Disneyland After Dark: How to Spend Your Evening Hours at The Happiest Place on Earth

There’s nothing quite like spending a full day at the Disneyland Resort. Much like Disney World, the parks in Anaheim completely transform after the sun goes down. It takes on an entirely new personality, and it’s almost like a completely different park!

Here are some fun ways to spend the final hours of your day at Disneyland Resort.

Catch some fireworks!

Much like Magic Kingdom in Disney World, no trip to Disneyland Park is complete without watching a fireworks spectacular. There are many great places all around Disneyland Park to catch the show. Because of the Park’s smaller size, it’ll feel like you have front row seats no matter where you stand!

There is, of course, Main Street, U.S.A., but Rivers of America in Frontierland and New Orleans Square is also a great place to watch fireworks. The music is piped there, and they project the same castle projections onto the water screens used in Fantasmic. You can also watch the fireworks by ‘it’s a small world’ in Fantasyland, where the projections are played on the attraction’s facade.

For a truly unique experience, there is some GREAT fireworks viewing in Galaxy’s Edge! In between Docking Bay 7 and the entrance to Smugglers Run you will typically find crowds form shortly before the show begins.

Fantasmic!

Fans of Fantasmic! at Hollywood Studios will be delighted to hear that Disneyland also has this nighttime spectacular. It plays along the Rivers of America and not in a designated amphitheater like its East Coast counterpart. Much of the show is largely the same but with a much more intimate vibe! Some scenes are swapped out and are unique to Disneyland’s version, including Pirates of the Caribbean!

World of Color

If you’re spending the evening in Disney California Adventure, the big ‘finale’ to your day will be World of Color! This one-of-a-kind nighttime show is often praised as one of the best shows in any Disney Park. This show performs nightly, and you’ll want to leave enough time to find a good spot for viewing.

Explore the parks!

Like we said, the parks take on a different vibe when the sun goes down. This is a great opportunity to hop in line for a ride that may have been busier during the day, or grab some ice cream to stroll around the park with.

Downtown Disney

If you want to escape the parks once it gets dark, there’s lots to do in Downtown Disney! The shopping and dining district truly comes alive at night, with restaurants, bars, and shops to keep you busy until the wee hours. There is also live music and entertainment throughout the district, creating a lively atmosphere no matter where you are. The best thing is that Downtown Disney is mere STEPS away from both parks, making it super easy to hop back and forth between them!

What’s your favorite thing to do at Disneyland after the sun goes down? Let us know in the comments!

 

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