Leaving Magic Kingdom has never been an easy task. From exiting a busy Main Street, U.S.A., to deciding between the monorail or the ferryboat, and dealing with all the crowds, leaving the Most Magical Place on Earth can feel a little less magical.

Disney Starlight

With Disney World’s newest nighttime parade, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away, leaving just got a whole lot more complicated. Here’s what you need to know before you’re heading out of the park.

Let’s talk details. Disney Starlight runs at 9 PM and 11 PM most nights at the Magic Kingdom. The fireworks show, Happily Ever After, then runs at 10 PM, which means it can get really busy at night.

Magic Kingdom at Night

Something great about Starlight that’s different from other parades is that instead of ending on Main Street, it STARTS on Main Street. This is magical because once the parade passes you, you can head up Main Street and leave. You’ll be going with the flow of traffic instead of against it. 

Disney Starlight crowds!

If you’re not planning on staying and watching either the parade or the fireworks, you’re going to want to leave before the parade starts. While fireworks and parade times are great for catching last-minute rides with low waits, if you want to leave without dealing with masses of crowds, the trick is going to be leaving around 8 PM, when everyone is starting to line up for Starlight.

Disney Starlight Crowds

Catching the first parade and then leaving before the fireworks might also cause some chaos because guests will likely be moving from their parade spot to their fireworks spot, resulting in significant crowd congestion. While it might feel early to leave, waiting might cause longer waits for the ferryboat and monorail, and turn your early evening much later than you thought.

Getting on the monorail

What if you want to catch the parade and fireworks? Get ready to spend the whole night in Magic Kingdom. Personally, my favorite time in Magic Kingdom is the time after the fireworks. So many people leave immediately after the fireworks, but if you stay a bit longer, attractions usually have lower wait times.

TRON Lightcycle / Run at night

If you decide to stay, be prepared to wait till after the fireworks and leave with the final crowds from the last show of Starlight. Yes, it’s a late night, but I’d much rather spend my time hopping on one last ride than waiting for the monorail.

Let the crowds disperse

Don’t forget that you can hang out a little bit longer and wander through the Emporium, the big store on Main Street, and even grab some ice cream or bakery items from the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor and the Main Street Confectionery. These are open a little past park close, so you can relax and let the crowds leave before you head out.

Disney Starlight popcorn mix from the Confectionery

Staying past park close sounds like a long day, but remember, you don’t always have to rope drop! Staying over 12 hours in the park for a long time, but you can also leave in the middle of the day, go to the resort and rest, before coming back into the park. You get to control your Disney day.

Crowds waiting for ‘Happily Ever After’

Don’t want to go through all of the stress of booking your Disney World trip alone? Reach out to our friends at Small World Vacations! Their experienced agents monitor your reservation for possible future savings, compare discounts, and figure out which one works best for your travel party, dates, resort, and touring plans. And, they share expert tips and first-hand advice with you about your magical vacation.

In the meantime, make sure you’re following Disney Food Blog for more tips and tricks to make your next Disney vacation the best one yet. 

I GO TO DISNEY WORLD EVERY WEEK, AND THESE ARE MY MUST-DOS IN MAGIC KINGDOM WHEN IT’S TOO DANG HOT

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