Disneyland’s brand new Magic Happens parade has officially opened. This is the first new day-time parade at Disneyland in almost a decade, so to say we were excited is an understatement! In our latest Ordinary Adventures vlog, we bring you along with us as we experience Magic Happens for the very first time. SPOILER ALERT: WE LOVED IT! Hit the jump to see the video and learn about this new parade!

Disneyland’s Magic Happens Parade Video

The Magic Happens parade at Disneyland features Sorcerer Mickey as the leader, followed by Moana, Coco, Frozen 2, The Sword and The Stone, and our favorite Disney characters and Princesses! Besides all of the fun new parade floats, we LOVED the music co-composed by singer-songwriter Todrick Hall and have been humming the beat ever since the parade ended. Here are some fun facts about the new parade:

  • Magic Happens has 90-plus performers on 9 newly designed floats featuring 2 original songs (the main theme “Magic Happens,” and a special song for the Grand Finale).
  • Singer-songwriter Todrick Hall co-composed the energetic musical score and songs for the parade.
  • The finale score includes musical nods to past Disney entertainment productions that have special meaning to show director Jordan Peterson, weaving in themes from the “Remember the Magic,” parade as well as “Wishes” and “Remember… Dreams Come True” fireworks spectaculars.
  • The lyrics of the opening theme song, “Magic Happens,” are printed on two of the costumes to represent the magic of music. Costumes worn by the opening performers are inspired by many sources, including modern fashion runways, with designs that are edgy and fashion forward.
  • Character costumes of Maui from Moana and Arthur from Sword in the Stone, make their official Disneyland Resort debuts in this parade.
  • On the opening float, 300 LED lights shimmer on Mickey’s giant, magical hat. Mickey’s magical hat is nearly 15 feet tall and more than 9 feet in diameter. This float is hand painted and textured with custom iridescent colors.
  • The Moana float is more than 32 feet long, 22 feet tall and 12 feet wide. On her voyager canoe, Moana journeys forth on the crest of a towering wave. The wave is inspired by beautiful koa wood carvings and inset with LED panels, providing a dazzling glimpse into the magic the ocean holds. The sea of performers who lead the Moana float represent ocean waves, bringing the magic of the ocean to life. The percussion instruments played on the Kakamora unit that follows the Moana float are inspired by traditional Polynesian drums.
  • Look closely at the beautiful flow of the ocean, watching for a friendly character cameo (or two) from Disney and Pixar’s “Finding Nemo.” The heart of Te Fiti may also be spotted under the water. Gramma Tala is represented at the top of the float in her manta ray form, watching over Moana on her journey.
  • The Coco float is 11 feet wide, 19 feet tall and almost 36 feet long. Miguel appears in person for the first time on the float, which features more than 30,000 individual marigolds to decorate the bridge. The performers in front of the “Coco” float represent the beautiful marigold flower petals, as they fall off the bridge, spin, twist and float to the ground. Miguel’s dog, Dante, can be seen transforming from his dog form into his alebrije form as he crosses the marigold bridge. On the back of this float, 12 unique Chihuahuas are part of the singing dog act from the battle of the bands scene from the movie.
  • The performers that lead the Frozen 2 float are an extension of the Enchanted Forest; the male performers represent the trunks of the Aspen trees and the female performers are the canopy. The large snowflake behind Elsa incorporates the four elemental symbols from the film, representing water, fire, earth and wind. At nearly 39 feet long, the Frozen 2 float is the longest in the parade.
  • The regal grand finale of Magic Happens celebrates magical moments from several classic Disney stories. Each finale performer wears a slightly different costume piece and flag, representing the kingdom they are leading. The finale brings together a collection of iconic magical characters, including Genie, Aladdin, Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, Blue Fairy, Pinocchio and Fairy Godmother. These characters lead the way as more floats are introduced, each highlighting moments of magic that changed the characters’ lives.
  • The Cinderella float reaches 16 feet at the top of Cinderella’s carriage, and it’s approximately 10 feet in diameter.
  • The Sword in the Stone floor is approximately 19 feet tall, 15 feet long and 12 feet wide. If you look carefully, you can see Archimedes, the educated but irritable owl from the film. Archimedes is an animated figure on the figure on the float, and his neck and eyes move. Two squirrels, named Arthur and Hazel, are perched on top of the gothic architecture featured on the float. They serve as a nod to the sequence in the film where the characters transform into squirrels.
  • The Princess and the Frog float is 19 feet tall and 11 feet in diameter. The tree that stands above Tiana and Naveen is modeled from an actual mangrove tree.
  • The Sleeping Beauty float is the tallest float in the parade, with the top turret reaching approximately 30 feet tall. Princess Aurora’s gown shimmers between hues of pink and blue. The flag symbols are all designed in the style of Sleeping Beauty, as if to represent the different kingdoms and banners found in her castle.

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