Disneyland Pride Nite is one for the history books – DePaoli on DeParks
On June 13, 2023, the Disneyland Resort made history with its first ever official LGBTQIA Pride Month celebration at the resort. The sold-out Disneyland After Dark Pride Nite delighted with its various unique offerings for all pride-filled guests to enjoy.
Disneyland Park was covered in rainbows and bright colors at every turn. As with all of the After Dark special events, there was specialty merchandise and food available. Offerings included Rainbow Grey Stuff, Rainbow Cookies, the Cereal & Milk Pretzel, and so much more.
Some highlights of all Disneyland After Dark events is the specialty entertainment and character interactions. High above Sleeping Beauty Castle, the skies were ignited with bright colors during the Welcome Fireworks. You can catch the full pyro-filled spectacular in our video below.
Strolling and rolling through Disneyland were Mickey, Minnie, and more Disney friends, along with some energetic dancers, in the Welcome Pride Cavalcade. The Main Street vehicles, and even a parade float, were decked out with bright balloons to celebrate Pride Month. You can catch the full cavalcade in our video below:
One of my favorite things about the event was seeing how character interactions have evolved at Disneyland After Dark. In the past, these events have been known to have very long lines simply to meet and interact with your favorite characters. But some creative solutions have been implemented to help ensure you don’t spend your entire night in lines.
In the case of Jane and Terk from “Tarzan,” you could find the two traveling around Adventureland. Instead of standing in one location for guests to take photos, Jane and Terk would explore, get up to antics, interact with guests, and yes, take photos as well. This is a nice way to interact with the characters as you stroll around the park. Princess Tiana and Louis from “The Princess and the Frog” could be seen in a similar fashion in New Orleans Square, as well as the Evil Queen from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in Fantasyland, and others.
Other characters were presented in a way similar to the Treat Trails at Oogie Boogie Bash, minus the candy. The characters would stay in one location, but guests were encouraged to stroll by while they have a brief interaction and snap a picture. At Pride Nite, The Muses from “Hercules” were presented in this fashion. This is certainly a rare encounter, and the lines surely would have been hours long if it had been done like a typical photo op.
That’s not to say the traditional Disney PhotoPass picture stops weren’t available at all. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and others had their own locations to line up for a photo. The mix of the characters wandering, having a pass-by option, and traditional photo spots makes for a nice mix of character interactions where you’re not standing all night in line. I highly approve of this method.
In addition to all of this, guests could find dance parties happening all over the park. From a floating DJ on the Rivers of America, to Stitch’s Ohana Dance Party in Tomorrowland, and more. You could even do some line dancing in the Golden Horseshoe.
One of the more surprising moments of the evening was when the crowd gathered on Main Street U.S.A., while waiting for the fireworks to begin, broke into an ABBA sing-along as pop music blasted throughout the park. It felt like a moment of pure joy.
Overall, the first ever official Pride Month celebration at Disneyland felt like a big success. Considering both nights of the event sold out, I’ll be surprised if we don’t see a return of this event next June.
What do you think? Did you experience Disneyland After Dark Pride Nite yourself? If so, what did you think of it? If you didn’t attend, does seeing all of the additional options make you consider attending next year? Leave a comment and let us know.
Jeff DePaoli is a producer and voiceover artist living in Los Angeles. He can be heard as the voice of Disney Trivia on Alexa as well as the host of “Dizney Coast to Coast,” the ultimate, unofficial Disney fan podcast. Get your FREE gifts of “America’s Hidden Mickeys,” “On the Rohde Again,” “Theme Park Comfort Kit” and more at DizneyCoastToCoast.com. DePaoli’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent Attractions Magazine.
Looks like a fantastic event! I’m sorry I missed it. I love the idea of people gathering together in community and having a good time. Walt would be proud.
I’ll definitely make an effort to attend next year.