Credit: DisneyMagic Kingdom’s newest nighttime parade hasn’t even debuted yet, but Disney fans already have some scheduling details to keep in mind—and they’re not thrilled about it.
Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away officially begins dazzling guests on July 20, 2025. The brand-new nighttime spectacular has been hyped as a spiritual successor to beloved classics like Main Street Electrical Parade and SpectroMagic. And while it’s set to perform twice nightly (at 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.) on most evenings, there’s a big caveat.
Disney has confirmed that the parade will not run on nights when Magic Kingdom hosts separately-ticketed holiday parties. That includes both Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. For those who’ve been keeping track, that means quite a few blackout dates between late August and the end of December.
Why It’s Skipping Party Nights
If you’re wondering why Disney would pull a brand-new parade on some of the year’s busiest nights, there’s a simple reason: those parties already have their own special entertainment. During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, for example, guests enjoy Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, which has been a staple of the event for years. The same goes for Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade during the spooky season.
Rather than compete for space or overlap with existing offerings, Disney is opting to keep the new Starlight parade exclusive to standard park days and nights.
Festival of Fantasy Still Shines in the Daytime
It’s worth noting that the popular Festival of Fantasy parade is still very much in action during the day. That parade continues to run daily and won’t be impacted by the new nighttime schedule. So if you’re hoping to see some float-filled magic on a party night, your best bet is to catch the daytime show.
Meanwhile, if you’re planning a visit and want to experience Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, keep a close eye on the event calendar. Party nights tend to pop up on Tuesday, Thursday, and weekend evenings throughout the fall and winter. Visiting on a non-party weekday? You’ll likely have a better shot at enjoying the full nighttime parade experience.
The Buzz Around Opening Night
Demand for the parade’s debut has been intense. Disney has already expanded Magic Kingdom hours to accommodate the show, and Annual Passholder reservations for July 20 are completely booked. Guests are gearing up for what could be the most popular nighttime addition in years.
But this limited schedule is a reminder that planning is everything at Disney World—especially now. Whether it’s the parade route (which will flow from Main Street to Frontierland in reverse fashion) or the lack of a nightly guarantee, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away is clearly not your average parade.
So before you book those tickets or snag your park reservation, double-check the calendar. Because even dreams need the right night to shine.