Paint the Night time parade is again as a part of the Disneyland seventieth Anniversary celebration, and is drawing huge crowds to Important Avenue and the remainder of the route as locals and vacationers alike camp out ~2 hours prematurely to prime areas. Our viewing information helps you beat the crowds, with our field-tested suggestions & methods so you possibly can present up half-hour or much less and nonetheless rating a spectacular spot for PtN.
The very first thing we can’t overstate is simply how busy Disneyland is within the evenings for Paint the Night time and the remainder of the seventieth Anniversary leisure. My unique intent was to publish this viewing information after opening weekend, however I made a decision to carry off given the gang dynamics. I additionally wished to see and {photograph} it just a few extra occasions for illustrative views.
It’s now just a few weeks later, and issues have slowed down a bit, however not dramatically so. Paint the Night time continues to be immensely common, and it may be troublesome to see. For the very best view, visitors are tenting out roughly two hours prematurely. Technically, ~2 hours is the utmost. We’ve seen visitors stake out spots sooner than that, and be advised by Forged Members that it’s too early to order spots. This has led to this little track and dance ‘sport’ of kinds…
Within the lead-up to the 2-hour mark, visitors will begin hovering over the prime areas that they intend on staking out as a method of unofficially marking their territory, I suppose you could possibly say. A minimum of on the times we’ve visited since summer time has began, this has grow to be much less frequent, however it’s nonetheless a factor. On one event, we even noticed safety getting concerned.
This isn’t meant to scare you out of watching Paint the Night time. The parade is completely price it, and as we talked about above, you don’t want to indicate up 2+ hours prematurely to pre-claim after which camp out. Nice spots might be simpler to get if you already know what you’re doing, which is the entire level of this information.
Earlier than we dig into viewing suggestions, let’s begin with the fundamentals. Paint the Night time is introduced twice nightly, and at the moment rolls down the parade route at 8:50 pm and 10:50 pm at Disneyland. These occasions do shift all year long based mostly on sundown and park ops, so you’ll want to verify the day by day Disneyland leisure schedule for those who’re visiting lengthy after that is printed. The remainder of the guidelines ought to stay kind of correct–timing is the large one which’s topic to alter.
Paint the Night time is at the moment introduced at Disneyland, and never at Disney California Journey. In case you see a information that claims it’s at DCA, that’s old-fashioned by about 7 years. For the Disneyland seventieth Anniversary in 2025-2026, Paint the Night time is at Disneyland.
Paint the Night time runs alongside the Disneyland parade route from close to “it’s a small world” to Important Avenue. The 2 performances go in reverse instructions, with the parade reversing between the 2. Because of this it begins at “it’s a small world” and comes down Important Avenue for the primary efficiency; the second efficiency begins the place the primary ended on Important Avenue and travels as much as “it’s a small world,” ending the place the primary efficiency started.
The primary efficiency of Paint the Night time is all the time busier than the second efficiency. All the time. And it’s not even a remotely shut name.
In case you solely take away one factor from this Paint the Night time viewing information, it’s that it’s best to completely watch the second Paint the Night time if in any respect potential, as that’s the single best and largest tip for spending much less time tenting out. I wouldn’t say that crowds for the primary parade are twice as massive, however they do arrive twice as early and the parade route hits capability for the primary parade, whereas that doesn’t occur for the second Paint the Night time. So I might say that demand is no less than twice as excessive for the primary efficiency, and it’s typically unhappy.
Whereas many visitors arrive 90 to 120 minutes earlier than the primary efficiency of Paint the Night time, that isn’t even potential for the second efficiency. There isn’t that a lot time on the clock as soon as the primary Paint the Night time ends, and there’s the Wondrous Journeys fireworks in between. Because of this the ‘mud settles’ on the parade route shortly after 10 pm, which is in regards to the earliest folks will begin tenting out for the second displaying.
Most individuals don’t even stake out spots that early. The parade route begins filling in about 45 minutes prematurely, however there are sometimes a scattering of entrance row spots after that, generally up till 20 minutes earlier than the second parade steps off.
Therefore with the ability to safe a great spot inside half-hour. The truth is, I used to be capable of finding a spectacular location ~10 minutes earlier than the parade began on a current night. This isn’t irregular, particularly for those who’re keen to face. You’ll be able to stroll as much as a very good view pretty final minute on many nights for the second performances, whereas you’ll be a number of rows deep and have your view obstructed for those who strive that with the primary efficiency.
To provide you an thought of what to anticipate, right here’s a have a look at crowds ~half-hour earlier than the primary Paint the Night time on a random weekday in June 2025, earlier than peak summer time vacationer season began:
This final photograph photos the viewing areas for the Plaza Inn Eating Package deal for Paint the Night time Parade, in addition to the seventieth Anniversary Tour (left, going through the Prepare Station).
Notice that this can be a viewing space and never a seating space. Disneyland guarantees reserved viewing, versus seating. Which means there are not any chairs right here. Additionally, you may need to face for those who arrive late or if the folks in entrance of you might be standing. There’s typically extra respiration room than the opposite sections.
This isn’t my favourite view of Paint the Night time, however I don’t dislike it. In case your essential objective isn’t having to stake out a spot lengthy prematurely or wanting a little bit of elbow room and fewer stress, this works. Simply needless to say entrance row spots will nonetheless require arriving early. (See our Evaluate: Paint the Night time Parade Plaza Eating Package deal.)
My all-time #1 spot for Paint the Night time–or just about any parade—is true behind the flagpole with a view up Important Avenue. That is hardly a secret, and is the popular vantage of 9 out of 10 photographers. And there are a variety of Disneyland fan photogs on the market.
My ‘secret’ hack for securing this spot has lengthy been to camp out off to the aspect the place a rope will go up sooner or later to create a viewing space on the road. This occurs as a result of Paint the Night time continues in the direction of the Emporium aspect so it could possibly loop round City Sq., which means the alternative aspect is ok for viewing. This hack works effectively at tourist-centric Walt Disney World, however locals are effectively conscious of this trick at Disneyland, and the road part fills up early, too.
I truly favor being on the street. It places you barely off-center, which is definitely good for composing pictures. It additionally means the parades are turning away from you, and for those who’re utilizing a telephoto lens (as it’s best to), you possibly can shoot previous the closest float to ground-level performers and floats in subsequent models. Against this, for those who’re according to the flagpole and Sleeping Magnificence Citadel, the closest float largely blocks your view.
The draw back of the off-center, in-street spot is that staking it out might be awkward. You continue to must camp out early, however you’re mainly in a spot that doesn’t exist. In each areas, you’re additionally in the best way of the seventieth Anniversary photograph op, and visitors prefer to get pictures with that. F
inally, the largest draw back of all is that that is probably the most aggressive spot. Plan to stake this out 2 hours prematurely, or don’t even trouble. Until you get fortunate with climate or abnormally low crowds, that’s the one method you’ve gotten a shot at this. It doesn’t assist that this spot solely exists for the primary parade.
Its mirror picture for the second parade is behind Companions, and that spot isn’t almost as aggressive. It’s additionally not almost pretty much as good, as Sleeping Magnificence Citadel is behind you, as a substitute of within the background of your pictures. (Because the parade modifications instructions between the primary and second efficiency.)
My pictures listed here are archival. Now that now we have a toddler, tenting out ~2 hours is only a non-starter for me. I scoped this spot out on a few totally different nights ~60 minutes prematurely in Summer season 2025, and it was a no-go. I’m nonetheless hoping to be within the park for a “climate occasion” or luck into it, however I’m guessing that’s not going to occur.
Whereas that is the only best spot for watching Paint the Night time, the whole lot of Important Avenue is an in depth second. And actually, outdoors of that one spot, Important Avenue is a bit overrated for viewing Paint the Night time.
It’s the primary part to refill and even for those who put within the onerous ‘work’ for a entrance row spot, you continue to may need your view obstructed. It’s because the parade isn’t coming straight in the direction of you on Important Avenue. Sure, it’s clearly coming down Important Avenue, that’s technically true. However for those who face ahead in your spot, you’re trying on the different aspect of Important Avenue.
The parade is coming in the direction of you for those who flip sideways, through which case you’re trying previous different visitors who’re according to you. This creates a doubtlessly awkward dynamic the place visitors reaching out with their telephones or cameras, and even simply leaning out, can partially block your view. For that reason, for those who should watch from the Important Avenue curb, we suggest placing an impediment (e.g. trash can) between you and Sleeping Magnificence Citadel. It’s an imperfect answer, however provides you a little bit of a buffer. (Clearly, it additionally means sitting subsequent to a trash can, and all that entails.)
One other overrated spot that I dislike is the “it’s a small world” mall.
I swear that I’m not attempting to be the contrarian right here (once more, my #1 spot is everybody’s #1 spot!), however “it’s a small world” is overrated and overcrowded. That’s seemingly a direct byproduct of so many websites like this one recommending it for the tiered view, proximity to the beginning of the parade route, and close by restrooms.
The tiered viewing areas close to “it’s a small world” can be an asset for those who’re displaying up late and so they’re one way or the other open, however they typically aren’t. Furthermore, entrance row spots could be a problem and so they’re typically put aside. Lastly, I simply don’t just like the angles right here–you don’t actually get a very good ‘lengthy shot’ of Paint the Night time floats approaching after which passing you.
You’ll be able to most likely surmise my favourite Paint the Night time spots for the primary efficiency based mostly on the entire foregoing.
I favor areas the place the curvature of the parade route is such that the floats are heading directing in the direction of you. The trail winds fairly a bit throughout this lengthy center stretch, so there are a number of spots like this. As an added bonus, this center stretch tends to be the least common portion of the route–much less busy than each “it’s a small world” and Important Avenue.
There are additionally just a few sections of this route that solely enable 1-2 rows of viewing. That is good for not getting crowded out of your private house. Simply you’ll want to affirm with Forged Members that the realm you’ve chosen is, in truth, parade viewing. Some sections aren’t, and different folks sitting there doesn’t make it so.
Most of this similar sentiment applies equally to the second efficiency, adjusted for Paint the Night time touring up Important Avenue.
It’s troublesome to supply particular suggestions as a result of there are nice and solely okay spots proper subsequent to 1 one other–it’s best to decide for your self by standing in a spot and seeing whether or not, if trying straight ahead, the parade can be coming in the direction of you.
My favourite spots for the second efficiency of Paint the Night time are in City Sq. alongside the entrances to the park. There’s one in every of these in entrance of Disneyana and one other in entrance of Metropolis Corridor. In each instances, you have to be in a spot the place the parade is coming in the direction of you.
Getting very particular, I lately staked out a curb spot 23 minutes prematurely that checked actually all of my bins–parade coming in the direction of me, rubbish can to my proper, and nice background of Disney Showcase and the remainder of City Sq.. To my shock, the spot to my left went unfilled till ~10 minutes earlier than the parade stepped off.
This was, I assume, as a result of it’s flat floor–the realm of Important Avenue that’s the accessible entry level to strollers and ECVs. Lastly, a household of 5 swooped in and claimed this prize actual property. I wouldn’t count on this each evening, however it’s price mentioning as a result of this part could not appear to be a viewing space, however it’s.
Beneath is my view of Paint the Night time from this spot on the curb. Along with seeing the floats as they rounded the nook and got here in the direction of me (offering aspect and entrance angles of the floats from a distance), I additionally like this spot as a result of I may see one other ‘layer’ of floats as they made their method up Important Avenue USA.
In case you plan on leaving the park instantly after the second displaying of Paint the Night time, this location is ideal. You’ll outlast the post-fireworks exodus however beat actually everybody else watching the second displaying of Paint the Night time. You’ll actually be in your automotive at Mickey & Buddies by the point Paint the Night time will get to “it’s a small world.”
In case you plan on staying within the park and getting a final trip in, that is nonetheless a effective spot. You’ll should observe the parade up Important Avenue (which could be a neat factor–and one which’ll assist you to notice simply how slowly these parades transfer), although. Alternatively, the bottom of Companions is an effective play.
That gives a simple escape to Adventureland or Frontierland, permitting for a late evening trip on Indiana Jones Journey, Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tiana’s Bayou Journey, and so on. I’d additionally select this spot if I deliberate on ending up in Tomorrowland, regardless that that does require ready for the parade to cross.
Lastly, I’ll make a plug for catching each performances–or no less than a number of throughout your days in Disneyland–of Paint the Night time. Talking from my very own private expertise, this isn’t the parade that was love at first sight for me. Paint the Night time has grown on me with every viewing, with its distinctive quirks and ear worm soundtrack turning into firmly embedded in my mind and making me ask “when can we do that once more?”
Now it’s straightforward to see perceive why so many individuals love Paint the Night time. The music is catchy, the floats are spectacular, and there’s a palpable, downright enjoyable vitality to it. It’s the form of parade that hypes you up and places a smile in your face. Whereas I may quibble over a few of the selections in execution, I can’t low cost the truth that it’s a ton of enjoyable, and on the finish of the day, isn’t that what Disneyland is all about?
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Suggestions for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Find out about on-site and off-site inns in our Anaheim Lodge Opinions & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seaside, and plenty of different SoCal cities!
Your Ideas?
Have you ever tried watching Paint the Night time Parade throughout Disneyland’s seventieth Anniversary? Do you’ve gotten favourite and least favourite viewing spots? Like or dislike those we’ve beneficial? First versus second displaying of PtN? Performed the Plaza Inn Eating Package deal? Suppose this can be a good or poor worth? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation on crowds and the effort of saving spots for the parade? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
