Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Nostalgia reigns: Main Street Electrical Parade to remain at Walt Disney World indefinitely
The Main Street Electrical Parade, which was slated to end its run at the Magic Kingdom on Aug. 14, will continue at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom indefinitely.
The Disney Parks blog says the Main Street Electrical Parade has gotten high ratings from guests since it returned in June. Disney executives call it "an overwhelming success."
It has been a Disney classic since 1972, but it hasn't been seen at the Magic Kingdom since 2001. I remember watching from atop my dad's shoulders in the 1980s, waving at the Disney characters as they rolled by. So, I was excited to share the Main Street Electrical Parade with my daughter this year.
Nostalgia like mine is apparently driving a lot of the parade's popularity. I have talked with numerous Walt Disney World guests this summer who traveled to Orlando to pass the parade tradition on to their children.
Even many Disney employees have been excited to share the parade with a new generation.
Disney Ambassador Clay Shoemaker remembers first watching the Main Street Electrical Parade when he was 6 years old.
"I can remember seeing the lights coming closer and closer, and then Cinderella waved at me," Shoemaker said. "You would've thought I was the only child in the park."
This summer, Shoemaker waved at Cinderella with his 2-year-old daughter by his side.
The parade, with its 23 floats, 80 performers and more than 500,000 lights, is an undertaking "bigger than any rock concert," according to Forrest Bahruth, show director.
But there's a pervasive belief among the Disney employees I talked with that the parade is more than the production.
"Underneath it all, it's steel and copper and computers. Cold and heartless. But it's more than that. It's emotion and character and life," said Marc Hurst, the parade's technical director.
Bahruth even describes that parade with that "M" word you hear so often at Walt Disney World: magic.
"When we're out there in town square and that gate opens...music, magic, memories."
The Main Street Electrical Parade is performed nightly in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
The parade, with its 23 floats, 80 performers and more than 500,000 lights, is an undertaking "bigger than any rock concert," according to Forrest Bahruth, show director.
But there's a pervasive belief among the Disney employees I talked with that the parade is more than the production.
"Underneath it all, it's steel and copper and computers. Cold and heartless. But it's more than that. It's emotion and character and life," said Marc Hurst, the parade's technical director.
Bahruth even describes that parade with that "M" word you hear so often at Walt Disney World: magic.
"When we're out there in town square and that gate opens...music, magic, memories."
The Main Street Electrical Parade is performed nightly in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
Filed under: North America, United States
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
connie Jul 31st 2010 6:45PM
we love the MSEP as Fla residents we go every 6 to 8 weeks and so enjoy it .I fist saw it with my daughter and now just enjoyed it with her twin babies. Keep up the great work Magic Kingdom
Smart Travelers Aug 10th 2010 1:39AM
The Electrical Parade is truly an amazing experience. My family has been to Disney World many times and I can still remember the first time my son saw this parade. Disney is like Heaven on Earth for kids and our little guy is no exception. We decided at 4 years old he was just old enough to enjoy the park. At the end of our first day my son was totally pooped so I hoisted him up on my shoulders making him almost 7 feet tall. As we stood there you could start hearing that electric music coming down the street. My sons eyes opened from there sleepy position when all of a sudden he could see the amazing lights atop the floats coming around the corner. He almost jumped off my shoulders when he saw Mickey Mouse outlined in beautiful lights. What an image... I will never have that day again, but I can certainly re-live it in my mind. My little guy is 14 now and almost as tall as me. But he still loves going to Disney World with his old man!
Smart-Travelers
www.smart-travelers.com