Electrical Water Pageant

wsmith1978

wsmith1978

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Let's appreciate this overlooked, underappreciated show!

I feel like a lot of people don't even know about it, or they see it and don't pay much attention to it. I know it's not a big deal... just some floats that light up and flash in sync with some cheesy music, but we absolutely adore it. Since we've always stayed at the WL, it's always been a special bonus to be able to watch it.

All this being said, I worry about the future of it... With what seems like an ever-increasing "budget-conscious" management team down there, I can't see them being interested in or willing to put any money into repairing this attraction, should it ever go into disrepair. I'm afraid that, if any major failures ever happen with it, it'll simply be scrapped. It doesn't get any refurb, as far as I can tell, so I really think that it wouldn't take much for them to simply stop running it and pretend like it never existed. That would make me very, very sad.

What are your thoughts/feelings on this?

 
mickey2008.1

mickey2008.1

Well-Known Member
While this show is nothingnspectacular, it is a piece of WDW from the early years. Like COP. We love it because it is a one of a kind show. I remember it from the late 70's, and my kids remeber it from the 2000's. It's something for thendeluxe resorts to keep up. It's a long lasting parade that should stay.
 
wsmith1978

wsmith1978

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The first time we ever saw it was from the California Grill! :) I remember wondering what it was. Then, the next night, we went to bed relatively early (it was our first trip, and we were not used to the long days!) and I remember hearing the music, wondering again, what that was. Finally, toward the end of the trip, we saw the whole thing up close and were able to link the 2 together :) I've adored it ever since.
 
THEMEPARKPIONEER

THEMEPARKPIONEER

Well-Known Member
That's the relic of all light Parades, Disneyland also had the same show with flat units just like that but they traveled down Main Street on wheels and that was the beginning of the Main Street Electrical Parade. The Light pagent you see today on water used the Electrical Parade music back in the day until Disney World got its first Electrical Parade.
 
KCheatle

KCheatle

Well-Known Member
This is hand's down one of my family's favorite things to do at WDW. It's probably because we are some of the few people who actually get back to WL before the show starts because my kiddos are still little and need their sleep. So, we are back in time to see it. We make our way back from whatever park we're at about about 8:30 and get bathed. We all put on our jammies (which are, of course, Disney themed). We go to Roaring Fork, get water and go down to the dock and watch the show by ~9:30 (I think that's when it starts???). It's the perfect way to have a little fun, while re-hydrating, before the end of another wonderful Disney day! :)

For the record: I made that all sound like it's very relaxing and easy - but trust me, getting all of us bathed, jammied, getting water and out to the dock is like a mad-house. It's like record-time bathing and there's a lot of running involved. But, it's fun :p
 
Figgy1

Figgy1

Premium Member
KCheatle said:
This is hand's down one of my family's favorite things to do at WDW. It's probably because we are some of the few people who actually get back to WL before the show starts because my kiddos are still little and need their sleep. So, we are back in time to see it. We make our way back from whatever park we're at about about 8:30 and get bathed. We all put on our jammies (which are, of course, Disney themed). We go to Roaring Fork, get water and go down to the dock and watch the show by ~9:30 (I think that's when it starts???). It's the perfect way to have a little fun, while re-hydrating, before the end of another wonderful Disney day! :)

For the record: I made that all sound like it's very relaxing and easy - but trust me, getting all of us bathed, jammied, getting water and out to the dock is like a mad-house. It's like record-time bathing and there's a lot of running involved. But, it's fun :p
Click to expand...
I'm a morning person so my kiddies are up with the sun. You'd be surprised how easy it is to get them to bathe when they can't go to the parks til they are clean!
 
zurgandfriend

zurgandfriend

Well-Known Member
We always stop and watch if in the Magic Kingdom area and have since the 90's. A few years ago while riding the monorail to the Magic Kingdom a grandmother was telling her granson how there used to be a "show everynight with barges and lights." She was overjoyed when I told her they still do just as we went by the canal between the Grand Floridian and the Magic Kingdom where the barges are stored.
 
KCheatle

KCheatle

Well-Known Member
bsiev1977 said:
My first trip ever to WDW as a kid we stayed at the Contemporary. One of the memories that really stuck with we for the 20+ years since is seeing this every night from our balcony at the hotel.
Click to expand...

I think that's how I fell in love with it too. As a kid, we always stayed at the Contemporary and so I grew up watching this show. It brings me back to being a kid and I'm so happy that my kids love watching it too!! (At least for now anyways...like I did, they will get to an age where riding Space Moutain 8 times in a row is much more important than any "stupid" parade...But for now, I love that they love it!)
 
Walt 1901

Walt 1901

Active Member
It is a must see for us if we are staying at one of the hotels on Bay Lake. I remember seeing it as a kid. Every time I see the parade, it takes me back to 1978 and I can still see my mom and dad , brothers and sisters sitting on the beach at Fort Wilderness watching it. We would then watch the fireworks from the beach and then head back to our trailer. It is just something special to now share it with my sons.
 
Stryker

Stryker

Member
We all enjoy it but I know my family thinks I am a bit touched in the head for being so excited to see it every single time we go and preferably multiple times. Watching from any of the beaches is great but catching it during a boat ride is a unique experience as well. I remember a trip in December 2010 when it was literally freezing out and the winds were blowing pretty well but still I was on the beach at WL to watch it. The only other people on the beach was another guy my age and both our wives who spent most of the time talking about how a silly thing like this could turn grown men into little boys. :)
 
R

Ralphlaw

Well-Known Member
It's a fun little show every year, and I can't imagine it costs much to keep it going. A couple boats. Some electricity. Two guys manning the boats. A few bulbs to replace every now and then. Even a refurb probably wouldn't cost a great deal. I also think it takes some pressure off of the parks. People can go back to the Mk resorts and still see something unique, thereby freeing up a little space in the parks.

It's also part of the overall magic of the MK area. I've seen people on the monorail straining to see it out the windows as they leave. The little kids seem to really like it, and it does provide a bedtime thing to see. Last year, my kids and I heard the music in our room at Baylake Tower, so we ran outside to watch it, even marching back to our room afterword as the final patriotic music played. It's also a great bribe and/or threat, "If you don't hurry, we'll miss the water pageant." Or, "Let's go back to the hotel to see the Water Pageant."

Finally, it's one extra plus to stay in Deluxe: A part of the package, along with the monorail, boats, and other amenities of the MK deluxe resorts. "We can't stay at a moderate resort with more walking, no monorail, and no water pageant."
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom