Disneyland bringing back Main Street Electrical Parade, 'Fantasmic' and more this spring

The Main Street Electrical Parade, "Fantasmic!" and "World of Color" are among guest favorites returning to light up the nights at Disneyland Resort theme parks in the new year.

Also coming back are “Disneyland Forever” fireworks spectacular, the Lunar New Year celebration, Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival and expanded “Celebrate Gospel” performances.

This marks the first time the events – many of them guest favorites that spark memories of special times at the parks – will be presented again since Disneyland and California Adventure reopened in April, after being closed more than a year due to the pandemic.

Main Street Electrical Parade, with its 600,000 lights that sparkle to a cheerful tune, will be marking its 50th anniversary when it returns to Disneyland in the spring.

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The parade made its world debut at Disneyland on June 17, 1972, and left on Nov. 25, 1996, much to the disappointment of park guests. It later appeared at other Disney parks around the world and California Adventure, returning to Disneyland for limited runs.

When it returns in the spring, it will once again be led by the iconic train and drum unit featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Goofy that announces in lights “Disneyland Presents – Main Street Electrical Parade.”

Many of the guest-favorite characters return with the parade, including Elliot the Dragon and floats from “Alice in Wonderland,” “Cinderella” and “Peter Pan.”

Coming in January

Lunar New Year celebration at California Adventure returns Jan. 21 through Feb. 13 to celebrate the Year of the Tiger. The celebration commemorates traditions of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures. The festival is filled with multicultural performances, kid-friendly crafts, culinary delights, vibrant décor, celebratory merchandise and musical entertainment. It’s the Year of the Tiger in 2022 and Tigger will join in on the fun, along with beloved Disney characters including Mulan and Mushu, Mickey and Minnie, and the Three Little Pigs – all donning their festive attire. Cherished Lunar New Year traditions include the Lucky Wishes Wall and “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession,” a performance that honors family, friendship and the potential for a fortune-filled new year.

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Coming in February

“Celebrate Gospel” will expand and feature live choir performances, each sharing their own distinctive style and inspiration. The event moves to the Fantasyland Theater at Disneyland Park where guests will be able to enjoy choir performances on select days during the month of February. “Celebrate Gospel” is offered as part of the Disneyland Park experience. More details will be shared soon on the Disney Parks Blog.

Coming in March

Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival will be March 4 through April 26 with its unique “tour” of California regions and neighborhoods. The festival is a showcase for food, entertainment, festival merchandise and even time with Chef Goofy.

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Returning later this spring

“Fantasmic!” has been a “must-see” show at Disneyland for nearly 30 years. Disney’s longest-running nighttime spectacular is an extravaganza of colorful Disney animated film images, choreographed to a musical score and highlighted by the fire-breathing Maleficent Dragon. The waters of the Rivers of America come alive as Mickey Mouse’s power of imagination enables him to create fantastic events and images as seen in such classic Disney films as “Fantasia,” “The Jungle Book,” “The Little Mermaid” and more.

“World of Color” at California Adventure is a unique combination of music, fire, fog and laser effects, with Disney animation projected on an immense screen of water. The kaleidoscope of color celebrates the magic and fun of Disney and Pixar – all set to music. Audiences are treated to some favorite Disney stories with memorable sequences of animation and music, including scenes like WALL-E and Eve zipping through the cosmos and Pocahontas exploring just around the riverbend.

“Disneyland Forever” fireworks spectacular is a sky-high celebration filled with sparkling pyrotechnics and immersive projections that take guests on a journey with special effects. Main Street, U.S.A., and a few other spots in Disneyland become a canvas as guests are taken into a world of dreams, from flying above the London skyline with “Peter Pan” to a dance with King Louie in “The Jungle Book.” It closes with the song, “Kiss Goodnight.”

“Tale of the Lion King”: The Fantasyland Theater at Disneyland soon will become home to this imaginative adaptation of Disney’s “The Lion King.” A hit with guests when it debuted in 2019, “Tale of the Lion King” is brought to life by the Storytellers of the Pride Lands, a troupe of traveling performers who present Simba’s beloved and timeless journey in a unique story-theater style with live music and dance.

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The new year will also bring some new shops to Downtown Disney, officials said in a press release, and the closure of Toon Town at Disneyland for a major reimagination that will include the addition of the new ride, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, when it reopens in 2023.

For updates, including announcements of actual dates that events will return, and additional information about shops coming to Disneyland Resort this year, follow Disney Parks Blog or visit the Disneyland Resort website, at Disneyland.com.