Hi Rob! Welcome to planDisney! I’m so glad you found your way here with this great nighttime spectacular question!
I love a good Disneyland Resort day, but there is something magical that happens after dark. Once the lights come on, I start noticing little details I missed during the day, and everything feels like I’ve stepped right into a vivid dream world!
Looking at the
schedule for your visit date, which can always change, there is a Fantasmic! showing at 9:05 PM and the second Paint the Night Parade at 10:45 PM. On paper, it seems like you could do both. I wish I could say it works that smoothly, but the reality is a little trickier.
Right between those two is the
Wondrous Journeys Fireworks. From experience, if Paint the Night is a must do, you really need to stake out a curbside spot about an hour in advance to get a great view. On one of my recent visits, we did exactly that. While some Guests arrived later and stood behind us, having the fireworks in between would make it difficult to leave Fantasmic! and jump right into a good parade viewing spot.
Fantasmic! runs about 25 minutes, which puts you right at the start of the fireworks. Then you have large crowds leaving the Fantasmic! area and gathering for Wondrous Journeys, which lasts around 15 minutes. By the time that wraps up, most of the good parade viewing spots are already taken, and many Guests stay right where they are to watch the second Paint the Night Parade. It makes moving in and finding a solid view pretty challenging.
You could
potentially do both but in reverse order. If you watched the first performance of Paint the Night at 8:45 P.M., and then made your way to the Fantasmic! viewing area, for the 10:30 P.M. show, this may work out better for you, as there typically are fewer Guests in the viewing area for the second Fantasmic! performance, but navigating the crowds waiting for Wonderous Journeys would still be a bit tricky.
I know it is a tough call, because how do you choose between Fantasmic! and Paint the Night? They are both incredible in completely different ways!
An option I love suggesting is a dining package. You could choose a
Fantasmic! Dining Package, which includes a meal and reserved viewing or premium seating for the first Fantasmic! show, or a
Paint the Night Dining Package, which includes a meal with reserved viewing for the first parade performance. Both are fantastic for spending more time enjoying attractions and less time waiting for a spot!
One of my favorite nighttime experiences, just for fun, is riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness is even better after dark! Racing through the mountain, into the tunnels, and past the goat is such a thrill. Try keeping your eyes on the goat as you swing around the corner. It gives you the funniest little tummy tickle!
Good luck deciding which nighttime spectacular fits your plans! And if you cannot quite fit both in this time, it means you have the perfect reason to come back again soon. Another Disneyland visit is always a great idea!
See ya real soon!
Kimberly