Chapter 1
Sparking the dark
Chapter 2
Engineering the glow
Chapter 3
A global festival of lights
Chapter 4
Farewell and glowing legacy
YOUR GOAL
Master of How Disney wired the night
Ch 1 · Sparking the dark
dorothy An illustrated advertisement poster announces the upcoming Main Street Electrical Parade
dorothy Main Street Electrical Parade
We're shutting down the streetlights so a quiet battery-powered magic can spark the dark.
dorothy A diagram shows human vocal waves blending with instrument signals inside a vocoder
dorothy The parade's iconic theme song Baroque Hoedown was created using early synthesizers.
BETA
dorothy Sort the glowing floats chronologically to discover how this iconic parade evolved over time.
Fun Fact
Music rights: The original creators of Baroque Hoedown had no idea Disney used their song until Jean-Jacques Perrey accidentally visited Disneyland in 1980 and heard it.
Glossary
pageant (noun)
An elaborate public spectacle, dramatic presentation, or procession. Debuting in 1971, Walt Disney World's floating water pageant inspired Disneyland's iconic nighttime parade.
An elaborate public spectacle, dramatic presentation, or procession. Debuting in 1971, Walt Disney World's floating water pageant inspired Disneyland's iconic nighttime parade.
Quiz
In which year did the Main Street Electrical Parade make its official debut at Disneyland in California?
dorothy The parade's debut on June 17, 1972, was plagued by technical glitches and runaway floats.
Quiz
Which iconic audio effect is heard at the very start of the parade's synthesized announcement?
Quiz
Who were the original electronic music pioneers who composed Baroque Hoedown in 1967?
Quiz
What classic Disney character's giant train engine traditionally leads the Main Street Electrical Parade?
Quiz
What 1971 water show served as the direct inspiration for the Main Street Electrical Parade?
Quiz
Why were the earliest floats in the 1972 parade built as flat, two-dimensional screens?