Welcome Back to Disney! Wow, I haven't typed that in a while. Sorry, I have been MIA the last three weeks (well technically just the last two weeks), because I know that I promised a post first thing after the Thanksgiving holiday. I really didn't intend to take that long of a break from posting. But, I'm back now and very excited for you to read this post I've created. So, let's get into it.
First, I want to begin by saying Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!💓🎄 I've really been enjoying this Christmas season and I hope that you have, as well. If you didn't know before, Christmas is my favorite holiday. All of the great Christmas music being one of the main reasons why I love it so much. So for this post, when I was thinking of Christmas and Disney I automatically thought about not only the fun and cute Disney Channel Christmas-themed episodes that I grew up watching (which, hint hint, may or may not be the topic of my next post) but I also thought of the annual Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. I don't know about you but I grew up loving the Disney Christmas Parade specials that aired every year on Christmas Day. It's like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (which I also always loved watching growing up) but better, because it's Christmas-themed and it takes place at the most magical place on earth during the most magical time of the year. The main reason I loved watching the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade so much every year was not for the floats but for the musical performances from some of my favorite Disney Channel stars and even some non-Disney Channel stars. In other words, the musical performances are what made the parade what it is, in my opinion. I mean the cute floats and Disney characters are fun to watch too, but the musical performances were always way more fun to watch. Like I said before, I just loved getting to see my favorite stars from some of my favorite shows singing Christmas classics. So, that is why I thought it would be fun to watch all of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parades through the years and list and rank my most favorites. I started from the parade in 1989 because that is the year that they started having musical performances from stars of the channel. I decided to stop at the 2019 parade because that is the last Disney Christmas Day Parade that I remember watching live when it aired and I wasn't sure about the parade that they did last year in 2020 during Covid, as I couldn't find it anywhere. It says they aired one, but I'm not sure.
If you have never seen or heard of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade and therefore have no idea what I am talking about, well let me just give you a brief history about it. Basically, the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade ( now known as Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade since 2018) is a TV special that has aired every year on Christmas Day since 1983 on ABC. Except during the year 2000 when they aired a "Tracking Santa" special on Christmas Eve. All of the parades took place during the day except in 1999 when a nighttime version of the parade was shown, which was still on Christmas Day. Over the years there have been a number of different hosts and a number of name changes. During the 80s and 90s for example, it was known as The Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade. Then for one time only in 2000 it was changed to the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade: Twas the Night Before Christmas. Then it went back to Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade in 2001. Then from 2002 to 2008 it was changed again to the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade. From 2009 to 2013 it was known as the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. Then, after all that, it changed on a yearly basis. In 2014 it was re-themed as the Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration and for the first and last time, took place from the Aulani Resort in Hawaii. It was renamed as Disney Parks Unforgettable Christmas Celebration in 2015, Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebration in 2016 and 2017, and in 2018 and 2019 was officially changed to Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade. The parade goes down Main Street, U.S.A and features appearances from Disney characters like Mickey, Minnie, and all that gang as well as other Disney animated movie and TV characters. Like I already mentioned before, the parade also includes floats featuring celebrities, musical performances, cheerleaders, dancers, and marching bands from various schools and community groups across the U.S.. As well as highlights of properties and events at Disney theme parks and other Disney productions. The parade was also always broadcast live on Christmas Day until the early 1990s, as then the others were pre-recorded to air on Christmas Day.
I know, that was a lot. But, there's some history of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. I know it's not called that anymore but that is just what I have always called it and what I will mostly refer to it as in this post. Now let's not waste any more time and get into the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Top 20 Performances Of All Time.
Just a brief note before we begin: There were over 200 performances total from all the parades that I watched and there were so many good ones that I couldn't choose just ten so that is why I chose to make a Top 20 list. Also, only the celebrities that sang Christmas songs made it onto this list, because it is a Christmas parade and it makes more sense for me to rank them that way. Now for real this time, let's get into it.
Wait..I forgot one more thing. I just have to give a shout out to this Disney Christmas Day Parade performance from Bella Thorne and Zendaya from Shake It Up. Sadly, their performance was not Christmasy enough to make it on this list, but I just had to mention it because this is still a performance that sticks out to me and has always been engrained in my mind since I first watched it on that Christmas Day in 2011. They sang and danced ( but mostly danced) along to their song "Watch Me" and the Shake It Up theme song. It was a really short performance (which is something I also thought when I first watched it 10 years ago and didn't like about it). But, I do still enjoy watching it to this day. I just wish they would have sang and danced along to a Christmas song cause it would have made it even better.
Okay, for real for real. Now, let's get into it.
(from least to most favorite)...
#20 "What Time Is It? (Christmas Time)" performed by the Cast of High School Musical (2007)
#19 "Chillin' Like A Snowman" performed by Sofia Carson (2017)
This is another stand out parade performance and one that I do have a vivid memory of watching live on Christmas Day in 2017. I like a lot of things about this performance. It is similar to the High School Musical performance in that she took an already loved and known song, "Chillin' Like A Villian", from the movie she played in (Descendants) and changed it to be Christmasy and it really worked. I love the whole vibe and beat of this song better than the previous one I mentioned. I love all the blue and white and silver on-stage props with the matching outfits. It really gives off all the wintery, snowy vibes. I like when she sings "Chillin" really high and then the white cryo/fog smoke stuff goes off into the air it just adds to the chill, icy theme. I love the in-sync dancing. I also like that the sparkly white ball props they use to build the snowmen on stage are then thrown out into the crowd and throughout the rest of the performance you see the crowd just hitting them up in the air to each other, which is another fun added element. I also love the end when Olaf comes out to join her on stage. I was never a big Frozen fan but it's still fun to see those cute characters. This is just a very fun performance to watch. The song is also very catchy and gets you wanting to sing along. I mean it sure gets me singing along and it's now been stuck in my head for days. I almost totally forgot this performance existed until I watched this parade again in order to create this list. The only reason it's lower on this list is because when compared to the others, it's still not the best. It's better than the last one I talked about but not some others that I will mention later. Also, it doesn't give off the most Christmasy vibes as it's more just wintery vibes. If you know what I mean. But, it's also just refreshing to hear a new Christmasy/wintery song be performed instead of the typical Christmas songs other celebs cover during the parades. Sometimes it's nice to hear something different and this song and performance is just that.
#18 "Wonderful Christmas Time" performed by Demi Lovato (2009)
This is another performance I don't remember watching when I was younger even though, again, I know I watched the parade that year. Having said that I do really love this performance and although there is not much to it compared to some others on this list, it is still a stand out and unforgettable performance. I do like her blue outfit during this performance, though that's besides the point. I just mainly put this performance before the previous one because I like the song more. I mean it's a Christmas classic I grew up listening to, but I love Demi's rendition of it during this performance. I love the choir part of the song and performance cause it always makes me think back to my time in school choir. Also, in the video of this performance you can see white trees on the sides and the back where the crowd is watching which I think adds a little wintery/Christmasy feeling, because the float she is on during this performance doesn't really bring me those Christmas vibes. But the white trees and this classic Christmas song make up for that. I don't know if those trees were just placed there for this particular performance or already there for the parade itself, but it works well for this performance. So, this performance is only lower on this list because again it doesn't give me the most Christmasy vibes but it is still a better performance than a lot of the others I watched that ended up not making it on this list and it's obviously better than the previous two performances that I just mentioned, as well.
#17 "Oh Santa" performed by Mariah Carey (2010)
This is one of my favorite Disney Christmas Day Parade performances from Mariah Carey. I mean you can't have a favorite Christmas song/performance list without a Mariah Carey song/performance. Not surprisingly, Mariah Carey actually has five Disney Christmas Day Parade performances as she appeared/performed at the parade in 2004, 2010, and 2016. She performed two songs for the 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade and this one, "Oh Santa", was the opening musical performance of the special. Out of all her Disney Christmas Day Parade performances that I watched this one was definitely one of my favorites from her and from a lot of other parade performances from other artists in general. She definitely always brings the most Christmas spirit with her performances. This song that she sings during her performance just makes me always think of the Christmas movie called "A Christmas Melody". The movie came out five years after this song came out and Mariah Carey actually plays a part in the movie and this song is also featured in it. I ranked this performance higher than the previous one I mentioned because it is an original song that she sings and not a cover, which is unique and again refreshing to hear. I love the whole Christmas stage props and that all these kids were front and center dancing and just having the time of their life. That it wasn't just focused on Mariah Carey. I like how all the kids were doing something different from ballet, to hip hop, to just all kinds of different dancing. I like when the dancers open this big square like box thing that's supposed to represent gift wrapping and Mariah Carey is revealed as the present inside. Then it opens all pink with her name in glitter and snowflakes and other Christmasy things. There is also fireworks that shoot up in the air from the stage and even what looks to me like red and green confetti which just add a whole other element to this Christmas performance. This is just another performance that makes me happy when I watch it and it gets me clapping and dancing along. The song itself is also really catchy.
#16 "All I Want For Christmas" performed by Mariah Carey (2010)
This is the second song Mariah Carey performed at the 2010 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade as the grand finale of the special and let me tell you it's a grand finale you will never forget. I know, I know you're probably thinking, "How is this song so low on your list and not at the top?". I get it. This is like THE Christmas song of all Christmas songs, but I think because I have heard and listened to it so much over the years that I'm kind of tired of listening to it now, which affected my ranking of it. Don't get me wrong it's obviously still a great song as you can see because it made it on this list, but it kind of lost what probably should have been its number one spot on this list because it has been overplayed and over-hyped. I almost didn't even put it on this list, but like I said before, this is Mariah Carey's best Christmas song and I couldn't imagine my list without it. This particular performance of the song is also the best one she did out of all the other times she performed this song at the Disney Christmas Parades. First of all, she came out on a white and red horse carriage which was my favorite entrance she did (I mean hello..cute animals for the win). The setting and props were all Christmasy from the glittery trees with red ornaments, to the giant dancing nutcrackers, the giant walking reindeer characters, the elves, and even the tons and tons of white snow at the end that rained on everybody. After watching all the Disney Christmas Parade performances I think that is the most snow (fake snow) any artist ever used, which I love. The more snow the better. I also love that all the classic Disney World characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Chip 'n' Dale, etc) also joined in on the fun and were dancing along with everyone else. I just love how you can see everyone having a really good time and I also think it's cute when it goes to a split screen at the end showing her then husband (Nick Cannon) with other Disney characters at Disney Land dancing and celebrating along with her at the same time. This performance is just a very celebratory performance that makes you feel all the Christmas feels. Again, the only reason it is lower on this list is because I've heard this song so many times and it's kind of lost its newness and uniqueness.
#15 "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" performed by Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana (2006)
This is another one of my favorite performances from the Disney Christmas Day Parade over the years because as you know I grew up loving Hannah Montana and still like watching the show and listening to her music here and there. So, getting to see Miley Cyrus perform a Christmas song as Hannah Montana is always exciting and fun to watch. Miley actually performed at three Disney Christmas Parades and all of her performances were great and definitely stood out from a lot of others. This one, unlike her other performances, is one I do not have any fond memories of seeing as a kid (which I'm shocked about) but I have watched it many times on YouTube since I found it on there a few years ago and I really like it. Hannah (Miley) performed this song on a gingerbread house float which is really cute and Christmasy. Along with the regular dancers there are also dancing gingerbread people which is also something that makes this performance even cuter. I also love how everything fits together really well. Even her outfit with the red boots and sparkly top match the float colors and overall theme. As it also doesn't overshadow the performance. It's simple, which I love. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is one of my favorite classic Christmas songs and what I love about her version is that she made it sound more rock than the original, which makes more sense considering the title of the song. My favorite part of this song and performance is the "ooh ooh ooh" part. I also like how the dancers moves go along really well with the beat and vibe of the song. This is just a really cute performance and another one that stuck out to me the most. I put it above the previous performance I mentioned just because if I could only choose one to watch again and again I would choose this one.
#14 "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" performed by Jessica Simpson (2000)
If you know me then you know I love the 90s and early 2000s. So, when I decided to create this post I was excited to get to go back and watch the parades from the 90s and early 2000s, because I knew there were going to be some amazing and fun performances and guess what..I was right. This performance from Jessica Simpson was one of my favorites that stood out from a lot of the others and I knew once I saw it it deserved to be on this list. I had never obviously seen the 2000 Disney Christmas Parade before creating this list, because I was only three years old when it aired, but let me tell you it's a good one. It has a lot of great 90s and early 2000s stars and it gives you all the Christmas vibes. I guess you can tell because I have this song on here twice, that I really do love "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". But, I love this performance of it more than the Hannah Montana one because of the whole aesthetic. During this performance she (Jessica Simpson) is singing and dancing around with a lot of kids on stage. There is snow and a lot of Christmas trees. I love how, unlike in a lot of these other performances, the snow is actually falling down on them throughout the whole performance. Not just at the end like you will see in a lot of other performances later on or even how I described in the Mariah Carey "All I Want For Christmas" performance. So, I really love that about this performance. I love how all the kids are wearing Christmas sweaters and Jessica Simpson is wearing a red track suit with a red headband (a very popular, trendy thing back then). It really adds to the whole Christmas aesthetic. But, what I really love more about this performance compared to the previous one I mentioned is that Jessica Simpson and the kids actually rock around the Christmas tree. Like literally they rock around a Christmas tree, which is great because that is exactly what the song is about. I have just never seen this song performed like Jessica Simpson performed this song and I think it's really unique and very fun to watch. This is just another performance that just makes me smile and gets me in the Christmas spirit. It is definitely a parade performance I will go back to watch every year during Christmas time.
#13 "Deck the Halls" performed by Debby Ryan (2010)
This is another performance that I was re-introduced to from my little sister (celebrategoodtimesblog.blogspot.com). I know I watched this Disney Christmas Day Parade in 2010 and I feel like I slightly remembered this before my sister showed me it again, but not really. Though I will say, I've watched it back many times since my sister and I last watched it together and I really love this parade performance. First of all, I love Debby Ryan's rendition of this classic Christmas song. I love that she made it more 80's rock. I don't know but I just get sort of an 80's vibe when I hear her sing this song and even with her outfit with the white socks and black flat shoes. I not only love her whole outfit which gives off a whole vibe of its own, but I love that you can tell she is having fun throughout the performance. As she even flips her hair and is playful to the camera. It's just a really rockin', fun performance and another one that really stood out to me. The only thing I didn't like about this performance was that it was too short. I felt like it could have been longer and I really wish it was. I put this one higher than the previous performance because I like the song a little bit better, especially Debby's version of it. My favorite part is when she sings "Deck the halls with boughs of holly" for the second time and she sings it back to back (timestamp 0:34-0:44). But, what really makes this performance go above the previous one is the cute, adorable puppy that runs up to her at the end of the performance. This song she performed was for the Search For Santa Paws movie, so of course "Santa Paws" running in to be apart of this performance made this performance top a lot of the others on this list. No, but for real, even minus the cute puppy I would still love this performance more than the others I've mentioned so far. This is another performance I do not mind watching over and over. It never gets old.
#12 "Santa Clause Is Comin' To Town" performed by Miley Cyrus (2008)
This is another great Disney Christmas Day Parade performance from Miley Cyrus. I do have to admit though, that at first when creating this ranking I wasn't even going to put this performance on the list. That's only because at first I was like I only wanted to choose my favorite of her two Miley performances because I didn't want my whole ranking to include just her performances. But, then I was like, it doesn't matter. If the performances by her are better than others, then they are better. It doesn't matter if my top three favorites turned out to be all of her performances (not that they are of course). Okay, rant over. Although this is not my most favorite Christmas song, it's not the worst and I do appreciate her rendition of the song. I love a lot of things about this performance and I can see why it was the opening performance for the 2008 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade because it is a showstopping, rockin' one for sure. What really stood out to me about this performance though is how she literally used the whole stage to sing and play around with. No one else from any of the other parades I've seen did that. I also really like her beginning entrance as the cryo smoke goes up then reveals her in front of a candy cane framed, 3-way mirror thing (sorry, I don't know all the technical terms for it). I also really like all the stage decoration and props. This performance has everything from fireworks, to dancers, to hair flipping, a big stack of presents, and Disney characters like Mickey, Minnie, and even Stitch rockin' out on the guitar. This performance has a lot going on but in a really good way that works. I can tell that she is having a good time performing this song which makes me enjoy watching it even more.
#11 "Winter Wonderland" performed by Selena Gomez (2010)
This is another one of my all time favorite performances from the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade through the years. This is a performance that I have fond memories of watching when it first aired in 2010 on Christmas Day. So, it is truly memorable. This performance ranks higher than the previous ones just for the song alone. Even though it's just a cover of a Christmas classic, I like that she changed it up and made it a little bit more rock and roll. I also really love her simple white outfit, as it matches the theme of the song really well. Speaking of the theme of the song, I felt like her stage props around her and the stage setup was not wintery enough. It was really only her outfit that gave off the winter wonderland vibes. There was some snow stuff that erupted into the air at the end of her performance but I feel like every time I watch this performance something is missing throughout it. At least when it comes to the overall stage setup. Maybe if there were some screens with falling white snowflakes or something. Just something extra like that, you know. But other than that this is still a great and unforgettable performance. There were actually only a few other people throughout the parade years who covered this song but this one has always been ingrained in my mind and the best out of them all. Even though the stage setup wasn't it for me, this performance still rocks. Another thing I really liked about this performance was how much Selena Gomez interacted with the crowd. Not a lot of the Disney stars do that during their performances so I really appreciate that about her's.
#10 "Santa Claus Lane" performed by Hilary Duff (2002)
Okay, so I really really love this performance. Again, as you probably know from some of my older posts, I grew up loving Lizzie McGuire and one of my first CDs I ever owned was Hilary Duff's "Metamorphosis". Like I said before, I love the early 2000s and this performance gives me all those vibes but all the Christmas vibes as well, which is why it's one of my top top favorites. I actually had never watched the 2002 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade and therefore had never seen this performance until going back to do so for this post. I mean I was only five years old when this parade aired so if I watched the parade back then, I sure didn't remember it at all before making this list. It was really hard for me to decide whether or not to put this performance before or after the previous one because they are both great and very different. But, I ultimately chose to put this one before the previous one I mentioned because I do love it a tad bit more. One main reason being because it's a new Christmas song that I had never heard of before making this list and one that I'm not as familiar with as the other one from the previous performance that I mentioned. It is not a cover but an original song sung by Hilary Duff. I always appreciate when an artist takes the time to create something new and different that hasn't been heard before, especially when it comes to Christmas songs. So, it beats the previous one for that reason but also because I love the whole aesthetic from her simple jeans and nice red top with black converse outfit, to the white float with the balcony, throne-type thing decorated with red and white flowers, and a Christmas tree in the middle above the stairs, to the dancing elves, and even the four dancing Christmas trees. This song and performance just makes me feel like a kid again. It takes me back to that childlike-Christmasy feeling. This is definitely an underrated performance and one I could watch on repeat, as I already have.
#9 "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" performed by Olivia Holt (2018)
Oh my gosh! Ahh! I'm just so excited to finally talk about this Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Performance. This is another iconic performance that I remember watching when it first aired on Christmas Day in 2018. The earlier Christmas Day Parades and performances from the 80s/90s/and early 2000s will always beat out the 2010s Christmas Day Parades and performances but this one is an exception. This is one of my most favorite aesthetic, Christmasy performances. My second favorite color is blue, so all the blue going on during this performance is just the best. Even her microphone is a shiny blue. This is the kind of stage setup I was talking about when I talked about Selena Gomez's "Winter Wonderland" performance. I not only love the whole blue stage props and setup but I also love her outfit. Like seriously someone get me an outfit like that. Everything just vibes so well together. I also love this classic Christmas song a lot and I like how Olivia Holt put her own spin on it. This performance is just one of the most visually appealing performances and one of the most unforgettable. It never gets old to watch and it makes me happy and gives me all those Christmasy feels. I have no other words to describe it, except that it's just absolutely amazing.
#8 "All I Want For Christmas Is You" performed by Miley Cyrus (2007)
This is another iconic Disney Christmas Day Parade performance and one that I always think of when I think of the Disney Christmas Day Parade. I remember watching this performance when it first aired on Christmas Day in 2007. My ten-year-old self loved it then and I still love it now. I might have just put this higher for nostalgic reasons but I really do love this performance. I know I said before that I have heard this song too much and it has kind of gotten old to me, but that is just the original version from Mariah Carey I was talking about before. It's refreshing to hear a new take on the song and this is just that. This is my favorite Miley Cyrus Christmas Day Parade performance because it's the most memorable one to me and it's the best Christmas song she sings. This is another performance that really screams Christmas to me and makes me feel all the Christmas feels. I love how it's just her singing with a few background singers and my favorite part is the changing Christmas light screens in the back. I also love her white dress. It goes along perfectly with the whole aesthetic. Again, I just don't have many words to describe this except that it's just another amazing and entertaining performance.
#7 "Mistletoe/Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" performed by Justin Bieber (2011)
I know. I know. I'm shocked myself that I didn't put this performance as #1 on this list. I have been a Belieber since 2009 and I love everything (well most everything) that Justin Bieber does. But after watching all of these amazing Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade performances this is not my most favorite. Though don't get me wrong it is still very high up there as you can see. I still love his performance over a lot of the others because he actually sang not one, but two Christmas songs from his Under the Mistletoe album (which I own by the way ever since it first came out). So, I give him props for singing two Christmas songs. During his performance at the parade he started off singing his original Christmas song "Mistletoe" then went into his cover of a Christmas classic "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". So, I like that you get to hear a new Christmas song (well what was considered new then) and a different spin on a Christmas classic. One reason I also ranked this higher on my list is because I still vividly remember watching this back in 2011 on Christmas Day. So, it beats a lot of these other performances for nostalgic reasons. But, I also love everything about the stage setup with the blue, red, and gold vibes. Even him and his dancers outfits coordinate really well together with the whole theme. I like the part when the dancers throw up the snow flurries, which adds another fun element to his performance. Justin Bieber's performance at the parade is just fun and very entertaining to watch (as always). I mean what more can I say. From the dancing to the fireworks, it's just a very memorable performance and one that certainly has always stood out to me. The only reason I ranked it a little lower on this list, and not at #1, is because of the song choices. Some of the other performances I will mention later are more about the true meaning of Christmas. However, this is still a performance that I love. It never gets old and gives me all the Christmas vibes. I knew even before making this list that his performance would be on this ranking because it's just that great and unforgettable to me.
#6 "Greatest Time of Year" performed by Aly & AJ (2006)
I really really love this Christmas song and Christmas Day Parade performance by Aly & AJ. It's more the song that I like the most about this performance just because I remember listening to Aly & AJ's albums when I was younger and every time I hear this song it just makes me kind of emotional because it brings back all those childhood memories for me. I also always automatically think of The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause movie because this song plays at the end of the movie and it has always been ingrained in my mind ever since watching that movie. The song that they sing during this performance instantly gets you in the Christmas spirit (at least it does for me) and I feel from the lyrics to the beat it really captures everything that makes this time of year so special. This is just truly an iconic Christmas song and one of my most favorites. I honestly never get sick of hearing it and even watching this performance. This is another parade performance that I don't remember watching as a kid in 2006 on Christmas Day, but even way before creating this list a few years ago I discovered it on YouTube when I was in an Aly & AJ phase and I just have loved it ever since. I didn't ever imagine me putting this song and performance before Justin Bieber's song and performance but I do love it a little better for a couple reasons. One reason being because it's actually a better original Christmas song than "Mistletoe". I know, I know I hate to say it, but it's true. The meaning of the song is just better, in my opinion. This song, as well as the performance, never gets old. Seriously, I played it over and over while trying to create this list. I love the stage setup as it is very Christmasy with the circle blue stage with white snowflakes on it and the ark thing with all the big, multi-colored ornaments. I also love how you can tell the audience is having fun as there are even red and green balls that the crowd is throwing up in the air back and forth, which just adds another little something to the overall performance. I love how they matched their guitars with their outfits. As it's the small details that count, too. This performance also just stands out and is different from a lot of the others I watched because you never see two sisters with guitars in- hand playing and performing together. I also just love that Aly & AJ got the chance to shine on their own at this parade unlike the one they performed at in 2005 when they had to kind of share a stage with another performing act (The Cheetah Girls). This was definitely their better parade performance out of the two. Overall, this performance just makes me kind of emotional but also happy and very excited for Christmas and all that it brings.
#5 "Joyful Kings" performed by the Jonas Brothers (2008)
This is another one of my most favorite performances from any and all of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade performances. The Jonas Brothers actually performed at three different Disney Christmas Parades but this one is by far my favorite performance out of the three they did. The main reason being because the song is the better of the three because it actually talks about the true reason for the season and that is celebrating Jesus's birth. So, I really love that they chose to sing such a great Christmas song and that they put their own little spin on an old Christmas classic ("Joy to the World"). I also like how their outfits really match well together and go along great with the overall theme and stage setup. This performance has fireworks, smoke, flames, red and white lights, white Christmas trees, and just everything that makes for a great Christmas performance. This performance is just visually appealing and makes me want to sing along. It's gives you all those warm and happy Christmasy feels. I don't know what else to say. Just watch it for yourself and you'll understand why I love it so much.
#4 "O Come, All Ye Faithful" performed by City High (2001)
Oh my gosh! You have no idea how excited I am to finally get to talk about this performance. This is a performance that I just discovered when going back to watch all of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parades and I am so glad I found this performance. It is one of my most favorites, as you can tell. Before watching the 2001 Disney Christmas Parade and creating this list I was not at all familiar with this group City High, but I am very familiar with this classic Christmas song. I knew right when I saw and heard their performance of this song it was going to be at the top of this list. I just always had it in the back of my mind and couldn't stop thinking about. Basically, this performance is of an American hip/hop R&B trio that consists of singers/rappers Claudette Ortiz, Robbie Pardlo, and Ryan Toby as they just rap/sing a twist of an old Christmas classic "O Come, All Ye Faithful" to a small circle crowd of people. What I really love about this performance is the simplicity of it. There is no big stage, with big lights, snow, confetti, fire, or even Christmas trees but that is why I love it so much. Like I've said before, sometimes the simpler the better. I just love their rendition of this Christmas classic. I have already watched and re-watched this performance so many times. It never gets old. Every time I watch it it gets my head moving and my hands clapping. It's just the best. I also love that they chose to perform this popular Christmas hymn about the biblical story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Any performance with a song like this that celebrates and signifies our coming together in worship to adore the loving blessing of Jesus will always go at the top of my list and this performance does just that.
#3 "Christmas Time" performed by the Backstreet Boys (1997)
Like I mentioned before, I love the 90s and early 2000s and this 90s performance is no exception. To me though, a 90s performance will always beat out an early 2000s performance and that is why I ranked this performance from the Backstreet Boys at the 1997 Disney Parks Christmas Parade higher than the previous ones. A few years ago, I went through a big Backstreet Boys phase and I went back to listen and watch all of their old music and interviews on YouTube and I also came across this song and performance then. So, before going back to watch the full parade from this particular year I was already familiar with this performance. But, I hadn't watched it in a while so when going back to watch it to create this post it did feel kind of new to me. I like that this is an original Christmas song from them and it actually is a good Christmas song in general that fits in the category of Christmas classics because it just feels like a good, old-timey Christmas song that you want to listen to every year during Christmas time. The meaning of the song is really great and the beat is just as amazing. It's definitely the slowest Christmas song performance on this list, but I like slow and emotional songs. I especially love a slowed-down Christmas performance like this one. This performance is kind of like the previous performance I mentioned in that it's not flashy with big lights or a big stage or anything but it doesn't need that at all to make it one of the best. I love how all the boys are wearing classic 90s boy band matching outfits. They are not very Christmasy outfits, but it still works for this performance. But I also like that they are sitting on red stools instead of black or brown stools while they are singing, which adds a little Christmas touch to the performance. There are also some Christmas trees that stand behind them as well so that also makes this performance even more Christmasy. I just love the small, intimacy of this performance as they also interact a lot with the crowd which is good Christmas spirit and it's nice to see. I just love a good 90s Backstreet Boys performance and this is just that, but better because it's Christmas with the Backstreet Boys. They also performed this the year I was born so that is pretty cool and I will say after watching all the Disney Christmas Parades, the one from 1997 is one of the best ones that aired.
#2 "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" performed by NSYNC (1999)
Okay, so this original Christmas song from NSYNC has been my favorite Christmas song to listen to this year. I've never been a big NSYNC fan, but for some reason this song has just really made the Christmas season what it is for me this year. I actually only came across this song a couple years ago in 2019 when I used it for a Tik Tok video I made, but it was someone else singing it. I was also not familiar with their performance of it at the 1999 Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade before creating this list. But now after hearing the song a lot and watching all of their parade performances of it, it is definitely one of the best performances for the song alone. Their performance of them singing this song was featured at three different Disney Christmas Parades. One time in 1998, in 1999, and in 2000 (which was really just a re-airing of the 1999 performance). Their performance of this song in 1999 is my favorite of the three (well, technically of just the two). The reason being because their stage setup was more Christmasy as well as their outfits. Joey Fatone's hair was even red for Christmas, which I don't know if that was intentional for this performance or if it was like that before but it added to the Christmas vibes going on. They also seem a lot more energetic during this performance compared to the other one. The only thing I don't like about this performance is that they cut the song short. I could listen to this song on repeat all day so I was a little bummed that they cut it shorter. But, other than that, the song just really makes this performance the best. I wouldn't normally put an NSYNC song before a Backstreet Boys song but I do love their Christmas song way more. This song and performance gives me all the Christmas feels and I love the line of the song when they sing, "And with the blessings from above/ God sends you his love/ And everything's okay/ Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays". It's just another great song with a great faithful message and the performance is fun to watch as it makes you smile and want to sing and dance along. You get all those 90s Christmas vibes which is always the best.
#1 "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town/ Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas/ Do You Hear What I Hear?" performed by the Disney Mouseketeers (1989)
This is my MOST FAVORITE and the BEST Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade performance ever. I obviously had never seen this hidden gem of a performance before watching all the parades to create this list because I wasn't even born when this aired live on TV. But, after watching this performance over and over, it sure made me wish I was born in the 80s. This performance gives off all the 80s vibes from the fashion, to the hair, to the dancing, it's all in this performance. What really made this the top Christmas parade performance in my book is that they performed not ONE...not TWO...but THREE Christmas classics. That is the most Christmas songs in one performance that an act sang at any and all of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parades I watched. So, I have to give them props for that. Even just the simplicity of their performance is everything. Once I heard their amazing voices (especially at that young age) and saw their in-sync, 80s-style dance moves it was a no brainer to me that this was going to be the number one performance. I love how happy and energetic they are during the whole performance. It really makes you enjoy watching their performance even more. Even their Christmasy float just adds to the good vibes this performance gives off. I also love the little monologue part from the boys at the beginning. I just LOVE everything about this performance. It's just really cute and takes you back to simpler times, even though I wasn't even born yet, but I still get that feeling. I'm so glad to know this performance exists, and well...I'll just let you watch it to see how amazingly, fun it is.
Well, that concludes my ranking of the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Top 20 Performances Of All Time. As I mentioned before, this post definitely took me much longer to create than I expected it to but I am so happy I did it cause I really did enjoy going back to watch all the Disney Christmas Parades that ever existed and getting to re-watch some of my favorite performances and even come across new performances that I had never even seen before. This was a trip down memory lane for sure. I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts and opinions on these performances as much as I enjoyed creating them. It was much harder than I thought it would be ranking them from least to most favorite, even just trying to pick the best 20, but I feel like I finally got it down to what I truly think are the least and most best. Was your favorite performance on this list? Let me know in the comments below and come Back to Disney next week for more!💚💓
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