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

[Disgruntled Walt]

Starlight clearly benefits from the fact that it is the direct replacement to NOTHING! A bunch of cast members walking around doing choreography with flashlights would be rated better than NOTHING.

Please note, I'm not saying Starlight is equivalent to the cast members with flashlights, but there is a boost to Starlight's appearance from the fact that it is not directly replacing anything.

 

[Splash4eva]

I really liked Harmonious and know a lot of people that did as well. The barges as constructs were a problem, not just that they were out during the day but also that they limited where you could view the show from only portions of the lagoon for the full effect

Conversed with a lot of people that think best would be Harmonious but using Luminous' infrastructure

For Disney to scrap a show as quick as they did with this disaster i think thats all we need to know about how bad the show was… they finally made a decision based on guests and not money. So i will stand by my original statement.

 

[peter11435]

For Disney to scrap a show as quick as they did with this disaster i think thats all we need to know about how bad the show was… they finally made a decision based on guests and not money. So i will stand by my original statement.

Except the decision to scrap Harmonious was made because of money… not guest feedback.

 

[Splash4eva]

Except the decision to scrap Harmonious was made because of money… not guest feedback.

Yea. You may want to check again unless you feel like just re writing the narrative

 

[peter11435]

Yea. You may want to check again unless you feel like just re writing the narrative

Haha. I’m not rewriting anything. I’m telling you it wasn’t replaced because of guest feedback. It was replaced because of money. I’m sorry you’ve believed a false narrative.

 

[monothingie]

Haha. I’m not rewriting anything. I’m telling you it wasn’t replaced because of guest feedback. It was replaced because of money. I’m sorry you’ve believed a false narrative.

There are actual insiders here that have said otherwise.

 

[monothingie]

Yea. You may want to check again unless you feel like just re writing the narrative

The answer is both. Negative guest feedback was impacting food and beverage which was a financial thing.

 

[peter11435]

There are actual insiders here that have said otherwise.

Then they aren’t really insiders or they misunderstood their intel

 

[peter11435]

The answer is both. Negative guest feedback was impacting food and beverage which was a financial thing.

Guest feedback for the show itself wasn’t significantly different than it is for Luminous. However poor views from most of the lagoon was significantly impacting food and beverage revenue and event space utilization.

 

[mattpeto]

Except the decision to scrap Harmonious was made because of money… not guest feedback.

1) daytime views
2) show sightlines
(Very close behind) 3) content

 

[marni1971]

^ technically both. Show sight lines also affected 3rd party F&B profit.

The whole thing was a cluster from inception to removal.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Harmon

Harmonious was a “4” and the show was awful by almost everyones accounts so all these “scores” are really hard to use as a bible or holy grail of judging a brand new parade

Because even “bad” nighttime spectaculars at WDW are still among the best nighttime spectaculars people can see in America. I may rag on Enchantment (because I preferred HEA and Wishes) but it was still a great show. Just not their best (to me).

I can critique Starlight and still think it’s great and want to see it again.

 

[Biff215]

The Harmonious soundtrack blows Luminous out of the water in my opinion. It’s the terrible barges that doomed it, plus having to follow RoE (Forever didn’t count).

Had Starlight directly followed Spectro, it would be facing harsher criticism. It’s not a bad parade, it just doesn’t have enough to rival Disney’s best.

 

[mattpeto]

The Harmonious soundtrack blows Luminous out of the water in my opinion. It’s the terrible barges that doomed it, plus having to follow RoE (Forever didn’t count).

Had Starlight directly followed Spectro, it would be facing harsher criticism. It’s not a bad parade, it just doesn’t have enough to rival Disney’s best.

I think Luminous original songs should get more credit than that. They are well done.

 

[Biff215]

I think Luminous original songs should get more credit than that. They are well done.

While I don’t completely disagree, I believe the choice of songs and mix used in Harmonious is a better fit for Epcot.

 

[monothingie]

Amazing how he shuffles. Maybe he’s a politician?

 

[mattpeto]

Amazing how he shuffles. Maybe he’s a politician?

I like @peter11435 and he’s had good info. I’m sure the maintenance costs played into the decision for removal/replacement as well.

I just don’t love the “absolute” takes here - “money/costs”, doesn’t leave for much nuance at all.

They obviously tried to get the daytime look to be camouflaged with the fountains, which backfired. We know this was the plan, since we had art work of it and it’s how management justified to the decision makers that the barges didn’t need to be mobile.

It was not well received on day 1.

Just a collective disaster, but the show itself was entertaining.

 

[monothingie]

I like @peter11435 and he’s had good info. I’m sure the maintenance costs played into the decision for removal/replacement as well.

I just don’t love the “absolute” takes here - “money/costs”, doesn’t leave for much nuance at all.

They obviously tried to get the daytime look to be camouflaged with the fountains, which backfired. We know this was the plan, since we had art work of it and it’s how management justified to the decision makers that the barges didn’t need to be mobile.

It was not well received on day 1.

Just a collective disaster, but the show itself was entertaining.

It’s a chicken/egg thing. Negative guest feedback drives lower revenue. One doesn’t happen without the other.

 

[peter11435]

Amazing how he shuffles. Maybe he’s a politician?

I’m not shuffling at all. I’ve been clear and consistent. Guest feedback was not the catalyst that led to the change. Loss of food and beverage revenue due to poor viewing angles and higher maintenance/labor costs than expected are what led to its early demise. I’m sure Disney is quite happy that you all believe it was due to guest feedback.

If the primary issue was the content of the show they would have reused the Harmonious infrastructure

 

[peter11435]

It’s a chicken/egg thing. Negative guest feedback drives lower revenue. One doesn’t happen without the other.

The guest feedback for Luminous is no better than it was for Harmonious. But it can be properly viewed from profit centers all around the lagoon and costs significantly less to maintain and service.