Experience the adorable “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” at the Disneyland Resort during Disneyland’s Pixar Fest now through August 4!
This updated parade at Disney’s California Adventure Park features fun, new story elements and characters, and an upbeat, catchy song that you’ll be humming the rest of the day. It’s a big part of the larger Pixar Fest, which celebrates the friendships between beloved Pixar characters. This festival is found throughout both parks and Downtown Disney. You’ll want to read through this guide to be sure you don’t miss a single celebration during Pixar Fest. Of course, one of the events on your must-do list should be the “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” parade. Continue reading to find out what makes this parade so unique and special.
Characters You Can Expect to See
It begins just as all Pixar films have, with an appearance by the iconic and adorable Pixar Lamp and Ball.
Some new, exciting characters have been added and you won’t want to miss seeing them dancing and interacting with guests:
- Red Panda Mei and her friends from Turning Red dance to music from their favorite boy band, 4*Town.
- Joe Gardner and 22 from Soul bring their worlds together atop this float.
- Luca, Alberto and Giulia, from Luca. Luca and Alberto enjoy their time together at the water’s edge in Portorosso, while Gulia sits on a Vespa.
Some favorites are also returning to the “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” parade. You’ll spot characters and scenes from the beloved Disney Pixar films Up and Inside Out. Wilderness Explorer Russell appears astride the colorful flightless bird, Kevin. Carl Fredricksen and Dug follow behind, amid green foliage and Kevin’s chicks, with Carl’s tethered house floating above. On the Inside Out float Joy and Sadness take flight aboard Riley’s rocket wagon.
For the finale, beloved Pixar pals from the exciting and colorful worlds of Disney Pixar’s Toy Story, Monsters, Inc., Incredibles, and Coco make an appearance. This energetic parade inspires guests of all ages to sing and dance along with acrobatics and high-energy choreography.
Parade Details and Viewing Tips
The parade runs twice a day, typically at 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm, and takes about 25 minutes. You can check the app or the website to verify the times for the date(s) you’ll be visiting. The parade times can be found in the Disneyland app by tapping “Today’s Showtimes” from the home page, scrolling down to the “Parades” section and tapping on “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” Additionally, details on the parade route can be found by tapping “Find on Map”.
The route changes direction depending on if it’s the first or second parade of the day, but always runs between Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout and Silly Symphony Swings. Typically, the first parade will start at Mission Breakout, while the second parade will end here. This is good to be aware of so that you can position yourself to get a good view of the floats as they are approaching.
Tip: if you want great pictures, be aware of what scenery will appear behind the floats and where the sun is. Your photos will be backlit and it may be harder to see the characters if the sun is behind them. You also don’t want the sun shining in your eyes while you’re trying to take it all in!
Locating a decent spot to see the parade is fairly easy since it winds through the entire park. However, if you want to be in the first row or a place to sit, you may want to secure a spot early. There is another option for those who want a place to sit with a great view, but don’t want to wait on a curb for 45 minutes. Disney offers a dining package with fun treats and reserved seating for prime viewing!
“Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” Parade Viewing Dining Package
With the parade dining package, guests may enjoy delicious snacks and drinks from the comfort of a reserved viewing area at Sonoma Terrace for the “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” parade.
Each person in your reservation will enjoy:
- a fun and colorful assortment of Pixar-inspired foods, desserts, and cheeses
- unlimited soft drinks, bottled water, coffee, and a specialty mocktail
- reserved, prime seating for viewing the parade
When you reserve the Parade Viewing Dining Package you will select either the first or second parade of the day. The parade starts about 45 minutes after your dining package reservation time. At $69 per person, this can be a great option for those who want the extra convenience or to celebrate a special event.
Fun Facts: “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” Parade Fun Facts
- In the “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” parade, the Pixar Lamp and Ball from Pixar’s original short, Luxo Jr. now leads the parade in a larger-than-life fashion. The Lamp is 14 feet tall and the Pixar Ball is nearly four feet wide.
- With eight floats representing various Pixar movies and over two dozen characters, this parade has the most characters represented in a Disney Park.
- Kevin, the friendly bird from Up stands nearly 12 feet tall. The Up parade element also features Carl Fredricksen and Dug, while Kevin romps through the parade with his friend Russell riding on his back.
- “Pixar Play Parade” originally premiered in 2008 at Disney California Adventure Park.
- From the tip-top of the balloons, the Fredricksen house from “Up” flies 17 feet above the parade route.
- On the Inside Out float, guests will recognize Riley’s rocket wagon. Nearly 280 memory orbs of all different emotions appear at its base.
- More than 2,000 pieces and parts make up the performers’ costumes.
- Michael Curry, the award-winning production designer from “The Lion King” on Broadway, created several of the puppets in “Pixar Play Parade.”
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