Even happier: It's time to celebrate as the Nighttime Spectaculars return to Disneyland

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) —I've never known a world that wasn't colored in part by Walt Disney.

I've loved Mickey Mouse and feared Captain Hook since my beginning. Economics kept me from going to Disneyland as frequently as I would have liked, but I've spent many days over the years standing in front of Sleeping Beauty's castle, traveling through the stars on Space Mountain and losing my mind every time I see Maleficent reluctantly making her way through the crowds like the Pied Piper with a tail of attentive children and adults following close behind.

I'm not an expert; I am a life-long fan. Someone who likes to visit a place where dreams have been transformed into something tangible.

Last week, I was asked by Disneyland to come and watch a performance of "Tale of the Lion King," and celebrate the return of the Nighttime Spectaculars, including the Main Street Electrical Parade, the Disneyland Forever Fireworks and witness the return of Fantasmic!

While most of my early memories of Disneyland are sun-drenched, euphoric and sticky, I've come to prefer the park at night. Less heat, thinning crowds and age demographic play into the equation, but the major reason is Disneyland is simply more magical at night. The imagineers have put a lot of thought into the way the buildings are lit and how that adds to the distinct atmosphere of the different areas of the park.

New Orleans Square looks remarkable in the daytime, but it isn't until the lights come on that it shows its full character. This is particularly true for newer areas like Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Avengers Campus where the lighting often highlights the small details and flourishes that make these imaginary places feel real.

As an adult without children, I visit Disneyland to reconnect with the little boy I once was. He believed in a world with endless possibilities. That kind of hopefulness has been missing from all of our lives for a considerable amount of time.

I was able to visit Disneyland in February of 2020 with my family. Within two or three weeks the world went on lockdown and anything and everything lighthearted disappeared for an unimaginable amount of time. I learned the value of my freedom and the experiences I've been fortunate enough to share with friends and family over the years. Returning to Disneyland symbolizes a rekindling of my old self. Only this time I intend to be more appreciative of the opportunities I am given.

After checking into the Disneyland Hotel, I made my way through the Downtown Disney District. This was only the second time I've stayed at an official Disneyland hotel. Previously, I'd stayed at the Grand California Hotel for the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opening party in 2019.

The proximity of the official hotels is wonderful. I love not having to worry about parking. If I forget something or just need to head back to the room for an hour or two to recharge or work in a swim during the day's hottest hours, that's a viable option. Well, maybe not nearly as viable this trip. My busy schedule meant I spent only 5 or 6 hours at the hotel (and yes, that includes sleeping).

I arrive at Disneyland's gates in the early afternoon, My day didn't officially start until the early evening with a viewing of "Tale of the Lion King." So, I checked in with the media center at the Main Street Opera House where I was given an impromptu tour by Food and Beverage Integration Specialist David Nigueyyen of the new food being introduced to the park this summer (we'll get to that in a separate article).

From there, I took the free time to make my pilgrimage to Peter Pan's Flight, Star Wars: Star Tours,Snow White's Scary Adventures, the Haunted Mansion and a quick visit to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge where I unexpectedly discovered the Rise of the Resistance had just reopened and the line was half as long as it usually is. So, I took advantage of my good fortune. That gave me just enough time to get a glass of blue milk.

The Nighttime Spectacular portion of my adventure begins with the 8:45 pm Main Street Electrical Parade. Disney has set aside a space up the stairs by the Disneyland Railroad platform for the press. This affords us a nice, unobstructed view at the end of the parade route. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, theMain Street Electrical Parade is a whirling tour through the lights of Las Vegas with the shady characters replaced with childhood favorites.

And instead of dour casinos, we're taken momentarily to the magical elsewhere of "Alice in Wonderland," "Cinderella," "Peter Pan," "Snow White," Pinocchio" and "Pete's Dragon." For a moment, I'm a child shoeless and dancing to my vinyl copy of "The Official Album of Disneyland"with my eyes closed. It could be completely different or exactly the same as the parade when I saw it the first time. I'm not entirely sure. What is important is that it feels almost exactly as it did the first time.

The notable change is they've added an additional float featuring a bevy of animatronic characters from more recent Disney and Pixar films like "Brave," "Coco," "Moana," "Aladdin," "Frozen" and "Raya and the Last Dragon." It's a beautiful float, but it feels somewhat out of place. It's a bit too modern; a Tesla in a room full of vintage Corvettes. This proves to be an anticlimactic finale to an otherwise perfect experience.

I encourage Disney to make more modern floats, sprinkle them in throughout the parade, but never abandon the classic floats with live actors and always begin with the train and finish with Pete riding on the back of his dragon Elliot. Everything should end with a dragon.

Unfortunately, wind cancels the Disneyland Forever Fireworks. Instead, we're offered the Mickey's Mix Magic — "an extravaganza bursting with magical song tracks, kaleidoscopic projections and exciting lights and lasers." The kids don't seem to mind as they dance and sing their way down Main Street. I make my way over to the Rivers of America to watch Fantasmic!

We're seated right along the river, but with the Pirates of the Caribbean ride under construction, the area is decidedly less crowded than I remember it being in the past. I've seen Fantasmic! a few times since its debut in 1992 and it never fails to disappoint with its mix of pyrotechnics, costumed characters, and classic movie clips projected on walls of water.

It's bombastic in the best way; the kind of show that dazzles even the sleepiest of children. It's a quintessential part of the modern Disneyland experience and the perfect way to end an evening.

That said, half of me wished I could also be at the World of Color at California Adventure. It's not nearly as loud or flashy as Fantasmic!, but the light and water show is incredibly beautiful and the massive Ferris wheel is the perfect backdrop. The show also incorporates the use of video projected on water screens. I've always loved the Paradise Pier area, even as it has shifted direction away from the classic 1920s amusement park theme to become Pixar Pier.

From there, my adventures took me to Avengers Campus. That's a story worthy of its own article. Look for it to arrive soon.

With the return of the major nighttime shows and parades, Disneyland and California Adventure is back at almost full strength just in time for Summer. Just be aware you won't be able to squeeze everything into one night. You could navigate theMain Street Electrical Parade, the Disneyland Forever Fireworks and Fantasmic! if you station yourself near Cinderella's Castle.

For World of Color, you'll likely have to build a day around its 9:00 p.m. showing. I think it is worth it. Ideally, you'd have three nights. That would allow you to also visit Avengers Campus and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at night and mix in some downtime during the early afternoons when the heat is at its highest.

And remember: always finish with a dragon.