People of America

America on Parade, the Bicentennial parade that celebrated the 200 year history of the United States of America, is one of the greatest processional displays ever created for a Disney theme park. The marching history book took over thirty minutes to make its way by guests and was anchored by a score played out through a 1890 band organ, complete with 1970’s synthesizing. Over the past couple of years, the Main Street Gazette has heaped history and praise upon the patriotic pageantry with stories about America on Parade and the Little Golden Book released during the festivities, Walt Disney’s Donald Duck in America on Parade, taking a few moments to point out the little details that we love so much.

Attending to those details is often the task of another past topic on the Gazette, and a fun term to play with, the wardrobe mistresses. In today’s look back to the vintage days of Walt Disney World, both the wardrobe mistresses and residents of America on Parade are highlighted.

The oversized occupants of the festival, known as the People of America, were eight feet tall and costumed in clothing that was as authentic as possible. In advance of each presentation of America on Parade, it was the wardrobe mistresses’ responsibility to inspect, repair, and make sure each of the 150 costumes sat properly upon the Cast Member. In the photograph below, the mistresses diligently work to prepare a pair of frontier settlers who, along with their covered wagon, are heading west!