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

[TheMaxRebo]

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.

I would think if the guest feedback was that it is the most amazing show and getting 5 outta 5 from every group, etc they would have worked on addressing the other concerns while keeping the content of the show

But when you have the $ concerns with the restaurants, private viewing areas, fireworks cruises, etc AND it isn't universally praised, much easier to scrap it all together and create a new show

 

[monothingie]

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

2 out of the 3 factors for removal Martin eluded to directly correlate to guest feedback.

You vaguely site surveys on guest feedback but offer no relevant data other than your word on it. It’s the same tired act with you.

 

[joanna71985]

I like how the thread is shown good ratings for Starlight and some posters are like “Nuh uh.”

luckily I don't care what other people think of it (I personally enjoy Starlight, and will continue to keep seeing it)

 

[MisterPenguin]

The Harmonious soundtrack blows Luminous out of the water in my opinion.

My opinion was that Harmonious's soundtrack was just loud and overwrought. The choice of songs wasn't cohesive (and turned out to be 'problematic' in one instance). And the theme of Harmonious wasn't cohesive and changed depending on which Imagineer was being interviewed, so no wonder the music wasn't cohesive (IMO).

Besides the terrible lines of sight issues, it did the thing that RoE did that's what I've always complained about, which is putting detailed video so low to the water top, that you couldn't see it if you had a few people in front of you.

Tho, in the end, that wasn't a problem because people stopped coming out to see it after seeing it once. I could get a "front row" view of Harmonious just 15 minutes before showtime. With Luminous, I have to camp out 40 minutes ahead.

It's that lack of repeat viewing which was problematic for the restaurants. People didn't stay in EPCOT for dinner because they didn't intend to stay for the fireworks.

People can rate it 'good,' but the real test is "is it good enough to see every time you visit EPCOT?". It wasn't. The food service suffered. And the income from food service suffered.

That people didn't like it is born out by voting with their feet (regardless of what poll they took). And that cost EPCOT income. Double whammy.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The new Epcot thing is pretty dump…but the last one was too.

Was bored after 5 minutes last night and walked. Just not interesting.

Probably just can’t go “home” again on that lagoon.

 

[Biff215]

My opinion was that Harmonious's soundtrack was just loud and overwrought. The choice of songs wasn't cohesive (and turned out to be 'problematic' in one instance). And the theme of Harmonious wasn't cohesive and changed depending on which Imagineer was being interviewed, so no wonder the music wasn't cohesive (IMO).

Besides the terrible lines of sight issues, it did the thing that RoE did that's what I've always complained about, which is putting detailed video so low to the water top, that you couldn't see it if you had a few people in front of you.

Tho, in the end, that wasn't a problem because people stopped coming out to see it after seeing it once. I could get a "front row" view of Harmonious just 15 minutes before showtime. With Luminous, I have to camp out 40 minutes ahead.

It's that lack of repeat viewing which was problematic for the restaurants. People didn't stay in EPCOT for dinner because they didn't intend to stay for the fireworks.

People can rate it 'good,' but the real test is "is it good enough to see every time you visit EPCOT?". It wasn't. The food service suffered. And the income from food service suffered.

That people didn't like it is born out by voting with their feet (regardless of what poll they took). And that cost EPCOT income. Double whammy.

To each their own, but I regularly listen to the Harmonious soundtrack in its entirety. Just a perfect mashup of Disney classics that fit the culture of Epcot and the energy of a fireworks show.

Luminous is not terrible by any means, (similar to Starlight) it’s just that neither is the best of what Disney has done in the past.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

To each their own, but I regularly listen to the Harmonious soundtrack in its entirety. Just a perfect mashup of Disney classics that fit the culture of Epcot and the energy of a fireworks show.

Luminous is not terrible by any means, (similar to Starlight) it’s just that neither is the best of what Disney has done in the past.

The culture of Epcot never was a reel of cartoon songs

And it shouldn’t be. This might be the best hint at the downward spiral

 

[Biff215]

The culture of Epcot never was a reel of cartoon songs

And it shouldn’t be. This might be the best hint at the downward spiral

True, but if you’re going to force IP into WS (that ship has sailed long ago) you might as well use the stuff that makes sense. Harmonious covered much of the world in perfectly crafted segments.

A sappy song from Toy Story (though a favorite) does not belong in an Epcot fireworks show.

And back to Starlight, again we see the wrong IP being forced into a parade with Wish. Sure it fits the theme, but that wouldn’t even be on the table if they started planning the parade today.

I think IP has a place in all of the parks, it just needs to be used appropriately.

 

[James Alucobond]

True, but if you’re going to force IP into WS (that ship has sailed long ago) you might as well use the stuff that makes sense. Harmonious covered much of the world in perfectly crafted segments.

A sappy song from Toy Story (though a favorite) does not belong in an Epcot fireworks show.

Harmonious only “makes sense” if you both ignore half the park and view World Showcase extremely superficially. There is no narrative, just a series of Disney songs with stylistic and linguistic allusions to the surrounding national pavilions. I do totally understand liking the soundtrack better and perhaps just not caring all that much about genuine fit, but your dislike of the “loss” section of Luminous does not mean the show is a worse fit for the park; it’s objectively more connected to its central themes.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

True, but if you’re going to force IP into WS (that ship has sailed long ago) you might as well use the stuff that makes sense. Harmonious covered much of the world in perfectly crafted segments.

A sappy song from Toy Story (though a favorite) does not belong in an Epcot fireworks show.

And back to Starlight, again we see the wrong IP being forced into a parade with Wish. Sure it fits the theme, but that wouldn’t even be on the table if they started planning the parade today.

I think IP has a place in all of the parks, it just needs to be used appropriately.

They should just go back so some kind or neo futuristic take on illuminations.

It wasn’t broke…so don’t over fix it.

And I’m talking the OG version…not ROE…which they could have saved/preserved for the future if they hadn’t run it for 20 years

 

[WorldExplorer]

Illuminations: Our world is beautiful and there are things that, throughout all of history, unite each and every one of us.

Harmonious: India exists.China exists. Scotland exists...

It was meaningless dreck.

 

[AxolotlTales]

I won't call Luminous perfect, but it has a way better flow and story than Harmonious.

 

[AxolotlTales]

I wonder if those high marks are more based on being starved of a parade for so long vs the actual quality of the parade. "This parade is 5 stars because its predecessor is absolutely nothing."

At least to my knowledge, and what I've seen, most fans are only really familiar with MSEP and Spectro next to it. Everything else falls somewhere under that. They were products of their time, not bad at all, but I wouldn't say they represent the quality of a night parade in 2025. Then again, it's also Disney. A show would have to be really bad for it to reach a low ranking amongst average guests who probably didn't even know there was a new night parade. Even with here, if Starlight is at the end of the list it wouldn't make it an automatic 0/5, it's just not up to standards.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Saw the parade pass by twice tonight

It was good. Just an updated version of Spectro really. I wouldn’t say better or worse really. It’s fine

Spectro will always be better regarded because the park you were in felt more natural and a much better deal during its period. The height of the property.

 

[TTA94]

Didn’t happen and never will I guess but had they sent Paint The Night over what do we think would be the outcome? I think it would have been more popular than Starlight but there would definitely be some that would cause a fuss that it is not a good fit for MK.

 

[AxolotlTales]

Didn’t happen and never will I guess but had they sent Paint The Night over what do we think would be the outcome? I think it would have been more popular than Starlight but there would definitely be some that would cause a fuss that it is not a good fit for MK.

I'd imagine it would be similar to MSEP with how the resorts just pass it back and forth between each other. In terms of guest satisfaction, it'd be similar to how it already is at Disneyland. Some guests would rather watch MSEP drag itself along the route, or they'd rather have Paint The Night.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Didn’t happen and never will I guess but had they sent Paint The Night over what do we think would be the outcome? I think it would have been more popular than Starlight but there would definitely be some that would cause a fuss that it is not a good fit for MK.

I prefer our own custom parade to a DL hand-me-down.

 

[Bocabear]

The new parade seems so encapsulated by float without a general theme....except Lights and disconnected IP.
It never reaches what Spectromagic was, and the shortness of the parade underlines this... the butterfly and Geometric Shapes dancers are ridiculous... Again seems like a group of designers that have never seen what came before... And Dear God please stop pushing "Wish"... it is the "fetch" of the animation world....lol

 

[TTA94]

I prefer our own custom parade to a DL hand-me-down.

I would agree except the problem is the hand me down is better in some ways, and it’s sad that a 10 year old parade is better than a brand new one. Starlight should have topped PTN in every way and it just didn’t. Some may disagree and that’s ok.

 

[Squishy]

Didn’t happen and never will I guess but had they sent Paint The Night over what do we think would be the outcome? I think it would have been more popular than Starlight but there would definitely be some that would cause a fuss that it is not a good fit for MK.

People would've complained about PTN being too upbeat and party like for MK & also if the parade got moved after 2020 they would've cut down performers to a budgeted amount like FoF & Starlight.