MK All-New Nighttime Parade Disney Starlight Set to Debut at Magic Kingdom in 2025

[doctornick]

That “Baroque Hoedown” opening leading to lights out did cause enormous cheering, though. It’s a great moment.

I do think that people on these pages don’t recognize enough that Baroque Hoedown is literally the archetype of “Disney parade music” for the a huge majority of guests. It’s one of those things that is recognizable outside of its original context by being so well known.

 

[doctornick]

Ones that weren’t widely ridiculed for 10 years. Hated it so much you actually love it?

Can’t speak for anyone else but I love PTN and was hoping they’d ship it to Florida. Starlight looks fine but I much prefer the more upbeat score of PTN - but I’m not a fan of trying to make a light parade “elegant” rather than exciting and fun.

 

[Casper Gutman]

It happens often. Many go from the initial “yey something new!” to real reflection and analysis of it based on what Disney could have delivered.

What may be getting old is expectations are more than what we typically get now adays which is where more of the negativity and frustration shows up from those who want things to be better.

Honestly, at this point it might be wise to simply acknowledge that Disney isn’t nearly as good at themed entertainment as they once were and expectations need to be lowered across the board.

Except…

The international parks disprove this. The string of failures in Florida involves something more than simple incompetence. At some level, it’s a choice.

 

[TTA94]

And I'm hoping that at least some of the route lighting improvements are yet to be switched on. The fixtures speced were... robust.

Are you able to say where they are and how they will be used?

 

[Disney Analyst]

Perhaps part of the issue is that Disney itself doesn’t do everything in house anymore? They design something, and send it out to a bidder to build.

 

[jrhwdw]

What A Night and What a Weekend!!! Happy Opening Day to the first Nighttime Parade in MK since October 2016!!!!!!! Also, a Opening Night to a MK Original since October 1991!!!!!

NO WAY what we saw the last 2 Nights belongs in the Harm/Light Magic Caterory!!!!! I'll admit the Court Dancers looked darker on WCI than on the Streams. Also could have used a few more Spectro Throwbacks but I'm Good!!!

 

[djkidkaz]

Another issue that is bothering me is the length of time all the floats stay in a blue color. When they do transition to full colors the floats look so much better and more alive but it doesn’t last long enough before they transition back to blue.

 

[docnabox]

The thing that scares me is that now that MK has made the investment into this parade, I am so far from certain about if we are going to see improvements or IP changes rather than deletions. Even in 5 years I couldn't tell you because of how parades and shows have been treated in Orlando for years (Fantasmic being the one exception and that's because they literally can't figure out anything else to replace it with.) And we all know that this is probably going to run for 10 years or more unless something catastrophic happens, so we may be stuck with this version for quite some time if not a decade. And frankly I hate to say it but that could be us getting lucky. I don't see a replacement being developed until the 2030s.

A decade? Heck, I am 57 and I had already resigned myself to this being the last parade of my lifetime!

 

[GhostHost1000]

Really wish this had an intro similar to MSEP, but I guess they can’t say ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls anymore

I really want to like this parade and the lighting effects on some are nice, but it falls flat to me. We get excited about something new at Disney but let’s be honest here, there is a lack of characters, things happening in between the larger floats, and more….many little things could make it so much better.

 

[SoFloMagic]

It happens often. Many go from the initial “yey something new!” to real reflection and analysis of it based on what Disney could have delivered.

What may be getting old is expectations are more than what we typically get now adays which is where more of the negativity and frustration shows up from those who want things to be better.

That's fair.

Its just wild to see people beg for a night parade in the style or spectro, then have disney roll that out only for people to tear it to shreds off of a video of it from a cell phone, without even seeing it.

 

[DCBaker]

Disney has shared a look at the installed Disney Starlight poster:

 

[TarzanRocked99-]

I Havnt been in the loop for a couple years now, but not too long ago they still had the two Bubble Fish and two of the Whirly Balls from Specto intact and functioning. They would bring them out for special events and some of the races. Not sure they are still onsite, but it would be an easy enhancement to place Chip and Dale on the Whirly Balls prior to the finale float. Heck their old Specto Tuxedo’s are not all that different than the new Fab 5 Starlight costumes.

Plus it would be another nod to Specto, which would be a fan pleaser

 

[GhostHost1000]

I Havnt been in the loop for a couple years now, but not too long ago they still had the two Bubble Fish and two of the Whirly Balls from Specto intact and functioning. They would bring them out for special events and some of the races. Not sure they are still onsite, but it would be an easy enhancement to place Chip and Dale on the Whirly Balls prior to the finale float. Heck their old Specto Tuxedo’s are not all that different than the new Fab 5 Starlight costumes.

Plus it would be another nod to Specto, which would be a fan pleaser

those of the kind of things missing imo between the larger floats. That and more street performers

 

[phillip9698]

Perhaps part of the issue is that Disney itself doesn’t do everything in house anymore? They design something, and send it out to a bidder to build.

Exactly what is the issue you are referring to?

There are any number of companies capable of building to spec. If the spec says the lights need to remain blue for a certain amount of time, and they build that, it’s not the builders fault that the guests are disappointed because they want more color.

If the spec says to only build 10 floats, it isn’t the builders fault there aren’t 15.

 

[jrhwdw]

Starlight also has Window Merch Displays!

 

[donsullivan]

Perhaps part of the issue is that Disney itself doesn’t do everything in house anymore? They design something, and send it out to a bidder to build.

This is how the entire industry operates today. There is a core of people in the team with design, project management, and other skills, and then you staff up with specific expertise needed for a project. Or you can complete the core design and then put the actual construction of the project out to bid to companies with the unique expertise required to fulfill your project's needs. It doesn't make sense for any organization like Imagineering or Universal Creative to have staff with every single skill that could be needed, not to mention developing and maintaining manufacturing capabilities for everything they need to operate the parks. There is an entire industry out there (lots of it based in Orlando in recent years) that develops and builds these sorts of things for themed entertainment all over the world.

When you're doing something like building a new park you hire people with all the skills you need as 'Project Hires' to work on that project and their employment ends when the project is delivered to operations. If you don't do that, you end up constantly laying people off when big projects end and you don't have enough work to keep them busy. How does that make sense?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The bright blue blob has eaten all the park guests!

Plot twist ... This is actually a horror movie and Whimsy is coming for you as he is powered by the screams of children

 

[Disstevefan1]

I saw it on YouTube.

It’s fine.

I heard Specromagic music right at the very end of the parade. That was nice.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Can’t speak for anyone else but I love PTN and was hoping they’d ship it to Florida. Starlight looks fine but I much prefer the more upbeat score of PTN - but I’m not a fan of trying to make a light parade “elegant” rather than exciting and fun.

I really like Paint the Night, my favorite parade (doy or night) that I have seen in person ... But I am glad both types of parade exist and are running now.

Would be more bummed if PtN was still in storage

 

[Brian]

Perhaps part of the issue is that Disney itself doesn’t do everything in house anymore? They design something, and send it out to a bidder to build.

The problem is not that Disney sends it off to a contractor. There are great contractors out there. It's that they, more often than not, send it out to the lowest bidding contractor. Take the EPCOT lighting package, for example (though that was done by a subcontractor).