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Credit: DisneyIn 2015, Disneyland Resort celebrated its 60th anniversary, and as part of the celebration, a brand-new parade was introduced to The Happiest Place on Earth. The Paint the Night Parade was basically the Main Street Electrical Parade on steroids, with catchy music that makes guests want to get up and dance, and brightly colored floats that were absolutely stunning. The parade was an absolute hit, and many guests called it the best parade Disney had ever created.
Much to guests’ disappointment, the parade closed in 2017, and for years, they begged Disney to bring it back. So, you can imagine their excitement when Disney announced that the parade would be returning for the theme park’s 70th anniversary celebration.
Related: Disney’s Best Parade Is Getting a Dining Package!
Paint the Night made its highly anticipated return to Disneyland Park on May 16, and guests line Main Street, U.S.A. every night to watch the dazzling display. And even though the Halloween season kicked off on August 22, the Paint the Night Parade continues to delight.
However, on the evening of September 10, guests watching the parade saw something they never expected. Just as the parade was making its way through Fantasyland, the float featuring Ariel from The Little Mermaid (1989), a giant King Triton, Flounder, and Sebastian, began to smoke. Several eyewitnesses even claimed they saw flames.
The Little Mermaid float in Paint the Night at Disneyland started smoking tonight and the parade had to be stopped and guests were removed from the area
The Little Mermaid float in Paint the Night at Disneyland started smoking tonight and the parade had to be stopped and guests were removed from the area pic.twitter.com/Snges3YSUH
— Matt (@DisneyScoopGuy) September 11, 2025
Related: Tinker Bell’s Costume Piece Falls During Parade, Leaving Guests Stunned!
Disney cast members acted quickly, and thankfully, no one was injured. The cast member playing Ariel, who sits at the front of the float, was removed from the scene. Cast members also evacuated guests from the area, and within half an hour, the smoke was extinguished.
The float was then slowly towed down Main Street, U.S.A. and taken backstage. At this time, we do not know what caused the fire, how much damage was done to the float, or if the float will return to the parade soon. If there is extensive damage, it’s possible that Disney could choose to keep the float backstage until the new year.
The Paint the Night Parade is scheduled to run through November 9. Then, beginning November 14, Disneyland’s Christmas Fantasy Parade will travel down Main Street, U.S.A. twice per day during the holiday season. Disney has confirmed that Paint the Night will return after the holiday season ends on January 7.
Have you ever seen an emergency situation happen while you were watching a Disney parade, or during your Disney day in general? What happened? Have you ever seen the Paint the Night Parade? What is your favorite Disney parade? Let us know all your Disney parade thoughts and stories in the comments!