Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade (1985)

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.