The Show Disney Illuminations At Disneyland Paris

The show Disney Illuminations at Disneyland Paris is, certainly, the high point for many people – families, groups, couples, among others – who decide to visit the French resort, just like the Disney Stars on Parade.

In short, you’ll be able to watch a multifaceted presentation, inspired by Walt Disney‘s most successful movies. And, just to exemplify, get ready for fireworks, video mapping projections, water fountains, fire emissions, spotlights, lasers, and an extraordinary soundtrack!

So, do you want to know more about The Show Disney Illuminations At Disneyland Paris? Keep reading!

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Disney Illuminations at Disneyland Paris
Disney Illuminations at Disneyland Paris

Brief History of Disney Illuminations at Disneyland Paris

First of all, the night show Disney Illuminations at Disneyland Paris premiered on March 26th, 2017, as part of the celebrations for the 25th Anniversary of Disneyland Paris. In this sense, this daily exhibition came to replace a previous one called “Disney Dreams!”, which took place between April 1st, 2012, and March 24th, 2017, in order to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Disneyland Paris.

Moreover, the Disney Illuminations at Disneyland Paris is inspired by Shanghai Disneyland Park‘s “Ignite the Dream, A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and Light”. However, like any other exterior presentation at Disneyland Paris – it depends on favorable weather conditions. It usually takes 20 minutes and starts right after the closing of Disneyland Park, which can be between 6 pm and 11 pm (depending on the season).

The night show takes place at Central Plaza – more specifically at Sleeping Beauty Castle – and is also seen from Main Street, U.S.A., Town Square, and even from the Disneyland Hotel. In short, Disney Illuminations consists of nine segments, belonging to the Disney, Pixar, and Lucasfilm (Star Wars) universes, being:

1. Mickey & Friends

Firstly, the show starts with a voice-over that encourages all visitors from Disneyland Paris to release the child inside and to dream:

“Within each of us is a dreamer, just waiting to be awakened.
We all have the magic to unlock this inner child.
But sometimes, that inner child needs an invitation to come out and play.
This is your invitation… to dream.”

From there, the host Mickey Mouse invites us to contemplate the Sleeping Beauty Castle, while telling us classic and modern Disney stories. The song in this opening scene is “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” (from “Cinderella”, 1950), in an original version performed by Heather Headley.

2. The Lion King

In this way, Mickey Mouse‘s adventure itself begins with an excursion into the heart of the African savannah, with the animated and bestselling movie “The Lion King” (1994) in great prominence at Sleeping Beauty Castle.

It’s possible to hear two of its main themes – “Circle of Life” and “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” (with songs by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice) – while the video mapping projection reports some of the most important phases of life of the young Simba.

3. The Little Mermaid

Meanwhile, Mickey Mouse slips and falls into a waterfall, which soon turns into a huge ocean where he meets Ariel and Flounder. The place where the two friends meet is nothing more than the cave where Ariel hides his huge collection of human treasures!

In this mesmerizing segment of “The Little Mermaid” (1989), the soundtrack develops mainly around the theme “Part of Your World” (with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman), sung by the protagonist.

4. Finding Nemo

The journey under the sea continues after “The Little Mermaid” with the Pixar classic “Finding Nemo” (2003), revealing characters like Martin, Nemo, and Dory, as well as the sea turtle Crush, the shark Bruce, and others of their friends.

Aboard Crush‘s shell and retrieving some original lines from the movie, the night show follows the Australian Great Barrier Reef, until unexpectedly, it comes across a huge and mysterious treasure chest…

5. Pirates of the Caribbean

Thus, the time has come to pay tribute to the live-action movie of the Disney universe, namely the successful franchise “Pirates of the Caribbean”. There are already five movies – “The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003), “Dead Man’s Chest” (2006), “At World’s End” (2007), “On Strange Tides” (2011), and “Dead Men Tell No Tales” (2013) – starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley.

With iconic scenes and an absolutely epic soundtrack by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer (for example, “He’s A Pirate”), Captain Jack Sparrow and the other pirates invade the castle with a lot of sword fights and adrenaline.

6. Beauty and the Beast

After big explosions of gunpowder and an abrupt end to the previous scene, the next one pays another tribute to a live-action movie. This time, it’s the remake of “Beauty and the Beast” (2017), in some sort of a trailer ornamented with the song “How Does A Moment Last Forever”.

When the Disney Illuminations at Disneyland Paris debuted in March 2017, this movie had just been released and the novelty factor was one of the big surprises in the show. Nevertheless, “Beauty and the Beast” has proven to be a huge success worldwide and, today, it remains one of the most emotional moments of the night.

7. Star Wars

With the show approaching its last few minutes, the technical exhibitionism of pyrotechnics and special effects from the Disney Illuminations at Disneyland Paris begins to manifest itself with greater intensity in the segment that follows: the one from “Star Wars” (1977-2019).

To the sound of John Williams‘ iconic “Star Wars Theme” and “March of the Resistance”, Disneyland Paris visitors are transported to a galaxy far, far away as the two sides of the Force clash furiously.

8. Frozen

With no surprise, the night show Disney Illuminations at Disneyland Paris ends its daily performance with a true worldwide phenomenon of the year 2013 – “Frozen” – recreating several of the most iconic scenes in this hit movie.

In the company of sisters Elsa and Anna, everyone is invited to sing in unison “Let It Go”, “For the First Time in Forever (Reprise)”, and even “Vuelie” (with songs by Robert Lopez, lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, and orchestration by Christophe Beck), and this last theme already announces the unforgettable ending that is approaching.

9. Mickey & Friends (Reprise)

The final segment recovers some of the previous scenes and the opening song (“A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes”), besides several other Disney characters and movies. In an extraordinary display of pyrotechnics, audiovisual, lighting, and multimedia technology, really do save the best for last!

After the show is over, the Sleeping Beauty Castle remains lit up, while visitors are invited to leave the park and it’s still possible to listen to the exit song “If You Can Dream” (2004), the first official single from the Disney Princess franchise.

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