Hey Everyone, it’s Kimberly from Packed with Fun, the official blog for Get Away Today. In my opinion, the only thing better than a summer day is a summer night. And there’s no better place for summer nights than Disneyland, especially this year during the 60th Anniversary celebration. So I’ve pulled together some tips for summer nights at Disneyland that I hope will help you have a great trip!
Here are my tips on how to get the most out of your summer nights at Disneyland this summer.
Disneyland Forever:
This is the new fireworks show at Disneyland and good news – you don’t have to camp out in front of the castle hours before the fireworks. The fireworks can be seen from five different areas in the park, the castle, it’s a small world, Rivers of America, the Matterhorn and Main Street U.S.A. So, as long as you find yourself in any of those areas around fireworks time, you are in for a treat!
Paint the Night Parade:
This is the reason you have to go to Disneyland this summer. You remember the classic light parade from the 80s? It was totally my favorite as a kid. Well, now it’s back, but bigger, brighter and more energetic than ever before. And stories like the Little Mermaid, Cars, Monsters Inc. and Frozen are all part of the show. This one you WILL want to arrive early to claim your spot. If you don’t want to wait around Main Street U.S.A., you can grab a spot around the parade route near it’s a small world. Either place will give you the full parade experience. When the parade is over, you can stick around for the fireworks. A major part of the fireworks show is that images are projected all around you, so it won’t matter where your spot is.
Fantasmic:
This classic show is a must-see and I swear it gets better every time I see it. You can get a Fastpass for Fantasmic each day at either the the Fastpass distribution center or you can get a Fantasmic Fastpass with preferred viewing as part of a dining package. There are three different dining packages: on-the-go dinners can be purchased from Aladdin’s Oasis, or you can dine at River Belle Terrace or the Blue Bayou with a special three course prix-fixe menu. If you time it right, you can get tickets for the first show, then hang around for a few minutes after the show and experience the fireworks from the Rivers of America viewpoint for another perspective of Disneyland Forever.
World of Color – Celebrate!:
If you loved the first World of Color, you’ll love World of Color – Celebrate! just as much if not more. This all-new version of the show is hosted by Mickey Mouse and Neil Patrick Harris. It takes you from Walt’s dream of Disneyland through today. It has a new story, new music, and incredible new technology and effects. This show also requires a Fastpass, which you can grab at the Fastpass Distribution Area outside Grizzly River Run. Dining packages with premium viewing tickets are available at Ariel’s Grotto (no character dining for dinner), Wine Country Trattoria and Carthay Circle Theatre. You’ll get a delicious three-course meal, and I highly recommend it for a special occasion.
Diamond Mad T Party:
The Hollywood Backlot at Disney California Adventure Park becomes a Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland inspired dance party each night. The party left temporarily to make way for Freeze the Night, but was missed so much that it’s back by popular demand. The White Rabbit DJ and Mad T Party band will have you dancing all night long with songs like a rocker version of “A Very Merry Un-birthday” and current hits. It is geared towards older kids and adults, but there are always some younger kids having a great time as well. The party starts around 6pm and runs continuously until around 10pm.
Cars Land Lighting Ceremony:
This isn’t an official thing, but it’s pretty cool and it happens every night. Each evening at dusk, the neon lights at Cars Land come on to Sh-Boom in a synchronized show(ish). Cars Land is incredible both day and night, and it is worth experiencing the difference. Being there when it transitions just makes it a little extra special.
Where to stay:
If there’s ever been a time to splurge and stay at one of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels, this is the year. Because there is so much nighttime entertainment, you’ll want to see it all. Late nights can be hard with little kids, so being as close to the parks as possible is a must. If you’re staying on-site it’s also super easy to head back in the middle of the day for a quick nap. If you are staying off property, we do offer a number of hotels that have free night hotel specials, so check out those to save the most money.
Overall nighttime tips:
Stay as long as you can and get a 5-day ticket if possible. Even if you don’t spend all day long every day in the park, you’ll want to come back at night for the entertainment. If you can sneak in a midday nap or rest, do it! Having a 5-day ticket makes it a lot easier to do that so you don’t feel like you’re wasting valuable park time. Also, on busier summer nights, there will be multiple showings of World of Color, Fantasmic and Paint the Night parade. There is normally only one fireworks show regardless of the crowd level, so plan accordingly. If you have young kids, you may want to catch the first showing of each show just so they can get to bed earlier. However, if your kids are older, or are night owls, the second showing will be less busy and there will be shorter lines for the attractions during the first showing, so it’s a great time to ride.
I hope this helps you plan your summer nights at Disneyland! If you need help booking your vacation, be sure to check out our discount Disneyland packages at www.getawaytoday.com or call our Disney Experts at 855-GET-AWAY. Be sure to let us know that “Or So She Says” sent you and use promo code: OSSS10 to save an extra $10 off your package.
Catch more tips from Get Away Today contributors in the following posts:
Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary – Everything You Need to Know