Are you coming to Disneyland Paris soon and want to find out more about the park’s night-time shows? Want to know more about the Disney Illuminations show and its fireworks? Then you’ve come to the right place.

A day at Disneyland Paris wouldn’t be complete without the park’s night-time shows. These magical moments add the finishing touch to a day already rich in adventure and wonder. Among these shows, one of the most emblematic is undoubtedly Disney Illuminations! In this article, I invite you to discover this enchanting show from every angle: its history, the different scenes that make it up, some fascinating technical data, and everything you need to know to enjoy an unforgettable experience at Disneyland Paris.

Description sheet

Park: Disneyland Park
Location: Sleeping Beauty Castle
Date: March 25, 2017 – April 11, 2023
Date (return): May 31, 2024 – undetermined

Type: Night show
Schedule: At park close
Duration: 20 minutes

Show presentation

Disney Illuminations has been Disneyland Paris’ iconic nighttime show since it was first presented on March 25, 2017. Designed to celebrate the park’s 25th anniversary, the show then replaced Disney Dreams! offering an immersive experience projected onto the majestic Sleeping Beauty Castle. Visitors are transported into a world of magic through the use of lasers, fountains, pyrotechnic effects and fireworks synchronized with a mesmerizing soundtrack.

Conceived by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment and directed by Kathy Harris, the show is inspired by Shanghai Disneyland’s famous Ignite The Dream show, featuring Mickey Mouse through classic and contemporary Disney stories. After being temporarily replaced by Disney Dreams! to mark the park’s 30th anniversary on April 11, 2023, Disney Illuminations returned on May 31, 2024.

Information on what’s new in 2024

Although it’s the return of an old show, a few new features have been announced for Disney Illuminations. These include

  • the deletion of the scene from Beauty and the Beast (live-action)
  • the deletion of one of the three scenes from The Snow Queen.

For the moment, no information is available as to whether these scenes have been replaced by something else.

Technical data

Designer: Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
Director: Kathy Harris
Technologies used: Video Projection, Mapping, Water Jets, Laser, Pyrotechnics: Fireworks and Flame Cannon, Music/Soundtrack, Miscellaneous Lighting

Films: The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, Pirates of the Caribbean, Beauty and the Beast, The Snow Queen
Number of characters: 48
Number of musical numbers: 13
Number of scenes: 10

Show sequence

Warning: the following paragraph contains a spoiler about the show. If you prefer to discover the story for yourself during your visit, I recommend you skip the next part.

Scene 1:

Quote: “Within 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. Here’s your invitation to a journey beyond dreams.”

Scene 2:

Story: Mickey plays among the fountains and on Dumbo’s back, accompanied by his friends Olaf and the Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
Music: A dream is a wish your heart makes – Cinderella
Characters: Mickey, Dumbo and Olaf

Scene 3:

Story: Mickey guides the audience through Simba’s world, from laughing with Timon in a Hula version to the reunion with his father and Nala.
Music: The Story of Life and Love Shines Under the Stars – The Lion King
Characters: Mickey, Timon, Zazu, Rafiki, Simba, Mufasa, Sarabi, Nala

Scene 4:

Story: Diving into the depths of The Little Mermaid, Mickey joins Ariel on her journey to discover the world of men.
Music: Partir LĂ -bas – The Little Mermaid
Characters: Mickey, Ariel, Polochon, Prince Eric, Max, Triton

Scene 5:

Story: The aquatic adventures continue with Nemo and his father on the East Australian Current and Mickey on a surfboard.
Music: Fronds Like These and The Turtle Lope – Finding Nemo
Characters: Mickey, Marin, Nemo, Monsieur Raie and his class, Dory, Bruce, Chumy, Enclume, Crush, Squiz

Scene 6:

Story: Mickey unleashes a series of new maritime adventures, unveiling iconic scenes from the Pirates of the Caribbean saga, accompanied by pyrotechnic effects.
Music: He’s a Pirate – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Characters: Mickey, Jack Sparrow, Kraken

Scene 7:

Story: Several scenes from the film Beauty and the Beast (live-action version) are shown, and Mickey finally enters the majestic castle.
Music: How Does a Moment Last Forever – Beauty and the Beast (live-action)
Characters: Mickey, Beauty, The Beast, Zip, Lumière, Plumette

Note that this scene has been deleted from the 2024 version.

Scene 8:

Story: Transported to a galaxy far, far away by Star Wars themes, Mickey guides the audience through captivating scenes from the saga’s universe.
Music: Main Title and March of the Resistance – Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens
Characters: Mickey, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Rey, BB-8, Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma, Poe Dameron

Scene 9:

Story: Surrounded by snow and snowflakes, Mickey celebrates winter with the enchanting music of The Snow Queen, while revealing magical moments from the film.
Music: Libérée, délivrée, Le Renouveau (reprise) & Vuelie
Characters: Mickey, Elsa, Anna, The King of Arendelle, Prince Hans

Note that one of the three scenes has been deleted from the 2024 version.

Scene 10:

Story: The show reaches its climax in this finale as Mickey shares iconic moments from various fairy tales, while fireworks light up the sky, offering a dazzling conclusion to this fairy-tale experience.
Music: A dream is a wish your heart makes – Cinderella
Characters: Mickey, Cinderella, Henry, Beauty, The Beast, Aurora, Philippe, Snow White, Prince, Ariel, Prince Eric, Simba, Mufasa, Nala, Zazu, Mr. Raie and his class, Anna, Elsa, Dumbo

My opinion of the show

Before I begin this review, it’s important to know that I’m an avid lover of nighttime shows and fireworks, so my opinion of the Disney Illuminations show is somewhat influenced by this love. What’s more, having had the opportunity to discover Disney Dreams! before Disney Illuminations, I often tend to want to compare the two.

As far as storytelling is concerned, I have to confess that I’m not a fan of Disney Illuminations. While I’m more than happy to have Mickey, the master of ceremonies at Disneyland Paris, as the show’s conductor, I find his role too childish and devoid of depth. He seems to wander aimlessly from scene to scene, which doesn’t fit in with the character’s symbolic importance. Overall, the show is sorely lacking in a common thread, a story. Disney has thus opted for the easy way out, assembling cult scenes from the greatest Disney films without any real thought for a coherent narrative. And yet, who else but Disney knows how to tell stories that take us on a journey from our earliest childhood days?

Nevertheless, this simplistic choice really comes into its own as soon as the music takes center stage – and it’s particularly well chosen, by the way! They have the magical power to take me back to a precise moment in my life when I discovered the various Disney films presented. Each melody awakens a memory in me: a desire to dance with my prince in the Beauty and the Beast scene, an irresistible urge to sail aboard the Black Pearl to the sound of the film’s music, or to soar through space aboard the Falcon! And that’s exactly where the magic really happens during the show, transcending the limits of a simplistic narrative to transport us into a universe of memories and emotions.

As far as the technical effects are concerned, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I think the visual effects are really quite good! For example, the lasers projected onto the water during the Snow Queen scene are a real feat in my eyes. But, despite these impressive moments, I feel a slight lack of climax. Perhaps I would have liked scenes with a few more fireworks to add an extra touch of grandeur to the whole show.

Nonetheless, Disney Illuminations, like Disney Dreams! is an excellent night-time show not to be missed during a visit to Disneyland Paris. I highly recommend that anyone spending a day in the park wait until closing time to see this show, which is always the perfect end to a magical day. However, I’d also recommend getting a head start to ensure you’re well placed, as crowds can be quite large and it’s best to guarantee an optimal view to fully enjoy this unforgettable experience.

Official video of the show

Show photos