Magic Happens Parade is a spectacular parade that takes place at the Disneyland park in California. This parade is known for its vibrant colors, lively music, and enchanting atmosphere. The parade features various Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and their friends, as well as princesses, villains, and other beloved characters. Each character has their own intricately designed float, which is beautifully decorated to reflect their story and personality. What makes the Magic Happens Parade truly special is the use of cutting-edge technology and stunning visual effects. The floats incorporate innovative lighting, projection mapping, and animatronics to bring the Disney stories to life in a magical way.
Not to be outdone, the parade’s soundtrack feels modern and fresh. I’ll be honest, I’m fairly picky when it comes to music and many parade soundtracks border on annoying in my eyes (ears?). Magic Happens manages to toe the line just right, balancing modern Disney songs with a bouncy beat. The parade’s original songs, composed by Todrick Hall (Editor’s Note: We saw him. ), are catchy and fun while fitting in with that runway theme.
The line, which is also the title of the song originally composed for the controversial Disney film, Song of the South , was perhaps most widely recognized as part of the Splash Mountain attraction based on the film. The parade has also suffered a series of small mishaps, from the audio system crashing, Merlin from The Sword in the Stone losing his shoe, and the finale float getting stuck in the middle of Main Street, U.
The floats incorporate innovative lighting, projection mapping, and animatronics to bring the Disney stories to life in a magical way. For example, the float featuring Moana showcases a stunning water projection effect, making it seem like the ocean is alive and moving. The parade also features a captivating musical score that includes both classic and contemporary Disney songs.
Come for the princesses and stay for the . interpretive dance? Disneyland’s new parade ups the art ante
The draw of a Disney parade in the modern era has long been the floats. That’s true again for Magic Happens, Disneyland’s first new daytime cavalcade in almost a decade. Marvel at the mini forest that conceals Anna and Elsa of “Frozen” fame, and stand transfixed at the curved LED screen that represents a wave towering over Moana.
Yes, the floats of Magic Happens provide the requisite eye candy needed for a theme park parade. There are details large — a blinking, bronzed sorcerer’s hat with a slight Steampunk bent — and small, such as little robotic owl, his name is Archimedes, perched near Arthur and Merlin on an installation celebrating the under-represented classic “The Sword in the Stone.”
But for those who take in Magic Happens, here’s a tip: Divert your eyes from the recognizable characters and brand icons. The stars of Magic Happens are the dancers, significantly elevated from their traditional role revving up the crowd with upbeat moves between set pieces. The 90-or-so performers are graced with heavily theatrical choreography, which at times borders on interpretive dance. In turn, Magic Happens possesses a keen awareness of dance as a language.
Advertisement Dancers in front of a “Frozen 2” float bring a bit of ballet to Disneyland. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)Think, for instance, of the dancers as extensions of the floats. Things start modestly, with those preceding a “Moana” float representing ocean waves with aqua-heavy outfits that are wrapped to represent circular motion. From a distance they look like spinning tops. The naturalistic and conceptual themes increase as the parade continues.
“Each of the elements, each of the dancers, are representing an idea,” said Magic Happens director Jordan Peterson. “The opening dancers in front of the ‘Coco’ unit are marigold petals that have actually fallen from the bridge as they’re gliding down and catching the air. OK, so how do we represent that through storytelling, through interpretation? So we created these beautiful skirts that flow really well in the wind and then they come off and they become their own elements of dance [as capes].”
For “Frozen 2,” Magic Happens nods to ballet, with exquisite outfits designed to imagine a snowy forest and its canopy. We hear strands of the film’s “Into the Unknown” intermixing with a new theme song from Todrick Hall, but Magic Happens doesn’t handle “Frozen 2” in the expected ways: a glowing elemental horse (the film’s Nokk creature) and hearty trees make the audience wait for glimpses of Anna and Elsa; dancers then capture the film’s exquisite environmental animation rather than mirroring the brash personality of Elsa or endless optimism of Anna.
“How do you create this tableau of this mysterious forest, and then bring it to life on the streets?” said Peterson. “It really starts with going back and doing your research into what story you want to tell. Just because it’s physical movement, and you’re not using your voice, doesn’t mean that you can’t take someone on a journey.”
“Coco” dancers represent flowers, sporting skirts that double as capes. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)While Magic Happens won’t be mistaken for a Beyoncé concert — there is still the need to balance advanced choreography with constant forward movement and visibly apparent crowd interactions — Disney collaborated with Tessandra Chavez of “So You Think You Can Dance” fame, and the result is a parade that enjoys plenty of pop fierceness. Even the parade’s closing duo of female dancers, who end the procession with a baton of flags affixed to their waists, put a saucy exclamation point on the end of the show with finger-wags, struts and exaggeratedly jutting hips.
For a parade down Main Street, USA, it’s borderline provocative. Yet Disney’s live entertainment team has shown over the past year or two a willingness to usher both the park’s day and nighttime offerings into the modern era. Evening show Mickey’s Mix Magic, for instance, pulled from EDM culture, bringing an ever-so-slight rave-like feel to the park.
Magic Happens explodes with loudly colorful looks. Men sport giant blue pompadours, and women don purple-wigs where it’s difficult to recognize where hair ends and tassels begin, which says nothing of the metallic jackets and saucer-like hats worn by the parade’s opening dancers. It’s contemporary camp, where objects aren’t worn so much as embodied. With help from makeup artist David Petruschin, best known as Raven from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” performers look forever in a state of transformation.
Advertisement“We love the traditional part of Disney,” said Vin Reilly, a producer on the show. “But we always want to bring something new. We had the opportunity with Mix Magic and this parade to just kick it over a notch. It’s like sorbet. You want a different breath of fresh air.”
The dancers that launch Magic Happens do so as if they’re pouncing on a fashion runway. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)Magic Happens is essentially split in two, with the front half representing recent properties with multi-part floats and extensive dance, and the latter half intermixing older properties such as “Cinderella,” “The Princess and the Frog” and “Sleeping Beauty” in relatively quick succession. Designs still have modern flourishes — Taiana and Naveen stand amid rotating golden flowers and the turrets on the Sleeping Beauty float seem to grow before our eyes — but Magic Happens does present a clear distinction between Disney’s present and future and where it’s been.
Much of it is so vibrant that it could double as a night parade (another tip: catch the later of the parade’s two shows). Dante, the canine star of “Coco,” transforms from earthly pup to a kaleidoscope of Mexican folk art as it traverses the bridge at the center of the float. One of the brightest moments occurs after the “Coco” float passes, and the Disneyland streets are graced with dancers representing the film’s spirit guides, all donning animalistic masks and horns before giving way to the film’s big cat-like Pepita, a puppet that roars with every step and gives the show a brief nod to a Mexican alebrije parade.
A Polynesian influence, of course, permeates the “Moana” float, where dancers in full native Pacific Islander regalia may appear to some as a particularly bold choice. Yet the underlying tone feels celebratory, as the music adopts a traditional percussive feel as the rooster Heihei, here a remote controlled robot, tries not to get lost amid the commotion. Guests will no doubt have their eyes fixed to the assorted LED screens that appear on the “Moana” float, all of them matching the curvatures of the float.
And yet characters and technological advancements are expected at a Disney theme park. With Magic Happens, however, the biggest surprise may come right at the beginning, and it’s entirely human driven. The opening group of dancers step onto the street as if pounding a fashion runaway, doing so with a brashness that’s assertive, flirtatious and immediately attention grabbing.
“We wanted to make sure that the flow of the parade was unique enough to make you stop and realize something’s different,” said Peterson, “and we do it right out of the gate by going so bold with our opening dancers.”
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The upbeat tunes and catchy melodies add to the overall joyful and energetic atmosphere of the parade. Visitors can't help but tap their feet and sing along as the floats pass by. As part of the parade, there are also highly skilled performers who dance and entertain the spectators. These performers are dressed in elaborate costumes that match the theme of their respective floats. From graceful ballerinas to acrobatic stilt walkers, the performers add an extra element of excitement and awe to the parade. The Magic Happens Parade is a must-see for anyone visiting Disneyland. It's a magical experience that brings beloved Disney characters and stories to life right before your eyes. With its stunning visuals, captivating music, and talented performers, this parade is a true spectacle that will leave you feeling like you've stepped into a fairytale. So, be sure to grab a prime spot along the parade route and get ready to be enchanted by the magic that happens at the Disneyland park..
Reviews for "Exploring Paradw: The Source of Magic's Illusions"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I had high expectations for the Magic Happens Parade, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The floats were beautifully designed, and the costumes were stunning, but the overall performance lacked energy and excitement. The choreography seemed repetitive, and the music selection didn't effectively capture the Disney magic. I was left feeling underwhelmed and disappointed.
2. Mark - 3 stars - As a longtime Disney fan, I was excited to see the Magic Happens Parade during my recent visit to the park. While there were some impressive moments, I found myself feeling slightly let down. The parade lacked the innovative storytelling and magic that I've come to expect from Disney. Some of the floats and characters felt recycled from previous parades, and there wasn't a clear narrative thread throughout the performance. Overall, it was an enjoyable spectacle, but it didn't leave a lasting impression like some of Disney's other parades have.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really looking forward to the Magic Happens Parade, but sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations. The floats were impressive, but the overall flow of the parade felt disjointed. It felt like a random assortment of Disney characters and themes, without a cohesive story or message. The lack of a central storyline made it difficult to stay engaged and connect with the parade. I left feeling a bit confused and wishing for a more cohesive and immersive experience.