Disney Starlight, the new nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom, will debut July 20, Disney announced today. Disney provided a lot of fun detail about the parade, but here’s a brief description:
“Disney Starlight” transports guests into the stories of our beloved Disney characters. Through the power of the Blue Fairy’s magic, you’ll watch dreams and wishes come true. As the lights dance from float to float, you’ll see favorite classic and contemporary characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney Pixar films, some for the very first time in a Disney Live Entertainment nighttime parade! (Source)
What Does This Mean for Touring Magic Kingdom?
While any new addition to the parks will bring some measure of increased crowds, the debut of Disney Starlight should be just about as positive as an addition gets.
For starters, it’s a parade, with lots of space to view! ICYMI, the traditional Magic Kingdom parade route is from Frontierland, to the hub, down Main Street. This means plenty of space for viewing. While parades can get crowded (and we’re not parade viewing experts), with some preparation and slightly early arrival, you should be able to snag ideal viewing if you want.
Also, it’s at night. While it will bring some increased crowds earlier in the day, the bulk of the action is going to be at night. One downside to a nighttime parade is it will keep guests in the park later (not that many people were leaving before the fireworks in any case), which means wait times might not drop as much as they would in the past.
Another benefit of a nighttime parade is a tendency toward longer hours. Disney will be fitting in both Happily Ever After and at least one running of Disney Starlight, which requires a lot of nighttime hours. Rides will stay open longer, giving you more time to fit in more fun. You’ll get more value out of Lightning Lane Multi Pass, a tool that will be more important on days without holiday parties (discussed more below).
Of course, scheduling is a lot tougher where you’ve got parade and firework viewing to plan around. In an ideal world, you’d have multiple nights at Magic Kingdom, allowing you to view fireworks one night and the parade another night. The additional upside of this approach is that you’ll get to enjoy a dip in wait times while the show you’re not watching that evening is ongoing.
And, About Those Party Nights (And Days)
This is a final “mixed bag” sort of point. On nights when Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are held, there (presumably) won’t be a nighttime parade, generally because of a lack of night and the fact that those events also host their own unique parades. This might pull you in either direction…
On the one hand, if you want to see the nighttime parade—don’t make a party day your Magic Kingdom day. On the other hand, if you like low crowds, party days just got even better. And if you’re visiting on a non-party day during party season, those crowds are going to be more of a pain to deal with.
All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered
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Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide! If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney World crowd calendars. For picking your hotel, check out our Walt Disney World hotels guide.
When it comes time to book we’ll help you find discount Disney World tickets. Decide whether you need a dining plan in our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans! And don't forget to book those Disney World Advance Dining Reservations!
Don't forget to master your Disney World Lightning Lane Guide and Strategy a few months in advance. We'll keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, Epcot Lightning Lane Strategy, Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, and Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Strategy.
Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.
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