The Muppets made their debut appearance at Disneyland this weekend in a parade to help promote Disney’s “Give A Day, Get A Day” celebration.
Dubbed the Honorary VoluntEARS Cavalcade, the float highlights volunteering with catchy music, bright colors and, of course, the Muppets.
The float consists of dancers dressed as painters and gardeners, armed with paintbrushes and brooms. They dance alongside Sweetums, the hairy ogre Muppet. A car follows, featuring park guests chosen to ride in the parade.
The final piece of the cavalcade, a parade float, features Miss Piggy and Kermit. The VoluntEARS Cavalcade runs nightly at 6:15 p.m. down the parade route. It precedes the “Celebrate! A Street Party Parade,” which shows at 6:30 p.m..
Disney’s new promotion aims to recruit 1 million volunteers in 2010. Volunteers who donate a day of service to a participating organization will receive a one day pass to Disneyland or California Adventure, or one of Disney’s parks in Florida. Disney River drained Disneyland’s Rivers of America, the river that winds around Tom Sawyer’s Island and hosts the Mark Twain Riverboat, is being drained for refurbishment.
The renovation will be the first time the river has been drained since 2003 and it will be finished my May. All the river attractions are closed, but will reopen again when the refurbishment is complete. A new annual passport processing center has opened in Disney’s California Adventure. The center is located in one of the sound stages in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area of the park, next to the Monster’s Inc. attraction. Prices for annual passes have increased by up to $50 in the past year.
A pathway has opened in Disney’s California Adventure, connecting A Bug’s Land to the Hollywood Pictures Backlot. The path starts next to the Flik’s Flyers attraction and leads guests to the Hollywood Tower of Terror.
Paradise Pier’s new statue now lights up at night. Though still behind construction walls as building continues for the upcoming World of Color amphitheater, the statue is already filling the area with a bit more color with the new lights.