Disney Illuminations

Disney Illuminations is a night-time show at Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris. A major new feature of the 25th anniversary, Disney Illuminations has been presented every night at the park’s closing time since 25 March 2017. It will be presented for the last time on 11 April 2023.

• Name : Disney Iluminations
• Location: Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris
• Launch date: 25 March 2017 – Preview on 31 March 2012
• Performance dates :
  • From 25 March 2017 to 11 April 2023
  • From March 16, 2020 to December 20, 2021, the show will not be presented due to the Covid pandemic. On 21 December 2021 Disney Illuminations returns after a year and a half absence.
• When: Every evening at the close of Disneyland Park (variable timetable to be consulted on the Disneyland Paris website or on the official application)
• Duration: 20 minutes
• Designer: Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
• Director: Kathy Harris
• Technologies used: Sound and light, video mapping, pyrotechnic effects, lasers, fountains and LEDs.
• Presence in another park: Disney Illuminations is largely inspired by the Shanghai Disneyland show: Ignite The Dream, from which it notably takes the intro music.

Disney Illuminations – the show

Shiver with happiness with Frozen, relive the eternal story of The Lion King, or vibrate to the epic rhythm of the Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean sagas!

The story is less comprehensible than its predecessor. Mickey travels through the greatest Disney hits. Through this journey, he rediscovers dreams, love and adventure.

Disney Illuminations includes live-action films for the first time: The live-action Beauty and the Beast or the Pirates of the Caribbean saga. Star Wars makes a prominent appearance.

Since March 2017, Disney Illuminations or “Illu'” for those in the know, is the show that closes your days in the park. Mickey takes the reins of this show. The scenes follow one another to the rhythm of lively music. We discover the different licenses that make or have made the success of Disney.

The carefully chosen and created images transport the spectators into another world. For a moment, we fly on Aladdin’s magic carpet, we swim on Jack Sparrow’s boat or we travel through another galaxy on board Star Wars ships, all condensed into a twenty-minute show combining fireworks, water and light effects and music from our favourite films.

It’s a magical moment that propels guests directly into the most beautiful Disney masterpieces, both classic and more recent, and that allows them to dream again for a few more moments.

Disney Illuminations – the different scenes :

Introduction

“In each of us lies a dreamer’s spirit, a child’s soul that just wants to have fun and change the world into a magical place where dreams come true. This is your invitation to a journey beyond dreams.”

To the music of Cinderella

Mickey travels through different worlds.

To the music of The Lion King

Mickey flies on a butterfly. A sun appears, the music drops. A lion cub appears on the sun, Mickey lifts the sun and sees Timon asleep. Timon suddenly wakes up and starts dancing the hula. The savannah, Simba and Nala appear. Mickey returns and walks along a tree bridge. While looking at the butterflies, he falls into the water.

To the music of The Little Mermaid

Mickey sinks into the depths of the sea and arrives in Atlandica. Then Ariel appears and starts singing Part of your World in French. Fountains gush out, spraying water higher, and fireworks light up the sky to celebrate Ariel and Eric’s love.

To the music of Finding Nemo

We meet up with Nemo and his father Marin to follow their journey through the East Australian Current. Several sea mines explode, and when the calm returns, Crush appears and surfs the wave formed by the explosion. Mickey returns on a surfboard. He falls off his board, the scene ends.

To the music of Pirates of the Caribbean

Mickey disappears underwater, the cursed chest of the Aztecs appears. Mickey swims in the middle of several gold coins. This is followed by the appearance of Jack Sparrow and a fight. The water fountains and fireworks have a field day. At the end of the fight, Mickey flies across the screen and the flames engulf the castle.

To the music of Beauty and the Beast

Several scenes from the live-action film are shown and Mickey finally enters the Beast’s castle.

To the music of Star Wars

Mickey travels thanks to balloons from the film Upstairs. He is transported to a galaxy far away.
The castle disappears, Han Solo and Chewie appear. This is followed by a real star wars where the use of lasers and fireworks plunges the spectator into a space battle.

To the music of Frozen

Mickey chases snowflakes. Elsa appears and we see her building her ice palace. The scene reproduces the sequence from the film: Elsa turns around and closes the door of her castle. Then Anna walks through the icy landscape. Several scenes from the film are projected onto one of the longest sequences in Disney Illuminations.

To the music of Cinderella, the Final

Mickey returns to the stage on a butterfly. Iconic scenes follow:

• Cinderella becoming a princess
• The dance of Aurora and Prince Philip, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and her Prince, or Ariel and Eric
• Snow White’s awakening by her Prince
• Simba’s presentation
• Simba and Nala’s ride
• The ride on the back of the stingray for Nemo and his friends
• The reunion between Anna and Elsa

Before leaving, Mickey waves to the crowd on Dumbo’s back. Disney Illuminations ends with a fireworks display.

Disney Illuminations – the different music

• Cinderella
  • A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes
• The Lion King
  • Circle of Life
  • Can You Feel the Love Tonight
• The little Mermaid
  • Part of your world
• Finding Nemo
  • Fronds Like These
  • The Turtle Lope
• Pirates of the caribbean
  • He’s a Pirate
• Beauty and the Beast
  • How Does a Moment Last Forever
• Star Wars, episode VII : The Force Awakens
  • Main Title
  • March of the Resistance
• Frozen
  • Let it go !
  • For the first time (Reprise)
  • The Great Thaw (Vuelie Reprise)
• Cinderella
  • Reprise : A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Final

• Disney Princess
  • If You Can Dream