Event Review - Disneyland After Dark: 70 Years of Favorites Falls Flat with Lack of Vision

We have discussed how, recently, the Disneyland Resort has been investing in the experience of guests visiting the parks each and every day. However, after attending the Disneyland After Dark: 70 Years of Favorites event, it is clear that the Disneyland After Dark event series is not someplace where they are investing a lot of energy and creativity. The bland event raises the question of whether this event series even needs to exist or is just simply a cash grab without any creative vision.

I will acknowledge that this event is a tough assignment. How do you enhance a park that is already celebrating its 70th anniversary and add on top of it? But even then, they didn’t reach for low-hanging fruit. For example, the BGM for the event was covers of Disney songs instead of specifically featuring Disneyland songs. While a redux of “Get’cha Head in the Game” would make sense for Disney Channel Nite, it is a stretch to make it work for a celebration of Disneyland. 

The marquee event, Sounds of Magic, was a quartet of singers on a raft along the Rivers of America. They performed Disney movie songs that happened to appear in shows that appeared at the Disneyland Resort. Although the performers were undeniably talented, it felt like they did the absolute minimum to deliver a special experience. These events have gotten into a lull of having a set of singers sing Disney songs, and there is little to differentiate this from the version they performed at other After Dark events. In addition, the use of the Fantasmic! fountains just drew attention to the maintenance issues with those systems.

There were some genuine highlights. Having some of the Main Street Electrical Parade floats out was a special touch, while some of the photo ops were inventive — including the ability to pose with some of the ride vehicles from “a bug’s land."  For certain fans, recreating Videopolis at the Tomorrowland Terrace with DJ Richard Blade was a special moment. If only other inventive experiences were located throughout the park.

While most people like line dancing, pretending it has anything to do with the Woody’s Roundup show at the Golden Horseshoe is a bit of a joke. Why not do something that actually pays tribute to a favorite of the last 70 years, the Golden Horseshoe Revue?

Even the character lineup seemed a bit lazy. Some of the folks they brought out to be a rare experience (such as Mother and Father from the Carousel of Progress) are no longer rare as they are often trotted out at other Disneyland After Dark events. Even the Magic Key has sort of given up on these events as there was no special gift for Magic Key holders at this installment.

What was the vision of this event? What made it special? I am struggling to answer those questions.

In a review, I feel like I should discuss more about what the event is, but that is the problem: there just wasn’t much to it. I understand the business desire to sell the park twice in one day, but that only works when the special event actually feels special. Going to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party at the Magic Kingdom, Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure, or many other events make you feel as if the park is transformed into a special experience. Particularly at a time when Disneyland maintenance teams are struggling with doing necessary work with extended park hours, it is clear that this event doesn’t need to exist.

While any evening at Disneyland is special, the only thing that made Disneyland After Dark: 70 Years of Favorites feel special was the fact that it was just another night at Disneyland.