A parade change is hitting Magic Kingdom in early January 2026!
Disney Starlight
Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away is the newest parade to debut at Magic Kingdom. This nighttime parade follows in the footsteps of previous iconic nighttime parades like the Main Street Electrical Parade and SpectroMagic. It typically takes place two times per night, but in early January, there will only be one parade per night. If you’re heading to Disney World during this time, we’ve got all the details you need to know.
Heads up if you’re visiting Magic Kingdom in early 2026! Disney Starlight showtimes are changing at Magic Kingdom. The parade typically happens twice each night, but beginning on January 6th, there will only be one Starlight Parade per night at 7:45 PM. This lasts through January 8th, and then after that, the parade returns to being shown twice per night.
©Disney
Here’s a look at Disney Starlight showtimes at the beginning of January:
- January 1st-3rd: 7:45 PM and 10:30 PM
- January 4th-5th: 7:45 PM and 10:00 PM
- January 6th-8th: 7:45 PM only
- January 9th-10th: 7:45 PM and 10:00 PM
Right now, the calendar only goes out through January 10th, so we’ll have to keep an eye on what happens after that.
©Disney
You can expect some more crowds during the one nightly showing, as there will be fewer opportunities for folks to catch the parade, so everyone will likely want to attend the one show. As of now, Disney hasn’t revealed why there will only be one showing of Starlight per night, but it could very well be a website glitch — or something else altogether. Magic Kingdom will be operating with regular park hours during this time, so it’s really anyone’s guess at the moment.
Disney Starlight
In case you haven’t had the chance to see Starlight yet, it follows in the footsteps of previous iconic nighttime parades like the Main Street Electrical Parade and SpectroMagic. The parade begins on Main Street, U.S.A., and travels towards Frontierland for its parade route (in a reverse of the Festival of Fantasy daytime parade route).
Disney Starlight
It features beloved characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney Pixar films, and some have made their nighttime parade debut in Disney Starlight! As it begins, Disney Starlight is “brought to life by the magic of the Blue Fairy” from the Disney animated classic, Pinocchio. Learn more about Disney Starlight here!
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We’re always on the hunt for more Magic Kingdom updates and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest news and more!
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