Spectromagic!

11290;2460527 wrote: Physically, they looked in good shape when they came in early 2010 but mechanically, not very good, at least so I was told by some of the parade mechanics. The first month or so the Dopey float could hardly make it up Main St., tires were not up to par to make the grade when it got to the Trolley track steel plates (DLR is very flat).

Eek... so what I have been told and heard is true then huh? I almost didn't believe it when I was told they are in rough shape cause I thought they were just fine in 2013... But alas, as you said, to the eye they look good, but the mechanics are another story...

Let's hope they do design a new night time parade...

tiggerbuddy;2460603 wrote: I hope those CREEPY white masks were destroyed !!!:ack:

THIS!!!! :thumbsup:

It's time for new everything - nighttime parade, fireworks! Give me a reason to stay late in the parks again.

tiggerbuddy;2460603 wrote: I hope those CREEPY white masks were destroyed !!!:ack:

They were on big reason that the parade was retired. Disney received a lot of complaints about them to the point that they tried to fix the issue by removing the masks and going with lit faces in white face makeup. They were still creepy. People really liked the floats but hated the Spectromen and that took away from the overall enjoyment of the parade.

DizneyFreak2002;2460605 wrote: Eek... so what I have been told and heard is true then huh? I almost didn't believe it when I was told they are in rough shape cause I thought they were just fine in 2013... But alas, as you said, to the eye they look good, but the mechanics are another story...

Let's hope they do design a new night time parade...

Almost every float currently in use has had "refurbishment work" done to it in some form since the parade came to the MK. It seems to be in pretty good shape right now but still have some technical glitches some nights that can keep some sections out, sometimes mechanical and sometimes cast specific issues.

As far as a new night parade, from what I have heard, don't hold your breath for anything very soon. Never know though as things at Disney can (and sometimes do) change in a heartbeat.

I was a huge fan of Spectro, not so much for MEP. It's like a time capsule. Everything from the lights to the music. I was able to watch the new Disneyland night parade on webcams they had set up for the 24 hour summer event. Holy cow!! It was amazing. Totally brought the nighttime parade into the 21st century. It was spectacular.

They did such a great job with the new 3 o'clock parade for MK, time to do the same for the night parade.

Melanie;2460632 wrote: THIS!!!! :thumbsup:

It's time for new everything - nighttime parade, fireworks! Give me a reason to stay late in the parks again.

Those guys were so creepy. :eek2::eek:

This is probably why they are beginning to do short parades with small floats and mostly cast members walking and dancing. During the Disney Half Marathon we ran in the back of splash mountain the past few years, I have seen the number of floats shrink. The only ones left are the electrical light parade and a pirate ship float they take out.

Maddie;2460877 wrote: This is probably why they are beginning to do short parades with small floats and mostly cast members walking and dancing. During the Disney Half Marathon we ran in the back of splash mountain the past few years, I have seen the number of floats shrink. The only ones left are the electrical light parade and a pirate ship float they take out.

There are a LOT more than that back there.

I didn't realize spectro was gone for good. I wish I got to see it one last time.

I am over MSEP, my kids still love it. I hope a new night parade will be soon.

Lizzy;2461008 wrote: I didn't realize spectro was gone for good. I wish I got to see it one last time.

I am over MSEP, my kids still love it. I hope a new night parade will be soon.

Spectro went away in June of 2010. As to being over MSEP, so are most of the CM's that work it.

Spectromagic is gone but for Pet's Dragon sake, MSEP is more old and creaky than classic. I'm hoping WDW will soon give us a nighttime parade with state of the art technology and lots of heart.

Here's something most people probably don't realize.

When MSEP came back in the summer of 2010, that was the "only" time it was announced that it would run - for the three-month-long "Summer Night-Tastic" promotion they ran that year (from June-September 2010), while the "SpectroMagic floats were scheduled to be refurbished".

Here it's been *five years* now since the "limited time" run of MSEP was brought back (for a third time) to the Magic Kingdom.

I have sentimental ties to both nighttime parades. I grew up *watching* MSEP as a kid through the late '70s up until I left Florida in 1990.

Spectro showed up while I was stationed in Virginia in the Navy, and it "disappointed" me when I took my kids for their first visit in 1995 that MSEP was gone. By that time, MSEP had already made a 14-year run (1977-1991). Spectro ran from 1991-1999, when MSEP came back for the Millennium Celebration through the spring of 2001. In October of 2000, I applied with the company to work in the parks, and *desperately* wanted to work with MSEP. But it said its "goodbyes" in March of 2001, and I was hired as a Main Street USA Cast Member just three short months later. I was trained on PAC - that's "Parade Audience Control" for the unitiated; basically the "crowd control" Cast that you see on the streets for parades - working the "Share a Dream Come True" parade and SpectroMagic. I became a PAC trainer after I went full-time in May of 2004 on Main Street, and got to do some *amazing* things with my "kids", as I called 'em. Got to sit in the driver's seat of a float. Got to watch "Wishes" - and see Tinker Bell fly from the Castle - from the roof of Casey's and the Ice Cream Parlor - all while *training* my Cast. Spectro was also the first night parade that my granddaughter got to see.

So, both parades still hold a special place for me, although, MSEP will *always* be my ALL-TIME favorite.