The parade began in honor of the 25th Anniversary Tokyo Disney Resort and Tokyo Disneyland. It consists of nine colorful floats that feature several Disney characters in fantastical worlds. Minnie Mouse leads the parade and Mickey Mouse and friends close it.
During the 25th Anniversary year, from April 15, 2008 to April 14, 2009, the parade would stop for show mode four times during its course, once in part A and once in part B at every section of the parade route. The average number of show mode stops for a Tokyo Disneyland parade is three. In the show mode, a specially arranged version of the song "What Time is It?" from High School Musical 2 mixed in with the 25th Anniversary theme song "Dream Goes On" would play and guests would be asked to clap their hands and dance along in celebration. Until June 30, 2008, the NTT DoCoMo sponsorship float will feature the logo that has been in use by the company since 1991, but however starting on July 1, 2008, concurrent with the company-wide logo change, the sponsorship float was changed to the current logo with "docomo" written in lowercase letters. Since April 15, 2009, the parade has carried out without stopping for a show mode and removed the "25" from the final float.
Princess Garden Unit: This pageantry of princesses celebrates Disney royalty. Cinderella and Belle accompanied by their respective princes, ride in a garden of topiaries with woodland creatures, birds, and more. Cinderella's dress playfully twirls like a turntable, while Swan Court couples lead the 50-foot-long majestic float, capped off with the special appearances by Aurora and Prince Phillip. It was later relocated to Magic Kingdom in Florida for the Festival of Fantasy Parade and replaced by Tiana and Naveen from The Princess and the Frog, and Anna and Elsa from Frozen.
Jungle Safari Unit: Who better than Simba from 1994 animated film The Lion King or Baloo and Mowgli from 1967 animated film The Jungle Book to embody the spirit of adventure? A high rock overlooks the exuberant jungle flora, while the percussion and shimmering colors release the wild instincts of an exotic world where, fortunately, it takes very little to be happy. It was later relocated to Disneyland Park (Paris) in France for Disney Stars on Parade.
Pirate Moon Unit: Based on the 1953 animated film Peter Pan. From Skull Rock to another, this one is in the shape of a skull and serves as the throne of Captain Hook. Peter Pan is close by, at the helm of a ship suspended beneath an immense, dreamlike moon. It was later relocated to Disney Stars on Parade.
Bubbles Unit: This unit culminates with a 90-foot-long magical caravan of characters featuring The Three Little Pigs, Pinocchio, and Dumbo. The circus clowns were in a splashy carnival of color. There's Pegasus horses, The Hippos, and The Alligators from Fantasia, also the sassy Bubble Girls and the Ringmaster celebrating as well. It was later relocated to Festival of Fantasy Parade.
Pixar Pals Unit: Characters from Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., and The Incredibles feature in this float. Sulley drives a large forklift-like vehicle, comically squashing Randall. Mike sits on the front next to Boo's door. The next float features A large clear globe with plastic balls bouncing around inside with Buzz Lightyear atop the float in a rocket was duplicated for Disney California Adventure's former daytime parade Pixar Play Parade. The Little Green Men ride in their spaceship and Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl ride on their individual "hovercrafts", which were also used in the parade.
Following the parade's conclusion, some of the floats were sold on to other Disney Parks across the world.
The Princess Garden and Bubbles units relocated to Magic Kingdom in Late-2013, and were given a minor refresh and repaint for the park's then-new daytime parade Festival of Fantasy Parade, which premiered in March 2014.
The Little Green Men spaceship from the Pixar Pals unit was relocated to Disneyland and reused for Paint the Night, being refurbished to make way for the addition of lights. Disneyland also purchased the Jungle Safari and Lilo & Stitch costumes for Mickey's Soundsational Parade around the same time, being used on the Little Mermaid unit.
The Jungle Safari, Pirate Moon and Finale units relocated to Disneyland Park (Paris) in Late-2016 for Disney Stars on Parade. The former two floats were given a refurbishment and a "Steampunk" feel to match the feel of the parade, with the parade eventually premiering in March 2017.[1] The Finale unit was given a complete rebuild, keeping the same structure but now being themed to Toy Story. Disneyland Paris also purchased the individual "hovercrafts" from the Pixar Pals unit which were used for special events.
The remaining floats that were not sold were scrapped by OLC in 2017, with their float bases being reused for Dreaming Up!.
Main Chorus Lyrics[]
There'll come a day
When you're losing your way
And you wonder where you belong
They say that home is where the heart is
So follow your heart! And know that you can't go wrong
If you feel lost, and on your own, and far from home,
You're never alone (You're never alone), you know
Just think of your friends
The ones who care
They will all be waiting there
With love to share
Your heart will lead you
Where you belong
Your heart will lead you home
Splash Mountain:Burrow's Lament • Little Brown Jug • Shortnin' Bread • Polly Wolly Doodle • Froggy Went a Courtin' • Shoo Fly (Don't Bother Me) • Goober Peas • Camptown Races • Dixie • Swing Low Sweet Chariot • When Johnny Comes Marching Home • Comin' Round the Mountain • Ol' MacDonald • Skip to My Lou • Freight Train Blues • Wabash Cannonball • St. James Infirmary • Tennessee Waltz • Show Me the Way to Go Home • Alabamy Bound • Down By the Riverside • My Old Kentucky Home • Blue Moon if Kentucky • Blue Ridge Mountain Blues • Carolina Moon • Deep River Blues • Goodnight Ladies • Honey Comb • Jailhouse Blues • Old Mill Stream • Salty Dog • Up a Lazy River • Tom Dooley • Oh, Susanna • John Henry • Sixteen Tons • I've Been Working on the Railroad • When the Saints Go Marchin' In • You Are My Sunshine
