There’s a new nighttime parade in town, and it’s quite the spectacular. Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away , premiered on July 29 at the Magic Kingdom, and a few weeks ago I made my way to The Most Magical Place on Earth to get a front row view.
Disney Starlight, originally announced at D23 Expo in 2024, is the first nighttime parade at the Magic Kingdom since the Main Street Electrical Parade ended its most recent run in 2016. The parade runs in a reverse route, meaning it starts in Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A., and continues around the hub in front of Cinderella Castle before finishing through Liberty Square and Frontierland.
I watched from Town Square just behind the Walt Disney World Railroad train station, and loved my view, but admit that I showed up about forty five minutes before the 9:00 PM start time, and to say it was crowded would be an understatement. People are definitely still showing up early for Disney Starlight, so I recommend arriving at least an hour before showtime to get a preferred spot.
Speaking of start times, the parade runs twice a night, at 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM. As would be expected, the crowds for the 9:00 PM showing are much heavier the 11:00 PM, so if you’re able to stay later that could be a way to watch the without needing to stake out a spot as early.
Note that there are some important changes to consider now that Disney Starlight is running, the most important being that Happily Ever After, the nighttime fireworks show, is now at 10:00 PM, sandwiched between Disney Starlight runs. If you’re staking out a spot for a 9:00 PM showing of Disney Starlight and then doing the same for Happily Ever After, that is a lot of time spent waiting around. I witnessed many people following the last parade float towards Cinderella Castle for just that reason, resulting in a very crowded Main Street, U.S.A.—not my favorite experience.
For that reason, a more efficient approach could be Happily Ever After first, then grabbing a spot for the later Disney Starlight. It all depends on your day, and personal strategy. Just food for thought.
Regarding viewpoints, I thoroughly enjoyed where I sat (you can watch from my vantage here) however I think if possible, I would’ve enjoyed a curve in the route to get a good balance off a dazzling float in the foreground and a building in the background. So, for the Town Square area of Main Street, U.S.A., consider a section where the road curves: in front of the Firehouse (right where the parade starts), in front of Town Square Theater, or at the edge of the Main Street Confectionary, or conversely, the Emporium.
Deeper into the park, similarly, consider a curve by the popcorn stand just before the entrance to Tomorrowland at the Cinderella Castle hub. On the opposite site, the curve just before the route enters the bridge into Liberty Square is also a good option; both will have Cinderella Castle in the background. While I didn’t score this view for Disney Starlight, I did for the Boo-to-You Parade at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, which you can see here.
As for my review of Disney Starlight?
I realized this was my first time seeing a nighttime parade, ever—how crazy is that? I saw part of the Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland YEARS ago, so that doesn’t count. And there hasn’t been a nighttime parade at the Magic Kingdom since I started regularly visiting WDW.
Disney Starlight impressed. And this is coming from someone who rarely watches a parade. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy parades, they’re just not my top priority when at the parks, especially when I have the kids. I typically will watch if one is passing by or if I’m attending the Halloween or Christmas parties, but to stop and wait for one when I could be on a ride? That’s a hard sell for me.
But Starlight was on another level. The floats dazzled, the music was energetic and uplifting, and the characters were a good mix of old and new. Disney truly lights up at night and I guess I should have anticipated how a nighttime parade would illuminate the space.
What was most exciting was the energy, the community, a group of people of all ages watching wide-eyed as the music and lights shined. For a moment, nothing else mattered.
Have you seen Disney Starlight? Let me know your thoughts! And if you enjoyed this article, consider subscribing to the Disney Download, my free Disney newsletter—no spam, no fuss, a newsletter that’s Disney plus. You can also find me on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.