SpectroMagic parade officially - and permanently - retires as Walt Disney World looks ahead to Festival of Fantasy - Inside the Magic

Comments for SpectroMagic parade officially – and permanently – retires as Walt Disney World looks ahead to Festival of Fantasy

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44 Comments

  1. Joe

    Still today, it is my favorite Disney Parade. It will be missed. 🙁

    1. Brett

      I miss the theme song more than anything else. And also the little space guys on the globes were fantastic.

      1. Steve

        I totally agree. I loved the up beat music. And to replace it with the Electric light parade which has old floats, Pete’s Dragon makes no sense. What kid now knows what Pete’s Dragon is. Don’t know why they would retire it. If its not broke don’t fix it.

        1. Joe

          Guess this comment seems silly in light of the newest Disney Movie!

    2. figment

      why did they stop this

  2. Krissy Vigs

    This was my favorite parade. Very sad to see it go, but excited to see what will take it’s place. I’m sure it will be wonderful! <3

    1. Brent

      Oh, wow I don’t like the Main Street parade… I wish they would bring something else in. The Main Street parades music is so hokey, and annoying. Please Disney bring something as wonderful as Spectromagic was!

  3. Nick

    Very very sad to see this go. I have vivid memories of this parade at the age of four. Was an absolute favorite of mine and it won’t be the same with out it. Hopefully they have a new night time parade planned for the future. This was a big crowd pleaser

  4. Steve

    I don’t like it when they retire things, but I absolutely love the Main Street Electrical Parade so I’m happy that they didn’t retire that one instead.

  5. Cheryl

    I was hoping it would return to MK someday but Walt’s philosophy was to ‘keep moving forward’. The soundtrack remains on my iTunes playlist and makes me smile every time I hear it.

    1. Brent

      Round, Round, Round, Round, Round…. LOL Loved it!

  6. Andy

    I’m SO disappointed by this. I was down at the Magic Kingdom last week watching the ELP but wondering if SpectroMagic would ever return. I LOVE that parade, and I’m not a parade guy.

    I just remember being down in Florida with my family in 1997 and for whatever reason I was not having a good time. I don’t know why but I wasn’t in the mood. But the last night we were there I saw SpectroMagic for the first time and was ASTOUNDED by that parade. I LOVED it! It totally turned my mood around and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. I’m so sad to see it’s gone forever. Hopefully I have it on video somewhere so I can share it with my children, who never got to see it.

  7. Dee

    I’ve heard from very reliable sources that the reason it won’t return is that the floats were improperly stored, leading to extensive and, for the most part, irreparable termite and bug damage. It’s definitely a shame. Such a fun show!

  8. Art

    BOOO MSEP needs to go … it’s date , lacks story , and the music sucks!

  9. I do not understand the mourning for an old parade. I do not want something old to return. I want something *new*. If you want nostalgia, go to YouTube and watch the old parade as often as you want. I want MSEP retired as well – it’s well past time for Disney to dazzle us with something never before seen in a nighttime parade.

    1. Ya Your right There. It Is Time to Retire The MSEP. I Just Know Alot of people Are Up Set That They Totally Destroyed Spectromagic Parade. They Should Of Shipped It To Disneyland California Adventure instead of destroying all Of The floats. The New Parade They Have picked Out Is A day time Parade. BORING! WE NEED A NIGHT TIME PARADE!

  10. Brian Fleming

    So disappointed by this news. I loved SPECTROMAGIC, and compared to the MSEP running now–which as a child loved also–the MSEP really shows its age. I know people love it too, but SPECTROMAGIC was so much better of a parade.

    I can only hope that DISNEY IMAGINEERING has something up their sleeves for replacement of the nightime parade, b/c MSEP cannot continue for much longer.

    RIP SPECTROMAGIC.

  11. Patrick Pedneault

    This parade will forever live in my heart.

    It was simply my favorite one at WDW. Now if we can have MSEP gone and replaced with a new night time parade, I would be happy.

  12. Tom Murray

    Once again Disney takes away what the PAYING guests want to see and experience. Bravo Disney brASS.

  13. Susan Mills

    SO VERY SAD to hear the news of NO MORE “SPECTROMAGIC!” This is and will probably ALWAYS be my very favorite Magic Kingdom Parade (including both day- and night-time parades in the last 20 years)!!! 🙁 — (P.S. – I sure hope they do keep and re-use many of these floats in the future “Festival of Disney” Parade.)

  14. DTodd

    @Susan Mills – The Floats were destroyed.. They only kept pieces of some..

    1. What A Total 100% Waste! Million Of Dollars Just Thrown Away! They Could Of Incorporated Some of The Float Units Into The MSEP & Make That Parade Longer OR They Could of Shipped The Spectromagic Parade to Calif Adventure Since They Have No Nighttime Parade entertainment. Better yet Instead of Destroying The Floats Make Money & Auction Them Off.

  15. NB

    I’m sad to see Spectro retired. I just watched our old video of it and I honestly had forgotten how good it was. I even shed a tear or two for it. But, hopefully it means that something new is on the horizon for nighttime entertainment. I’m curious to see what’s in store for the next few years. Until then, I’ll just hum Baroque Hoedown with everyone else on Main Street.

  16. woofiejd

    NOOOOOOOOO. Not only was it beautiful, but you could actually listen to the soundtrack. I may be alone but MSEP soundtrack sounds like fingernails on a blackboard after the first time during a visit. At least I got to see it it’s last night.

    1. Alex

      I totally agree about the fingernails thing. I avoid that music like the plague. Gives me a headache every time. Spectro on the other hand gets stuck in my head in a good way and stays there for quite some time. I will miss it 🙁 But I look forward to the new offering(s) that Disney comes up with.

  17. Randy

    I also heard of the termite damage to Spectro from a reliable source. Very sad. I really did like that parade, except for the creepy “Chuckie” glow dolls at the beginning of the parade.

    I loved Main Street Electrical Parade, but I think the original soundtrack is so much better than the new version. The original music from the 70’s and 80’s was classic and didn’t need improving.. I don’t like the updated music at all.

  18. Since1976

    I dug MESP as a kid, but I fell in love with Spectro the first time I saw it in 2002. I’m really sad to see it go. I was okay with MESP coming back for an encore run for Summer Nightastic back in 2010, but if I’d known Spectro was going away for good I would have made a greater effort to check it out one last time 🙁

  19. MLS

    Spectro will always be special to me because both of my daughters were in it. Plus I really liked it even before they were a part. While it is sad to see it go I look forward to what Disney will do next.

    And while in a nostalgic mode I still wish the show Tarzen could come back. For me it beats the socks off of Finding Nemo!

  20. Allie

    Do you know what will happen to the Electrical Parade? Will it make a return to California? I hope so.

  21. JEANY SANCHEZ

    It will be missed! I love the songs!

  22. I really really loved SpectroMagic… it was the first parade I’ve ever seen in WDW and it really bugs me I’ll never see it again – though I love the Electrical Parade and it’s catchy song.
    now all we can do is hope for the best and wait for the Festival of Fantasy

  23. Joe

    An utter travesty that they allowed SpectroMagic to basically root away over these last few years. What, they couldn’t put it in a warehouse, maybe even give it an overhaul?

    Personally, I thought SpectroMagic was the best parade Walt Disney World ever produced, even better than the Electrical Light Parade.

    So glad I’ve recorded it from time to time during my visits over the years…Such a shame.

    1. Ian Bula

      I totally agree with you! I’ll admit when i went to MK on july and I got the chance to see MSEP I really enjoyed it! The music may not be the friendliest to my ears xD but it was catchy and upbeat.

      Ooon the other hand….Spectro was actually the first parade I’ve ever seen in my life since childhood at WDW and I can still remember hearing that trumpet fanfare through the zone-speakers and just being IN LOVE with the music!! And all the floats were awesome i really loved to see that parade! I’m VERY disappointed it’s gone now….i would’ve loved to see it at least one last time! But who knows……maybe Disney has something BETTER and brand new coming up soon!

  24. Nicole M

    I am SHOCKED to see this is no longer part of WDW! We are going there in March of 2014 and I just now saw they got rid of this wonderful Parade! Way to go DISNEY! I cannot believe you would take something so awesome away that almost everyone went to EVERY NIGHT! I’m sad that future generations will not be able to experience SPECTROMAGIC!

    Shame on you Disney, SHAME ON YOU! Especially when we all pay what we do to come there!

    🙁

  25. Denise

    HEARTBROKEN!!!! The Spectromagic Light Parade will sadly be missed by sooooo many!!! WHY stop such a good thing when everyone seems to miss it so much? Doesn’t make any sense. 🙁

  26. Greg

    The Spectromagic Parade will always hold a special magical place in my heart.

    On the last day of September 1991, our infant daughter died after a long and painful ordeal. My wife and I decided that we should “escape” to the only place in the world that we could get some respite and escape the sad realities of the outside world, Walt Disney World.

    So we arranged an all-inclusive package at the Grand Floridian and my wife, 4 year old daughter and I set off for the “World”, We were in the Magic Kingdom late one night and lined up right in front of the castle waiting on a new parade called “Spectromagic”. We had been accustomed to the other Disney parades like the “Main Street Electrical Parade” and so we knew the drill.

    Magic was in the air and there was almost a euphoric sense with the night time lights, the smell of fall in the air and finally a sense of peace. The pre-parade announcements built the anticipation. Then the music began and we knew that our wait was over. The words to the music were so meaningful and even today when I hear that tune, it takes me back to that night. Everything was somehow perfect. I knew that my daughter’s spirit was there with us all. My little nuclear family intact again and peace filled my heart. The parade was spectacular and the very theme “on this magic night….” seemed to be speaking to us. In the glow of the multicolored parade lights, I could see the look in my 4 year old daughter’s eyes. She knew that her sister was there too that night. It was one of those “once in a lifetime experiences” that would mould our path to somehow ease our pain and help us “put a stake in the ground” and move forward. So yes that parade means something for sure. It lives on in my heart and my memories forever.

  27. Maureen

    If everyone loves spectromagic parade why not create a new one get rid of the old MSEP its out dated. Create a new spectomagic parade keep the favorite songs and build a new one god know you charge enough to get in. Give the peeps what they want…

  28. Jayne

    So disappointed!! SpectroMagic is my favorite Disney Parade!! Will miss it so much 🙁

  29. Andrew

    I would like to add I love that parade song and one of the few times my whole family was in a very special moment. If Disney notices full grown men and women are stating how they dislike loosing an American icon! That parade was bigger than all the characters. Why not leave it and improve the floats each year ?? This was a big mistake on their part!! The parade song was one of the greatest songs ever made !! Come in Disney get in touch with the people !!!!
    Andrew

  30. Susan

    Good riddance. Those awful masks they wore in the 90s traumatized me as a child. Make way for the new.

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