Walt Disney World 50 for 50: Come and Join the Fun

It’s hard to not look at Walt Disney World celebrations from the past and not think about the 25th anniversary and the castle birthday cake. For me, however, the best celebrations, seared into my childhood memories, is the anniversary that took place a decade earlier. From October 1, 1986 until September 30, 1987 there was a spectacular held in Walt Disney World that still influences today’s annual events. The 15th Anniversary of Walt Disney World, sometimes referred to as the 15th Birthday Celebration, was shorten and most commonly referred to as simply 15 Years, with a logo the included both Spaceship Earth and Cinderella Castle.

 

The celebration itself had gigantic displays at the entrances to both parks. In front of the Main Street U.S.A. train station there was a large Mickey Mouse alarm clock with the number 15 filling in every spot where the 1 through 12 should be. In addition, this area in front of the station was where guests could find a car from General Motors, but more on that in a bit. Meanwhile, over in EPCOT Center, there were massive angular cakes filling the entrance plaza planters. Think of the as colorful predecessors of the Leave A Legacy monoliths. You can see the cake in the background of the photographs below, which features my sister and I.

The 15 Years celebration also brought with it a great deal of entertainment. In the Magic Kingdom alone, there was a float added to the Main Street Electrical Parade as well as a stage show in front of Cinderella Castle, and an afternoon parade, entitled 15th Birthday Magic Show and 15 Years of Magic, respectively. The music from the parade was as clever and catchy as anything Disney’s ever produced. The sign of which is that even now, more than 30 years on, I can still sing large sections of the song without assistance. Not that anyone wants, or should ask, that I serenade them with the pure 80’s sound.

 

The parade featured Mickey and Minnie in the lead off float, dressed as something out of Miami Vice. They were followed by a large, top open present, which was one of several to be featured in the parade, usually in between two larger floats with characters in between. You can see one just behind Mickey and Minnie in the above photo. Other major floats included a band float with Chip, Dale, Pluto, Tigger, Br’er Bear, and the Big Bad Wolf getting funky. Coincidentally, “funky” is the words of a chipmunk, not this fair writer. The Fairy Godmother and Donald have their own respective floats as well, and a number of musical performers and dancers stand atop the glass castle float, a float that has been utilized for a number of parades over the past three decades. Perhaps the most memorable float, however, had to be the baking float. Here Liver Lips McGraw, Wendell, and Shaker of Country Bear Jamboree fame have created a batter tornado while trying to create a cake suitable for Walt Disney World’s 15th birthday.

 

The inclusion of the Country Bears isn’t necessarily something to scribble out a postcard about, but it leads to another interesting piece of the parade. No, I’m not talking about the sparkly, roller skating performers, I’m thinking about the little-known characters to permeate the parade. These days, there are special events to bring back some of the long-lost characters, but many we’re present throughout this procession. Included amongst the rare to never seen these days were King Leonidas (Bedknobs & Broomsticks), Lulubelle (Bongo segment of Fun and Fancy Free), Penguins (Mary Poppins), Stromboli (Pinocchio), and even Suzy and Perla (two of Cinderella’s friendly mice).

 

I can still, from time to time, find myself singing, “Fifteen years of magic, come and join fun…”

 

Moving back to the General Motors vehicles in front of the Magic Kingdom, the cars were there as part of a giveaway. During the 15th celebration there were prizes given away to guests every fifteen seconds. From small pins up to the vehicles, the 15 Years event had to have one of the best guest-to-prize ratios ever seen in a Disney park celebration. While my family never won a car, even though one was given away every day, the EPCOT Center Future World pin, featuring Spaceship Earth and a diagonal monorail, is still a cherished possession.

 

Overall, the 15th year of Walt Disney World had quality entertainment, great prizes to be won, and decorations that did not detract from the overall park going experience. It may be because this was my heyday of visiting Walt Disney World as a child, but this celebration will always hold a fond place in my heart.