(12th April 1997)

Disneyland Paris's spectacular Fifth Birthday Parade commenced at noon (well, noon-ish) on Saturday 12th April, and first up was the familiar Disneyland Paris marching band.
Here come some well-loved characters to please the expectant crowd - it's Goofy and Pluto.	Mickey and Minnie get to ride in style aboard their own special birthday float.
To celebrate the varied cultures that are served by Disneyland Paris, hundreds of performers belonging to marching troupes from all over Europe were present. This especially enthralling spectacle came from the Italian Principi D'Acaia Flag Throwers.
Brass band from Denmark.
Los Moros de Alqueria - Moorish warriors from Spain, accompanied by drums and fanfares.
After the European marching bands came some more traditonal Disney parade fare. Snow White's float is always a crowd pleaser.	Pinocchio's float is fronted by a detailed carved puppet show.
Dancers precede Cinderella's coach.
The detailed costumes of these dancers didn't manage to hide the fact that the Sleeping Beauty float behind them was not fully working - the dragon wasn't moving or breathing fire.
Fun and crazy antics with the characters from The Jungle Book.	Recent films were equally well supported, such as The Lion King in this animated float.
The entire Birthday parade lasted for around an hour (including a few longish gaps between the marching bands) which was obiously enough time for a certain mouse to make his way around to reappear on the last float ...	... Mickey says farewell to the crowds as he passes by on the last float of the Birthday Parade.

The 5th Birthday Parade was also interspersed with many of the floats which made up the daily Hunchback of Notre Dame parade in 1997. Click here to see photos of the Hunchback parade.

Fifth Anniversary Fever

There were a large number of Disney fans from all over the world (myself included) at the park for the fifth anniversary weekend. The "Magical Moments and Memories" Disneyana club hosted several events, including afternoon tea at Walt's Restaurant on the Sunday afternoon with special guests Tony Baxter (of Walt Disney Imagineering, who personally designed some of the park's attractions and the Disneyland Hotel over the main gates) and Jeff Archambault, Vice President in charge of the park.

It was wonderful to meet up with so many enthusiastic people, and many of us had a great time trying to find the answers to Luis Silva's DLP Trivia competition - which was not easy, I can tell you! Oh well, at least there's plenty of time to swot up ready for the tenth anniversary...

Notice: The photographs on these pages were taken by André Willey, and are protected under international copyright laws and may not be reproduced, copied or otherwise distributed without written permission. No infringement of any of the trademarks or copyrights held by the Walt Disney Company or Euro Disney S.C.A with regard to any of the locations and/or characters pictured is implied or intended.