I Go to Disney World Every Day. I Just Discovered My NEW Favorite Magic Kingdom Hack.

I’m a HUGE fan of Disney World’s new nighttime parade — but I’ve already found myself in a bit of a debate about it!

It’s been YEARS since Disney World featured a nighttime parade, and everyone was so eager for Magic Kingdom to debut Disney Starlight inside the park. Now that we’ve had our first glances of it in person, (and if you’re obsessed with it like me a few times already), you’re looking for the BEST new hack at your best chance to see the parade. So, the BIGGEST hack you’ll face right now is planning your park strategy accordingly after deciding which Disney Starlight parade time should you plan to see.

As I mentioned before, I’ve had the absolute pleasure already to see Disney Starlight a few times, and it’s even more dazzling in person than pictures and video can do it justice. But, while I’m singing the praises of the epic return of a nighttime parade for Disney World in almost a full decade, as a resident expert already in parade viewing, I’ve been asked constantly which parade time is the best to see.

Yes, Disney World (thankfully) planned the debut of its new nighttime parade knowing it would be popular. In fact, due to their great planning, since its debut, the parade has performed multiple times each night once at 9 and again at 11 PM with the nightly Happily Ever After Fireworks performing in between at 10 PM. This parade is quite unique, though. Not only does it perform at night, but its parade route runs from Main Street, U.S.A. to Frontierland, which is in reverse of the daytime parade’s route.

As your self-proclaimed Disney World parade expert, I’m going to suggest the 9 PM parade is for you if you want to see the nightly fireworks, too. This will also stand for anyone who likes to call it a night early or if you’ve got members of your family (like little ones) who can’t quite push it to the (much) later hour.

For most families, 9 PM is already late, and it could easily be made to feel even longer after a hot day in the sun. 11 PM might not be realistic for these folks – especially if watching Happily Ever After feels like a great finale to your night. Trust me, you don’t want to push through tantrum-level exhaustion (from kids AND adults alike) just to have a slightly less crowded parade. That’s when you start crossing into territory where no one will enjoy it.

The 11 PM parade is my pick for you; however, if late nights aren’t a problem! For one, you’ll find it is MUCH easier to find a spot at these late-night parades as a lot of families tend to clear out after the fireworks and will opt for that first parade. PLUS, the 11 PM parade happens right at park close, so this means you won’t be missing precious park hours that you could be using to get in those last few rides of the night.

The only problem you might run into with this parade strategy is you’ll probably end up with a less-than-optimal fireworks viewing location if you’re not choosing a spot before the first parade happens. If that’s not high on your priorities though, this could be the perfect parade time for you!

So there you have it — it’s not quite as cut and dry as might have initially thought, right? And it’s true, there’s a lot that factors into your decision. If you find yourself weighing your pros and cons for a viewing time and potentially have wiggle room to see it on multiple days, I’d also recommend switching each time you view the parade if that’s possible between the days you see it to find out which fits your needs the best.

We’re always offering up our expert-level tips, strategies, and money-saving offers that could help you before and during your next Disney trip! Stay tuned with us at AllEars for even more.

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