Something Magic Kingdom Hasn’t Done Since COVID Is Finally Coming Back in 2025
Not everything returned after the pandemic. Sure, the rides reopened and character sightings returned, but some of the park’s most magical moments never fully recovered.
Now, that’s shifting in a significant way.
A new nighttime parade is rolling into Magic Kingdom. And it could come with something fans have begged for since 2020.
Meet the Disney Starlight Parade
The Starlight: Dream the Night Away Parade isn’t your average nighttime show. It’s a glowing spectacle loaded with stunning effects, immersive music, and more Disney characters than you can count.
Floats from Tangled, Moana, Encanto, and The Princess and the Frog glide through the streets, each more dazzling than the last. There are shimmering lights, custom soundtracks, and performers dancing in sync with the energy of each float. It’s colorful and musical, and—more importantly—it’s making guests stay late just to catch a glimpse of the magic.
Fans Have Been Waiting for This Moment
The real story? This parade could signal a return to 11 p.m. closing times—something Magic Kingdom hasn’t done since COVID shut the gates in 2020.
Over the past few years, most nights have wrapped up early. But if Starlight anchors a new entertainment block at the end of the night, Disney may be ready to give guests back those late-evening vibes.
That means more time to ride Space Mountain after dark, catch one last show, shop without stress, or grab a Mickey bar without rushing to the exit. It’s the flexibility fans have truly missed.
Big Picture: A New Era of the Parks
This change isn’t happening in isolation. Across the resort, we’re seeing major updates—like the permanent closure of Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America, and the development of a Monsters Inc. land at Hollywood Studios.
It feels like Disney is cleaning house and ushering in something bigger. Old favorites are fading out, bold new ideas are taking shape, and the resort seems more willing than ever to embrace transformation. Magic Kingdom might be the first to truly step into this new chapter.
A Magical Return
If Magic Kingdom stays open until 11 p.m. again, it’ll be the first time guests can soak up that full Disney day from rope drop to nighttime fireworks and beyond.
And with the Starlight Parade leading the way, this might be the return to form we’ve all been waiting for.
Late nights, glowing floats, and magic around every corner? Yep—it’s starting to feel like the old days again.
