 Source: Yesterland
May 1997 – September 1997
LOCATION
Main Street USA & Fantasyland – This parade followed the usual route for Disneyland. It began near It’s A Small World, wound down past the Matterhorn, circled the hub on Main Street, and finished by the Disneyland Railroad station.
BACKGROUND
Disneyland frequently swaps out even the most popular parades to keep entertainment fresh and crowds engaged. In the late 90s, the park was looking to bring in a fresh nighttime show, and decided to make a big investment with a new show combining lighting effects and classic songs from Disney animations. Light Magic debuted in May 1997, just in time for the summer crowds.
EXPERIENCE
Light Magic was a nighttime parade that mixed parade and stage show. As the fairy-themed floats passed the open mall in front of It’s A Small World or Main Street, they’d stop for dance routines and project images to create virtual backgrounds for the performers. Songs used throughout the parade included:
- “Dream our Dream”, an original song created for the parade
- “Little April Shower” (Bambi)
- “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast” (Beauty and the Beast)
- “Topsy Turvy” (Hunchback of Notre Dame)
- “Step in Time” (Mary Poppins)
- “When You Wish Upon A Star” (Pinocchio)
- “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” (Cinderella)
- “Part of Your World” (The Little Mermaid)
- “Baroque Hoedown”, an original song from the Main Street Electrical Parade
To end the show, the show’s fairies magically conjured pixie dust (confetti) from the sky, lighting up surrounding buildings in full fiber optic sparkle.
 Source: Disney Avenue
CLOSURE
Light Magic was one of the worst received shows the Disneyland Resort has ever had. The fairy costumes included creepy masks, characters were inexplicably wearing pajamas, the floats had little connection to any Disney franchises, and crowds seemed generally unimpressed with the 15 minute show. Its predecessor, the Main Street Electrical Parade, was an all-time fan favorite show (still talked about today by MANY Disneyland visitors), which made it all the more difficult to win over crowds. The parade closed just four months after it opened, with decades passing before Disneyland attempted a nighttime parade again.
TRIVIA
Infrastructure improvements in the park made specifically for this parade are still in use today – including fiber optic cables routed through Fantasyland, concrete strengthening and new walkways along the parade route, and lighting towers.
Light Magic debuted at a private ticketed event ($25 per ticket) held only for annual pass holders. The debut was a mess; performers missed cues, floats and projectors were out of sync, and none of the fiber optic effects were even functional. Disneyland tried to save face by calling it a “dress rehearsal” just before showtime, but most attendees still demanded refunds for their event tickets.
 Source: Yesterland
I saw Light Magic four times. I liked it. What I discovered was if a person wasn’t right in front of the main stage, it was a disappointing experience. Imagine you’re at an IMAX and you’re to the far right or far left. But the two times I was centered in front of any one of the four stages, the show for me was great. I like it and the music. Unfortunately, about only 20 or 30% of the audience had a good “seat”. The two times I was not centered, once to the far left almost between floats, I could only see 1/4 the show. Couldn’t see the screen at all. If Disney put this show in a theater space, like the old Captain EO theater, I think it would get the recognition it deserves. It wasn’t a bad show. Just too narrow of view for the main show.
That makes a lot of sense – it’s a similarly poor experience if you’re on the ends of Soarin’, unfortunately.
it seems I didn’t miss anything by missing out on “light Magic” but I certainly remember seeing the MSEP for the first time (it would have been 1975 – my first visit to the park and my first trip to the US). I also saw the MSEP-2 when that was in Disneyland. Wonderful shows… but the original was a world-beater for its time.