Among Universal Orlando’s announcements Wednesday was news of its first-ever daily parade for Universal Studios. Here are nuggets about “Universal’s Superstar Parade,” which will debut sometime this spring and feature characters from “Hop,” “Despicable Me,” “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Dora the Explorer.”
+ The floats for are all-new and self-propelled. Translation: No trucks hauling them as in the Mardi Gras parade.
+ Worried about that sharp turn in the parade route? I always do. Never fear, says Jim Timon, senior vice president of entertainment. The floats “can rotate and spin on their own axis, which gives us an incredible degree of maneuverability,” he says.
+ The parade will mark the debut of several costumed characters, including Gru and the girls from “Despicable Me” and friends of SpongeBob.
+ The sound system at the park has been revamped. The new floats will have customized soundtracks (theme songs, character voices) that go with them as they go through the park.
+ The floats will be used as mobile backdrops for character meet-and-greets during the day.
+ The parade is equipped to go night or day. And the plan is for there to be days when the park will feature run both the “Superstar Parade” and its Mardi Gras parade.
+ In addition to characters, there will be dancers and more. Stilts, right? “You will absolutely see stilts in this parade, and a couple of new street-performance, ground-talent experiences that you haven’t seen before,” Timon says.