Welcome Back to Disney and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!🧡🤎🦃 I hope you enjoyed my last post where I chose and ranked the Top 12 Best Episodes from Wizards of Waverly Place. That previous post was definitely one of my favorite posts that I’ve ever done on this blog. So, if you haven’t read it yet, you should definitely go check it out. But since you’re already here, you can also just wait until after you read this post because this is an even more fun and exciting post than the one before, especially for the holiday that is today. Cause, as you might have already guessed, this post is all about the unforgettable and ICONIC Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And because this is a blog all about Disney and Disney Channel, I thought it would be fun and interesting to go back and watch all the musical performances from every Disney Channel Star who attended the parade throughout the years and choose and rank my most favorites. So, that is exactly what I did just recently, and why I bring to you this Thanksgiving-themed post.
At first I wasn’t really planning on getting a post up for Thanksgiving this year, but I knew that if I had the time and was going to do a Thanksgiving post at all that this post idea would be the first to go up, because…I mean, what screams Thanksgiving more than the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? I also just grew up watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV every year (well, mostly every year) and I just always loved seeing what the musical performances were going to be. Honestly, the parade float musical performances are the ONLY REASON why I would ever even watch the parade and why I still choose to watch it now sometimes. Cause as you already know by now, I’m a huge music lover, so anything involving music I just love to see. Add in a little bit of that Disney magic with stars I grew up watching on Disney Channel singing in the parade, and you got the perfect mix. A Disney Channel Thanksgiving…what could be better? Okay, yes. One could argue the Thanksgiving meal, of course, but to me I always looked forward to watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade just as much as I looked forward to eating the perfect Thanksgiving meal.
For those of you who have never seen the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and therefore have no idea what I’m talking about, I’ll just give you a brief history about the parade before we get into the ranking of the BEST performances from it. Basically, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual event held in New York City by the American department store chain Macy’s. The parade started in 1924 and is not only the world’s largest parade but also the world’s second-oldest. Every year on Thanksgiving Day the event is held in Manhattan, beginning at 9:00 A.M. and ending at noon. If you aren’t able to actually see the parade in-person in New York on Thanksgiving Day, no worries, because it’s been televised nationally on NBC since 1953. The parade is most notably known for its helium balloons of famous cartoon and pop culture characters that on average reach six stories tall. And what’s even more interesting is that all the participants in the parade are all employees of Macy’s or are sponsored by Macy’s employees. The annual parade was broadcast on local radio stations in New York City from 1932 to 1941 and resumed in 1945 after being suspended from 1942 to 1944 due to WWll, running through 1951. However, the parade only became known nationwide after it was prominently featured in the 1947 film “Miracle on 34th Street” (one of my all-time favorite Christmas movie classics). Therefore, the parade was first broadcast on network television, on CBS, in 1948. Though, since 1953, NBC has been the official broadcaster of the parade. The telecast was originally an hour long but increased to two hours in 1961, reduced to 90 minutes from 1962 to 1965, before adopting its present 3-hour length in 1969. Again, the parade features giant, tall balloons; decorated floats; high school and college marching bands from across the country; cheerleaders and dancers from various high schools across the country; and of course what I believe to be the BEST part of the whole parade, the featured musical performances by up-and-coming and already established singers and bands. Though, we also can’t forget about the one thing that was also probably my other favorite part of the parade when I was a kid, which is Santa Claus. As Santa Claus is always the last person to appear in the parade and therefore concludes the Thanksgiving event to ring in the Christmas season. So, there you have it. A little history about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Now, it’s time to officially celebrate today with the Top 20 Best Performances From Disney Channel Stars At The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
But first, just a brief note before we begin: Like I mentioned before, this ranking only includes musical performances from the parade by Disney Channel Stars, since this is a Disney blog. As during the parade throughout the years, there have been more than just performances by Disney Channel Stars. But sadly, (and obviously by my choice) I wasn’t able to include a few other amazing and ICONIC performances from the parade that I also LOVED as a kid watching it, by some other non-Disney Channel Stars. Like one in particular that I always think of when I think about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, being that of Miranda Cosgrove’s I.C.O.N.I.C performance of “About You Now”. Just had to mention that performance in here somewhere because it’s definitely one of my all-time favorite performances from the parade EVER, but again she’s not from Disney Channel, so I couldn’t include that one in this ranking. I also only chose to watch all the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performances from 1984 to 2021, because the year 1984 was the first (that I researched) to feature Disney Channel Stars that I actually knew, and then I just picked my twenty favorites from there until I got to the year 2021.
One last thing about this ranking, I had to divide the performances up into two different categories: performances by Disney Channel Stars and performances by Disney Channel Guest Stars. There were just so many great performances from the parade, especially by Disney Channel Stars and it was hard to decipher what stars to consider Disney and which ones not to, because again there are singers and groups on this ranking that are in the Disney Channel Guest Stars category that weren’t a prominent Disney Channel Star but were still on Disney Channel at some point in some way. I also didn’t find it fair if I were to rank the Disney Channel Guest Stars performances against the actual Disney Channel Stars performances because they are different in the way I mentioned before. Does that make sense? Well, hopefully it does. If not, I think you’ll understand once we get into it. Plus, the Disney Channel Guest Stars Performances were just too good not to include on this post. Also, the two categories themselves (Disney Channel Stars Performances and Disney Channel Guest Stars Performances) are not ranked in any particular order just the performances within each category themselves are ranked from my least to most favorite. In other words, you will see that I start with the Disney Channel Guest Stars Performances and then go into my favorite Disney Channel Stars Performances but that doesn’t mean the Disney Channel Guest Stars Performances are my least favorite compared to the Disney Channel Stars Performances. But all of these performances combined are still the top 20 BEST from the parade throughout the years. So, for real this time, let’s get into the Top 20 BEST Performances from Disney Channel Stars At The Thanksgiving Day Parade!
Disney Channel Guest Stars’ Performances
(from least to most favorite)…
#10 “Believe” performed by Brian McKnight – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2005
This is a great performance and one that definitely stood
out to me from the rest of the parade performances that I watched. However,
surprisingly this performance almost didn’t even make it onto this list. I
actually had a really hard time deciding whether to put this one as #10 or
another performance by Aaron Carter as #10, but as you can see I ultimately
chose this one for many reasons. First of all, I do love that he’s singing a
Christmas song and one of the greatest Christmas songs of all-time from one of
the greatest Christmas movies of all-time, The Polar Express. Cause for
the Thanksgiving Day Parade, most singers and bands don’t really choose to sing
Christmas songs, which is fine because it’s still technically not Christmastime
yet, but I am glad that he sang this song for this performance.
One of the reasons why I wasn’t going to initially add this performance on this list is because it is more of a sad, mellow performance and I do prefer to see and hear happier songs/performances but sometimes it’s good to stop and just hear a song and see a performance like this one and that is exactly what I want to do every time I hear this song and watch this performance..just STOP and LISTEN. Not only is the song great but I love how his float matches with the song and really kind of brings to life the movie itself. They did a really good job on creating this float and Brian McKnight did a really good job with his performance of this classic, iconic song. It’s definitely one of the best floats from the parade ever. I mean, if you love the movie The Polar Express, then you can’t help but love this float and performance, as well.
Again, the only reason why I decided to rank this performance last is because it does make me feel more emotionally sad to watch and listen to and when compared to the other performances that I will be talking about next, this one is not the best. But again, don’t get me wrong, because it’s still a favorite of mine and a must-watch performance. Also, I know that the parade performances can’t be that long, but this is one of those performances that I feel they cut way too short because we don’t even get to hear him finish the rest of the chorus. I don’t know, but for me personally, I just wanted to hear a little more of the song. Also, one other note, Brian McKnight guest starred on an episode of Sister, Sister, a show that did play as reruns on Disney Channel so that is how he made it into this category of performances.
#9 “Better Together” performed by Fifth Harmony - Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2013
The first thing you might be thinking is, “When was Fifth
Harmony ever on Disney Channel?”, well I have that answer for you. Cause at
first, I didn’t think I was going to be able to include this performance in
this post, until I researched and found out that Fifth Harmony at one point was
a part of Radio Disney’s N.B.T. (Next Big Thing) program, a program that was
seen on Disney Channel as well and not just heard on Radio Disney. Now this
performance by them at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of my
favorites as you can see, and even though it’s lower on this ranking I still
love it a lot. I definitely watched the parade that year (in 2013) when they
performed, but I didn’t remember this performance at all until I came across it again for
this post. Watching this performance brought me back to when I was a pretty big
Fifth Harmony fan. I remember watching them and rooting for them on The X
Factor and I also remember getting their first EP ever that had this song on it
(well, this song was actually the title of the EP itself), as well. So, this performance
definitely refreshed my memory of all the songs from them that I used to listen
to when I was a teen. They had some great songs, and this performance shows
that. I’m not even mad at all that they didn’t choose to perform a Christmas
song for this parade performance of theirs, because I actually watched this
performance on repeat many times already just for the song that they do sing
during this performance which is “Better Together”.
Their float is also fun and unique because it’s goldfish-themed, which from what I can remember after watching all these performances, I think they were the only ones to perform on this goldfish float. Cause I don’t remember seeing it again before or after the year they performed, which is also interesting because a lot of parade floats that the singers and bands would perform on were repeated a lot from previous years. So, it was just refreshing to see a different themed float when watching their performance which is also why their performance stood out to me more. I also just like how they are really into the song and not just standing there singing it. They are actually dancing along while they are singing which just makes their performance even more fun and interesting to watch. I also like how a few of them are singing and dancing on the main part of the float that usually all the singers and bands perform on and then the other two girls are singing and dancing on the side of the float. That’s just something that also stood out to me from a lot of the other performances I watched. Honestly, I just love this song that they sing during this performance because it’s so catchy which makes me never get tired of watching this performance. If I could describe this performance in just a couple of words, it would be “FUN” and “HIGH ENERGY”, which is also why I chose to rank it higher than the previous performance just because it makes me smile and makes me more happy to watch. Another performance that I still wish was just a little bit longer though, but I get why it’s not.
#8 “Christmas in the Sand” performed by Colbie Caillat – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2012
This is another one of my favorite performances from the
parade throughout the years and one that stood out to me for many reasons. However,
this is another performance that I didn’t think I was going to be able to include
in this post until my sister (celebrategoodtimesblog.blogspot.com) told me that
Colbie Caillat did guest star on an episode of So Random!, and then I
researched it and she was right, so that is why this performance is included
here on this ranking. And I’m so glad that I can talk about this performance
because it is a great one. I don’t know a lot of songs by Colbie Caillat but
this is actually a song that I had heard before when I did my Disney ParksChristmas Day Parade Top 20 Performances Of All Time post last year. And I
actually wanted to include her performance of this song in that post as well
but didn’t because there were a few other better performances, and I didn’t
really know how I felt about the song itself. So, again, it’s just great that I
get to talk about this song and performance now for this post.
I still don’t know if I really like this song all that much, but it is a unique Christmas song and I appreciate that she actually performed a Christmas song for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. However, it’s everything else besides the song too, that makes me love this performance. From the float, to the dressed up characters and extras (mini chefs on the float), to her outfit, I just love how everything matches and just goes so well together. Also, the kitchen baking float she is on just screams HOLIDAYS and it’s definitely one of my favorite floats that I’ve seen from all these performances. It’s just so CUTE. This performance just makes me smile and it’s definitely the perfect performance for this holiday season. I also like that this performance is a little longer than the previous two I mentioned, which is always a plus.
#7 “This Gift” performed by 98 Degrees – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 1999
Again, you might be wondering, “When was 98 Degrees on
Disney Channel?”. Well, they actually did a song for the ICONIC Disney film Mulan
and they were also featured on Disney Channel’s Live Concert series in 2000. I
went through a whole 90’s phase when I was in my late teens and early twenties
where I went back and watched a lot of old 90’s shows and would look up old
videos of all the 90’s boy bands and other singers of that time on YouTube, so
of course I was already very familiar with 98 Degrees before watching this
performance of theirs. Though, this was my first time ever seeing this
performance of theirs at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. My favorite boy
band has always and will always be the Backstreet Boys but there are some great
songs from all the 90’s boy bands like NSYNC and even the band I’m talking
about now, 98 Degrees, and this is one of their best songs I’ve ever heard. Although,
I will admit that I just came across this song last year when I was watching
all the Disney Christmas Day Parade performances, but I loved it then and I
still love it now.
I not only love this performance for this amazing Christmas song that they sing but I also love the float that they are singing on. It definitely reminds me of The Polar Express, which is also why I just love it. There were also no other floats that were created like it throughout the years of the parade, except for the actual Polar Express float that I mentioned earlier, which makes this performance unique and special for that reason alone. 98 Degrees’ vocals are insane during this performance. Their voices really do blend together so well, and you can really hear their amazing harmonies in this performance. This performance definitely gives you all those 90’s, Christmasy feels. Well, at least for me it does, which I absolutely LOVE. And that’s also one reason why I chose to rank this performance higher than the previous one. But I also just love the song better in this performance than the song in the previous peformance I mentioned, as well. This is a simple performance with not a lot going on, but a GREAT one, nonetheless. Another performance where the song and float just go together pretty perfectly. And it’s a pretty long performance as well, which like I said before, is always a plus.
#6 “All I Want for Christmas Is You” performed by Mariah Carey – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2015
Of course, I was going to include this performance in this post. I mean,
it includes one of the most ICONIC Christmas songs of all time. Although, one
would probably expect this performance to be higher for the song alone, but
there are a few reasons why it’s not. One reason being because I have heard
this song so much throughout my life that sometimes it does just get monotonous
and old to listen to again. But don’t get me wrong because I still love this
Christmas classic song but it’s not my most favorite performance when compared
to all the others, I will be mentioning next. I do love how this performance
gives you those Thanksgiving Fall vibes and all the Christmas vibes with the
float featuring pumpkins and Christmasy things.
The float is also just very unique and special in and of itself, because after having watched all the parades from 1984 to 2021 for this post, there has been no other float like this advent calendar float she sings on during this performance. In other words, this float in this performance is definitely just another one of my all-time favorite floats from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade because as the announcer says in the video, “It displays a festive and colorful countdown celebrating Thanksgiving and then flowing into the spirit of Christmas Day”. Coming from someone who likes to celebrate Thanksgiving first and then do all the Christmas things after Thanksgiving Day is a plus. I personally don’t like to mix holidays together. Christmas to me comes after Thanksgiving and this float represents that perfectly. And I mean how could this performance not be in the top 10 or top 20 for the song alone. Mariah Carey also dressed for the song and holiday perfectly which just adds even more to this amazing performance. This is just a feel-good performance to watch and certainly an unforgettable one. Oh, and Mariah Carey guest starred on an episode of The Proud Family so that is how her performance fits into this post.
#5 “Freak the Freak Out” performed by Victoria Justice – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2010
This is another performance that I was so excited to get to
talk about on here because it’s one of those more nostalgic ones to me and it’s
just a great performance. I almost didn’t even include this performance in this
post because I thought Victoria Justice never appeared on Disney Channel,
because she’s of course known for being on Nickelodeon, until my sister
(celebrategoodtimesblog.blogspot.com) reminded me that she did guest star on an
episode of the Suite Life of Zack and Cody (which like, how could I have ever forgotten that, as that episode she guest starred on used to be one of my all time favorite episodes from that show). So, that is why she is included
here on this ranking and I’m SO HAPPY that I can talk about this song on here because I
don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to again since I don’t support
Nickelodeon anymore. Before doing this, going back to watch all the parade
performances, I had actually forgotten about this performance by Victoria
Justice so when I found it again and watched it I was pretty excited. I knew
right away that it would be one of my most favorites ever from the parade just
because it is more nostalgic to me than all the previous ones I’ve talked
about. Sometimes the songs that the singers and bands choose to sing at the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade can be a hit or a miss, but this one is
definitely NOT a miss. In other words, I am actually not mad at all that she
(Victoria Justice) chose to not sing a Christmas song and sang this song
instead, because I LOVE this song. It’s always been one of my most favorite
songs that she sang on Victorious. So, although I love Christmas songs
and the song I mentioned previously, I definitely love this song even more than
that one and all the others I put before this performance.
The float that she sings on isn’t really that unique or special as she’s just on the Build-A-Bear float, which is a float that has been used by other singers and bands throughout the years during the parade many times before and after her performance here; but it’s still a great float and performance because of it. Cause again, don’t get me wrong, the Build-A-Bear float has actually always been my most favorite float to see every time I watch the parade. She also dances during this performance, which is always a plus. As I love it when you can see that the singer is really into their performance because it makes it more fun and interesting to watch. She also dressed for the holiday part as well, which is also great. Again, this is just a fun performance, and the song is just AMAZING. It makes me want to sing and dance along every time I watch it.
#4 “As Long As You Love Me” performed by the Backstreet Boys – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 1997
A Backstreet Boys 90’s performance never fails and this one
from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is no different. I love, love, LOVE
this performance so much. The song that the Backstreet Boys sing during this
performance has always been one of my most favorites from them, so I’m not even
mad that they chose not to cover a Christmas song for this parade performance
of theirs. So, not only is this song one of my favorite things about this
performance but the dancing done by the kids all around them at the bottom of the float is also just one
of the things that really made me LOVE this performance and what stood out to
me the most when compared to any other Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
performance throughout the years. Watching the kids dance to some of the same
choreography that I’ve seen the Backstreet Boys do along to this same song for
their concerts back in the 90’s is just so great. This performance LITERALLY
never gets old to me. Every time I play it, I just never want it to end. Yes,
it’s that GREAT. There is so much high
energy and smiles during this performance not only from the kid dancers but
even from the Backstreet Boys themselves. That every time I watch this
performance it just makes me smile and want to sing and dance along with them. Literally
the kids are so into the dance that you can see the whole bottom of the float
bouncing because they are hitting those moves so hard.
Speaking of the float, the float theme is also very unique and on point for where the boys are at. Overall, I really, really LOVE this performance and I also just chose to rank this performance higher than the previous ones because it’s a 90’s performance and majority of the time I will always choose a 90’s performance over any other performance from any other year. I really wanted to rank this performance even higher but there are just a few others that have something a little more special about them to me that make them just a little bit better than this one. But don’t get me wrong because I still love this performance, obviously, as I’ve said a million times by now. 😊 Oh, and the Backstreet Boys were also a part of the Disney Channel in Concert series that aired on Disney Channel in 1999 and they also had a song on the Princess Dairies soundtrack, so that is why they are included in this post.
#3 “Celebrate” performed by Kool and The Gang – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 1999
Okay, I literally just changed my mind last minute and chose
to rank this one above the previous one, but initially I actually had this one
at #4. But, then after watching this performance again, I was like, “No, this
is the PERFECT performance all because of the song for Thanksgiving Day”. So,
yes, the song they sing during this performance is the only reason why I chose
to rank this one higher than the previous ones. I’ve always loved this song, but
I never knew who sang it until now. Again, I just always heard this song as a
kid growing up but never knew who actually sang it until watching this
performance for this post and being able to finally know the name of the group
and be able to put the faces to the name. I’ve heard this song featured on some
Disney things but I wanted to make sure that Kool and the Gang was in fact on
Disney Channel at some point in some way and they were. One of their songs was
actually featured on The Lion King ½, so I’m sure they were seen on some
Disney Channel commercials back in the day for that song and movie. And of course, in the ICONIC Mickey's Fun Songs: Beach Party at Walt Disney World.
This is also a 90’s performance, so that is also why of course it ranks higher. And like I mentioned before, another reason why I love this performance more than the previous ones is obviously because the song is the BEST compared to the others. It’s the most fun song to sing and dance along to as they do in this performance. The song itself is just so nostalgic to me because of course I never saw this performance before doing so for this post, so the song was the only thing I knew before from this performance. And the song itself is just perfect for a day like today, because we are CELEBRATING today, but also as my little sister likes to say at the end of her blog, “Don’t forget to celebrate each day because each day is a memory in the making”. This performance is just such a vibe. The float theme is a little random, but it’s still a great one, nonetheless. And it’s really the first and last of it’s kind when it comes to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade floats throughout the years. I just can’t help but smile and sing and dance along whenever I watch this performance. It truly never gets old and now that I know it exists, I will never forget this performance whenever I think about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The only thing that I don’t like about this performance is that it is not long enough. I just want it to go on forever every time I watch it.
#2 “This One’s for The Children” performed by New Kids on the Block – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 1989
The New Kids on the Block are also a boy band that I first came across on YouTube and learned more about a few years ago shortly after I went through my 90’s boy band phase. So, I was already very familiar with this boy band and this song before ever watching this performance. A few years ago, when I did look up old interviews and music videos from them in the 80’s and 90’s, this is one specific performance that I never came across until now. So, I was very excited and curious to watch this performance for the first time ever because I obviously never watched it live in the 80’s because I wasn’t even born then. Having said that, I really love this performance because of this song that they sing. It’s more of a slower and thought-provoking song, can kind of be more on the sadder side, but I love this song for the overall message. As the overall message of this song is basically about spreading love, helping others, and being grateful for what you have. Plus, I like how they sing in the song, “I’m not trying to darken up the day..”, so they get that what they are singing about is more thought-provoking and sad but it needs to be said anyways and I think they get the message across in the best way. And I think that message is especially important for everyone to remember on a day like today. In other words, the song that they perform just fits perfectly for this time of the year, but again, it is an important reminder for every day of the year.
I love how into the performance they are, which just makes me love it even more, though you can only really see one of the band members Jordan singing and in the forefront majority of the time. But don’t worry, because it does show some of the other band members as well, just not the whole time. I just love how happy and playful they seem during this performance which again just makes me enjoy watching it that much more. I also like the New York themed float that they’re singing on, which just fits perfectly for the whole event and performance, being that the parade takes place in New York. Again, I just really chose to rank this performance so high because of the song itself. I could careless about all the other stuff involved in this performance. The message of the song is what matters. I LOVE this performance so much that I actually had it at #1 in this category but the next song I will be mentioning gives me more nostalgic feelings and fits the Thanksgiving holiday really well compared to all the others. But don’t get me wrong because this is still one of the best performances from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ever and I will always stand by that. Definitely a must-watch. So, click the video below NOW, to see this amazing 80's Thanksgiving performance. Oh, and New Kids on the Block had their own animated series that Disney Channel played reruns of from 1991 to 1993 and they were also on an episode of the Mickey Mouse Club, so that’s is how they made it into this post.
#1 “I Want Candy” performed by Aaron Carter – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2000
This is the BEST and my MOST FAVORITE performance from a
Disney Channel Guest Star at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade because it’s
the most nostalgic to me and it also gives off the most Thanksgiving vibes. Of
course, I just LOVE the song that Aaron Carter sings during this performance SO
MUCH, as well. It’s one of those songs that truly never gets old. And because
of that, this is one of those performances that I could play on repeat, to
which I actually did. This performance also gives off a little bit of Christmas
vibes as well because of the song itself. As any time I hear this song I just
always think of that ICONIC Christmas episode from Lizzie McGuire which featured
Aaron Carter singing this ICONIC song. In other words, because of that Lizzie
McGuire episode, I’ve always associated this song with Christmas. This is also
just a great performance because it’s so HIGH ENERGY with not only Aaron Carter
singing and moving around a lot but also because of the background dancers doing
their thing and just having fun. This is definitely the most FUN performance by
a Disney Channel Guest Star at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The AMAZING float itself is also what made me rank this performance the highest because it’s very Thanksgiving-y (I know, that’s not a word but I’m using it anyways). I mean, it has a Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, and an 8-foot pumpkin pie that he’s singing on. The only thing I don’t like about this performance, like majority of the performances on this ranking, is that it isn’t long enough. This is just the perfect Thanksgiving Day Parade performance. And although I more than likely never watched this performance live when it first aired in 2000 (because I was just three years old at the time) this performance still gives me all the nostalgic feels and just makes me think of my childhood, which is why I love it so much. This is another performance that I can’t help but want to sing and dance along to and one that I never want to end every time I watch it. This is THE performance that I wanted to include so bad in this post which is why I had to make two different categories for these two different types of Disney Channel Stars performances. So, I’m so happy that I finally got to share my thoughts on this amazingly fun, nostalgic-filled performance on here. Now check out the performance below, because you won’t be disappointed.
And since we're already talking about this performance of "I Want Candy" by Aaron Carter, let's never forget THE performance of this ICONIC song by him, as well...
Disney Channel Stars Performances
(from least to most favorite)…
#10 “Best of Both Worlds” performed by Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2006
I know, I know. I never would have thought that I would ever
put a Hannah Montana performance so low, but here it is, shockingly at #10. Although,
don’t get me wrong, because this is still one of the BEST performances ever
from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Obviously, as you can see, because it did
make it into this Top 20 list to begin with. But the only reason it ranks lower
compared to all the others I will be mentioning next is because it’s not the
best performance that I’ve seen of this song by Hannah Montana. There’s also
not a lot of energy or dancing by Hannah Montana (aka Miley Cyrus) during this
performance which is also why it fell a little flat for me, especially when
compared to all the other performances I will be mentioning.
I LOVE the Build-a-Bear float that she is singing on and of course the ICONIC song that she sings, but I just wish that there was something a little more that she did during this performance, like some of the dancing that she usually would do when she would sing this song as Hannah Montana on stage. And of course, I wish that the performance lasted longer but I know that’s just how it is when it comes to majority of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performances. All in all, this is just a very nostalgic performance to me and one that still stood out to me the most when compared to all the ones that didn’t even make it onto this ranking. Definitely a must-watch for today.
#9 “Under the Sea” performed by the Lawrence Brothers – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 1994
The Lawrence Brothers performed at pretty much every Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade throughout the 90’s. Well, there were only two parades
from the 90’s with a performance by all three of them, two parades (one in the
late 80’s and early 90’s) with only Joey and Matthew Lawrence performing, and
then Joey Lawrence performed at every parade from 1988 to 1996 and again in 2002.
So, having said that, this is definitely one of the best and one of my most
favorite performances by all three of the Lawrence Brothers. This is one of those
performances that I had never seen before creating this post, and let me tell
you, I am so glad I found it because it’s such a gem of a performance.
First of all, I just love any performance with real life siblings, so I love that we get to see the three Lawrence Brothers singing together during this performance, which is also why I ranked it higher than the previous one. This is definitely the CUTEST performance from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade EVER. I literally could not stop watching the video of this performance. It’s really that good. I love how you can see them talking or whispering to each other when it’s not their time to sing yet. Their interactions with one another during this performance are just so funny and sweet to watch. I also love that you can tell that they are really having fun and enjoying their performance which just makes me enjoy watching it that much more. I love the song and everything about this performance, but the only reason why I ranked it lower is because to me it doesn’t fit the whole vibe of the Thanksgiving Day Parade and just the holidays in general. In other words, I wouldn’t choose to watch or listen to a song from a Disney Princess movie on a holiday like today. However, again, I still LOVE this performance but there are just other performances that I will be mentioning next that are either more nostalgic to me or just fit the theme of this day better. So, the float and song choice are the only reasons why I chose not to rank this performance higher. Though I can’t say this enough, in that this is still a GREAT and must-watch performance.
#8 “So Yesterday” performed by Hilary Duff – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2003
I chose to rank this performance higher than the previous
one I mentioned just because the song and float choice are much better. The
float itself is very unique in that after watching all the parades from
throughout the years, this Diner float was never seen again. So, this
performance gets more points for just being different in that way. And it
pretty much fits the Thanksgiving-themed vibes. I also just LOVE the song that
she sings during this performance itself. As I grew up listening to Hilary
Duff’s albums and watching a lot of her shows and movies, so of course this
performance is also just very nostalgic to me in that way, as well. I also like
that she’s actually moving around and using the stage and not just standing in
one place singing, because that usually always makes for a better performance.
I’m
sure I watched the parade when this performance aired that year in 2003, but I
don’t really remember because I was still really young at the time. The only
reason I had already known that this performance even existed is thanks to my
little sister (celebrategoodtimesblog.blogspot.com), as she showed it to me last
year on Thanksgiving. So, prior to doing this, that was the only memory I had of
actually watching this performance for the first time. I have to be honest
though, because I did have to watch this performance a few more times to
actually want to include it in this post. Cause I didn’t just want to include
it for nostalgic reasons. This performance did grow on me after a while though
and is why it made it here at #8. All in all, it’s one of the best performances
from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and is in fact one of my favorites. Definitely
a performance I could never forget now.
#7 “Together, Wherever We Go” performed by Joey and Matthew Lawrence – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 1991
This is one of the other Lawrence Brothers parade
performances that I mentioned before and another GREAT one at that. I chose to
rank this performance higher than the previous one because it’s just another
sweet and cute performance between siblings. Again, I love a good family
performance. The song that they sing during this performance is also just very
nostalgic to me because it makes me think of one of my all-time favorite
Christmas movies since I was a kid, “Eloise at Christmastime”, which is a movie
that this song was also featured in. So, because I always associate this song
with Christmas because of that Christmas movie, this performance to me just
screams Christmas as well because of this song that they sing during it.
This is another one of those performances that I had never seen before and that I was so happy that I found because I’ve been a fan of a lot of the Lawrence Brothers’ 80’s and 90’s shows and movies for a while now, so I love to see them doing a performance such as this one. There are a couple of mishaps during this performance and even before the performance begins but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying watching and liking this performance. Again, I love a good sibling moment, and this is just that. And the message of the song is even sweeter when it is sung by two siblings instead of a couple singing it like in the Eloise at Christmastime movie. This is just another Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performance that I could never forget now that I’ve watched it as many times as I have for this post.
#6 “No Matter Where You Are” performed by Joey Lawrence with Matthew and Andrew Lawrence – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 1995
This is the BEST and my MOST FAVORITE Lawrence Brothers
performance from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for many reasons. I love
that although Joey Lawrence is the main one singing the song during this
performance that we also get to see the other brothers (Matthew and Andrew) on
the float, as well. Again, I just love it when all the brothers come together
even if they aren’t all singing together, which is exactly what this
performance is. As I’ve also mentioned many times before, I LOVE the 90’s, and
this performance gives me all those 90’s vibes. From the fashion to the float, to
the fake falling snow, to the song itself, this performance also gives off all
the cozy winter holiday season vibes, as well. The city float that they are
performing on is also pretty great and unique because it is another one that I
believe was never shown again in any other Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
throughout the years.
Again, I mostly just love this performance more than the others not only because it’s a 90’s performance and it features the Lawrence Brothers but the song itself is also the better out of all the other songs that the brothers performed from their time being at the parade through the years. I also just love that they decided to include the theme song from their 90's Disney Channel show, "Brotherly Love" for this performance. As I've always loved this song ever since I first discovered the show just a few years ago on YouTube. I mean, let's be honest, the theme song was the BEST part of the whole show. It's just so catchy and good. This is another one of those performances from the parade that I had never seen before ever doing this, so I was so happy to come across this performance during my time of watching all the parades from 1984-2021 for this post. As this is just another GREAT performance that I will never forget. Again, there is not one thing that I don’t like about this performance, except that I wish it was much longer.
#5 “Voices in my Head” performed by Ashley Tisdale – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2018
This performance has always been one of the most memorable
to me ever since I had watched it live in 2018. The 2018 Macy’s Thanksgiving
Day Parade was actually the last year that I chose to watch the parade. In
other words, I stopped watching the parade after that year and therefore this
performance by Ashley Tisdale was one of the last parade performances that I
had seen. I knew from the very beginning of creating this post idea that this
performance would be included on this ranking, because I just love this song
that she sings during this performance so, so much. I would even rank this
performance even higher for the song alone, if it weren’t for all the other
amazing performances that I will be mentioning next, which are just more
nostalgic and hold more of a special place in my heart. I don’t even care that
she didn’t choose to sing a Christmas song or some other song for this
performance because this is the best song she could have sung.
Again, I just love this song because of the relatable message. As this song is basically all about her anxiety and depression and how she is not going to let it get the best of her and she also describes in the song how her lover provides the support she needs in order to keep her grounded. As someone who has experienced depression and has had anxiety since I was a teen, I can totally relate to this song and feel her emotions every time she performs it. I think this was a perfect song for her to sing here because the holidays can bring up all the emotions and feelings of anxiety and depression for so many people, including me. So, by her performing this song it’s just a great reminder and motivator to anyone about getting rid of those voices in our heads that try to bring us down and not letting them have the power over you. This is just one of those more important performances with a great message that you must stop and watch to listen to.
This performance just truly never gets old. It’s one that every time I watch it and get to the end of it I just have to start it over immediately right from the very beginning because I just never want the song to end. Yes, it’s that good. This is also just another performance from the parade that is just far too short. The song is not the only great thing about this performance though, because the float gives off all the holiday vibes and is one of my all time favorite floats from the parade because I mean it’s a fantasy Kinder chocolate factory. What could be better than a float all about chocolate? 😊🍫🤎To me, nothing. No, but for real, for real, this performance is just one of the best and definitely a forever unforgettable one.
#4 “Last Christmas” performed by Ashley Tisdale – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2007
Ashley Tisdale had some great performances at the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade, and this is one of them. Well, she only performed
three times at the parade and the two I’ve now mentioned on this ranking were
the only ones where she performed by herself, but still three times is still
quite a lot. I still really love her performance that I just mentioned
previously but this one just gives me more of those nostalgic and holiday,
Christmasy vibes which is why I chose to rank it just a little bit higher than
that previous performance. First of all, let’s talk about the song that she
performs here. I LOVE the Christmas song that she sings. In fact, her version
of this song has always been my favorite. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever
heard any other version of this song except for hers and of course the one from the original,
original singer. The song is definitely what brings all the nostalgia to me as I
remember listening to this song a lot as a kid and I think I even had it as my
ringtone once for my cellphone when I was younger. It was either me or one of my sisters who had this song as
their ringtone when we were younger, but I definitely had this song playing on
something back during the time that this song first came out.
Although, this isn’t my favorite Christmas song that she sings here, it's still one that I grew up listening to a lot and still love to this day. I just appreciate that she chose to perform a Christmas song. The only thing I don’t like about this performance and honestly what made me want to rank this performance lower is the float itself. I just don’t like the float. It’s boring and I just wish it was more holiday themed, especially with the song she chose to sing, cause it doesn’t go with the song or holiday at all. Nonetheless, as you can see, I still love this performance because it just gives me all those nostalgic, Christmasy (although not all Christmasy), 2007 vibes, which I love.
#3 “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)” performed by Olivia Holt – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2017
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Every performance of this song by Olivia Holt that I’ve seen
on YouTube is always the best. As even in my Christmas post last year, when I
ranked the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Top 20 Performances Of All Time, Olivia
Holt’s performance of this same song made it to the top of that list. This is a
performance that I had already seen before and is pretty unforgettable and
nostalgic to me because I do remember watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day
Parade that year and seeing this performance by Olivia Holt. This is not only
one of my most favorite performances ever from a Disney Channel Star at the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade but the float that she sings on during this
performance is also one of my all-time favorite floats ever from the parade
throughout the years. And I know that I’ve said that about a lot of floats
already on this ranking, but I really do LOVE this one a lot, A LOT. It’s
definitely one of those floats that if I could choose one to perform on it
would be this one.
I mean not only does the song give off all the Christmas vibes, but the float does just as much. As it’s decorated with lots of fake Christmas trees, garland, a holiday carousel, and a lot of other holiday décor. It definitely beats the previous float I mentioned by a lot. The song that she sings is also one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs, which is also mainly why I chose to rank this performance above the previous one. This is just a great performance and if you like Christmas on Thanksgiving then you will also love to watch this performance, because out of all the performances in this category this performance is definitely the most Christmasy one.
#2 “Dig Down Deeper” performed by Zendaya – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2011
This has always been one of the most memorable and nostalgic
performances from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to me. If you’ve been a
follower of this blog for a while now, then you know that Shake It Up is
and has always been one of my all-time favorite Disney Channel shows, so of
course I loved this performance from the start when I first watched it on TV in
2011 on Thanksgiving Day. Cause if you already don’t know, Zendaya plays one of
the main characters (Rocky) on that show. So again, just because I have such
fond memories of watching that show and this performance when I was younger is the main
reason why it ranks so high on this list.
Though, other than it being nostalgic to me I still think other things about it are great and what makes it stand out a lot from the rest. I love the Build-A-Bear float that she’s performing on (even though it’s not the most unique or different float, cause it’s one of those most reused ones from the parade throughout the years), that there’s a lot of dancing included in her performance, and that she even committed wholeheartedly to the whole theme of the holiday with her amazing green pilgrim-esque outfit. Although I like the song that Zendaya sings during this performance, as it brings back so many fond memories in and of itself, I wouldn’t say that it’s one of the best songs when compared to all the others on this ranking. But that doesn’t stop me from really loving this performance for what it is.
#1 “I Thought I Lost You” performed by Miley Cyrus – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2008
This is the BEST and my MOST FAVORITE performance from a
Disney Channel Star at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for so many reasons. I
knew from the start that this performance was going to be one of my most
favorites and I never changed my mind once about it. Just like the previous
performance I mentioned, this one is SUPER NOSTALGIC to me. It’s one of the few
that I actually remember seeing for the first time as a kid. When I went back
to watch all these parades through the years and I finally got to the 2008
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, I actually recognized a lot of the musical
performances and this one was of course one of the MOST memorable.
I not only LOVE this performance for nostalgic reasons but for everything else about it, too. I saw the movie Bolt a couple times as a kid/teen, so of course I just love the float with all the animal characters from that movie and then you have Miley Cyrus who played the main character (Penny) in the movie singing in the forefront of it all. It was actually a really smart way to promote the movie more. Cause after watching this performance a few times over for this post, it certainly made me want to watch the movie again. The float is just a really unique and original idea, which makes it stand out more than all the others. I also just LOVE the song that she sings because it’s a really sweet and meaningful song.
This is definitely her better Thanksgiving Day Parade performance when compared to the one she did as Hannah Montana, because you can tell that she’s more into the song and she just being more playful and having fun with the performance. Even though this performance doesn’t give off a lot of Thanksgiving or Christmas vibes, I still think of Thanksgiving anytime I see this performance because I mean she is performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and it’s still just such a whole fun vibe in and of itself. This is just a great, unique, and fun performance that truly never gets old to watch. I only wish that it was a little longer, like most of these performances on this ranking I’ve mentioned. Whenever I see this movie or hear this song, I instantly think about this AMAZING performance. Truly just an unforgettable performance. Also, I just have to say, that I love her outfit during this performance, as well. If not from anything else, her outfit gives all the wintery, holiday, Christmas vibes you need while watching this performance. At least to me it does. 💗🤍🐶
Well, that concludes my ranking of the Top 20 Best Performances From A Disney Channel Star At The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and my first ever Thanksgiving-themed post on this blog! I really enjoyed getting to go back and watch all of the performances, especially the ones on this ranking, from this ICONIC event throughout the years. As for some, I got to kind of relive those moments in time when I saw them for the very first time as a kid/teen watching the parade on TV and with others on this ranking that I had never even seen before until doing this, are now ones that I will never forget. Although, just because I have my least and most favorites on this list doesn’t mean that I don’t love all of them. Cause all of these performances that I’ve mentioned here are truly great ones, hence why they even made it into this Top 20 ranking to begin with. But I would love to know, have you seen these Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performances before? If so, which one(s) is your favorite that I’ve mentioned here? Or what’s your favorite float from the parade? Let me know in the comments below and come Back to Disney soon for more! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!🧡🤎🦃
P.S. I AM GRATEFUL, THANKFUL, AND BLESSED FOR ALL OF YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR THIS BLOG ALWAYS.💗
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