With Paint The Night returning to Disneyland Park and Disney Starlight coming this summer to Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, is it finally time that we retire the Main Street Electrical Parade forever?
The Main Street Electrical Parade originally premiered at Disneyland back in 1972, and was technologically advanced for its time. The catchy song and nostalgic floats helped keep the parade around 24 years in its first run and spawned another version of the parade at Walt Disney World in 1977.
That nostalgia didn’t fade and the parade returned several times over the years on both coasts, most recently in 2022 at Disneyland and a 2010-2016 run at the Magic Kingdom.
Speaking for the West Coast contingent, I think it’s well past time to let the nostalgia be just that and to unplug the Main Street Electrical Parade for good.
Paint The Night debuted at Disneyland just over 10 years ago, modeled after the Hong Kong Disneyland version that opened the previous year. After its initial runs at Disneyland, a modified version ran at Disney California Adventure in 2018. The parade has been sitting in a warehouse ever since, but fans have been vocal about wanting to see it again.
They got their wish recently as Paint The Night returned to Disneyland Park for the 70th Anniversary celebration. I was there opening weekend and the parade still looks fabulous and the audience was electric…pun intended. As soon as the first strains of the music were played, the energy level in the crowd increased.
It was always assumed that Paint The Night was the next generation of the Main Street Electrical Parade, and the fan responses have backed that up. The Disneyland crowds have spoken and if management is smart (and that’s a big if), Paint The Night will stay around for a while…and Main Street Electrical Parade will glow away (again).
Now, over to the East Coast folks and fans who have been without their own nighttime parade for over 15 years. I am so excited for you! Your patience has finally paid off and Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away is on its way.
You deserve this parade, not just another hand-me-down parade, and I hope it is a huge success.
Main Street Electrical Parade, you had a good run…several of them actually…but Disney fans have spoken. We will remember you fondly.
