Now that Paint The Night has lit the parade route one last time in Disneyland, let’s take a look back at where it all began…and when can we see it again?
A Dim Start
After becoming a notable parade in Hong Kong Disneyland, California brought it over to Disneyland for its 60th anniversary Diamond Celebration. Known within the parade as “Paint The Night Electrical Parade,” this new nighttime parade brought the gleam and glow back after Disney’s Electrical Parade had ended its run in 2010.
After only being brought to Main Street for the Diamond Celebration, the parade ended its run by Fall 2016, and took its final bow in January 2017 after being brought back as a seasonal offering.
A Rootin’ Tootin’ Return
It was 2018 when Pixar took over Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure — literally. Pixarfest was the place to be that summer as the reimagined Pixar Pier opened, Buzz flew with style over Sleeping Beauty Castle during the nightly fireworks, and the fan-favorite Paint The Night made its debut at Disney’s California Adventure.
While the parade already notably featured several Pixar characters — like Woody, Buzz, and Jessie from Toy Story, Nemo and Marlon from Finding Nemo, Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc, and a life-sized Mack from Cars — its return for Pixarfest came with an all-new float that would temporarily replace the Frozen float. The Incredibles dashed down the parade route this time around, in connection with that summer’s Incredibles 2 release and the opening of DCA’s Incredicoaster.
Back for a Birthday
As Disneyland geared up to celebrate its 70th year in 2025, the parade was brought back to Main Street along with some beloved characters missing from its previous run. The Frozen float swapped places with The Incredibles, while the rest of the Pixar floats remained the same.
When Can We See You Again?
Now that Paint That Night has taken yet another bow on August 20, 2026, its got everyone asking…when can we see you again? While the parade is closed for now, Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure seem to like bringing it back for special occasions.
While 2030 will mark Disneyland’s 75th anniversary, the parade could easily return as Disney and Pixar gear up for a slew of sequels in the coming years. Between the announcement of Frozen III and a third Monsters, Inc, only time will tell if the parks want to celebrate the upcoming releases by bringing back this beloved parade.
