With the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the new “Rise of the Resistance” ride, which really threw down the gauntlet for what a ride experience can be, and the debut of Avengers Campus coming this summer, it can be easy to forget that Disney magic can be found in so many aspects of the Disneyland Resort, and not just in new lands and the biggest of thrill rides. Whether it’s in character meet-and-greets, special moments with a cast member, a memento to take home, or live entertainment, there is magic in the details, all over Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.
As a result, it was super exciting when Collider (along with a number of other media outlets) got invited to a super secret warehouse in Anaheim, Calif. to preview the all-new “Magic Happens” Parade, which will take place along Main Street, U.S.A., starting on February 28th. Perfectly titled, this daytime spectacular includes nine newly designed floats (celebrating Mickey Mouse, Moana, Coco, Frozen II and the Grand Finale, which includes Cinderella, The Sword in the Stone, The Princess and the Frog, and Sleeping Beauty), two original songs (the main theme, and a special song for the Grand Finale), and 90-plus performers in incredibly vibrant costumes.
Helping to bring the awe-inspiring moments of magic at the heart of these Disney stories to life are Disney Live Entertainment Creative Director David Duffy and Show Director Jordan Peterson, along with their vast team of collaborators, and their experience as longtime cast members, as well as their passion for the work, is obvious in their excitement over bringing this new parade to guests of the Disneyland Resort. While previewing the more than two-year journey from initial concept design to opening, Duffy reminded everyone in attendance that “Disneyland is the place that, on opening day, started with a parade,” and it seems only natural that they would want to up the ante of what’s capable there, as well.
The “Magic Happens” Parade was designed with three founding principles in mind. First, it’s contemporary, in its music and choreography, which feels fresh, new and advanced. Second, it’s artistic, in the fashion forward nature of the costumes that look like they’ve stepped off of the runway, and in how the floats are moving pieces of art. And third, it’s whimsical, in its joyful and heartfelt nature that will leave you smiling.
Personally, I love that the parade floats kick off the biggest VIP at Disneyland – Mickey Mouse. Setting the groundwork for the rest of the parade, Mickey’s float features a nearly 15 foot tall version of his magical sorcerer’s hat, hand painted with custom iridescent colors and containing 300 LED lights, and he will be joined by Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto and Chip n’ Dale, featuring new looks that are very abstract, very whimsical, and like nothing they’ve worn before. And before that float even hits Main Street, you’ll meet the opening dancers, who are magic’s entourage, representing the different aspects of magic that you’ll see throughout “Magic Happens.”
Next, the Moana float, which is 22 feet tall and 12 feet wide, will showcase her journey on her Voyager canoe, as she moves across the water. With Gramma Tala watching over her, at the top of the float in her manta ray form, the LED panels will display the magic that the ocean holds, as Moana is joined by Maui, her adorable pet pig Pua, the rooster Hei Hei (with his signature scream), and the Kakamora.
Following that, the Coco float, which is 19 feet tall, 11 feet wide and 36 feet long, features Miguel, strumming his guitar in the Land of the Living while a bridge made of more than 30,000 individual marigolds decorate the bridge to the Land of the Dead. That bridge forever connects Miguel to his ancestors, Hector and Imelda, who are brought to life as marionettes, and it allows for his beloved dog Dante to also be seen in his Alebrije form. And the story continues from the float to the street performers, as they represent the beautiful marigold flower petals, falling off the bridge and floating to the ground, with skirts that have been designed to convert to props for their dance routine and then back again.
One of the coolest aspects of the Frozen II float, which is the longest in the parade at 39 feet, is that it was developed alongside the filmmaking team, as they were still working on the film while the parade was being designed. Throughout the process, the collaboration went back and forth, with float sketches passed on to the filmmakers, who would get inspired with ideas that they’d then send back to the float designers, in a perfect partnership. Utilizing the film’s new color scheme, with the deep, rich fall tones, combined with the world of snow and ice, the float is designed to provide a sense of discovery as it passes by, with characters and details being revealed as it moves past guests. The multiple levels will include Anna, Elsa (who will actually make it snow off of the float), Kristoff, Sven and Olaf, along with the mystical water spirit, the Nokk.
Following additional floats after that, the Grand Finale is so grand that it celebrates magical moments from several classic Disney stories, as well as bringing together a collection of iconic magical characters, including Genie, Aladdin, Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, Blue Fairy, Pinocchio and Fairy Godmother. The Cinderella float takes a music box approach showcasing the fairytale princess inside a grand pumpkin, as it magically transforms into the carriage that will whisk her off to the ball. The Sword in the Stone is represented with Merlin encouraging young Arthur to find the magic within himself, as he pulls the sword from the stone to claim his place on the throne. Tiana and Naveen represent The Princess and the Frog, as they share the kiss that completes their transformation back into human form. And the grand finale of the Grand Finale sees the tallest float in the parade (the top turret reaches approx. 30 feet tall) and showcases Sleeping Beauty, as Princess Aurora dances with Prince Phillip while her gown shimmers between pink and blue, thanks to the fairies Flora, Fauna and Merryweather.
Adding to the beauty of the floats, the parade route will have performers throughout the streets, in costumes that were brought together through new fabric technology and special effects, including things like laser cutting for all of the gold vinyl work, embroidery machines that can do 12 to 14 colors at one time, and the lyrics of the title track “Magic Happens” actually printed onto the fabric. The choreography has its own movement vocabulary while the make-up was designed with a cool, modern perspective.
Tying everything together is the music, and when it came to this important building block, the parade designers turned to singer/songwriter Todrick Hall, who just happens to be a former Disney World performer and huge fan of all things Disney. From the first track that he sent, the designers knew that they had their perfect parade collaborator, who also specially designed approximately one minute and 40 seconds of music for each of the float units. The mash-ups of songs from the films both pay homage and feel fresh and new, enhancing the dance party as it moves down Main Street.
The beautiful thing about the “Magic Happens” Parade is that it really brings together classic Disney stories with more recent iconic movie moments from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios in a seamless celebration that everyone can enjoy. Show Director Peterson added the perfect sentiment when saying, “Knowing your past lets you build to your future, and that’s a great example of what we’ve done in this parade. It’s what we set out to achieve.”
Check out additional images of the new parade below. Guests can check out all of the magic in the “Magic Happens” Parade at Disneyland, starting on February 28th.
