Disneyland Resort Update: Magic Happens
Disneyland Park, Anaheim, CA
Today’s Disneyland Resort update has a singular focus: the first new daytime parade in Disneyland Park in nearly a decade! Yes, last Friday, Disneyland officially unveiled its brand new processional celebration of Disney and Pixar stories old and new in the form of Magic Happens, a brand new spectacular years in the making!
Featuring all-new floats and intricate costuming created specially for Disneyland, plus a soundtrack co-written by popular singer/composer Todrick Hall, Magic Happens represents a bold, flashy, intricate take at the traditional park parade. From the stunning float designs to the elaborate costumes to the increased use of dance as storytelling to backing music that fuses elements of soul, gospel, and funk into a catchy and still-poppy beat, this is a contemporary parade—one that celebrates diversity in its casting and its represented intellectual properties. Although it’s not quite as long as I was expecting for a brand new parade—there are nine total floats and essentially five segments—Magic Happens is nonetheless a crowning achievement of thematic celebration that breaks new ground by utilizing its performers and dancers as feature parts of each segment, rather than passing processionals.
So today, lets take a look at the details and beauty of the new flavor on the Disneyland block!
Parade Merchandise
Of course, as with any new offering, the park has crafted merchandise to celebrate it. Souvenir glasses, shirts, Mickey ears, and even a Christmas ornament are among the souvenirs guests can take home. There are also a lot of specialty food dishes that have been created to celebrate the newest feature, and they can be found throughout the park.
Mickey and Friends Enter
The parade begins with an emphatic and dramatic stomp and epic flourish into the opening refrain:
This is the anthem
Here’s what you came for
This is the moment
Magic was made for
Come one come all
Lets light up the sky now
Give you the magic
Happening right now!
Depending on which part of the parade route guests are situated, the music will loop for up to a few minutes, but once the first dancers make their way out into view, it’s clear that this is not quite a traditional parade. Clad in multi-patterned, geometric shades of violet and aqua and gold, the dancers seem more at home on a fashion runway than on Main Street, but their dance moves are funky and edgy, matching a similarly groovy beat that marries elements of R&B and jazz to the traditional upbeat Disney melodic tone.
There’s a reason that dancers lead the way ahead of even the first Sorcerer Mickey float. Magic Happens is a celebration of storytelling, and that involves people, not objects. The elevation of performers to an equal role as Disney characters and float design is part of the parade’s effort to incorporate more diversity in a seamless manner. Song lyrics of the theme scrawled onto several performer’s wardrobe highlights the power of music in crafting tales. The avant garde look of the costuming also subtly clues into the parade’s overall progressive theme. Diversity and differentness are not qualities to be dismissed but rather embraced. So if someone says that this parade doesn’t feel like traditional, nostalgic Disney magic, that’s because it’s not supposed to. It’s supposed to conjure a new magic.
But those who come here for the floats won’t be disappointed either, because each one is incredible. Mickey rides a 15-foot tall Sorcerer’s Hat that is carried by ribbons and swirls of motion. The hand-painted, iridescent, metallic pastel color scheme flows organically from warm to cool hues, and the kinetics of the forms offer a great preview of the aesthetic of the rest of the parade. Even the stationary elements communicate a sense of fluid, shimmering motion.
Minnie, Donald, Pluto, Goofy, and Chip ‘n’ Dale join in after Mickey, capping off the first segment of the classic and recognizable foundation of Disney cartoons. And they’re not without their own choreographed dance moves too, paralleling the leading dancers at the start of the parade.
Moana
The first of three IP’s makes its way next. Moana starts out—once again—with dancers leading the way. Here, they represent the rippling movement of the sea—that great frontier into which Moana journeys to save her people. Once again, the costuming is intricately detailed and full of wonderful features that bring to mind jewels of the ocean. Twirling flags to the beat of the film’s central theme, “How Far I’ll Go,” they usher in the Polynesian princess herself.
Straddling her watercraft, Moana’s float is an exquisite and technical wonder. Measuring 32 feet long and 22 feet high, it’s no small vehicle. Its flowing waves appear as through carved out of wood, reflecting the art of Pacific Islanders. In addition, curved screens on the sides and the back waves project video scenes to further the aquatic setting. Keep a sharp eye for a few easter eggs. At least one or two characters from Finding Nemo (like Crush) make their way through the ocean scenery, while the heart of Te Fiti can also be glimpsed. The curves and flowing lines of the koa wood carvings make the float a work of art just by itself, and the marine imagery is scrawled across so many components that it’s tough to list them all.
The beat switches to a more percussion-based sound as dancers inspired by Polynesian drummers follow after Moana. A small, remote-controlled Hei Hei unit scrambles to and fro, with the unlucky rooster even popping out of his basket every now and then. He seems intimidated by the pounding beats of the dancers and drummers around him (not to mention the menacing yet adorable Kakamora pirates waved around by the dancers), but the audience gets to enjoy the cultural rhythms.
All of this leads to the second float of the Moana segment, featuring the mighty Maui, towering of Pua, Moana’s pet pig. Standing proudly in front of a lush tropical backdrop of palms, vibrant flowers, and his trusty hook, Maui shows off his confident strength and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson-esque facial expressions. The black volcanic rock has a flowing texture that seems to melt into unseen waters, but the jungle foliage is also dazzling and grand, both in front and behind.
Coco
The colors don’t take any break as the parade moves into its second IP, Coco. Here, Hispanic heritage is on flashy and invigorating display as dancers lead the way for Pixar’s beloved 2017 hit. Here, they represent the fallen marigold petals from the vivid bridge to the underworld. They foreshadow the float itself, which features Miguel, Hector, and Imelda.
The 36 foot long, 19 foot tall Coco float is a marvel of engineering and design. Miguel stands under a classic and aged gazebo, strumming his guitar and surrendering to his love of music. The movie’s iconic song, “Remember Me” / “Recuérdame,” bridges the Magic Happens motif. Meanwhile, back on the float, the styles of Old World Mexico are beautifully captured in the structure, which bridges over to the eclectic and entrancing Land of the Dead, capped by Hector and Imelda enjoying their own music. Pay attention to the bridge itself. In addition to its lush florals, Miguel’s dog, Dante, can be see bounding across and transforming into his alebrije form.
As with the Moana Float, the Coco float is to be admired from all angles. The architecture of the Land of the Dead climbs up a monumental pyramid, and on the very back, a dozen skeletal chihuahuas flank the rear, referencing the battle of the bands scene from the movie. The Día de los Muertos colors and imagery are astounding in this truly photogenic creation!
If that isn’t enough, after another group of dancers donning animalistic masks pass by, an imposing puppet of the winged beast, Pepita, follows the float. Controlled by five puppeteers, Miguel’s bold and vivid protector bounds down the parade route and roars to keep unfriendlies at bay!
Frozen 2
There’s a parade break between Coco and the next segment. Not surprisingly, the subject is Disney’s biggest animated franchise, Frozen. Specifically and fittingly, it’s for Frozen 2! Once again, the lead dancers are part of the parade theming itself, not just performers passing by. In this case, they represent an extension of the Enchanted Forest. The men are the Aspen tree trunks while the ladies are the canopy and foliage. They ripple and sway with the movement of the wind and the wilderness.
The Frozen 2 float continues this in a surprising manner. Rather than feature its characters openly at the forefront, the most obvious component of the front of the unit is more of the forest itself, and the icy horse that almost seems to wash forth. Guests can glimpse Anna and Olaf, but they are never in clear view until the float is passing by. Likewise, Elsa stands high on her icy peak, under a shining, illuminating snowflake, swaying to the a mash-up of “Let It Go” and “Into the Unknown.”
The Frozen 2 float continues the parade’s immaculate representation of plantlife. The flowers on the sides of the float are an explosion of an autumn kaleidoscope, and the warm yellows, oranges, and reds of the trees bring fall in Scandinavia straight to Anaheim!
The float is arguably the most extravagant. It’s the second tallest of the parade, and at 39 feet in length, it’s by far the longest. The various elements combine to convey the sense of the four elements—earth, wind, fire, and water. And as with the other floats the detail and articulation is absolutely incredible.
Finally, Sven the Reindeer perches on the icy rock at the back, looking goofily toward Kristoff, who pushes an agriculture cart. Anna’s love occasionally stops to strum an instrument or express his sentiments for his reindeer friend.
Classic Characters and Royalty
At this point, the music makes a noticeable shift from the Magic Happens theme (intermixed with each movie’s most recognizable tunes) to a second theme song that coincides with a return to Disney’s classics. “If You Just Believe” mixes in themes from the Remember the Magic Parade and Remember… Dreams Come True and Wishes fireworks shows, plus snippets from movies featured earlier in this parade.
Serving as a bookend to Mickey and friends at the start of the parade, the finale features roaming, beloved characters like Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Fairy Godmother, Pinocchio, the Blue Fairy, Aladdin, and Genie. They are followed by three regal floats representing Disney royalty of classic age, recent portrayal, and even an oft-overlooked property released between the company’s animated Golden Age and Renaissance Era.
It’s no surprise that Cinderella leads the way. It’s almost impossible for any Disney production to lack arguably its most famous princess. In a spiraling pumpkin carriage that almost feels like an oversized, organic jewel box, Cinderella has the stage all to herself. Her recognizable blue gown contrasts nicely with the orange and green of the pumpkin. It’s a bit interesting that Cindy is without Prince Charming in this parade, though I’d chalk that up more to the limitations of the chosen float design than any overtly independent feminist agenda (especially since the princess two floats later does appear with her beau).
In what might be possibly the first time it has ever been featured in a Disneyland parade (or at least the first time in decades), The Sword and the Stone gets some representation after Cinderella. Merlin and Arthur stand under the ruins of some High Gothic arches, famous Excalibur plunged into an anvil of a stone. Arthur occasionally pulls the sword out, but the real star here is Merlin. Perfectly capturing the whimsy and eccentric energy of the movie character, the Merlin in Magic Happens is spunky, spontaneous, and busts out some goofy hops and dance moves. But he commits to his actions boldly, and he is one of the big hits of the parade.
There are other little touches too. Archimedes the owl is an animatronic on the float’s left side (audience right). Two squirrels atop the arches represent Arthur and Merlin during the part of the movie where they also transformed into squirrels.
Following Arthur and Merlin are Tiana and Naveen, from The Princess and the Frog. Standing under a towering recreation of a majestic mangrove tree, with swirling flowers representing the glow of fireflies spinning around them, the two wave to the crowd, engage in a little jitterbug, and look lovingly into each other’s eyes. The float itself is a marvelous transplantation of the bayou into mobile form, and of the final four floats, it is my personal favorite.
A break in the floats allows one final group of dancers to pass by. Though not dressed as boldly as the opening line, this group still presents a fashion-forward aesthetic, and they herald the ninth and final float of the parade, featuring Sleeping Beauty.
This is a fun and dynamic one. In front, on a trio of rotating pedestals, the good fairies Fauna, Flora, and Merryweather cast spells out to the crowd, show off their spunk, and pose to the delight of guests. Behind them, Aurora and Prince Phillip stand in front of a towering set of gold turrets that almost carry a modified steampunk theme. They’re more mechanical looking than stone—another sign of the intentionally contemporary feel of the parade, but they’re also the tallest elements of Magic Happens, standing up at 30 feet above the ground. And a fun feature of Aurora’s dress—it’s designed so that when she sways back and forth, the rippling fabric gives the effect of turning from pink to blue and back again!
Magic Happens at Night!
Guests who visit the park before Sunday and catch the later viewing will be able to see a version that won’t really be prominent for the rest of the spring and summer: nighttime mode! Though marketed as a daytime parade, Magic Happens does feature some wondrous lighting effects and theatrical illumination that evokes a magical aura after the sun has set. It’s great to see that the designers thought of both day and night operations for this fantastic production, and this tells me that even after its immediate run, there will be plans to bring it back at night during different parts of the year or for future seasonal promotions.
In the meantime, though, this is a sort of “Limited Time Magic™” until Daylight Saving Time begins, and the 6:00pm showing is pushed out into full daytime hours.
After so many years of Mickey’s Soundsational Parade (which was an awesome parade, by the way), it was definitely time for something new. And on the other hand, after seeing the scope and artistry of everything that went into Magic Happens, it’s understandable why everything took so long! There’s been so much thought put into this parade that it really is truly impressive!
I also love how representation is integrated into almost every part of the parade—and not in an overt-the-top, attention-grabbing way. Certainly, minorities like myself will notice it more, but it’s not like Disney is taking less popular or lesser known franchises and forcing them into the parade for the purpose of simulating greater diversity (heck, the least well known IP in the parade has a distinctly European and Caucasian background!). No, Magic Happens simply takes diversity and makes it a regular part of the parade, as though this is commonplace. But the power and magic of representation is that in a world where traditional media has been dominated by members of a particular background, often at the expense of minorities, simply seeing a Asian Pacific character, or a Hispanic character, or a Black character featured can inspire and hearten future generations.
This doesn’t extend to the movies chosen to represent either. There is a large amount of diversity in the casting of dancers and performers in this parade as well, which I find refreshing and positive. Even the music doesn’t sound like the typical Disney parade music fanfare. It does, but it doesn’t, and that is a reflection of Todrick Hall’s contributions to the spectacular. Normalizing diversity in representation helps break down stereotypes and communicate that when it comes down to it, we’re all the same. It’s part of what makes Disney so wonderful—it connects people of all races, religions, orientations, and backgrounds—all sorts of people love Disney.
So that social justice tinge aside, Magic Happens is a terrific parade. And a different parade. Intentionally so. It seeks the break the mold of the traditional Disney parade by clearly delineating between Disney’s past classics and its present / future. And at the same time, it doesn’t imply that one is better than the other. By book-ending the recognizable with the up-and-coming, the parade promotes a togetherness that channels the Disney spirit. But the fact that it dares to venture out of a traditional comfort zone in its aesthetics and execution shows that, like Walt Disney himself, the Disney Company will continue to move forward.
Magic Happens plays twice a day, at 3:30pm and 6:00pm. It should run at least through the end of the summer season, if not further.
Architect. Photographer. Disney nerd. Haunt enthusiast. Travel bugged. Concert fiend. Asian.
