Disney has confirmed that the newest Magic Kingdom nighttime parade, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, will be soft opening for the first time in front of guests on July 18.
Disney Starlight Parade Soft Opening
Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away is a new nighttime parade set to officially debut in Magic Kingdom on July 20. It will be the first nighttime parade in Magic Kingdom in nearly 10 years.
The Disney Starlight parade will feature floats inspired by Encanto, Disney Princesses and Princes, Moana, Coco, Wish, Peter Pan, and Frozen. In an episode of We Call it Imagineering, Disney shared several more exciting details about the parade, including that it will feature an original character — a train engine named Whimsy — as the final float.
The parade will also include some new animation of Jiminy Cricket as a nod to Spectromagic, new costumes, and a musical score with references to past Magic Kingdom nighttime parades. Mickey and his pals also have new blue costumes with starry details.
According to a recent official release, Disney Starlight will be soft opening tonight, July 18, at 9 p.m. in the Magic Kingdom. The announcement describes the soft opening as a dress rehearsal with an audience, and it is expected to be a full version of the parade with all floats and performers. The parade is expected to run along its already-announced route, beginning at the front of Main Street, U.S.A. and ending in Frontierland.
The release does not specifically mention a second run of the parade at 11 p.m. on July 18, though it will have two performance times nightly when it officially debuts. Magic Kingdom’s closing time has been extended to 11:00 p.m. starting on July 20, 2025, to accommodate the second performance of the Disney Starlight parade.
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