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Everything to Know About Universal Studios Orlando’s “Massive” Mega Movie Parade
The all-new daytime parade is fun for the entire family as its packed with some of the latest blockbusters and nostalgic classics.
The movie magic of Universal Studios is front and center in the parks new Mega Movie Parade. For any fans or families making their way to the theme park, the parade is a can’t miss celebration of iconic films past and present.
From escaping Gringotts with Harry Potter to becoming a Minion with Despicable Me’s Gru, Universal Orlando Resort always transports theme-park goers into other realms, worlds, and lands of cherished characters. Now, after you make your way through Minion Land or grab a Shrek themed soft pretzel in DreamWorks Land, you can watch the show that brings all your favorite movies to life in one place.
What is Universal’s Mega Movie Parade in Orlando, Florida?
A goal for creators was to “celebrate all things Universal Orlando,” Senior Director of Creative Development Michael Aiello said at a preview event for the new parade.
“Could we have done a parade all in nostalgia? Absolutely, but it was important for us to be able to offer something for the entire family because again we’ve got families coming that may not have seen Back to the Future,” Aiello said.
In addition to the parade being a celebration of content people have loved their “entire” lives, it can be “the front door” for others, Aiello explained.
“Here’s their first chance to see something at this scale and that’s their front door and that’s really important and special,” Aiello added.
The event debuted in early July 2024 within Universal Studios Florida and has nearly 100 performers a day, according to organizers.
What to Expect from Universal Studio Orlando’s Mega Movie Parade
The parade kicks things off with dancers and a float gliding through the streets of the Hollywood section of the park with the familiar Universal Studios logo.
“We really wanted it to feel like these movies were leaping off the screen and onto the streets of Universal Studios, Florida,” the Show Director of the parade Michelle Algana said. “What better way to do that than to set the mood and the tone with an opening moment.”
Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown from Back to the Future are ready to take the crowd back in time with the DeLorean on their brand-new float. Performers zoom around as the movies’ main characters wave to the crowd.
A Ghostbusters float “fuses” together the two worlds of the original film and Ghostbusters Afterlife, parade organizers said. It also marks the largest float the Universal Studios team has ever produced thanks to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man looming over the top of the float, Aiello noted.
E.T. and Jaws both get their own floats as well. The Mayor of Amity, the fictional town where the latter film takes place, cheekily assures parade-goers he hasn’t spotted any sharks in the water.
The Jaws section also features a “shark right on the float attacking the Orca,” Algana described the boat from the movie. It’s a beloved film for everyday park-goers and major movie stars alike.
Despicable Me 4 and The Office star Steve Carell (Gru) often quotes Jaws in his everyday life the most, the actor previously told NBC Insider.
“What I find myself saying a lot is, ‘We’re gonna need a bigger boat,” Carell said about his favorite movie reference. “We all get into a car like—a taxi and there are five of us…and I’ll say, ‘We’re gonna need a bigger boat,’ and it doesn’t really make sense, but I think people understand it.”
The banana-loving, chaos-causing Minions of the Despicable Me movies also get their own spotlight in the parade. The float gives a look at minions throughout history, including Minions as British royalty next to a version of Big Ben. (Despicable Me 4 starring Carell, Kristen Wiig, and Will Ferrell is in theaters now).
“We didn’t want to move away from the animated films because we know there’s a huge demographic that loves these characters,” Aiello also told NBC Insider.
Characters from Sing, Po from Kung Fu Panda, and vibrant crew of Trolls all make a splash in the parade as well on unique floats of their own.
The parade ends with a roar by closing with a T-Rex as an ode to the Jurassic Park films.
How to Get Reactive Bubble Wands for Universal Studios’ Mega Movie Parade
The parks sell brand new bubble wands themed for either a T-Rex for Jurassic World, Poppy from Trolls, and a Minion for Despicable Me for the perfect interactive experience.
The wands have a “parade mode,” which allows them to bubble or light up as parade floats, bubble vending carts, or other wands pass by.
The Mega Movie Parade will be held on select days through November 14th along the streets of Hollywood at the park
