It has been close to a decade since the Magic Kingdom had a nighttime parade. Beginning on July 20, a brand-new nighttime parade will debut, bringing this dazzling spectacle to life.
Putting on a nighttime parade of this magnitude takes incredible collaboration and creativity, involving hundreds of cast members and Imagineers, each contributing their unique talents behind the scenes to make “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away” a reality.
Let’s take a look at a day in the life of cast members at Magic Kingdom as they make their final preparations ahead of opening night.
“With just one week until its debut, I couldn’t be prouder of what our incredibly talented cast, crew, and leaders have achieved,” said Entertainment Leader Frank. “We stand ready to bring Show Director Tara Anderson’s inspiring vision to life — a parade that gives a nod to the past with eyes firmly set on the future.”
Choreographer Cindy Wilson began creating her vision last year. Soon after, she brought together a group of performers and maintenance choreographers to workshops, where they fine-tuned the details and tweaked movements that didn’t quite work and experimented with different props.
“Though Costuming cast members work behind the scenes and may rarely interact with guests, their contributions are absolutely vital to the magic of Disney Starlight,” said Costuming Leader Danielle. “They do far more than manage laundry and inventory — their attention to detail and care helps ensure every costume on the parade route dazzles night after night.”
“As a dancer, the focus is usually on you as the art,” Kelsey explained. “But in parades, you get to get up close and personal with the guests. I like being able to make eye contact and connections with them from the street. That’s my favorite part.”
Kelsey started her career at Disney as a performer for “Main Street Electrical Parade.” She explained that being part of the opening team for Disney Starlight felt very “full circle” for her.
Disney Live Entertainment teamed with operational leaders to create the costumes for Disney Starlight. They worked solutions for everyday problems like how to easily get the costume on quickly, and how to keep the costumes lightweight and comfortable.
“Getting outside and practicing is super important,” performer Fiona said. “Not just to test our training but also to understand how the parade naturally travels over the course of 30+ minutes of performing.”
In total, Disney Live Entertainment created over 75 new garment designs for Disney Starlight, which translates to more than 10,000 costuming pieces created.
“Seeing the performers bring the choreography to life has been incredibly rewarding,” said maintenance choreographer Brandon. “We’ve watched them take what we’ve given them and make it their own — creating their own stories along the way.”
Also hard at work prior to the debut is the Engineering Services team, playing a critical role in bringing the parade to the Magic Kingdom. The floats were reassembled upon their arrival at Walt Disney World while complex lighting systems were tested and final technical modifications were made.
These Engineering cast members will remain essential to the daily success of the parade, performing routine safety inspections, maintaining float functionality, and providing on-the-spot support to ensure each performance runs smoothly and safely.
“Technology has come a long way from parades of the past,” said Entertainment Leader Trevor. “We used to have Christmas lights and reflectors. Now we use all different kinds of lighting and design elements to tell our stories in new and different ways.”
In the glow of work lights, overnight rehearsals are where preparation meets precision. While we slumber, performers take to the parade route to perfect their choreography, while float drivers practice intricate maneuvers.
Parade Captain Michael said, “Seeing the floats come down Main Street and hearing the music in the park for the first time was very emotional for me. All our hard work is paying off.”
“Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away” debuts at the Magic Kingdom on July 20.
Excited for the debut of “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away” on July 20?