Review of the NEW Disney Starlight Parade at Magic Kingdom: First Impressions

First Look at the Disney Starlight Parade

• 🌟 The 'Disney Starlight' parade, a new nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom, recently had its soft opening after a 9-year hiatus for nighttime parades in the park.
• 💡 The parade features a Blue Fairy introduction, reminiscent of the Main Street Electrical Parade, setting a dreamy tone.
• ✨ Floats are described as stunning and visually gorgeous, with many incorporating elements that change from color to white and back, similar to SpectroMagic.

Music and Performance Critiques

• 🎶 The central score is noted as being very low-key and not memorable, with speakers humming other parade tunes for recall.
• 🚶‍♂️ A significant concern is the lack of performers in the street and the dim lighting on costumes, making them difficult to see in person, though cameras capture them better.
• ⏳ The parade is considerably shorter than previous nighttime parades, clocking in at around 11-12 minutes compared to SpectroMagic or Paint the Night at around 20 minutes.

Float Highlights and Character Appearances

• 🌺 The Encanto float features Isabella and Bruno, with Isabella appearing physically for the first time at Walt Disney World.
• 👑 A princess and prince float showcases rotating couples like Tiana and Naveen, Cinderella and Prince Charming, and Belle and Beast, set to music like 'Once Upon a Dream'.
• 🎶 The Coco float is a standout, featuring Miguel and Dante with vibrant colors and music from 'Remember Me', described as one of the favorite floats.
• 🌊 The Moana float depicts waves with Moana on top, accompanied by Pua and Heihei, set to the song 'We Know the Way'.
• 🧚 Tinkerbell is the only character walking the parade route, which is noted as curious, while Peter Pan and Wendy are featured on a float with a leaning Big Ben.

Finale and Nostalgic Touches

• 🚂 The finale float, 'Whimsy', includes characters like Goofy, Pluto, Donald, and Daisy, with a mine car featuring Dopey and Snow White, and Rapunzel and Flynn in a boat.
• 🐭 Mickey and Minnie appear at the top of the finale float in new, illuminated outfits.
• 🦗 A nod to SpectroMagic is made with the appearance of Jiminy Cricket at the very end, though he is far away and hard to spot.

Merchandise and Future Potential

• 🛍️ Merchandise mentioned includes a bubble wand that can change colors and sync with other wands, along with shirts and popcorn.
• ✨ While the parade is visually stunning, speakers suggest improvements such as adding more characters, more performers, and brighter lighting on costumes to enhance the overall experience.
• 🌟 The potential for a new, updated soundtrack is raised, referencing successful updates to other Disney parades.