Trystan Casey
The Main Street Electrical Parade, a nighttime parade that first premiered at Disneyland in 1972, has had several retirements over the years. The original parade at Disneyland in California ran from 1972 to 1996, with the final performance on November 25, 1996. The parade was replaced by Light Magic, another light show parade that was not well-received. The Magic Kingdom version of the parade ran from 1977 to 1991 and was retired to make way for a new nighttime parade, SpectroMagic. The parade has had multiple comebacks and limited engagements over the years, most recently in 2022 at Disneyland, with runs at other Disney parks around the world. While there were speculations about the parade's retirement in 2022, it appears that the Main Street Electrical Parade is on another hiatus rather than being permanently retired.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of first retirement | November 25, 1996 |
| Location of first retirement | Disneyland |
| Reason for first retirement | Replaced by Light Magic |
| Date of second retirement | September 14, 1991 |
| Location of second retirement | Magic Kingdom |
| Reason for second retirement | Replaced by SpectroMagic |
| Date of third retirement | April 18, 2010 |
| Location of third retirement | Disney California Adventure |
| Reason for third retirement | N/A |
| Current status | On hiatus |
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What You'll Learn
The parade first retired in 1996
The Main Street Electrical Parade first premiered at Disneyland in 1972 and has since become the longest-running parade in Disney history. The original parade at Disneyland in California ran from 1972 to 1996 and returned for limited engagements in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
The parade closed at Disneyland on November 25, 1996, after a successful 24-year run. Light bulbs certified as part of the show were sold to collectors. The parade was replaced by Light Magic, another light show parade that was not well-received. Due to the public's distress over the announcement, the parade's farewell season was extended for a month and a few days.
The parade was refurbished and appeared at Magic Kingdom on May 21, 1999, for a limited engagement, just in time for Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration. The parade then went on a hiatus for two years before being moved to Magic Kingdom, where it lasted from May 21, 1999, until April 1, 2001.
In 1997, Disney celebrated the opening of its New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City with a one-off performance of the parade, dubbed the "Hercules Electrical Parade" in honour of the new Hercules film.
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It returned several times
The Main Street Electrical Parade, a nighttime parade, first premiered at Disneyland in 1972 and has since become the longest-running parade in Disney history. The parade features floats and live performers covered in over 600,000 electronically controlled LED lights.
The original parade at Disneyland in California ran from 1972 to 1996 and returned for limited engagements in 2017, 2019, and 2022. The parade has returned several times over the years on both coasts, most recently in 2022 at Disneyland and a 2010-2016 run at the Magic Kingdom.
The parade was brought back to California for the opening of Disney California Adventure in 2001, renamed Disney's Electrical Parade. The parade returned to Disney California Adventure on June 12, 2009, with a new Tinker Bell float replacing the Blue Fairy, and the return of the missing Snow White and Pinocchio units. The parade ended its run at Disney California Adventure on April 18, 2010, and was sent to the Magic Kingdom as part of the Walt Disney World 2010 promotional package "Summer Nightastic!".
The parade then returned to the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, running from 1999 to 2001 and 2010 to 2016. The Magic Kingdom version of the parade ran for the last time at the park on September 14, 1991, and was replaced by a new nighttime parade, SpectroMagic, for Walt Disney World's 20th anniversary.
The parade has also spun off several other versions that ran or continue to run at Disney parks worldwide. For example, in 1997, Disney celebrated the opening of its New Amsterdam Theater in New York City with an interpretation of the Electrical Parade, called the "Hercules Electrical Parade" in honour of the new Hercules film.
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The Magic Kingdom version retired in 1991
The Magic Kingdom version of the Main Street Electrical Parade first retired in 1991. This version of the parade had opened in 1977, the same year that Magic Kingdom opened. The parade was replaced by a new nighttime parade called SpectroMagic, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Walt Disney World. The Magic Kingdom parade's floats were then sent to Euro Disneyland, in preparation for the April 1992 opening of the Euro Disney Resort.
The Main Street Electrical Parade was a nighttime parade that featured floats and live performers covered in over 600,000 electronically-controlled LED lights. The parade was accompanied by a synchronised soundtrack, including the signature theme, Baroque Hoedown. The parade was created by Robert Jani and project director Ron Miziker, and first premiered at Disneyland in 1972. The parade has since become the longest-running parade in Disney history, performing at Disney Parks worldwide.
The Magic Kingdom version of the parade ran from 1977 to 1991, and then again from 1999 to 2001, and 2010 to 2016. The parade has also spawned several other versions that ran or continue to run at Disney parks around the world. For example, the original parade at Disneyland in California ran from 1972 to 1996 and returned for limited engagements in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
The Magic Kingdom version of the parade underwent several changes during its run. For instance, in 1986, a 30th Anniversary float for Walt Disney World was added, which featured a unique design. In 1988, the "it's a small world" unit of the Electrical Parade was retired, and a special float for Mickey's 60th birthday was added, featuring its own unique music.
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The 2022 run was the parade's 50th anniversary
The Main Street Electrical Parade, a nighttime parade, first premiered at Disneyland in 1972. Created by Robert Jani and Ron Miziker, the parade features floats and live performers covered in over 600,000 electronically controlled LED lights. The parade has since become the longest-running parade in Disney history, performing at Disney Parks worldwide. The original parade at Disneyland in California ran from 1972 to 1996.
The parade was brought back to Disneyland in 2001, now called Disney's Electrical Parade. This version of the parade ran until 2010. The parade then returned again for limited engagements in 2017, 2019, and 2022. The 2022 run was the parade's 50th anniversary.
The parade has undergone several changes over the years, with new floats and updates to the lights and soundtrack. In 2009, a new Tinker Bell float was added to the parade, replacing the Blue Fairy. The parade also saw an update to the lights, with all the lights on the floats replaced, and the introduction of the G-major version of Baroque Hoedown.
The parade has been a beloved attraction for many Disney fans, with its catchy song and nostalgic floats. While there have been calls for the parade to be retired, it continues to make appearances at Disney Parks, with its most recent run in 2022. It is unclear if the parade will return in the future, as Disney has not made any official announcements regarding its plans. However, the parade's enduring popularity suggests that it may continue to make occasional appearances at Disney Parks.
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The parade has been replaced by others, like Paint The Night
The Main Street Electrical Parade, which first premiered at Disneyland in 1972, has been replaced by other parades over the years. One of the most notable replacements is the Paint the Night Parade (or Paint the Night Electrical Parade). This parade first premiered at Hong Kong Disneyland on October 1, 2014, as the first fully LED parade created by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
The Paint the Night Parade is considered the next generation of the Main Street Electrical Parade, featuring over 740,000 individual lights across seven original floats. The parade uses a newly arranged version of the Main Street Electrical Parade's theme song, "Baroque Hoedown," alongside a Cantonese arrangement of Owl City's "When Can I See You Again?".
The original Hong Kong version of the parade included a show stop where performers interacted with the audience using interactive LED paintbrushes. However, this was discontinued in November 2015. On May 22, 2015, an extended version of Paint the Night premiered at Disneyland for its 60th anniversary celebration, further solidifying its place as the successor to the Main Street Electrical Parade.
The Paint the Night Parade has undergone several iterations, with the Disneyland version including four original floats not present in the Hong Kong version. This version does not include show stops but features well-loved characters such as Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, and Genie from Aladdin.
The Main Street Electrical Parade has had a long and beloved run, with multiple returns and limited engagements over the years. However, with the introduction of the Paint the Night Parade and other new parades, such as Disney Starlight, it seems that the time has come for the Electrical Parade to be retired for good.
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Frequently asked questions
The Electrical Parade first retired at Disneyland in California on November 25, 1996, after a 24-year run.
The Electrical Parade first retired at Magic Kingdom in 1991.
Yes, the parade has returned several times after its first retirement. It returned to Disneyland in 2001 and ran until 2010. It also returned to Magic Kingdom in 1999 and ran until 2001, and again from 2010 to 2016. The parade most recently returned to Disneyland in 2022.
