Credit: DisneyThe holidays may be right around the corner, but the Disney park is axing its Christmas nighttime entertainment for nearly two weeks starting on Thursday.
While technically, any time of year is magical at Disney, the holidays take things to a new level. From Disneyland Resort to Shanghai Disneyland, each Disney resort does Christmas in its own unique way, with the celebrations typically kicking off the moment the last Jack-o’-Lantern is removed.
With two ticketed Christmas events (Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney’s Jollywood Nights) and an array of park-specific celebrations, Disney World arguably embraces the season the most. However, last week saw one resort temporarily snatch the title of Disney’s most festive theme park destination when snow covered Disneyland Paris.
That snow may have since melted, but the resort is still going all-out for the holidays. However, guests will be disappointed to learn that Disneyland Paris has just cut its festive nighttime show for 10 days from December 5, 2024.
The Disney Electrical Sky Parade—the nightly drone show inspired by the Main Street Electrical Parade, held above Sleeping Beauty Castle—is usually a non-festive affair but has been given a Christmas update for the holiday season in 2024.
Combining “synchronized drones, video projections, lights, and fountains,” it is performed nightly before Disney Illuminations. This steps in for the park’s full-blown festive fireworks display, Disney Dreams of Christmas, which hasn’t been performed since 2022.
But between December 5 and December 14, the festive iteration of Disney Electrical Sky Parade will not be performed. Instead, the park will host a new limited-edition show, “Disney loves Notre-Dame de Paris.”
As the name suggests, this show is intended to celebrate the iconic Notre-Dame de Paris, the medieval church in the French capital that was infamously nearly destroyed in a fire in 2019.
The past five years have seen the site undergo a massive restoration – one that’s nearly complete, with the church officially reopening on December 7 and 8.
According to DLP Report, this show will draw inspiration from Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), the iconic animation set in and around the church, inspired by Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name.
While the cancellation of the festive edition of the Disney Electrical Sky Parade may be disappointing for those traveling specifically to celebrate the holidays – especially as a string of early park closures have also been announced for December 10, 12, 13, 17, and 19 – there’s plenty more magic to enjoy at Disneyland Paris in December.
Disneyland Park hosts Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade! twice per day, as well as its Magical Christmas Tree Lighting and the “Let’s Sing Christmas!” musical show. Both Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park also host their own winter markets, AKA Les Chalets Gourmands.
What’s your favorite Disney Christmas celebration?