Block Party Bash

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Block Party Bash
Block Party Bash Logo.svg
Disney California Adventure
StatusRemoved
Opening dateMay 5, 2005 (2005-05-05)
Closing dateJanuary 6, 2008 (2008-01-06)
Replaced Disney's Eureka! A California Parade
Replaced by Pixar Play Parade
Disney's Hollywood Studios
StatusRemoved
Opening dateMarch 14, 2008 (2008-03-14)
Closing dateJanuary 11, 2011 (2011-01-11)
Replaced Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade
Replaced by Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun!
Ride statistics
Attraction typeParade
Theme Pixar
Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v90oN_nzW54

Block Party Bash was a hybrid stage show and parade that played at Disney California Adventure Park from 2005 to 2008. [1] It was relocated to Disney's Hollywood Studios in March 2008, replacing the Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade. [2]

Contents

Show facts

It ran at Disney California Adventure from May 5, 2005 to January 6, 2008. At Disney's Hollywood Studios it ran from March 14, 2008 to January 1, 2011. It had three show stops (Summer 2005), then two show stops (Fall 2005–January 2008). The Show length was 11-minute stop, approximately 40 minutes from entrance gate to exit gate (55 minutes with three show stops). The previous parade was Disney California Adventure: Eureka! The California Adventure Parade, and at Disney's Hollywood Studios: Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade.

History

Block Party Bash at Disney's California Adventure July 2007 DCA-BlockPartyBash 01.jpg
Block Party Bash at Disney's California Adventure July 2007

Block Party Bash was introduced in May 2005 in conjunction with Disneyland's 50th anniversary "Happiest Homecoming on Earth" celebration. Produced to fill the void left after the closure of Eureka!, it was conceived as more a mobile stage show than a parade. Unlike most Disney parades, Block Party Bash is an upbeat show that makes heavy use of dance music with an energetic, driving beat.

Block Party Bash featured characters from and units inspired by the Pixar films released to that point: Toy Story , The Incredibles , A Bug's Life , and Monsters, Inc. In addition to the characters, Block Party Bash featured a large number of dancers, bikers, and trampoline artists. The original cast included over 60 dancers, 16 acrobats, 12 pairs of jumping stilts and 30 electric scooters.

Following its initial season, Block Party Bash was significantly scaled down, with its original three show stops being reduced to two, the A Bug's Land stop removed, and the lighting and effects system reworked to require less manpower. The tail end of the Bug's Life unit was also scaled down by removing Dim, with the larger unit losing its trailered unit, and a few party cones.

After closing on January 6, 2008, the parade was relocated to Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World in Florida. It premiered there on March 14, 2008—the same day that the new Pixar Play Parade debuted at Disney California Adventure.

Show Structure

Parade Mode

The show travels in "parade mode" along Disney's Hollywood Studios Performance Corridor until it reaches one of two "Party Zones". At this point, many of the performers are occupied with moving the units, while others dance alongside the procession to "Celebration". The Green Army Men, along the route, encourage guests to visit a "Party Zone", where they say the real fun begins.

Show Stop

Block Party Bash moves in "Parade Mode" to one of the party zones. When the show debuted, there were three party zones; "Red" located in Sunshine Plaza, "Green" outside A Bug's Land, and "Blue" outside Golden Dreams. Upon its arrival in the party zones, the show begins. The four main units as well as smaller "block" tweeners feature Green Army Men serving as a sort of party drill sergeant. Guests are invited to join in the jumping, dancing, games, and other fun.

Introduction

Jump

  • "Jumpin' Jack Flash"; characters, Pixar Pal dancers, and acrobats use jump ropes and jumping stilts, encouraging the audience to jump along.

Scream

  • Green Army Men host a scream contest, challenging each side of the street to beat the other.
  • "Shout"; (lyrics changed to "scream").

Dance

Finale

Tear-down and return to Parade Mode

Gate tag

  • Once the floats, Tweeners and Cones reach the Paradise Pier parade gate, the Pixar Pal dancers step aside to the edge of the parade route. Once the A Bug's Life float reaches the edge of the gate, the Pixar Pals dance back into the center and perform a choreographed 'tag' as the music ends.
  • One by one, they dance back toward the slowly closing gate and, on the final "Celebrate!" moment, they throw dozens of custom-printed Block Party Bash Nerf balls over the gate.

Floats

The units are themed to one of three Disney-Pixar films, in this order:

The units are themed to one of three Disney-Pixar characters, in this order:

These characters come out in the finale of the show

Each unit consists of, in order:

In September 2006, the parade was scaled down from its original opening format. Previous to the current format of the parade, each section consisted of a trampoline, a tweener, two cones, the main unit, and 2 cones (a total for 4 cones per unit).

Each section also contains 8 dancing couples and 4 acrobats, totaling 48 dancers and 12 acrobats for the entire parade.

Creative staff

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References

  1. Geryak, Cole (April 19, 2018). "Disney Extinct Attractions: Eureka and Block Party Bash". The Laughing Place. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  2. Sehlinger, Bob (2009). The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. Wiley. p. 662. ISBN   9780470583241.