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Credit: Jeremy Wong, FlickrDisney Park fans are mourning what seems to be the end of a decades-long parade tradition at Disneyland, Disney World, and beyond.
When Disneyland Resort first opened in 1955, it ushered in Disney Park traditions that are still ongoing today. From riding classic attractions such as Peter Pan’s Flight, Autopia, and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride to meeting characters like Mickey Mouse, guests can still enjoy multiple hallmarks of the Walt Disney era in 2023.
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One of these traditions is a daily park parade. Back in 1955, this was the Mickey Mouse Club Circus Parade. Dozens of parades have followed since, leading up to today’s Disneyland Resort staple, Magic Happens.
As other Disney Parks have opened across the globe, they’ve introduced their own versions of parades featuring Disney characters both old and new. Magic Kingdom, for example, is home to the Festival of Fantasy parade, while Tokyo Disneyland has Disney Harmony in Color and Disneyland Paris has Disney Stars on Parade.
While the parade tradition is very much alive, one tradition seems to have died a silent death at Disney Parks worldwide: nighttime parades.
As of September 2023, the only Disney Park in the world with a nighttime parade is Tokyo Disneyland. The park – which is technically owned by the Oriental Land Company, not the Walt Disney Company – currently runs Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights on a nightly basis.
Disneyland Resort last ran a nighttime parade in September 2022 when the 49-year-old Main Street Electrical Parade wrapped up its brief return to Disneyland Park. Hong Kong Disneyland previously also had a version of Paint the Night, which is yet to return since the park initially closed for the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020.
Disneyland Paris hasn’t had a nighttime parade since 2003. Shanghai Disneyland has never had one. Meanwhile, Magic Kingdom hasn’t had one (other than seasonal Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party parades) since the Main Street Electrical Parade left Walt Disney World Resort in 2016.
This brings us to the big question – will it ever have one again? Fans recently took to Reddit to ask the same thing, questioning whether a nighttime parade is, or will ever be, a priority for Disney again.
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“I feel like I already know the answer to this but I’ll ask anyway. Do you think nighttime parades are ever coming back to Disney World? Or Disneyland for that matter?” questioned user ProfessionalSir8637. “I just don’t think it’s a priority for Disney right now, and won’t be for a long, long time. I feel like it’ll be more drone shows, like those seen in Disneyland Paris, or just generally things that don’t require them paying and organising performers to go out every night. I would love to be wrong… but I feel like I’m not.”
If the sentiment of the responses is anything to go by, other Disney fans think this is the case. “Unfortunately, I think nighttime parades are dead,” said AmandaShow90. “It has been years (although some of those years have been pandemic) and there has not been effort to replace the parades.”
Steecie41 agreed, noting that it may be more of a practical decision than Disney just denying the people what they want. “Crowd management is [next] to impossible with just fireworks, let alone a parade too,” they wrote.
Some remain optimistic that they could return one day – but most likely not in a new or innovative way. “They’ll just drag out the Electrical Parade to limp down Main Street the next time they need a little attendance boost,” said BroadwayCatDad.
There have been countless rumors along these same lines in recent months. A return of the Main Street Electrical Parade would certainly please the majority of Disney fans. However, those hoping for something new may be waiting for a long time.
Do you think we’ll ever get a nighttime parade at Disney World (or any other park that isn’t in Tokyo) again? Let us know in the comments!