(Walt Disney Parks)
Orlando’s Walt Disney World welcomes a new princess at Magic Kingdom today.
Elena of Avalor, the entertainment giant’s first princess “inspired by diverse Latin cultures," will be available for meet-and-greets throughout the park and appear in a live performance “The Royal Welcome of Princess Elena.”
The presentation, which is staged at Cinderella’s Castle, features Cinderella, Prince Charming and a host of other familiar faces welcoming the new princess to their home. As part of the show, Elena will recount her magical adventures and triumphant return to Avalor through the song, "My Time."
Princess Elena, the title character of Disney’s hit animated series “Elena of Avalor” which debuted July 22 on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior, is touted as a “brave and adventurous teenager” with the “heart and mind of a true leader.”
She is also the first Disney princess without a major theatrical film release to make regularly scheduled theme park appearances.
As the Hispanic population in the U.S. surges, Disney’s newest princess is a nod to various Latin American cultures. Her stories incorporate influences from diverse cultures by showing Latin American cuisines, customs, mythology, folklore and music. Each episode of the animated series features original songs spanning an array of Latin musical genres including Mariachi, Latin Pop, Salsa, Banda and Chilean Hip Hop.
In true Disney fashion, fans of the princess can find specialty merchandise like her crimson dress, bejeweled crown, and scepter throughout stores on Disney resort property.
As Disney’s royal court welcomes a new member to the family, the theme park is saying goodbye to one of its signature nighttime attractions. After almost 40 years, the Orlando park is pulling the plug on its Main Street Electric Parade—a nightly show through Magic Kingdom’s main thoroughfare featuring floats decked out in Disney themes and colorful lights.
The final parade show will take place on Oct. 9 after which the whole light display will be packed up for a limited encore engagement at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. , according to a statement from Disney Parks.
The parade originally debuted in 1972, and continued at Orlando’s Magic Kingdom in various iterations from the late 1970s until 1991. The parade made another run there from 1999 to 2001 before returning full time in 2010.
“The Royal Welcome of Princess Elena” begins its limited engagement run August 12. Princess Elena will make her West Coast debut at Disneyland Resort at Disney California Adventure this fall.
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