Disneyland is bringing back a series of fan-favorite events for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic 2 years ago, including the Main Street Electrical Parade and the Disney Forever fireworks show.
Fantasmic and World of Color will also return, giving visitors four nighttime entertainment options.
The spectacles will return April 22, with the exception of Fantasmic, which doesn’t debut on the waters of the Rivers of America until May 28.
“We cannot wait to ‘ignite the night’ once again,” Disney officials said on the park’s official blog. “With the return of fan-favorite offerings and new experiences on the way, Disneyland Resort is buzzing with energy and excitement.”
Main Street Electrical Parade
The return of the Main Street Electrical Parade comes as it celebrates its 50th anniversary in the park. But its return will have a slightly different look than fans remember.
The final float will include characters from about a dozen Disney films and properties, including Miracle and Antonio from the currently massive hit Encanto. Other films represented include Raya and the Last Dragon, Coco, Aladdin, The Jungle Book, Brave, Mulan, and The Princess and the Frog.
The 118-foot float, dubbed “Togetherness,” will include a new version of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at the end.
Inspired by Mary Blair’s designs used on It’s A Small World, the parade will feature thousands of sparkling lights and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds.
The new finale sequence will be led by the Blue Fairy float, which previously was at the start of the parade.
A 50-year Tradition
The parade’s history began on June 17, 1972, when it debuted at Disneyland. Each night, it would emerge near the entrance to It’s a Small World, work its way past the Matterhorn, then down Main Street to its conclusion.
The parade ran until 1996, and then became sporadic over the next 20 years, running at Disneyland sometimes and at the neighboring California Adventure other times.
It was last part of Disneyland in the summer of 2019.
And its return is for a limited engagement, according to park officials, although, when that engagement ends has not been announced.
Other Additions
While there have been fireworks at the park since its reopening — starting on the Fourth of July 2021 — the Disneyland Forever show has not been performed.
Like the Electrical Parade, Disneyland Forever will also be for a limited engagement. The fireworks spectacular, created in 2015 to mark the park’s 60th anniversary, was last performed in 2019.
Fantasmic’s return comes on the 30th anniversary of its debut. According to the Long Beach Press-Telegram, the show’s water screens have been undergoing an extensive rehab in recent months on the Rivers of America.
Crews have also been working on the World of Color projection towers in Paradise Bay at Disney California Adventure.
Both World of Color and Fantasmic are returning permanently, according to Disney officials.
