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It’s 2005 at Yester California Adventure. The “Happiest Homecoming On Earth,” celebrating the 50th anniversary of the park across the esplanade, isn’t limited to the older park. A press release describes how “madcap and irreverent” Block Party Bash at the younger park is “designed to instantaneously put guests right in the middle of an unbelievable impromptu party.” |
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That’s right. It’s a party—and also a parade: The music and excitement are cranked to the max for this high-energy street extravaganza as Disney presents the Pixar Film Pals, who invite you to dance and play as they party their way through Disney’s California Adventure! The wildest block party in Disney history will entertain guests with a non-stop musical parade that doubles as a fun-filled interactive street spectacular! Enjoy it! |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2005 Led by the famous Green Army Men from Toy Story |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2005 “I can’t hear you!” |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2005 Green Army Men from Toy Story |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2005 Thirsty? |
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Photo by Karen Weiss, 2006 The unifying feature of this block party: giant toy blocks |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Woody, Jessie, Talking Mr. Mike, and Tinker Toys |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Mr. Potato Head |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2005 Electric scooters |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Doors and scream canisters from Monsters, Inc. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 James P. “Sulley” Sullivan |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2005 Mary Gibbs, better known as Boo |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 George Sanderson |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2005 George Sanderson with a child’s sock on his back |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Dim, the rhinoceros beetle |
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Photo by Karen Weiss, 2006 Heimlich from A Bug’s Life |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Mr. and Mrs. Incredible telescoping out of Monsters, Inc. block towers |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2005 Encouraging guests to join the party |
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At first, it seems like a traditional parade. But then it stops at three performance locations. Be sure to stand at Sunshine Plaza, “a bug’s land,” or Golden Dreams. Those are the locations where Block Party Bash really becomes a party. Depending on where you’re standing, you’ll play with the “Toys,” scream with the “Monsters,” or dance with the “Bugs.” The perfomance stops last 11 minutes and involve 60 dancers, 16 acrobats, 12 pairs of jumping stilts, and 30 electric scooters. |
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Photo by Karen Weiss, 2006 One of the trampoline units, invented specifically for Block Party Bash |
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Photo by Karen Weiss, 2006 Another of the one-of-a-kind trampoline units |
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The press release sums up Block Party Bash like this: As a totally immersive experience, the contagious fun of the entire spectacle will spread throughout the audience. Guests won’t be able to resist the show’s energetic performers, lovable characters, familiar pop tunes, and never-ending surprises! Maybe future Pixar movies will allow an even more impressive Pixar parade. |
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Block Party Bash premiered at Disney’s California Adventure (now Disney California Adventure) on May 5, 2005. It was the new park’s second major parade. The park’s first parade, Eureka! - The California Adventure Parade had a short run in 2001 and summer 2002. The new park disappointed many guests with how few Disney and Pixar characters it had—and Eureka! had none. The next daytime parade would not make that mistake. There were no daytime parades at California Adventure in 2003 and 2004, but Disney’s Electrical Parade ran at night. Block Party Bash was loaded with Pixar characters—although the Pixar filmography was still quite short at the time:
The ocean inhabitants of Finding Nemo did not lend themselves to the dance party focus of the parade. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 had largely the same characters. So Block Party Bash featured just four sets of Disney-Pixar characters. Block Party Bash closed January 6, 2008. It moved to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where it ran from March 14, 2008, to January 1, 2011. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2008 A Bug’s Life unit of Block Party Bash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2008 Block Party Bash trampolines at Disney’s Hollywood Studios |
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Disney’s California Adventure guests did not have to wait long for another daytime parade. Pixar Play Parade—completely different, but also based on Disney-Pixar movies—opened March 14, 2008. |
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© 2022 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated December 9, 2022 |
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