Disneyland Resort Paris is probably the world's strangest place on earth for shows, why? Simple fact, really, they try to make the best shows, however not always do they work well. Disney's Nutcracker parade was a cracking example of how not to make a parade. The great people at Disneyland Resort Paris entertainment decided to rid the parade for 1997 or ANY parade floats at all and have glamerous carriages, snowmen, dancers, toy soldiers and Santa Claus only. This making the parade one of the greatest disasters of early Disneyland Paris history.
(//http://www.patmagic.net/XmasParade019.jpg)
Mickey and the gang were present all dressed for the season, however something was missing, a little bit of wave, wand and pixie dust. The Disney PRINCESSES, well are they not always the answer :wink: . As far as this problem goes, the answer was yes, the princesses and Prince's were added a year later.
(//http://www.patmagic.net/XmasParade003.jpg)
(//http://www.patmagic.net/XmasParade004.jpg)
Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Aladdin were all brought in to save this problematic parade before it was too late. Each of the dancing units were given very classical and formal looking costumes. These making the parade seem to be the first ever time Disneyland Paris decided it would recycle a parade for a season.
(//http://www.patmagic.net/XmasParade011.jpg)
The music used for the season, was a very classical score from Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker", the music adding a fantastic sense of classicalness to the parade. Never before had Disney used classical music from a ballet for the whole duration of a parade. Most likely they never will again either, with a bigger market for classical songs, such as Chante C'est Noel, which get most people in the Christmas spirit.
(//http://www.patmagic.net/XmasParade024.jpg)
In the end the parade did actually work, and lasted until the 2002 season. During 2003 it was replaced by what we now know as Chante C'est Noel and La Parade De Noel.
(Photos by dlp.info)