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The Electrical Water Pageant is a show that takes place every evening (weather permitting) on
Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
's
Seven Seas Lagoon The Seven Seas Lagoon is a man-made lake at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. Located south of the Magic Kingdom theme park, the Seven Seas Lagoon serves as a natural buffer between the Magic Kingdom and its parking ...
and Bay Lake. It features 14 floats with lights that depict images of sea creatures. Though it has changed somewhat since its debut in 1971, it remains one of the few original opening year shows to still be running at Walt Disney World.


1971 Version

On Monday October 25, 1971; the Electrical Water Pageant premiered on the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake for "Dedication Day" at Walt Disney World. In addition to the 14 floats, its opening night included fireworks and pyrotechnics launched from the 14 floats and an additional float behind the Electrical Water Pageant. All of this was filmed by Walt Disney Productions and edited down for inclusion into The Wonderful World of Disney's Episode: "The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World", which aired on NBC on Friday October 29, 1971. The Paul Beaver version of Gershon Kingsley & Jean-Jacques Perrey's "Baroque Hoedown", created specially for the Electrical Water Pageant, was used from 1971 until 1977. The original Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland used the same soundtrack from 1972 until 1974. In 1977, the premiers of the updated version of the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade and new (but similar) Walt Disney World Main Street Electrical Parade used a new version of "Baroque Hoedown" updated by Don Dorsey. The original lineup of floats for the Electrical Water Pageant were: * Sea Serpent (three floats) * Whale (one float) * Two Sea Lions Playing With a Ball (one float) * Clamshell Opening and Closing revealing a mermaid (one float) * Three Mermaids (one float) * Three Jumping Dolphins (three floats) * Octopus (one float) * Three Flying Fish (one float) * Four Seahorses (one float) * Neptune (one float) While the 1971 version of "Baroque Hoedown" would play along with the Electrical Water Pageant through 1976, Disney melodies were added to the track and some of the floats were repositioned and others completely changed in 1972; and remained that way through 1976. While the track was essentially the same as what was heard during the Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland, an oscillator swoop was heard during the music transitions in the Electrical Water Pageant. The 1972 to 1976 lineup of floats for the Electrical Water Pageant were: * Sea Serpent (three floats) * Two Sea Lions Playing With a Ball (one float) * Whale (one float) * Turtle (one float) * Red Squid (one float) * Three Jumping Dolphins (three floats) * Three Flying Fish (one float) * Octopus (one float) (updated later in 1973) * Four Seahorses (one float) * Neptune (one float)


1977 to 1995 Version

With the return of the Disneyland Main Street Electrical Parade in an updated form along with the brand new Walt Disney World Main Street Electrical Parade, a new version of Jean-Jacques Perry & Gershon Kingsley's "Baroque Hoedown" was created in 1977 to be used with both parades respectively featuring an updated rendition of Barque Hoedown recorded by Don Dorsey. To help distinguish the Electrical Water Pageant from the Main Street Electrical Parade, the original Kingsley-Perry version of "Baroque Hoedown" was dropped and a new version using various musical selections was created for both the opening and closing of the Electrical Water Pageant as well as each creature depicted in the pageant. Some of the original 1971 floats were saved or rearranged, while others were completely changed. The main themes for this version of the Electrical Water Pageant were synthesized arrangements from George Frideric Handel's ''Water Music''. The 1977 to 1995 lineup of floats for the Electrical Water Pageant were: * Overture- "Hornpipe" * Sea Serpent (four floats) "That Certain Serpent"- J. Christensen * Whale (one float) "Whale Of A Tale" N. Gimbel/A Hoffman * Turtle (one float) (An updated version of the 1972 Turtle) "I'm A Turtle" D. Dorsey * Octopus (one float) "Up In Arms" D. Dorsey * Three Jumping Dolphins (three floats) "Waltz Almost" - J. Christensen * Brachiosaurus (one float) "Up In Arms" Reprise - D. Dorsey * Sea Monster (one float) (Later became a Crocodile in 1982) Bay-Sea Monster -J. Christensen * Four Seahorses (one float) (An updated version of the 1971 Four Seahorses) * Neptune (one float) (An updated version of the 1971 Neptune) "Hornpipe" (Reprise) mixed w/ all other themes * Stars & Stripes Patriotic Medley * Traveling Music: "The Bouree" - G.F. Handel From October 1, 1981 – October 1, 1982, in honor of Walt Disney World's 10th anniversary, the Patriotic Finale music was replaced w/ the Tencennial theme song.


1996 to 2023 Version

The Electrical Water Pageant that guests see today consists of the same floats in the same formation dating back to 1977. The only difference is in 1996 when a new musical score was created for both the opening and closing of the Electrical Water Pageant as well as each creature depicted in the pageant. During a brief time, during summer 2016, the crocodile float was removed after the incident in which a 2 year old child was killed in an alligator attack in June 2016. As of 8/3/2016, the Crocodile Float was re-added into the Parade. The 1996 to 2023 lineup of floats and music are: Opening: "
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The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
* Sea Serpent (four floats) "Boo Bop Bopbop Bop (I Love You Too)" from Pete's Dragon * Whale (one float) (Updated later in 1997) "Whale of a Tale" from
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' (french: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre-J ...
* Turtle (one float) * Octopus (one float) "
Poor Unfortunate Souls "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is a song from the Walt Disney Pictures animated film ''The Little Mermaid''. Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken and performed by Pat Carroll, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is sung to Princess Ariel by Ursula the Sea ...
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The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
* Three Jumping Dolphins (three floats) * Brachiosaurus (one float) "Walk the Dinosaur" by
Was (Not Was) Was (Not Was) is an American pop rock group founded in 1979 in Detroit, Michigan, by David Weiss and Don Fagenson, who adopted the stage names David Was and Don Was. Their song catalog features an eclectic mix of pop and rock styles, often fea ...
* Crocodile (one float) "
Never Smile at a Crocodile "Never Smile at a Crocodile" is a comic song with music by Frank Churchill and lyrics by Jack Lawrence. The music, without the lyrics, was first heard in the Walt Disney Animation Studios film ''Peter Pan''. History Churchill, who had composed ...
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Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by List of Scottish novelists, Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and Puer aeternus, never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending ...
* Four Seahorses (one float) "Fanfare" & "
Under the Sea "Under the Sea" is a song from The Walt Disney Company, Disney's 1989 animation, animated film ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'', composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. It is influenced by the Calypso music, c ...
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The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
* Neptune (one float) "Fanfare" & "
Under the Sea "Under the Sea" is a song from The Walt Disney Company, Disney's 1989 animation, animated film ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'', composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. It is influenced by the Calypso music, c ...
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The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
All floats then change to the American Flag & Stars as they have been doing since 1971: (9 Piece) - "
You're a Grand Old Flag "You're a Grand Old Flag" is an American patriotic march. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the U.S. flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, includ ...
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Yankee Doodle "Yankee Doodle" is a traditional song and nursery rhyme, the early versions of which predate the Seven Years' War and American Revolution. It is often sung patriotically in the United States today. It is the state anthem of Connecticut. Its ...
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America the Beautiful "America the Beautiful" is a patriotic American song. Its lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and its music was composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward at Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, New Jersey. The two never m ...
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The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...


2023 to Present Version

The 2023 to present lineup of floats and music are: Opening: "Electric Fanfare" from
Main Street Electrical Parade The ''Main Street Electrical Parade'' is a nighttime parade, created by Robert Jani and project director Ron Miziker. It features floats and live performers covered in over 600,000 electronically controlled LED lights, and uses a synchronized ...
* Sea Serpent (four floats) "Boo Bop Bopbop Bop (I Love You Too)" from Pete's Dragon * Whale (one float) "Whale of a Tale" from
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' (french: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre-J ...
* Turtle (one float) "The Turtle Lope" from
Finding Nemo ''Finding Nemo'' is a 2003 American computer-animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Andrew Stanton with co-direction by Lee Unkrich, the screenplay was writ ...
* Octopus (one float) "
Poor Unfortunate Souls "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is a song from the Walt Disney Pictures animated film ''The Little Mermaid''. Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken and performed by Pat Carroll, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is sung to Princess Ariel by Ursula the Sea ...
" from
The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
* Three Jumping Dolphins (three floats) "Beyond the Sea" by
Charles Trenet Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet (; 18 May 1913 – 19 February 2001) was a renowned French singer-songwriter who composed both the music and the lyrics to nearly a thousand songs over a career that lasted more than 60 years. These include ...
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Walk the Dinosaur "Walk the Dinosaur" is a song by Was (Not Was), released in 1987, from their album ''What Up, Dog?'' Song info The tune features a tight, funky sound, punctuated by horns and a cowbell. When released in the UK in 1987, the song reached No. 10 on ...
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Was (Not Was) Was (Not Was) is an American pop rock group founded in 1979 in Detroit, Michigan, by David Weiss and Don Fagenson, who adopted the stage names David Was and Don Was. Their song catalog features an eclectic mix of pop and rock styles, often fea ...
* Crocodile (one float) "
Never Smile at a Crocodile "Never Smile at a Crocodile" is a comic song with music by Frank Churchill and lyrics by Jack Lawrence. The music, without the lyrics, was first heard in the Walt Disney Animation Studios film ''Peter Pan''. History Churchill, who had composed ...
" from
Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by List of Scottish novelists, Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and Puer aeternus, never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending ...
* Four Seahorses (one float) "Fanfare" & "
Under the Sea "Under the Sea" is a song from The Walt Disney Company, Disney's 1989 animation, animated film ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'', composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. It is influenced by the Calypso music, c ...
" from
The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
* Neptune (one float) "Fanfare" & "
Under the Sea "Under the Sea" is a song from The Walt Disney Company, Disney's 1989 animation, animated film ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'', composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. It is influenced by the Calypso music, c ...
" from
The Little Mermaid "The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
All floats then change to the American Flag & Stars as they have been doing since 1971: (9 Piece) - "
The Stars and Stripes Forever "The Stars and Stripes Forever" is a patriotic American march written and composed by John Philip Sousa in 1896. By a 1987 act of the U.S. Congress, it is the official National March of the United States of America. History In his 1928 autobi ...
" Closing: "Exit Music" from
Fantasmic! ''Fantasmic!'' is a nighttime show at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show formerly operated at Tokyo DisneySea. It features fireworks, characters, live actors, water effects, pyrotechnics, lasers, music, audio-animatronics, searc ...


External links

{{Disney nighttime shows Walt Disney World Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions Walt Disney Parks and Resorts parades 1971 establishments in Florida