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Planning a trip to Disneyland Resort? Between parades, fireworks, stage shows and surprise character encounters, there's no shortage of magical entertainment to enjoy. But with so much hoppening, and entertainment schedules that can change by the day, it can be tricky to know exactly what's going on and when. In this post, we're breaking down the different types of entertainment you can expect at Disneyland and sharing tips on where to find the schedule ahead of time, so you can plan the perfect visit!
Overview
One of the most exciting and unique things about Disneyland is the number of live performances and characters. But with so much to see, there's a lot to be missed. For those who like to plan, or those who want to make sure to see a certain character or show, there are a few ways to do some research and create your perfect day. Let's go over the two main tools to find the time and location of entertainment. Then, we'll look at the four kinds of Disneyland entertainment and the best place to locate them.
Events Calendar
The Events Calendar on the Disneyland website is an extremely helpful tool for planning your day at the parks. However, it can be a little tricky to find. Go to the Disneyland website and look for the very top link bar. The first click option is "Tickets & Parks." Hover over this link and a drop-down menu will appear. The right side is highlighted in blue. At the top of the blue side, you will see the text "Explore Our Parks" followed by a link that says "See All Hours and Events Calendar." Click on that link to access the Events Calendar.
Here, you can select "Change Dates" to find a specific day, and even switch to a 5-day view to see the week you are looking for all at once. Scroll down to view Downtown Disney District, Disney California Adventure Park, Disneyland Park and even the Disneyland Hotels. Anything with a time underneath is set to occur on that specific day.
Note that the Events Calendar only goes out up to six weeks in advance. It does get regularly updated — even up to the same week or day of your visit — so keep checking back. If your visit is weeks (or even months) beyond this timeframe, we'd encourage you to check back as it gets closer. We often get questions such as "Will there be fireworks when I visit?" or "Is there a parade between Halloween and Holiday Time?" We confirm by using this same Events Calendar, and if it's in the distant future, we can only make our best guess based on previous years' experience, with the caveat that it's unconfirmed and could change. So, it's always best to come back to this Events Calendar for official confirmation!
Disneyland App
The Disneyland App is great for checking the times and locations of certain Disneyland entertainment during your park day. Once you're in the app, tap the map icon at the bottom and filter by “Entertainment” to see what’s hoppening around the parks. You can also view a daily schedule by tapping the menu, selecting “Park Hours & Info” and choosing the day of your visit. Each listing includes showtimes, descriptions and locations, making it easy to plan your day around parades, shows, nighttime spectaculars and more. Be sure to check back often — entertainment offerings can change throughout the day!
Fireworks and Nighttime Entertainment
Disneyland Resort truly shines after dark with its stunning lineup of nighttime spectaculars. From the story-driven Fantasmic! on the Rivers of America to the colorful water and light extravaganza World of Color at Disney California Adventure, these shows are guest favorites for a reason. Fireworks light up the skies above Sleeping Beauty Castle on select nights, often paired with projections and music that bring Disney stories to life. Fireworks shows such as Wondrous Journeys and Mickey's Mix Magic celebrate Disney animation with breathtaking visuals and soundtracks. These evening experiences are the perfect grand finale to a day in the parks.
The fireworks shows change throughout the year and for different seasons. During summer and for the holidays, you can expect fireworks every night of the week. (Subject to weather.) For most of the rest of the year, there are only fireworks on the weekends. However, for the Disneyland 70th Anniversary Celebration, there are Wondrous Journeys fireworks every night of the week, at least through Aug. 21, 2025.
Find all the nighttime entertainment ahead of time on the Disneyland entertainment schedule. Specific shows throughout the year are definitely a big draw. And if there is one in particular you are dying to see, make sure to look ahead and plan a trip for a day the show is featured. There is, unfortunately, always a possibility of fireworks being canceled due to wind. But fear not! The projections still go on in that case. Check the Disneyland app on the day of your visit for any updates, and keep an ear out for any announcements. World of Color and Fantasmic! are rarely canceled.
You can also type in the name of any show into the Disneyland site or app to see showtimes. If you want to know more about Disneyland shows or unscheduled entertainment/character experiences, we have hopful blog posts to help you find them.
Parades and Cavalcades
Parades and cavalcades bring extra bursts of magic to Disneyland Resort throughout the day. Full parades roll down Main Street, U.S.A. with dazzling floats, catchy music and favorite Disney characters waving to the crowds. These high-energy performances often follow a seasonal theme or celebrate a special occasion. On a smaller scale, cavalcades are more spontaneous and feature a handful of characters or performers cruising through the park, perfect for a surprise dose of Disney fun without the long wait. Whether you're catching a full parade or a quick character moment, these offerings add unfrogettable energy to your park day.
Parades usually happen twice per day. Once from "it's a small world" to Main Street, U.S.A. and once the other way. It's always a good idea to ask a cast member which way the parade is going before you pick your ideal viewing location.
You can easily locate parades, such as the current Paint the Night Parade, on the Disneyland entertainment schedule and on the Disneyland app. Make sure to check the app on the day of your visit for the most accurate parade times. Disneyland has implemented a rule about the amount of time guests are allowed to wait for parades. The maximum amount of time is two hours, so plan accordingly. You can look up the name of the parade in the app to see showtimes for that day, or online to see showtimes by date.
Cavalcades
Cavalcades are smaller and shorter processions (with a ton of characters) that are not always listed in the calendar. You can always type in "cavalcade" in the app to pull up the current cavalcade and see showtimes, if available.
Shows
Live shows at Disneyland Resort offer a fun mix of music, humor and storytelling that bring Disney tales to life in charming ways. From the playful performances at the Royal Theatre in Fantasy Faire to musical acts around the parks, these shows provide a great break from rides while still keeping the magic going. They're often interactive, family-friendly and full of heart, making them a hit with guests of all ages.
Shows come and go at Disneyland. In the past few years, we've seen shows such as Rogers the Musical, Festival of the Lion King and Story Time with Deadpool. Currently, you can catch the super cute Disney Junior: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! show in Disney California Adventure. These shows seem to be a little more malleable as far as scheduling. Check the Disneyland entertainment schedule to see what is hoppening on what day. However, be ready to check the Disneyland app throughout your day for any updated times. You can also search by the name of a show on the Disneyland site to check showtimes by date.
Atmosphere Entertainment and Characters
Atmospheric entertainment adds surprise and spontaneity to your day at Disneyland Resort. You might stumble upon the Dapper Dans harmonizing on Main Street, U.S.A., the Disneyland Band marching through the park with Mickey and friends or Star-Lord and Gamora leading an impromptu dance party in Avengers Campus.
For the most part, atmospheric entertainment is "unscheduled." Although all of the times may appear in the Disneyland entertainment schedule, they are subject to change. And they may be nonspecific. The schedule does not specify which times the characters join the Disneyland Band, Straw Hatters or Pearly Band. And the actual times vary slightly. Our Unscheduled Disneyland Character Cavalcades and Performances post can help you catch these magical moments. A cast member in the park can help, too.
Characters
If you want to know when and where to meet a character, there are a few ways to do it. In the Disneyland app, you can go to the park map and use the menu at the top to select "characters." Tap on the Mickey head to see a list of characters that may appear in those locations. Then tap a character's name to see the times they appear there. You can sometimes look up a character by name. Or type "meet" in the search bar to pull up categories of characters. Not every character is listed, but many of them are. Wandering characters may be in a zone and not stay in one place.
Smaller Shows
The smaller show moments are a bit harder to find in the Disneyland app. Go to the map section of the app and filter "entertainment" on the top. You can move around the map and click on the location of the specific entertainment to view the times. Or, click "show list" for the entire listicle version. Some of the times are very loose, so prepare for a little bit of a time buffer. A cast member nearby might just know exactly when Spider-Man flies by next or when the Green Army Men promenade through Disney California Adventure. But again, if you know the name of the show, you can look it up in the app or on the Disneyland site to see the showtimes.
Are you planning on visiting Disneyland during the Disneyland 70th Anniversary Celebration? Grab discount 3- and 4-Day tickets through Undercover Tourist!
Related: Best Time to Go to Disneyland in 2025 and Beyond
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Hoppy planning!
