Disney Celebrates “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” at the 124th Rose Parade

The 124th Rose Parade on January 1, 2013, marks 75 years of the Walt Disney Company's involvement with the Pasadena, California New Year's Day institution.

Walt Disney 1966 Rose Parade Grand Marshal
According to the Disney Parks Blog "Disney's relationship with the Tournament of Roses began in 1938 when characters from the newly premiered "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" were prominently featured in the parade. " Over the years many members of the creative teams at Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Entertainment have served as float judges. Both Walt Disney (in 1966) and Roy E. Disney (in 2000) had the honor of serving as the Parade's Grand Marshal. According to Disney Historian Jim Korkis, they are the only members of the same family to ever have that distinction. In 2005 that honor of Grand Marshal went to none other than Mickey Mouse.

Cars Land Float Concept Sketch

The theme for 2013 's parade is "Oh, the Places You'll Go" and the Walt Disney Company is showing off their great destinations with a Disneyland Cars Land Theme. As is tradition with the Tournament of Roses Parade it is required that the entire surface of each float must be covered using a variety of flowers, seeds, bark, leaves and other natural materials. Disney Parks Blog shared that "The float will feature floral representations of the stars of "Cars" " like Lightning McQueen, Sally, Luigi and Guido " along with familiar sights from the new Cars Land, including Ornament Valley, Radiator Springs Racers, the Cozy Cone Motel and more." Here's a special peek at the construction!

At the end of Parade route on Sierra Madre Blvd the floats will come to rest for an opportunity to step up close and let the public see for themselves the majestic beauty of the floral floats. Floats will remain on display until 5:00PM on January 2nd.

The 124th Annual Rose Parade on January 1, 2013 will be broadcast through your ABC-TV affiliate. Will you be watching? I know I will!