Inside Disney Starlight: An Interview with Show Director Tara Anderson

Magic Kingdom’s newest nighttime parade has finally arrived: Disney Starlight, ending a nine-year drought at Walt Disney World. Starlight is Magic Kingdom’s first completely original nighttime parade since SpectroMagic debuted in 1991, and the buzz around the parks has been electric.

I recently had the incredible opportunity to chat with Tara Anderson, Show Director for Disney Starlight, right at Magic Kingdom to discuss the parade’s development, its connection to beloved parades of the past, and what makes this new addition so special. Tara brings an impressive resume to this project – she’s also the Show Director for Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade and Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, and she even performed in the Disney World’s Tencennial Parade early in her Disney career.

Here’s our conversation about bringing Magic Kingdom’s dazzling new nighttime parade to life.

James Grosch: Hi, this is James from Guide2WDW, and I’m here at Magic Kingdom with Tara, the show director for Disney Starlight. There is a new nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom. Everybody’s been waiting a long time for this. What can you tell us about Disney Starlight?

Tara Anderson: Well, in a sentence, it is a constellation of Disney dreams brought to life by the magic of the Blue Fairy. And this whole parade is floating on a bed of stars, and we’re bringing moments from classic Disney movies all the way to newer films – moments where our characters are either putting their dream out into the world, pursuing their dream, or celebrating their dream come true.

James: Last time that there was nighttime parade, it was the Main Street Electrical Parade that was still playing, and before that it was SpectroMagic. So there’s only been two nighttime parades here, but those are beloved parts of the fabric of this park. Can you talk about how this parade honors the past?

Tara: Absolutely. You know it was really important to us to honor that legacy. So if you think about it, if you listen to the sound of Disney Starlight, Main Street Electrical Parade was an electronic sound. Spectromagic was orchestral. Starlight is both combined in the most amazing way. If you look close, there are little nods to the past. So of course, yes, we have a train, but we have Whimsy, our magical starlight train. You get to see his face and he is having the best time taking Mickey and his friends on a ride through the stars. And there are other little nods. The last thing you might see is Jiminy Cricket, and that’s our nod to Spectromagic, because the last thing you saw at the end of Spectromagic was Jiminy Cricket waving goodbye. But this is Jiminy Cricket as you’ve never seen him before – kissed by Starlight.

James: Let’s also talk about Whimsy. I like to say Whimsy’s my homeboy.

Tara: I love Whimsy.

James: The Starlight Train is my favorite float, which is hard to pick. Is Whimsy related to Casey Jr. in any way?

Tara: You know, I’m not sure. He was really born of Starlight. He’s a combination of the Blue Fairy’s magic and the magic of starlight put together. So that’s really how he came into being. But I’d like to think they’re distant cousins. That’s the way I look at it.

James: That makes sense. The parade starts with a very big wow moment – the lead float. That’s also another nod to the past in Main Street Electrical Parade.

Tara: It absolutely is – the Blue Fairy leading the way. You see the star at the end of her wand and you know you’re in for something special.

James: I had the pleasure of getting to see one of the first few performances, and it blew me away, especially seeing just how tall that float is and seeing her lead the parade. Another thing that nods to the past is the very first moment when the lights go down and you hear the music hit. I’m not gonna spoil anything, but if you are a fan of nighttime parades at Magic Kingdom, it will give you all the nostalgic feelings, all the goosebumps. And I know you have a long-storied relationship with parades at Disney Parks. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

Tara: Yes, I’ve been very lucky. I’ve been able to work on parades for quite some time. I am actually the show director for Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade and Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, and I got to work as a performer. I was in the Tencennial Parade – so yeah, that’s how old I am, but it’s fine. And then moved into choreography and did the 25th anniversary parade and the Share a Dream Come True parade. And I’ve just been so blessed, so fortunate to get to do what I love to do and to hopefully bring joy to folks.

James: Well you definitely bring a lot of joy to people. I got to go to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary this year and see the a Boo to You parade twice. I love that parade. Another parade where the music will just get stuck in your head for months and months.

Tara: That was the goal. Yes.

James: I’d like to know about the creative development of Starlight. When did you start working on it? What is that creative process like?

Tara: We started about two and a half years ago. And it started with a brainstorming session – what could a new nighttime parade at the Magic Kingdom look like? And lots of ideas were flying around the room. And finally someone, I believe it was our writer Allison, said, “What about the idea of wishing on a star at night and all the magical things that happen in our stories under the magic of starlight?” And ding ding – the light bulb. That was it for me.

And so then it’s about getting together and trying to decide which stories. We know we’re here in the Magic Kingdom, so it has to make sense for here. What do we want it to look like? So you assemble a team. We were blessed with this amazing team, a brilliant art director named Danny Dillon who designed all these floats. And then you get a technical team, lighting designers, technical directors, costume designers to all serve the story. And that’s really where we were focused. We just wanted to tell a great story for folks and utilize the latest in technology, but make sure it wasn’t about technology, if that makes sense. Yes, magical things happen and there’s technology that makes that happen, but it’s not about that. It’s about the story and what actually happens in the story.

James: Yeah, and I have to say this does feel like that classic Disney parade, especially nighttime parade for Magic Kingdom, but brought to 2025 with the dazzling visuals. It gave me all those warm nostalgic feelings, but also very new and exciting. I think it’s just such a beautiful addition to the park and hopefully will be glowing on the streets for years to come.

Tara: Thank you so much. I’m so glad you feel that way. That’s what I was hoping for.

James: This is Guide2WDW – we are all about tips and advice for people. So what are some of your favorite spots to watch Disney Starlight?

Tara: You know, I’d like to hope that there’s no bad spot, but I will say what’s wonderful about these floats, as you spoke about their size, you can see them from a distance. So it’s kind of how do you want to interact? If you want to, you can watch from this side of the hub and you can see it coming up the street and going around and crossing over the bridge. Frontierland is also very nice. And actually it’s also great in Town Square. So really I’d like to say there’s no bad place. It’s really more about how up close and personal do you want to see it? What kind of experience do you want to have?

James: I saw it on Main Street – I recommend that spot, but also Frontierland’s great because a lot of people will go to Main Street, especially since the parade starts there. So if you’re looking for a little less crowds, Frontierland’s the way to go. Well, congratulations to you and your team and everyone out there. Go plan to see Disney Starlight because it is an amazing time at Magic Kingdom.

Final Thoughts

What struck me most about this conversation was Tara’s genuine passion for storytelling and Magic Kingdom’s parade legacy. The two-and-a-half-year development process shows in every detail – from Whimsy’s charming personality to the thoughtful blend of electronic and orchestral music that honors both Main Street Electrical Parade and Spectromagic.

The parade runs twice nightly, and as Tara mentioned, there really isn’t a bad viewing spot. The floats are designed to be seen from a distance, so whether you’re on Main Street, in the hub, or over in Frontierland, you’ll have a great experience. Be sure to check out my Best Tips for Everything New at Disney World 2025 video, where I share three strategies for Disney Starlight depending on your priorities.

After nine years without a nighttime parade, I’m so happy Magic Kingdom finally has its glow back.