When Disney announced the brand-new Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away parade would debut at Magic Kingdom on July 20, it sounded like the kind of event that would trigger crowd chaos.
It’s the park’s first nighttime parade in nearly a decade, packed with new floats, iconic characters from Coco, Moana, Encanto, and even Wish, plus glowing effects and dazzling costumes. Disney made sure everyone knew this wasn’t just another entertainment update—it was an event.
And just to make sure things didn’t get out of hand, Disney quickly adjusted the Annual Passholder reservation rules. Passholders, who had recently enjoyed more relaxed “good-to-go” entry rules, would suddenly need a reservation every single day of the week to enter Magic Kingdom—no more after-2 p.m. flexibility. The assumption? Massive crowds would descend on the park starting parade launch day.
But here’s the twist: as of June 2, reservations are still available. No major sellouts. No red-alert level demand. Disney’s preparing for a crush of guests, but that wave hasn’t quite hit shore yet.
So… what gives?
Well, part of this might just be the way Annual Passholders operate. Many of them are Florida locals. They check the weather, they figure out their weekend plans, and they often book park reservations pretty last-minute. We’re still more than a month out from July 20. There’s a real chance those reservations vanish quickly once we hit that two-week window.
Still, it’s interesting that we aren’t already seeing those telltale signs of a sellout—especially when Disney is putting this much emphasis on the parade’s launch.
Could it be that the crowds just won’t be as wild as expected?
It’s possible. Disney’s summer entertainment lineup is already packed, and many fans may be more focused on returning attractions, dining packages, or bouncing between parks. Plus, there’s a difference between “popular” and “record-breaking.” The Starlight parade will undoubtedly bring excitement, but maybe it won’t spark the kind of frenzy Disney anticipated.
For now, though, the lack of urgency around Magic Kingdom reservations is noticeable. If you’re an Annual Passholder hoping to be there on opening night, you’ve still got a window. That’s not usually the case when Disney is rolling out something this big.
Disney definitely braced for the worst-case crowd scenario. But as of today, the stampede just hasn’t arrived.
