Disney Starlight Parade to Feature New Animation of Jiminy Cricket from Spectromagic

Jiminy Cricket Lights the Way in ‘Disney Starlight’ Parade, Paying Tribute to SpectroMagic

Wishes really do come true—especially if you wish for dazzling nighttime parades at Magic Kingdom! Disney has just revealed an exciting new detail about the upcoming “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away” parade, and let’s just say it’s going to have us all singing “When You Wish Upon a Star” with misty eyes and full hearts.

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In the latest episode of We Call It Imagineering, Disney gave fans a glowing update (literally) on “Disney Starlight,” the highly anticipated nighttime spectacular that marks the return of a full-scale parade to Magic Kingdom for the first time in nearly a decade. And the big reveal? An original animated sequence of Jiminy Cricket will be featured in the grand finale of the parade—an emotional callback to his final farewell in SpectroMagic.

A Starry Goodbye from an Old Friend

Imagineers shared that they specifically chose Jiminy Cricket to close out “Disney Starlight” as a nod to SpectroMagic, the beloved nighttime parade that once graced Main Street, U.S.A. with Jiminy waving guests off into the night. Now, he’s making a comeback—this time as a shimmering figure composed entirely of “starlight.”

Bringing this dazzling dream to life wasn’t easy. The team began by envisioning the movement and emotion they wanted Jiminy to embody, then handed their sketches off to none other than legendary animator Eric Goldberg (Aladdin, Fantasia 2000) for refinement. And true to Disney magic, Goldberg did it the old-school way: pencil to paper.

Once his hand-drawn animation was scanned in, the Imagineers faced the technical challenge of making a 2D character glimmer like actual stardust. Inspired by the visual language of Pixie Dust, the Blue Fairy, and twinkling Fantasia stars, they broke Jiminy’s form into 72 separate pieces to achieve the radiant look. The result? A jaw-dropping animation that captures both nostalgia and innovation in one glowing goodbye.

A Parade Full of Magic

That’s not the only sparkly news. In addition to Jiminy Cricket’s celestial moment, the “Disney Starlight” parade will include:

• Original character creations made just for the show
• Brand-new floats already previewed with glowing reviews
• Dazzling light-up costumes that will have you asking “where can I buy that?”
• A dreamy soundtrack and high-tech lighting effects that promise to rival anything seen before on Main Street

And don’t forget: the Blue Fairy will lead the parade, giving a tip of the wand to the Main Street Electrical Parade, making this nighttime spectacular a love letter to Disney parades past and future.

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Parade Times & Planning Ahead

“Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away” is set to run nightly at 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., with the exception of select-ticketed event nights (like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party). Due to expected high demand, Annual Passholders will be required to make a park reservation for Magic Kingdom, regardless of time of entry.

This parade isn’t just a show—it’s a full-circle moment for longtime Disney fans and a starlit first for new visitors alike.

So, polish those Mickey ears, make that wish, and get ready to “dream the night away” when this magical new tradition lights up Main Street, U.S.A. ✨

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