Hey, Brenton, thanks for stopping by planDisney! I love that you are thinking ahead. Keeping special events in mind helps you manage your expectations and itinerary for the day in a particular park. Let’s take a look at
what’s coming up at the Disneyland Resort.
Currently, the special event that is happening on May 15 is the
Disneyland Resort Grad Nite. This event is a nighttime experience for graduating high school seniors and happens in the Disney California Adventure park. Therefore, you should expect DCA to close early on that date. As for Disneyland park, I do not think you have much to worry about regarding early park closure.
The
Disneyland 70th Anniversary Celebration is still in full swing, which means that you may be able to catch
Wondrous Journeys,
The Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, and — my personal favorite — the
Paint the Night parade at the Disneyland park. There are two versions of Wondrous Journeys, one with projections and one with fireworks. The version that shows varies based on the day, but you can expect it to happen in the late evening. The Celebrate Happy Cavalcade brings the fun during the day with two showtimes in the afternoon. Finally, the Paint the Night parade will light up Main Street U.S.A twice in the evening — usually once before Wondrous Journeys, and again after that show.
Bonus Tip: Keep an eye on the
Hours and Events Calendar to confirm the early closing time and exact showtimes for parades and nighttime spectaculars. It typically only provides schedules for up to 6 weeks in advance, so you will want to check back online or within the Disneyland
mobile app as your arrival date gets closer.
Brenton, I hope this helps and that you have a magical time during your upcoming vacation to Disneyland. If you need any additional help with planning, we are always here and happy to assist!
Sending you faith, trust, and pixie dust,
Karmeen