The illuminated magic is returning to Disneyland Resort! Assuming no more earthquakes rock Southern California (knock on wood), Disney announced its fan favorite Main Street Electrical Parade is returning for a summer 2019 engagement.
The "spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination" with a half-million sparkling lights and "electro-syntho-magnetic musical sounds" will be featured at Disneyland starting August 2 and continuing with nightly performances through September 30, 2019.
The Disney Parks blog called it a limited-time encore engagement. You can cross your fingers that it gets extended beyond September 30. Not to give you false hope, but the last time the Electric Light Parade had a limited return at Disneyland, it was scheduled from January 20, 2017 to June 18, 2017 and they continued it from popular demand to August 20, 2017.
The Main Street Electrical Parade first opened in 1972 at Disneyland and continued until 1996 before limited returns. Disney California Adventure had the parade from 2001 and 2010. Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom had a version of the parade from 1977 to 2016. In 2015, Disneyland debuted Paint the Night as a "spiritual successor" to the Main Street Electrical Parade.
Disneyland has a lot going on right now, including the new Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge land. But fans had been remarking on shorter-than-expected wait times for rides in the past couple of weeks. That might be from people assuming everyone would pack Disneyland for Galaxy's Edge in its opening days, leaving the park comparatively empty. The thrills of the Electric Light Parade returning might help inspire some families (or adults, no judgment, I wish I could join you) to make last-minute plans for Disneyland.
Just in the past couple of days, earthquakes have rattled the Los Angeles area, with Deadline noting the brief shutdown of rides at Disneyland and neighbor attractions like Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags. Hopefully everyone stays safe for the rest of the summer and enjoys the many offerings.
Don't forget that Disneyland is also moving forward on its Marvel land (that it can't call Marvel land for reasons). And Walt Disney World over in Florida also has plenty of attractions -- including one that is sticking around, despite rumors -- but Epcot will be temporarily closing some locations.
I'll be honest, unlike CinemaBlend's resident Disney expert Dirk Libbey, I haven't been to any Disney park in many years and I'm not up-to-date on all the attractions. I'd love to go, but I live in Maine and don't have the time or money. But I remember the Electric Light Parade, as we always called it, from when I was at Disney World and Disneyland as a kid. I loved it. It reminds me of my childhood, and that classic nostalgia is probably shared by many others. Since it's not a standard attraction at Disneyland anymore, it's even more special when it returns.
If you won't be able to make the window of opportunity for the Main Street Electrical Parade 2019, fear not. Disney will probably bring it back again in a year or two.
