 | Earlier this week, Disney Parks announced that the Main Street Electrical Parade will be returning home to Disneyland Park starting 20 January 2017! It's been over 20 years since the parade last went down the original Main Street, USA so this is a big deal! Overall this news has been met with mixed reviews and emotions, particularly from fans of the new electrical parade Paint the Night. This return, however, is for a limited time only and comes with some nifty new events to celebrate. |
To kick-off the year, Disneyland is hosting a VIP preview party on 19 January, the night before its first official California performance. The parade first premiered in 1972, so the whole evening will take guests back over 40 years to that decade, encouraging guests to dress in their grooviest attire. Most of the park will be open after hours for event guests and the night will feature a 70s dance party in Tomorrowland and a preview performance of the Main Street Electrical Parade. Tickets are $95 per person. Annual Passholders can purchase theirs now and general sales begin 13 December. More details here.
I will admit, I am somewhat skeptic about this announcement. I adore the MSEP, but since it moved to Florida it has received limited maintenance and an "updated" soundtrack which sounds thinner and cheaper than the original. I just hope it will play down the streets of Disneyland in its original version.
The return of the Main Street Electrical Parade will conclude on 18 June 2017 - the 45th anniversary of it's premiere. There is uncertainty right now about what this means for their summer season. Will Fantasmic! return by then? Will the fireworks be the only nighttime spectacular in Disneyland Park? Is something new in the works for that season?
Many people, myself included, hope that this next summer we'll see the permanent return of Paint the Night, now only being enjoyed seasonally on select nights through the holidays. It only makes sense since PTN makes numerous references to being this generation's Main Street Electrical Parade, from its obvious inspiration to floats and the soundtrack to even being called "a New Electrical Parade". Disney has remained silent on the subject and there are no current plans or announcements concerning the fate of Paint the Night or whether the Main Street Electrical Parade will be returning to Walt Disney World once done in California.
I will admit, I am somewhat skeptic about this announcement. I adore the MSEP, but since it moved to Florida it has received limited maintenance and an "updated" soundtrack which sounds thinner and cheaper than the original. I just hope it will play down the streets of Disneyland in its original version.
The return of the Main Street Electrical Parade will conclude on 18 June 2017 - the 45th anniversary of it's premiere. There is uncertainty right now about what this means for their summer season. Will Fantasmic! return by then? Will the fireworks be the only nighttime spectacular in Disneyland Park? Is something new in the works for that season?
Many people, myself included, hope that this next summer we'll see the permanent return of Paint the Night, now only being enjoyed seasonally on select nights through the holidays. It only makes sense since PTN makes numerous references to being this generation's Main Street Electrical Parade, from its obvious inspiration to floats and the soundtrack to even being called "a New Electrical Parade". Disney has remained silent on the subject and there are no current plans or announcements concerning the fate of Paint the Night or whether the Main Street Electrical Parade will be returning to Walt Disney World once done in California.
