As the days wear on, Disney theme parks around the world are getting closer and closer to the normal that Guests were used to before the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe and changed everything. Many who have been to the Parks will tell you that the crowds have definitely returned. More restaurants are reopening, shows are coming back, and hard-ticketed events appear to be more popular than ever.
Disneyland Resort has been reopened for nearly a year and a half, and there isn’t much at the Parks that isn’t back to a pre-Covid normal. Character meet and greets are back, buffets are better than ever, and fireworks light up the skies on the weekends. However, one thing that has been slower to come back to the way it was before COVID is parades.
Before the COVID closure, Disneyland had some of the best parades — between the Pixar Play Parade, Paint the Night, and the brand-new Magic Happens, parades were where the fun was. Since Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have reopened, only two parades have made a comeback — the Christmas Fantasy parade and the Main Street Electrical Parade. Walt Disney World, on the other hand, has not yet seen the return of normal parades.
Now, however, it looks like Disney is planning to bring back even more parades to The Happiest Place on Earth. According to Disney Auditions, The House of Mouse is looking for performers who will be in parades beginning in January — after the Christmas season ends. Disney Auditions posted the following on its website:
Seeking Parade Performers – Dancer & Look-Alike Roles
For: Disneyland ResortAudition City: AnaheimLocation: 3-D TheatricalsLooking For: Parade Performers
Saturday, September 17, 202210:00 AM Timezone: Pacific Time (US & Canada) Add to CalendarDisney Live Entertainment is Seeking Parade Performers for Dancer and Look-Alike Roles.
Seeking the following:
Individuals of ALL heights for dancer & look-alike roles. Looking for technically strong trained dancers who are comfortable learning many styles of choreography. Must be adept at making an emotional connection with the audience. Performers should be willing to demonstrate a full range of body movement and animation skills.
Requirements:
- Must be fully available for rehearsals, which will start at the beginning of January 2023
- Must be authorized to work in the United States
- Performers must be at least 18 years of age and a high school graduate
- Current Disneyland® Resort Cast Members DO NOT need to attend
- Flexible availability is preferred
Now, if you are a Disneyland fan, then you may be hoping that Disney brings back one of its most popular parades — Paint the Night — which has run at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. One of Disney’s most successful parades ever was The Main Street Electrical Parade, and Paint the Night is a brighter, more modern version. With catchy music, gorgeous costumes, and incredible parade floats, Paint the Night is this writer’s favorite parade.
However, there is another parade that Disney could also be looking at bringing back. It could be considered a brand-new parade, as it was only around for about two weeks before Disneyland closed its gates. The parade is called Magic Happens, and it is indeed pure magic. The daytime Disney Park parade features floats that honor classic movies like The Sword in the Stone and newer films like Moana. Magic Happens is led by Mickey Mouse wearing a stunning sorcerer’s outfit and also features some of your favorite Disney characters.
While it would be great to see either of these shows return, it is also possible that Disney is working on a brand-new parade. At this time, Disney hasn’t announced anything new, but with the D23 Expo just one week away, we can expect to learn a lot more about what the future holds for not only Disneyland Resort, but also Walt Disney World, Shanghai Disney, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris.