California’s Resort reopened just over a year ago after a 13-month closure because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The resort now marks that anniversary with the return of its “nighttime spectaculars,” including theme park classics like the Main Street Electrical Parade.

“We are thrilled to welcome back our beloved nighttime spectaculars and introduce all-new offerings that underscore our incredible momentum and set the stage for much more to come in the future,” said Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock in a statement.

The returning nighttime shows include the Main Street Electrical Parade and Disneyland Forever fireworks at Disneyland Park and World of Color at Disney California Adventure Park. While those all resumed on April 22, Fantasmic! is scheduled to return to Disneyland Park on May 28.

According to the U.S. Travel Association’s Monthly Travel Data Report, roughly six in 10 Americans are planning at least one summer trip in 2022. Even with higher gas prices, 35 percent of those planning vacations expect to travel more this summer than in 2021.

Main Street Electrical Parade

Disneyland’s Main Street is once again lit up with colorful floats, dancing characters, and Disney-style electro-synth music during its classic parade. The 2022 return features a new finale that also celebrates the parade’s 50th anniversary with a theme of togetherness.

Disney Live Entertainment Production Manager Michael Duncan said that the Main Street Electrical Parade’s new finale float features the most significant change of the returning nighttime shows.

“So this float is 118 feet long, seven sections, and it has characters from all kinds of our Disney classics, from ‘Jungle Book’ and ‘Aladdin’ to ‘Coco’ and ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ and ‘Encanto,'” he said.

“It’s inspired by Mary Blair’s iconic art style for “It’s a Small World,” and really aiming to help reinforce that we’re all in this together as one large family, and it helps bring the thought of togetherness at the end of the parade.”

Disneyland Forever Fireworks

Fireworks are again igniting the Disneyland sky with the Disneyland Forever show that includes themed music, projections, and a lot of pyrotechnics. Guests can watch the show from Main Street, U.S.A., by Sleeping Beauty Castle, by It’s a Small World, around Rivers of America, and near the Matterhorn for distinctly unique experiences.

This particular show debuted in 2015 for the theme park’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration. It tells a visual fireworks-filled tale with themes including an Anaheim orange grove, as well as Disney and Pixar stories. As part of its soundtrack, Disneyland Forever includes two original songs: the theme “Live the Magic” and the closing song “Kiss Goodnight.”

The show runs Friday through Sunday now through late spring. The Mickey’s Mix Magic projections show is scheduled for Monday through Thursday through late spring. The fireworks will run every night during the summer.

World of Color

Disney California Adventure’s World of Color is also back at Paradise Gardens Park, using water fountains, laser effects, mist, music, and pyrotechnics for a 22-minute show. The water fountains at Paradise Bay pair up with thick mist to create a unique screen for animated scenes from Disney and Pixar films.

Viewers can see characters from “Finding Nemo,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Toy Story,” and “Aladdin.” The water screen measures 380-feet wide by 50-feet high for a projection surface of 19,000 square feet. The water fountains can send water shooting to heights ranging from 30 feet to 200 feet.

Park-goers can use the Disneyland mobile app to reserve viewing areas for World of Color through a free virtual queue that can be accessed starting at noon every day. There are also walk-up viewing options. Guests can check with a cast member at the Paradise Bay viewing area before the show starts.

Fantasmic!

Celebrating 30 years, Fantasmic! returns to light up the Rivers of America in Frontierland at Disneyland Park starting May 28.

The 27-minute show includes live performers, Disney character favorites, projections, and pyrotechnics to tell a story conjured up from Mickey Mouse’s dreams. It features scenes from Disney classics like “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” fun characters, and some villains.

“Each show has a massive team behind them,” said Duncan of the returning nighttime shows. “Whether it is the technicians working at World of Color, the pyrotechnicians getting ready for Disneyland Forever, the performers learning the Main Street Electrical Parade, or the maintenance team preparing the floats, it is an absolutely incredible amount of people that are working behind-the-scenes to bring these to life.”

As more Americans brave the post-pandemic travel landscape for summer, the Disneyland Resort continues its phased reopening of fan favorites.