Disney sets date for Magic Kingdom's nighttime parade
"We can't wait to bring this parade to life at the park," David Duffy, vice president of Disney Live Entertainment, told members of the media Tuesday night.
Disney also revealed another float design for "Starlight," and it will bring up the rear of the parade. That unit features a locomotive engineered by Goofy, followed by Pluto, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Snow White, Dopey, Rapunzel, Flynn Rider, Aladdin and Jasmine. Bringing up the rear of the rear: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, who will sport a new set of starry costumes for the occasion. The train's look is inspired by the classic Main Street Electrical Parade, which was last seen at Disney World in 2016.
On Wednesday, Disney World revealed a change in park reservations for Magic Kingdom for its annual passholders, starting with the parade's debut date. On July 20 and thereafter, passholders will need a Magic Kingdom reservation at any part of the day, as opposed to the current policy of going reservation-free after 2 p.m. Disney's website says the change is because of an "anticipated high demand" and it will remain in effect for a limited time, though no end date was provided.
The change does not pertain to Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios or Disney's Animal Kingdom.
A step-off time for "Starlight" has not been posted, and the "Festival of Fantasy Parade" remains on Magic Kingdom's daytime schedule.
Disney also announced the order of units that were previously announced. The parade will begin with the Blue Fairy and "Peter Pan" characters, followed by floats tied to "Wish," "Encanto" and "Frozen," then assorted Disney royals together plus "Coco" and "Moana" floats and, finally, Goofy's train unit.
"What guests are going to be able to get in this parade is a nod to the past but also eyes firmly set on the future," Tara Anderson, show director, said in a video released by Disney. "You're going to hear melodies from older films, newer films, in a very magical, mystical way." Original theme music has been composed for "Starlight."
The new parade was announced in August, alongside plans for a new villains land and "Cars" attractions in Magic Kingdom along with a "Monsters, Inc" land at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Debuting this week at Hollywood Studios were two stage shows: "Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After" and "The Little Mermaid - a Musical Adventure." Additional Walt Disney World attractions expected to open this year are GEO-82, an adults-only lounge built inside Epcot's Spaceship Earth and set to open in June; an updated Test Track ride at Epcot; and a "Zootopia" film inside the Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
_____________
Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
11 minutes ago
- New York Post
Disney World visitor slammed for ‘incredibly obnoxious' social media fueled behavior: ‘Takes the magic out of visiting the parks'
Put that camera away. Whether it's at a concert or an amusement park — nowadays it seems that all people want to do is have their phones out to film whatever is going on in front of them. One frustrated vacationer took to the r/WaltDisneyWorld forum on Reddit to vent about an obnoxious Disney World parkgoer who had one too many smartphones out to capture what was probably some sort of performance taking place in front of them. Advertisement The photo shared was of a man using both hands to hold not one but several iPhones, along with camera mounts and portable chargers. Good luck to anyone standing behind him because their view had to be blocked. 3 The man had one too many cameras out. Reddit The Redditor asked the community if anyone else thought this scenario was obscene. Advertisement And boy did they. 'Absolutely. I can't stand people who regularly live stream in the parks, tbh… It's incredibly obnoxious, especially when they have rigs or multiple camera setups like this.' 3 Commenters in the thread agreed that it's obnoxious to constantly have cameras out. AFP via Getty Images 'Disney influencers like this take the magic out of visiting the parks. Disney World is a place to escape the world and enter one of whimsy and fantasy. Disney really needs to start limiting the kind of filming equipment people can bring in[to] the parks…' Advertisement Even a Disney cast member — an employee who works at a Disney theme park — shared insight into how they feel about all these eye-roll-worthy vloggers and bloggers who film everyone and everything. 'Being a CM sucks when it comes to this. Yes, some influencers will ask permission to film us, especially involving pin videos. However, many exploit us for content. People generally don't realize that performing isn't just limited to entertainment. Every CM is always putting on a show…' 3 Some Disney fans need to check themselves and their rude behavior. GC Images Speaking of rude behavior by Disney visitors, a SFGate editor, Katie Dowd, shared her gripe about inconsiderate guests on park rides. Advertisement 'Just because you've been on a ride enough times to memorize the spiel doesn't mean others have. It's one thing to laugh, clap or otherwise quietly enjoy an attraction. It's quite another to become a distraction,' she wrote. Chatty Disney Kathys also need to get a grip. 'First-timers are at the mercy of regulars who apparently view the experience as a moving park bench. If your conversation can't wait 15 minutes, you shouldn't be getting on a ride,' she quipped
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
What's next for SAG-AFTRA as Fran Drescher declines to seek reelection
Fran Drescher's decision to not run for reelection as SAG-AFTRA president opens up the race to lead a major Hollywood labor union at a pivotal time as actors face issues such as the rise of AI and a challenging job market two years after a long strike. Actors Sean Astin and Chuck Slavin are seeking to succeed Drescher in the upcoming election that aims to address concerns about job protections, healthcare and expanding residuals. Astin, known for acting in the "The Lord of the Rings" films, is on SAG-AFTRA's national and local L.A. board, while Slavin is on the union's New England board. "It's time in this specific situation where we really need reform," Slavin said in an interview. "We're not getting it, because what we're getting right now is a rearrangement of the deck chairs on the Titanic." Hollywood's entertainment industry has significant obstacles, as companies cut back on production amid studio consolidation and many TV and films are made elsewhere due to lower costs and financial incentives. Meanwhile, innovation in AI technology has made it easier for artists to create their own visual effects and conceptualization of their ideas without hiring actors. All of that has made it more difficult for performers and other entertainment workers to find jobs that are sustainable to live in Southern California. Hollywood unions are preparing to negotiate new contracts with major studios next year. In 2023 - the last contract negotiations - the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA led dual Hollywood strikes that resulted in companies halting work on many productions. The deals that ended the strikes carved out more pay and AI protections for writers and actors. Drescher was the face of the actors' strike, delivering a fiery speech that addressed class issues in the entertainment industry. She asked whether Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger was an "ignoramus" after he said actors' demands were not realistic. SAG-AFTRA's contract, reached after a 118-day strike, brought an estimated $1 billion in gains for members over three years, according to the union. The contract included streaming bonuses and AI protections, including requiring employers to have consent from actors before creating or using "digital replicas" and to pay performers if those replicas were used. "Here's a woman who's challenging these male moguls and having to arm wrestle them, knowing that her own career could be at stake," said Stephen Galloway, dean of Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. "She was fearless." Drescher, known as the lead character in the sitcom "The Nanny," had positioned herself as a nonpartisan leader. She was reelected amid the strike in 2023, receiving 81% of the votes cast. In her campaign statement, Drescher said that "member unity will be my greatest legacy." Drescher and SAG-AFTRA pushed for national and state legislation to bring more AI protections to performers, including bills that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law last year that gave actors more control over their digital likenesses. Drescher's decision to not run for reelection became official on Friday when her name did not appear on the voter guide distributed by the union. She did not respond to a request for comment. Slavin said that while Drescher did a "fine" job, he felt the AI protections in its current contract could have gone a lot farther. The contract ended up getting approved by 78% of the votes cast by SAG-AFTRA's members. Slavin, who has acted in the movie "Annabelle Hooper and the Ghosts of Nantucket," said his platform will prioritize AI guardrails, equitable contracts for all members regardless of their market size, advocate for better residuals and help protect vulnerable workers. Astin is running as part of the "The Coalition" slate, which advocates for issues including AI protections, strengthening U.S. production and expanding residuals, according to its website. Astin's representative did not respond to a request for comment. (Staff writer Meg James contributed to this report.) Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Meet James Longman — the handsome gay TV anchor on ABC
Write this down! James Longman serves as the Chief International Correspondent for ABC News and he's now tackling hosting responsibilities on the new Disney+ series What You Need to Know. "People are under siege from information from all sides. Often, it feels like there's just so much out there, so what we're trying to do is curate it in under 10 minutes so every morning you can get up to speed with exactly what you need to know," Longman tells PRIDE. Longman is bringing more crucial LGBTQ+ representation to mainstream news media. The TV host proudly shows off his loving relationship with his husband, Alex Brannan, despite political unrest for the queer community across the globe. "Most countries in the world, it is illegal or very difficult to be gay culturally or legally. It feels good to know that there are kids out there watching who are having a difficult time with it, who think to themselves, well maybe life life might not be so difficult." The broadcaster hopes to inspire up-and-coming gay journalists who may be a bit intimidated by anti-LGBTQ+ legislation ramping up around the world. "I can be in a foreign country where it's not okay to be gay and I will just play along with questions about whether or not I'm married to a woman or if I'm planning to have children anytime soon. It doesn't affect me in any way. It doesn't mean that I can't live the life that I want to live in my own home and online." What You Need to Know is streaming now on Disney+. To see the full interview with James Longman, check out the video at the top of the page. This article originally appeared on Pride: Meet James Longman — the handsome gay TV anchor on ABC
