Sunday I asked for picture requests for last night’s visit to the opening of Summer Nightastic! at the Magic Kingdom, with the Main Street Electrical Parade and Summer Nightastic! Fireworks Spectacular. Sadly, I only received one real request (I know you readers are out there somewhere!? ;)). However, while I was sitting on the sidewalks of Frontierland with my 19 month-old son plopped on my lap, I realized that I could take a million pictures, and certainly you can see a million pictures and video everywhere right now…but I cannot replicate the experience for you here in text and photographs.
Therein lies the magic of Disney in one of its many forms – holding your baby in your lap as your 11 and 9 year-olds sit next to you, to watch a parade you saw at their age…and haven’t seen since they were both your baby’s age. After you’ve wrapped your head around that math, pause for a moment to think about the layers of memories there. I can write about sitting on the warm concrete with the smell of smoked turkey legs wafting around me in the thick, humid air. I can try to pinpoint the moment when the music first hits the area you’re sitting in and you crane your neck to spy the first twinkling light. I can share with you the look of wonder and joy on all of my childrens’ faces as they witnessed the Main Street Electrical Parade for the very first time. But I cannot do it justice. It is simply something you must experience. Like most things at Disney, it is a multi-sensory adventure that is truly felt as much as it is seen.
Truly, to be a fan of Disney Parks, is to be a time-traveler. You can rewind the magic and experience it again and again. There is not a single time I visit Epcot or Magic Kingdom that prior visits and memories don’t come flooding back. In a world that’s ever-changing, it’s nice to have a place that has figured out how to keep time in a bottle. Sure, there are some things we loved about Walt Disney World that we’ll never again see…but it was just as important a memory for me to explain what was once there to my 11 year-old son as we stood in front of the old Fantasyland Skyway station. I’d give anything to ride on the Skyway just one more time with my children in tow, but at least now they know the history and what used to be. With the Main Street Electrical Parade, we are able to get ‘what once was’ back again.
So I urge you to get to the Magic Kingdom this summer. Whether it’s your first time seeing the parade or your 40th, how often do we get to rewind the magic and relive our childhood – or experience a whole new one? Even every 10 years is a long time to wait. Come on down and give your old memories some new friends.
Great write up, and I couldn’t agree more! I think there is something extra special about the MSEP, the way that it can create a memory you’ll never forget. I vividly remember experiencing it as a child, and have been beyond thrilled to share the experience with my son over these last few years. I’m a Disneyland reader and it was sad to see it head to WDW this summer, but after reading this I’m so glad that it is being shared with those who might not otherwise get to be here to experience it. It is definitely not to be missed!
PS – The picture with Cinderella’s castle in the background is certainly stunning!
Aw, Zanna! Missed you again! I was at Town Square across from Exposition Hall! Got vid!
Thank you sooooooooooooo much for sharing this! I feel the same way and can’t wait to take my boys to MK this summer to see it! I’ve got the Jeff Lange DVD of it and have been playing it over and over to get them fired up for it! I know that DVD doesn’t do the new parade justice. I’m so excited!!! I know I’ll cry 🙂
Thanks so much for making me think about booking a trip for this summer to share with my kids. I hope they do enjoy it as much as I did when younger. Now my wife on the other hand might be cursing your name 😉 Thanks again Zanna!
Thank you so much Laura! I understand it must be hard for Disneyland friends to see their beloved parade skip town for a bit but we definitely appreciate you letting us borrow it for the summer. 😉
I love that picture too – can’t take credit that was direct from Disney.
Aww man! One of these days we’ll bump into each other!! Nice video!
Get your tissues ready!! 😉 I know you’ll just love it and so will the boys!
Oops. Sorry, Jeff! Between this and the Dooney & Bourke posts, I think I may have troubled quite a few marriages! 😉
Thanks for the comment!!
I am so lucky I get to see MSEP this August! I remember watching the parade when I was little. I know a lot of memories will come back, and you are absolutely right about memories coming back every time you visit. Same thing happens to me. Great post again, Z!!!
Wonderful write up! Thanks so much for sharing…you convey more than you think you do. I felt like I was there, too…
Thank you, Zanna! Wonderful post. You convey more than you think you do…I feel like I was there… 🙂
Great post Z.! Glad to hear you guys took all the kiddos!
GREAT PICTURE!!!!!
Since my folks took me to see this parade as a child, I was happy to be able to take my folks to the return. My new memory will be of my father coming out of the Prairie Outpost and Supply in Frontierland with $35 worth of bubble gum flavored jelly-belly jellybeans because he thought he could fill up the entire bag for $9 and didn’t notice that they were $9 a pound. Then queue the Main Street Electrical Parade Music!!!
OMGosh, I missed the jelly bean incident! How funny is that?! Glad we got to
see the parade with you guys! 😀