Disney World's new Starlight parade is now running nightly at Magic Kingdom! This new nighttime parade is incredibly popular, and on opening night, we saw guests lining up as early as 5 PM to get a spot.
Of course, that sort of momentum won't last forever, but we do expect crowds for this parade to stick around through the rest of the year, especially since the parade happens right before the fireworks. Here's what you need to know to prepare for the new nighttime crowds at Magic Kingdom!
1. Disney Starlight Follows a New Parade Route
The Disney Starlight parade travels the parade route at Magic Kingdom in the opposite direction of daytime parades.
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This parade starts at Main Street, U.S.A., travels past the Cinderella Castle hub, through Liberty Square, and then to Frontierland. This does help crowd control with the parade ending in Frontierland. Now, the parade is out of the way of Main Street sooner than it would be if it were traveling the other direction to clear up the area for people to line up for the fireworks.
2. Be Aware of the Parade and Fireworks Schedule
The Disney Starlight parade is running at 9 PM and 11 PM. The Magic Kingdom fireworks show, “Happily Ever After,” is now taking place at 10 PM directly between the two parade times. This is a major change to evenings at Magic Kingdom, which hasn't seen a nighttime parade, except during ticketed events, in years.
3. Starlight Party Doesn't Run on Party Nights
The Disney Starlight parade won't run on nights that Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party take place. Those events have their own seasonal parades that run during the night.
4. Use Our Pro Tips to See Fireworks and Parade
After the 9 PM parade, guests closer to the hub will stay put and wait for the 10 PM fireworks. If you plan to stay for the fireworks, watch the parade from the hub before the bridge into Liberty Square. You will be set up for a good view of the fireworks after the parade ends!
We also noticed that exactly at 7 PM, cast members start putting up ropes to block off viewing areas that were on Main Street (where normally, guests and Disney vehicles would travel). A good example of this is the area at the corner of the Emporium. It’s normally open to foot traffic and vehicles, but since it’s not part of the parade route, it will get blocked off with stanchions so it becomes a viewing area. Our tip is to arrive in this area around exactly 7 PM and snag a spot in this area for prime Main Street, U.S.A. viewing for both the parade and fireworks.
5. Watch from This Spot for a Quick Exit
If you plan on trying to get out of the park quickly to beat the crowds after the parade ends, watch from the area around the flag pole by the front of the park. This will allow you to make a quick exit once it finishes.
6. Avoid Crowds By Watching from Frontierland
If crowds aren't your thing and you don't care much about the fireworks, I recommend watching the Disney Starlight parade over in Frontierland. Navigating throughout Main Street, U.S.A., and the other areas around the parade route can be hectic, so watching in Frontierland avoids most of the major crush of crowds.
7. Crowd Control at Magic Kingdom May Be Tricky
Keep in mind that Walt Disney World hasn't had to navigate a nightly parade that runs twice a night plus fireworks in years. This is going to make for some hectic growing pains across the resort for both guests and cast members as everyone adapts to the crowds.
8. Tony's Town Square Restaurant Hack
Tony's Town Square Restaurant, located on Main Street, U.S.A. near the park's entrance, has dedicated seating areas on this porch, which allows guests who are dining at the restaurant to see the parades as they go by. This is a favorite hack of locals that visit Magic Kingdom.
Tony's Town Square Restaurant closes at 9 PM, the exact time the Starlight parade starts, so you would want to get a late reservation in the hope of making this hack work. And there's no guarantee you'll be seated outside, but it's something you could try if you want to have a meal while you watch!
9. Mobile Order Your Food While You Wait
One of my favorite things to do while waiting for a parade, fireworks, or any other entertainment is to use Disney World mobile order some food and eat snacks. This is a great way to occupy your family as well and make the time pass a bit better. Mobile order enough in advance because times might run out as it gets closer to parade time.
10. Always Get a Spot Early
And of course, my top tip, regardless of what parade or fireworks show you are seeing! Always allow enough time to get a spot. If seeing the parade with a good view is important to you, I recommend 90 minutes prior to the parade. Especially if you want to be positioned for a good fireworks view. If you're not so picky about where you watch, head over to Frontierland at least 30 minutes early!
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