Overall the parade was okay but disappointing when compared to previous years.
I can give you two specific problems that really hurt this years broadcast:
1. The horrible musical performances. I was going to simply say Bieber, but honestly Justin Bieber was just one of many this year. I keep hoping he'll hit puberty one of these days and his career will end itself. Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar once upon a time, but her most recent achievement seems to have been losing weight. Christina Aguilera, who can somehow stretch a 2 minute Christmas classic into an 8 minute vocal experiment. Scotty McCreery? Really? Come on America! Are we really going to buy into this kid with the novelty "old-school country" voice? I have a feeling he'll be a footnote in music history before the next Christmas parade starts filming.
"I can't believe I'm still gettin' away with this y'all!"
2. The hosts. I never thought I'd say this, but Mario Lopez makes me yearn for the days of Regis and Ryan Seacrest. Mario seems like an okay guy and I'm as a big a Saved by the Bell fan as anyone, but the job of a host is to be a personality. Seems like a tall order to be one when you don't even posses one. And then there's this Nick Cannon. I don't even know what to say about this guy. I've heard so many criticisms of his hosting duties on America's Got Talent. Finally I see they are all understatements. He's unwatchable. Cannon spends every moment of valuable camera time painfully wincing as he reads the prompter and phonetically shouting every line of dialogue.
This can't possibly be the best they could find. What, Kelly Rippa was busy? If there was one bright spot in the hosting team, it was Maria Menounos.
Maria did the best she could working between two stiffs that make the Hall of Presidents seem like party-crazed frat boys. And, let's be honest, she's very nice to look at. Once again I was grateful to be watching it on my DVR, and to have access to a Pause button. Mmm . . . Maria Menounos! Oh wait, did I type that?!?
On another positive note, it was great to see Samantha Brown! I'm a huge fan of Samantha and was in fact quite disappointed that none of her Disney Parks Christmas specials from past years aired this holiday season. I was quite happy to see Disney once again taking advantage of her! And she too looked great! She may have a couple years on Menounos, but certainly out-shined her in a couple segments!
Of course one of my favorite parts about watching the annual Disney Christmas parade is seeing glimpses of the coming year's ad campaign and highlights of what the different parks have planned. This particular year seemed Disneyland heavy, which is fine. As I mentioned before, 2012 will see the opening of Carsland at Disney's California Adventure Park. They touched on that a little yesterday, but I was a little let down that we didn't get any real footage. They only teased the same old concept art we've seen a hundred times. I was really hoping for a real life look at Radiator Springs Racers!
Still much of the other advertising and previews for Walt Disney attractions were great and definitely got the excitement level bubbling again.
I think (or maybe I'm just hoping) that in-depth look at Disney's new Hawaiian resort Aulani might have even drawn my wife in.
Look, I will always watch the Christmas parade. It's one of the aspects of the holiday I look forward to most. It wouldn't feel like Christmas without a virtual visit to Walt Disney World and Disneyland in the same two-hour window. But I certainly think it wouldn't hurt to remember that while kids may look up from their new toys to see the latest bubble-gum popstar, it's us parents who still make the financial decisions. Catering at least some of the entertainment acts, special features, and yes advertising to us could only help!
I'd give this year's broadcast a 6.5 out of 10, but they've done many 9's in my life. Like to see the creative team in charge sit down and really think before they just slap together some pages from Tiger Beat magazine and intersperse the same old floats they use every day in the parks with some tinsel hung around the rails. I know times are tough, but let's face it. The parade is only on as a 120 minute commercial for the parks and resorts. You want to get attendance up, you've got an international platform to step up your game and show the world why they should come. No place to cut corners or take the easy way out.
But please, please, no more Bieber!!!
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