Lena Rivera
The Paint the Night Parade is a nighttime parade that debuted at Disneyland during its Diamond Celebration in May 2015. It features over 1.5 million LED lights, special effects, and nearly 80 performers. The parade ran at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, until September 2016 and returned for the 2016 holiday season, closing in January 2017. The parade then moved to Disney California Adventure, where it ran from April 2018 to November 2018. Due to its popularity, there was speculation about whether the parade would return to Disneyland permanently. In October 2024, Disneyland announced the return of Paint the Night as part of the resort's 70th-anniversary celebration, which began on May 14, 2025, and will continue through the summer of 2026.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Disney California Adventure |
| Type of Event | Nighttime parade |
| Date of Event | May 16, 2025 - Summer 2026 |
| Frequency | Nightly |
| Duration | Approximately 17 minutes |
| Number of Performers | 76 |
| Number of LED Lights | 1.5 million |
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What You'll Learn
Paint the Night Parade's return to Disneyland California
Paint the Night is a nighttime parade that debuted during Disneyland California's Diamond Celebration in May 2015 for the park's 60th anniversary. The parade features over 1.5 million LED lights, special effects, and nearly 80 performers. The California version of the parade was inspired by the Main Street Electrical Parade, with a similar opening announcement and over a million sparkling lights.
The parade has had an on-again-off-again status since its debut, with its last regular performance on September 5, 2016, and a brief return for the 2016 holiday season. It then made its way to Disney California Adventure from April 2018 to November 2018, where it gained a new "Incredibles" float to replace the "Frozen" float, which was too tall for the parade route.
After a hiatus of several years, Paint the Night finally returned to Disneyland Park in May 2025 as part of the Disneyland Resort's 70th-anniversary celebration. The parade is expected to run through the summer of 2026, likely pausing during the holidays. The return of the parade was highly anticipated by fans, with Disney teasing the news on social media and Instagram, generating much excitement.
The parade is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike, featuring beloved Disney and Pixar characters, electrifyingly lit-up dancers, and grand floats. It is a true spectacle of lights and sound, with a modernised soundtrack and a longer parade route at Disney California Adventure, making it a magical and unforgettable experience for all ages.
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The parade's history at California Adventure
The Paint the Night Parade is a nighttime parade that utilizes over 1.5 million LED lights, special effects, and 76 performers. It is a spiritual successor to the long-running Main Street Electrical Parade, which has appeared at numerous Disney parks worldwide in several different incarnations since 1972.
The California version of the parade was inspired by the Main Street Electrical Parade. It had an opening announcement similar to that used in the Main Street Electrical Parade. It is Disneyland's first all-LED parade. The parade lasts approximately 17 minutes. The music for the parade is a medley of past and contemporary Disney music, including a newly arranged version of the Main Street Electrical Parade's theme song, "Baroque Hoedown," alongside an arrangement of Owl City's "When Can I See You Again?" from the 2012 Walt Disney Animation Studios film, Wreck-It Ralph.
The Paint the Night Parade made its debut at Disneyland in California on May 22, 2015, as part of the park's 60th-anniversary celebrations. The parade ran nightly until September 5, 2016, when it made its last regular performance. It returned as a seasonal offering for the 2016 holiday season, closing on January 10, 2017.
Due to its popularity, the parade returned to Disneyland California in a modified form from April 12, 2018, through November 7, 2018. During this time, the parade featured a new float themed around Disney•Pixar’s The Incredibles, which joined the parade for the grand opening of Pixar Pier on June 23, 2018, and for the release of Incredibles 2. The parade also included floats and characters from films such as Peter Pan, Monsters Inc., Cars, Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast.
In October 2024, it was announced that the Paint the Night Parade would once again return to Disneyland Park as part of the Disneyland Resort's 70th-anniversary celebration. The parade returned on May 14, 2025, and will run through the summer of 2026.
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The parade's floats
The Paint the Night Parade is a nighttime parade that utilizes over 1.5 million LED lights, special effects, and features 76 performers. The parade route starts at "it's a small world" and ends at Town Square. When there is a second parade, the route is reversed. The parade is comprised of eight units, each telling a different Disney or Disney-Pixar story, with multiple floats, props, and performers.
- The Little Mermaid float features a 12-foot tall King Triton and mermaid Ariel, along with coral dancers, spinning jellyfish, and puppet versions of Marlin and Nemo.
- Toy Story float features Slinky Dog as the main figure, with kaleidoscopic illuminated spinning disks as his "coils". Jessie and cowgirl dancers walk alongside.
- Princess float features Belle in an illuminated ball gown, with a 17-foot rose behind her. Belle's dress features 40 custom-designed jewels and advanced lighting effects.
- Cars float is led by the "`Cars Crew` dancers" and includes Mack the Truck, with a 3D volumetric display on its sides. Lightning McQueen and DJ are also part of this unit.
- Frozen float includes Anna, Elsa, and Olaf.
- Incredibles float, featuring Mr. Incredible and other characters from the film.
- Monsters, Inc. float, with a video on the doors created in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios.
The Paint the Night Parade offers a dazzling display of lights, imaginative costumes, motion, choreography, and music, bringing Disney magic to life in a unique and captivating way.
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The parade's music
The Paint the Night Parade is a nighttime parade that initially ran at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, from May 22, 2015, to September 5, 2016, as part of the park's 60th-anniversary celebrations. The parade returned to Disneyland in April 2018 and again in May 2025 as part of the Disneyland Resort's 70th-anniversary celebration.
The parade is a modern successor to the Main Street Electrical Parade, which has appeared at various Disney parks worldwide since 1972. The Paint the Night Parade features over 1.5 million LED lights, special effects, and 76 performers.
The parade's soundtrack is an important part of the experience. It features a high-energy pop sound, drawing inspiration from the music of previous Disney parades but with a modern twist. The music is designed to elevate the visuals of the parade, creating a symphony of sights and sounds.
The Paint the Night Parade features arrangements of two main songs: Jean-Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley's "Baroque Hoedown" and Owl City's "When Can I See You Again?" from the film Wreck-It Ralph. The California version of the parade features new lyrics for "When Can I See You Again?" along with vocals and arrangement by Owl City's Adam Young.
The Hong Kong version of the parade, which premiered in 2014, included a show stop with an original song in Cantonese and English called "Paint the Night." This version of the parade also used a newly arranged version of "Baroque Hoedown" as its theme song.
The Paint the Night Parade has been described as a "rock concert on wheels," attracting fans of all ages. The music is so beloved by some that they have even set it as their ringtone.
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The parade's popularity
The Paint the Night Parade is a popular nighttime parade at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and formerly at Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. The parade features more than one million sparkling lights, Disney and Pixar characters, and electrifyingly lit-up dancers. It is a spiritual successor to the long-running Main Street Electrical Parade, which has appeared at numerous Disney parks worldwide since 1972.
The popularity of the Paint the Night Parade can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, it is a visually stunning spectacle with over 1.5 million LED lights, special effects, and 76 performers. The parade also features well-loved Disney and Pixar characters such as Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, Monsters Inc., Cars, and Toy Story. The music and soundtrack are also a significant drawcard, with arrangements of Jean-Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley's "Baroque Hoedown" and Owl City's "When Can I See You Again?" from the Wreck-It Ralph soundtrack. The combination of music, lights, and characters creates an exciting and electrifying light show that appeals to all ages.
The Paint the Night Parade has had an on-again, off-again status, which has contributed to its popularity. When it was initially announced as a special return for Pixar Fest, there was no end date to its run. The parade's limited-time offerings and seasonal returns have created a sense of exclusivity and urgency for viewers. Additionally, the longer parade route at Disney California Adventure and lower crowds have made it easier for people to view the parade, contributing to its popularity.
The parade has drawn massive crowds to Main Street and the rest of the route, with locals and tourists camping out around two hours in advance to secure prime viewing locations. The popularity of the parade has led to the creation of viewing guides and tips to help visitors beat the crowds and secure good spots without having to arrive excessively early. The parade is presented twice nightly, at 8:50 pm and 10:50 pm, and these times shift throughout the year based on sunset and park operations.
The Paint the Night Parade has gained a dedicated following, with people expressing their love for the parade and its music. It has become a highly anticipated event, with people scheduling trips specifically to see it and feeling disappointed when it is not available. The parade's popularity has resulted in its return to Disneyland Park as part of the resort's 70th-anniversary celebration, drawing massive crowds once again.
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Frequently asked questions
The Paint the Night parade first came to Disney California Adventure in April 2018.
The parade last came to California Adventure in May 2025 as part of the Disneyland Resort's 70th-anniversary celebration.
The parade lasts approximately 17 minutes.
Characters from Peter Pan, Monsters Inc., Cars, The Little Mermaid, Toy Story, Disney Princesses, and more are featured in the parade.
If you want to see the parade at Disneyland Park and then hop over to California Adventure for the World of Color Happiness show, you must enter by 10 pm. It helps to join the virtual queue for World of Color at noon.
