The debut date for Walt Disney World’s newest nighttime parade has been announced. Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away will be arriving at Magic Kingdom on July 20, 2025! Along with announcing the date for the arrival of Disney Starlight, Disney has also shared some first looks and a first listen to the music. First things first, here is the first listen of the music for this beautiful new parade.
The Music of Disney Starlight
Show Director Tara Anderson shared: “You’ve got to have great music to have a great experience.” Judging by this music reveal video, this is exactly what guests will get. The entire parade will be built with music, lights, choreography, and Disney magic to create a moving and magical experience.
Finale Float
Disney also shared a look at concept art for the finale float. The float is a tribute to the original Main Street Electrical Parade with Goofy and Pluto in the engine of the train that leads the finale unit through the night.
Here is the official description of the finale float:
All the joy, wonder, and magic culminates in the parade’s finale, where a whimsical train, inspired by the iconic Main Street Electrical Parade float, emerges to take dreamers of all ages on a ride through the stars.
Swirling ribbons of starlight reveal Goofy, Pluto, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck leading a procession of Disney moments that includes Snow White and Dopey in a twinkling minecar, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider floating toward a gleaming lantern on their boat, and Aladdin and Jasmine taking a magic carpet ride.
Closing out the celebration are the original dreamers, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, draped in sparkling new looks. Together, the duo sends us off, reminding us to believe in the power of wishing upon a star. Which of the finale friends are you most excited to see?
The Floats
Disney shared some information about the parade, particularly about the inspiration for the floats. The Disney Parks Blog shared the following about the creation of the floats:
Designing floats for a nighttime parade adds another layer to the live entertainment production process. This first look at the floats reveals these are more than just static structures – they are storytelling stages on wheels.
When we think about what this storytelling looks like at night, we think about creating these landscapes – or dreamscapes, as we think about them – out of light. How do we use this medium to portray movement, color, and imagery that we would normally see in a more scenically driven float during the daytime? Today’s technology gives us more options than ever to use lighting and video elements as a storytelling tool.
For instance, our Blue Fairy magic, seen throughout the parade, is made completely from points of light; the use of a curved LED panels on the Encanto float gives us the opportunity to create magic and movement that a static image would not provide. This is the exciting technology and art of the “Disney Starlight” floats.
The Costumes
Ahead of the arrival of the parade in July, a look at some of the character costumes was shared:
Merchandise
Merchandise for Disney Starlight was also revealed today. A limited-edition popcorn mix will also be available exclusively at the Main Street Confectionery in Magic Kingdom. Take a look at the variety of different options that will be available for new fans of this new parade:
Official Description
Here is the official description of Disney Starlight:
Through the power of the Blue Fairy’s magic, guests will watch dreams and wishes come true throughout this star-kissed parade. As the lights dance from float to float, guests will see favorite classic and contemporary characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney Pixar films – some for the very first time in a Disney Live Entertainment nighttime parade.
At the heart of the parade is a new original theme that blends a majestic musical score with classic melodies from beloved Disney animated films. Guests can look forward to seeing beloved Disney characters throughout the parade in shining, shimmering splendor, all culminating in the parade’s finale. A whimsical train, inspired by the iconic Main Street Electrical Parade float, emerges to take dreamers of all ages on a ride through the stars.
Swirling ribbons of starlight reveal Goofy, Pluto, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck leading a procession of Disney moments that includes Snow White and Dopey in a twinkling minecar, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider floating toward a gleaming lantern on their boat, and Aladdin and Jasmine taking a magic carpet ride.
Closing out the celebration are the original dreamers, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, draped in sparkling new looks. Together, the duo sends us off, reminding us to believe in the power of wishing upon a star.
Lineup
The lineup of floats for Disney Starlight was also shared. Check it out here:
- The Blue Fairy
- Peter Pan & Wendy
- Asha
- La Familia Madrigal (Mirabel, Isabela, Bruno)
- Elsa
- Aurora and Prince Phillip, Tiana and Prince Naveen, Belle and the Beast, and Cinderella and Prince Charming
- Miguel and Pepita
- Moana
- Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Daisy, Snow White, Dopey, Rapunzel, Flynn, Aladdin and Jasmine.
Disney Starlight is being choreographed by Cindy Wilson. She drew inspiration from each of the films represented in the parade, along with a mix of different dance styles. Throughout the parade, every eight-count is timed perfectly to coordinate with the music and lights as they animate the costumes and the floats.
Poster
If all of these announcements weren’t enough, a poster was also shared ahead of the arrival of this parade.
In the Disney Parks Blog post, Show Director Tara Anderson stated, “We need to touch every heart.” It sure looks like this parade will be able to do this!
What do you think of what you are seeing of Disney Starlight? Are you excited to see it when it arrives at Walt Disney World on July 20th? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
