Paint the Evening parade is again as a part of the Disneyland seventieth Anniversary celebration, and is drawing large crowds to Predominant Avenue and the remainder of the route as locals and vacationers alike camp out ~2 hours upfront to prime areas. Our viewing information helps you beat the crowds, with our field-tested ideas & tips so you’ll be able to present up half-hour or much less and nonetheless rating a spectacular spot for PtN.
The very first thing we can not overstate is simply how busy Disneyland is within the evenings for Paint the Evening and the remainder of the seventieth Anniversary leisure. My authentic intent was to publish this viewing information after opening weekend, however I made a decision to carry off given the group dynamics. I additionally wished to see and {photograph} it a number of extra instances for illustrative views.
It’s now a number of weeks later, and issues have slowed down a bit, however not dramatically so. Paint the Evening continues to be immensely standard, and it may be troublesome to see. For the most effective view, friends are tenting out roughly two hours upfront. Technically, ~2 hours is the utmost. We’ve seen friends 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 ‘recreation’ of types…
Within the lead-up to the 2-hour mark, friends will begin hovering over the prime areas that they intend on staking out as a means of unofficially marking their territory, I suppose you would say. No less than on the times we’ve visited since summer season has began, this has change into much less frequent, nevertheless 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 Evening. The parade is completely value it, and as we talked about above, you don’t want to point out up 2+ hours upfront 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 ideas, let’s begin with the fundamentals. Paint the Evening is offered twice nightly, and at present rolls down the parade route at 8:50 pm and 10:50 pm at Disneyland. These instances do shift all year long based mostly on sundown and park ops, so remember to verify the day by day Disneyland leisure schedule in the event you’re visiting lengthy after that is revealed. The remainder of the ideas ought to stay kind of correct–timing is the massive one which’s topic to alter.
Paint the Evening is at present offered 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 Evening is at Disneyland.
Paint the Evening runs alongside the Disneyland parade route from close to “it’s a small world” to Predominant Avenue. The 2 performances go in reverse instructions, with the parade reversing between the 2. Which means that it begins at “it’s a small world” and comes down Predominant Avenue for the primary efficiency; the second efficiency begins the place the primary ended on Predominant Avenue and travels as much as “it’s a small world,” ending the place the primary efficiency started.
The primary efficiency of Paint the Evening is all the time busier than the second efficiency. At all times. And it’s not even a remotely shut name.
In case you solely take away one factor from this Paint the Evening viewing information, it’s that it’s best to completely watch the second Paint the Evening 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 Evening. So I might say that demand is at the least twice as excessive for the primary efficiency, and it’s typically unhappy.
Whereas many friends arrive 90 to 120 minutes earlier than the primary efficiency of Paint the Evening, 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 Evening ends, and there’s the Wondrous Journeys fireworks in between. Which means that the ‘mud settles’ on the parade route shortly after 10 pm, which is in regards to the earliest individuals will begin tenting out for the second exhibiting.
Most individuals don’t even stake out spots that early. The parade route begins filling in about 45 minutes upfront, 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. In actual fact, 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 in the event you’re prepared to face. You may stroll as much as an excellent 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 in the event you attempt that with the primary efficiency.
To present you an thought of what to anticipate, right here’s a take a look at crowds ~half-hour earlier than the primary Paint the Evening on a random weekday in June 2025, earlier than peak summer season vacationer season began:
This final picture footage the viewing areas for the Plaza Inn Eating Package deal for Paint the Evening Parade, in addition to the seventieth Anniversary Tour (left, dealing with the Prepare Station).
Word 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 in the event you arrive late or if the individuals in entrance of you’re standing. There’s usually extra respiratory room than the opposite sections.
This isn’t my favourite view of Paint the Evening, however I don’t dislike it. In case your important objective is just not having to stake out a spot lengthy upfront or wanting a little bit of elbow room and fewer stress, this works. Simply take into account that entrance row spots will nonetheless require arriving early. (See our Overview: Paint the Evening Parade Plaza Eating Package deal.)
My all-time #1 spot for Paint the Evening–or just about any parade—is true behind the flagpole with a view up Predominant Avenue. That is hardly a secret, and is the popular vantage of 9 out of 10 photographers. And there are a number 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 Evening continues in the direction of the Emporium aspect so it may well 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 choose being on the street. It places you barely off-center, which is definitely good for composing photographs. It additionally means the parades are turning away from you, and in the event you’re utilizing a telephoto lens (as it’s best to), you’ll be able to shoot previous the closest float to ground-level performers and floats in subsequent models. In contrast, in the event you’re according to the flagpole and Sleeping Magnificence Fortress, 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 have to 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 picture op, and friends wish to get photographs 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 upfront, or don’t even hassle. Except you get fortunate with climate or abnormally low crowds, that’s the one means you might have 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 practically as aggressive. It’s additionally not practically pretty much as good, as Sleeping Magnificence Fortress is behind you, as an alternative of within the background of your photographs. (For the reason that parade modifications instructions between the primary and second efficiency.)
My photographs 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 completely different nights ~60 minutes upfront 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 one best spot for watching Paint the Evening, the whole thing of Predominant Avenue is an in depth second. And truthfully, outdoors of that one spot, Predominant Avenue is a bit overrated for viewing Paint the Evening.
It’s the primary part to refill and even in the event you put within the arduous ‘work’ for a entrance row spot, you continue to may need your view obstructed. It’s because the parade is just not coming straight in the direction of you on Predominant Avenue. Sure, it’s clearly coming down Predominant Avenue, that’s technically true. However in the event you face ahead in your spot, you’re wanting on the different aspect of Predominant Avenue.
The parade is coming in the direction of you in the event you flip sideways, through which case you’re wanting previous different friends who’re according to you. This creates a doubtlessly awkward dynamic the place friends reaching out with their telephones or cameras, and even simply leaning out, can partially block your view. For that reason, in the event you should watch from the Predominant Avenue curb, we advocate placing an impediment (e.g. trash can) between you and Sleeping Magnificence Fortress. It’s an imperfect answer, however offers 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 making an attempt 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 in the event you’re exhibiting up late they usually’re someway open, however they typically aren’t. Furthermore, entrance row spots generally is a problem they usually’re typically put aside. Lastly, I simply don’t just like the angles right here–you don’t actually get an excellent ‘lengthy shot’ of Paint the Evening floats approaching after which passing you.
You may in all probability surmise my favourite Paint the Evening spots for the primary efficiency based mostly on all the 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 standard portion of the route–much less busy than each “it’s a small world” and Predominant Avenue.
There are additionally a number of sections of this route that solely permit 1-2 rows of viewing. That is good for not getting crowded out of your private house. Simply remember to verify with Forged Members that the world you’ve chosen is, the truth is, parade viewing. Some sections are usually not, and different individuals sitting there doesn’t make it so.
Most of this identical sentiment applies equally to the second efficiency, adjusted for Paint the Evening touring up Predominant Avenue.
It’s troublesome to supply particular suggestions as a result of there are nice and solely okay spots proper subsequent to at least one one other–it’s best to choose for your self by standing in a spot and seeing whether or not, if wanting straight ahead, the parade will probably be coming in the direction of you.
My favourite spots for the second efficiency of Paint the Evening are in City Sq. alongside the entrances to the park. There’s one in all 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 not too long ago staked out a curb spot 23 minutes upfront 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 world of Predominant 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 anticipate this each night time, nevertheless it’s value mentioning as a result of this part might not appear to be a viewing space, however it’s.
Beneath is my view of Paint the Evening 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 means up Predominant Avenue USA.
In case you plan on leaving the park instantly after the second exhibiting of Paint the Evening, this location is ideal. You’ll outlast the post-fireworks exodus however beat actually everybody else watching the second exhibiting of Paint the Evening. You’ll actually be in your automobile at Mickey & Associates by the point Paint the Evening 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 advantageous spot. You’ll need to observe the parade up Predominant Avenue (which generally is a neat factor–and one which’ll enable you to notice simply how slowly these parades transfer), although. Alternatively, the bottom of Companions is an efficient play.
That provides a straightforward escape to Adventureland or Frontierland, permitting for a late night time trip on Indiana Jones Journey, Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tiana’s Bayou Journey, and so on. I’d additionally select this spot if I deliberate on ending up in Tomorrowland, though that does require ready for the parade to cross.
Lastly, I’ll make a plug for catching each performances–or at the least a number of throughout your days in Disneyland–of Paint the Evening. Talking from my very own private expertise, this isn’t the parade that was love at first sight for me. Paint the Evening has grown on me with every viewing, with its distinctive quirks and ear worm soundtrack changing into firmly embedded in my mind and making me ask “when can we do that once more?”
Now it’s simple to see perceive why so many individuals love Paint the Evening. The music is catchy, the floats are spectacular, and there’s a palpable, downright enjoyable power to it. It’s the type of parade that hypes you up and places a smile in your face. Whereas I may quibble over a few of the decisions in execution, I can not 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 motels in our Anaheim Lodge Evaluations & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Evaluations. 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 lots of different SoCal cities!
Your Ideas?
Have you ever tried watching Paint the Evening Parade throughout Disneyland’s seventieth Anniversary? Do you might have favourite and least favourite viewing spots? Like or dislike those we’ve beneficial? First versus second exhibiting of PtN? Carried out 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 once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
