Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams premiered on May 5, 2005 as part of the Happiest Homecoming on Earth, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Disneyland in California. Conceived by VP Parades and Spectaculars, Steve Davison, the parade celebrates the dreams of Disney characters and includes Disney characters such as Mickey, Minnie, Tinker Bell, Cinderella, Snow White, Simba, Alice and Mad Hatter, Pinocchio, Belle and Beast, Ariel, Donald, Goofy and Pluto. The parade includes eight floats which include Getaway to Dreams, Dream of Enchantment, Dream of Laughter, Dream of Another World, Dream of Imagination, Dream of Adventure, and Dreams Come True. It closed in November 2008 before the Holidays at Disneyland. Pre-parade/Grand Marshal As part of "Year of a Million Dreams", one lucky family was chosen to be part of the "Grand Marshal Pre-Parade Cavalcade" and to stay one night in the Mickey Mouse Penthouse located in the Disneyland Hotel or the Disneyland Dream Suite in New Orleans Square. The family journeyed along the parade route with the Mayor of Main Street and other Disney characters such as Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Mary Poppins, Bert, Woody, Jessie, Aladdin and Jasmine. The "Grand Marshal Pre-Parade Cavalcade" featured two banner holders, six dancers, and two rope carriers as well. The song played was "The Happiest Place on Earth". On August 17, 2008, this pre-parade was cut back to only include the Mayor and the lucky family. A pre-parade is a mini-parade with usually one float with the main character(s) that promote an upcoming Disney movie. There were four Pre-Parades for Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams, Ratatouille, Enchanted, Prince Caspian and Bolt. Parade units and characters Happiest Homecoming on Earth Introduction: "Fifty years ago a magical place was born; a place of Enchantment and Adventure, Laughter and Imagination, where new worlds of joy and wonder just waited to be discovered and in this marvelous kingdom there lived many delightful friends who made our dreams come true. Today we invite you to celebrate fifty years of magical memories with your Disney family as we proudly present Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams, we dedicate it to dreamers around the world and to that special dream that first began when Walt Disney proclaimed To All Who Come to This Happy Place, Welcome."-Voice Over by Julie Andrews Year of a Million Dreams introduction: "Once upon a time, a marvelous dreamer found the power to transform wishes into reality,