Earlier this summer, Universal Studios debuted a brand-new daytime parade that opened to the public operating in technical rehearsal. With showings in the evening at 6 PM here in the atmospherically tumultuous Orlando, Florida, it initially proved difficult to catch a showing of this spectacular new parade that wasn’t rained out in one way or another. Whether theme park plans got shelved because of the inclement weather or Universal Orlando Resort made the tough decision to cancel the show due to the unsafe conditions (which is always a good call – Team Member safety should always come before running a show or attraction!), seeing this show in action was difficult in its earlier days.
However, after finally seeing the Mega Movie Parade, the verdict is clear: this show is absolutely worth the wait! No longer in technical rehearsals, it does not seem that the parade has changed much from its first few runs to the show they’re putting on now. And with a run time up through November 14th, there’s still plenty of time to see this astounding new testament to Universal’s strong creative design and the care they’re putting into improving their daytime shows!
Since its announcement, Universal’s Mega Movie Parade has billed itself as a celebration of Universal’s most memorable movies – from classics like Jurassic Park to newer film phenomena like Trolls and Despicable Me, the Universal Mega Movie Parade truly has a little bit of something for everyone. And for the younger guests (or the young at heart!) Universal has started to integrate interactive technology into their parade, for an added element of fun and excitement; for 31.95, guests can purchase interactive bubble wands that interact with the floats during the parade.
From the moment the first float rolled around the corner of Illuminations Avenue and New York, with the Universal theme triumphantly leading the parade amidst a rolling montage of some of Universal’s greatest films, it was evident that the Mega Movie Parade was going to be something special.
With the parade’s predecessor being the Universal Superstar Parade featuring characters like Spongebob and Friends, Dora and Deigo and… the niche Easter film, Hop, for some reason… it can be difficult to go into the Mega Movie Parade with an idea of what to expect. The tonal dissonance between the Superstar Parade and what the Mega Movie Parade promised is clear and distinct: the franchises, the characters, and the floats themselves were all supposed to be bigger and better than what had come before it. And they were!
Without a doubt, the Mega Movie Parade is an excellent time – and though there’s an undeniable joy to seeing Doc and Marty, or the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man descending upon New York with only a rag-tag team of ecto-physicists to save the day, the Mega Movie Parade still felt remarkably… empty.
With a run time of approximately fifteen to twenty minutes from the moment they stop traffic from crossing the street in your section to the final float passing by, the Universal Mega Movie Parade is a thrill and a delight to watch, but ultimately leaves guests wanting more. The floats are beautiful and the vast array of characters that roam the streets – every one from Phoebe Spengler to Matt Hooper himself – are obviously the main draw of the parade, but the streets feel empty in between the grand set pieces that roll slowly down the street. So empty, in fact, that there are multiple points where it isn’t immediately clear that other floats are following behind.
While any seasoned Universal fan knows that crossing the streets during an active parade is a theme park faux pas, the frustrating reality is that you’re going to have ill-informed runners when the streets are so empty as to provide such clear vacancy where thirty or forty guests can cross the streets without coming anywhere near the next float or performer.
This unfortunately speaks to a fundamental design flaw in the parade itself. If there is enough time for that many guests to cross an empty street, the parade itself is lacking.
Not everything can go off without a hitch every time, and the show was still a spectacular testament to Universal Creative’s set design and entertainment teams. The floats were out of this world, and there’s truly nothing comparable to the joy as getting a salute of acknowledgement from Peter Venkman himself.
Undoubtedly, it is still an upgrade from the Superstar Parade. With a healthier mix of characters and some of Universal’s most iconic scenes brought to life, the Mega Movie Parade has some absolutely beautiful and moving elements that it incorporates into the show. Easily the best part of the entire show was the final float, which featured a life-sized Tyrannosaurus Rex animatronic that roared its way down the New York strip. There was not a single float that was not an excellent time, with high-energy music and stunning visuals that made each and every float an absolute treat to look at!
Despite the show’s rocky, rainy start and what the parade clearly lacks, it was still a phenomenal show that showcased what Universal does best: immersive design. With any luck, guests with their interactive bubble wands will be able to help celebrate Universal’s legacy of movies with the excitement and ease that Universal’s creative department truly intended this show to receive.
In the meantime, however, this parade comes highly recommended – rain or shine!
