Walt Disney World Independence Day Spectacular (1988)

In 1988, the Walt Disney World Independence Day Spectacular joined its sister Easter and Christmas parade broadcasts. Like its siblings, the Independence Day Spectacular was a 2 hour advertisement on everything Disney. Unlike those other parades, this broadcast celebrated America.

The date this parade aired varied from year to year and even by network. This first Independence Day Parade broadcast aired on July 3 on ABC. It was the shortest lived parade broadcast, only running 6 years. The final parade aired in 1992. In this parade at the end of President Ronald Reagan's two terms, you'll see something you never see today; the Walt Disney characters dressed in patriotic attire. The broadcast contains several song performances by popular stars of the time as well.

Unlike the other parades, the Independence Day Parade didn't have a regular host. For its inaugural year Mark Summers and Tempestt Bledsoe host this debut parade. At the time, Mark Summers was the host of Nickelodeon's game show Double Dare and Tempestt Bledsoe was starring on the Bill Cosby Show spin off A Different World.

Willard Scott hosted the man on the street segments around the park. He had been the long time weather man on NBC's Today Show and a regular host for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Original air date July 3, 1988

Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.