Gabrielle Russon
The Magic Kingdom’s new nighttime parade, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, will debut July 20, Disney announced.
The event will feature lit-up floats, updated Mickey Mouse fashions and other popular characters heading down Main Street, U.S.A.
“Brought to life by the creative hands and hearts at Disney Live Entertainment, ‘Disney Starlight’ is the perfect continuation of our legacy of nighttime parades, with bits of nostalgia sprinkled throughout a dazzling procession that raises the bar for the future,” Disney said on the parks blog.
Disney World retired the Main Street Electrical Parade in 2016, so this will be the first time since then that the Magic Kingdom has offered a year-round parade under the stars. The Main Street Electrical Parade originally opened up at Disneyland in 1972.
The parade will lean on some classic Disney characters, like Mickey Mouse and the gang and others from “Beauty and the Beast,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Peter Pan.” Also appearing will be more modern characters from fan favorites “Frozen,” “Encanto” and “Moana.”
Disney hinted at what fans can expect, including new music.
“A parade without music is like a canvas without color,” Disney said on its parks blog.
“We have an original theme written specifically for ‘Disney Starlight’ that truly embodies all the majestic and fantasy feelings you get watching a parade come down Main Street, U.S.A. with Cinderella Castle in the background. For Disney fans, this new theme may have some surprises that sound familiar — be sure to listen closely for some Disney Parks favorites woven into the score.
Disney World plans to sell specially themed merchandise and snacks to celebrate the event.
Disney announced the parade was coming last year at the D23 Fan Expo when the company disclosed several expansions.
The parade at Magic Kingdom, the No. 1 theme park in the world, is one of several new things for theme park fans to do this Summer.
