the time. This was the first Easter parade where Thicke appears. Lunden was then the current co-host of Good Morning America and Thicke was one of the stars from the sitcom Growing Pains. Regis was a well known talk show host vet even then. This archetype of hosts for the parade broadcasts would continue with the parade for decades even though the hosts would change. Original air date April 19, 1987 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the fourth Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade to be aired on network television from 1988. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney during the 80's and 90's, before being abandoned in the early 2000's by the Eisner regime. This broadcast aired on ABC. The Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade always aired on Easter afternoon after most Americans had returned home from attending morning church services. The parade always ended with the crowd singing Irving Berlin's Easter Parade as they dispersed after the festivities. It's a time capsule into Walt Disney and America's history past and pop culture past. Joan Lunden and Alan Thicke co-host this parade with Regis Philbin. It’s the same dynamic of the Christmas parades of the time. This was the first Easter parade co-hosted by Thicke Lunden was then the current co-host of Good Morning America and Thicke was one of the stars from the sitcom Growing Pains. Regis was a well known talk show host vet even then. This archetype of hosts for the parade broadcasts would continue with the parade for decades even though the hosts would change. Original air date April 3, 1988 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the sixth Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade to be aired on network television from 1990. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney during the 80's and 90's, before being abandoned in the early 2000's by the Eisner regime. This broadcast aired on ABC. The Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade always aired on Easter afternoon after most Americans had returned home from attending morning church services. The parade always ended with the crowd singing Irving Berlin's Easter Parade as they dispersed after the festivities. It's a time capsule into Walt Disney and America's history past and pop culture past. Joan Lunden and Alan Thicke co-host this parade with Regis Philbin. It’s the same dynamic of the Christmas parades of the time. Lunden was then the current co-host of Good Morning America and Thicke was one of the stars from the sitcom Growing Pains. Regis was a well known talk show host vet even then. This archetype of hosts for the parade broadcasts would continue with the parade for decades even though the hosts would change. Comedian Howie Mandel also joins in on the festivities checking in from the Disney MGM Studio while Buster Poindexter, pseudonym for actor, singer songwriter David Johansen hosts a segment from Disneyland. Original air date April 15, 1990 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.