Disneyland has just made some major announcements regarding the 2026 Disneyland After Dark events. These special after-hours events will be happening on select nights throughout the year through June 2026, featuring rare characters, special entertainment, and themed foods and merch. The first Disneyland After Dark event, Sweethearts Nite, is sold out and happening now.
Here is a rundown of all the details Disney has shared about the Disneyland After Dark events! We have news about a new character making their Disneyland Resort debut, a nostalgic riverfront show, and ticket sale dates for two more after-dark events. At Mickey Visit, we cover the latest Disney news, like a new Disneyland ride access option and Disneyland’s parade for the 2026 Super Bowl winners.
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Riverfront Show for New 70 Years of Favorites Nite
The brand new 70 Years of Favorites theme coming to Disneyland After Dark will “take you on a sentimental journey commemorating seven decades of unforgettable moments at the beloved theme park,” according to Disney. This walk down Disneyland’s “memory lane” will happen on March 3 and 5. Tickets are on sale now for $159.
One of the many musical tributes Disney will be putting on will be a new riverfront show called “Sounds of Magic.” This show leans heavily into nostalgia with iconic songs from past Disneyland entertainment.
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Performers will sing songs from some of Disneyland’s past musical shows, such as “Animazemen – The Musical,” “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee,” “Frozen – Live at the Hyperion,” and “The Lion King Celebration Parade.” Guests can catch these performances as they float on a raft down the Rivers of America multiple times throughout the night.
Guests will have many opportunities to partake in some dancing of all styles at 70 Years of Favorites. The Royal Theatre in Fantasyland will have swing dancing, Tomorrowland Terrace’s Videopolis Dance Party will have a live DJ playing 80s throwbacks, and The Golden Horseshoe will have line dancing in honor of the former Frontierland stage show, “Woody’s Round Up.”
There will also be “sentimental photo ops” throughout the park, which will pay tribute to past Disneyland entertainment and attractions. Guests can also meet some rare characters like “Mother” and “Father” from Carousel of Progress, Merlin, Flik, and Atta, the Fantasmic! Monkeys and characters from The Disney Afternoon.
Following the tribute theming, guests can enjoy dishes with nods to past food offerings. Jolly Holiday Bakery Café, located on Main Street U.S.A., will have a plant-based mushroom Philly toasted sandwich, as well as a maple bacon cinnamon roll. Refreshment Corner, also on Main Street, will have birria mac and cheese served in a bread bowl.
Fantasyland’s Red Rose Taverne will serve Gaston Brew. We assume this will be similar to Disney World’s Lefou’s Brew, which is a “no-sugar added frozen apple juice with a hint of toasted marshmallow, topped with all-natural passion fruit-mango foam.” Blackened New York steak and prawns will be available for table service dining at Frontierland’s River Belle Terrace.
Star Wars Nite Ticket Sale Dates Announced
Star Wars Nite will return to Disneyland on April 28 and 30 and May 4 and 6, 2026. We now have the ticket sale dates for the event.
Beginning Feb. 3, 2026, a ticket pre-sale will open for Inspire Key holders to purchase a limited amount of tickets, and on Feb. 4, the pre-sale will open for all Magic Key holders. Sales will start at 9 a.m. PT with the waiting room opening at 8:45 a.m. PT. The pre-sale for Magic Key holders will close at 11:59 p.m. PT on Feb. 4, before ticket sales open to all guests on Feb. 5. You can find more details from our article on Disneyland’s Magic Key annual pass and all its benefits here.
“The March of the First Order” with Captain Phasma and the First Order Stormtroopers will return to Star Wars Nite, along with performances from the Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes (The Cantina Band) on the Rivers of America. There will also be a lightsaber instructional and an appearance from Darth Maul at Tomorrowland Terrace.
Guests will also be able to snap some photos with an Ewok, Jawa, and Queen Amidala, as well as in front of some themed backgrounds like Boba Fett and Bo Katan’s thrones or on the back of a speeder bike.
There are three new specialty food items coming to Star Wars Nite. Oga’s Cantina will serve pizza five-blossom bread. Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe and Tomorrowland’s Galactic Grill will offer a galactic bundt cake. Lastly, Maurice’s Treats and Edelweiss Snacks, both located in Fantasyland, will have banth-gogi.
Disney Channel Nite Tickets on Sale Soon
Disney Channel Nite will return to Disneyland’s After Dark series on April 12, 14, and 16. Ticket sales for this event will follow the same process and dates as the Star Wars Nite tickets mentioned above.
There will be a ticket pre-sale for Inspire Key holders starting Feb. 3, 2026, and on Feb. 4, the pre-sale will open for all Magic Key holders, with sales starting at 9 a.m. PT, with the waiting room opening at 8:45 a.m. PT. The pre-sale for Magic Key holders will close at 11:59 p.m. PT on Feb. 4, before ticket sales open to all guests on Feb. 5.
Disney Channel Nite will also have two brand new speciality food items. You can get an ice cream naco on Main Street at Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor or an Agent P churro at the stands near Sleeping Beauty Castle, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
The loaded dino nuggies and fries will be returning to Red Rose Taverne, The Golden Horseshoe, and Frontierland’s Stage Door Café. A specialty menu for River Belle Terrace will be released later.
Along with the hoodie pictured above, guests can purchase a themed light-up headband and a trading pin at Disney Channel Nite.
Proud Family Comes to Disney Channel Nite
Disney has just announced that Penny Proud is making her Disneyland Resort debut during Disney Channel Nite. She will be joining other Disney Channel icons like Kim Possible and Lilo and Stitch for photo opportunities.
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Disney Channel Nite is stacked with entertainment from a pep rally with songs from High School Musical and Zombies to a “DescenDANCE” party with the Villain Kids from Descendants. There will also be a concert-style show with Disney Channel’s top hits called “Disney Channel Rocks,” and a “Camp Rock Sing-Along” at The Golden Horseshoe.
Guests will also be able to partake in some photo opportunities with backgrounds from scenes of popular Disney Channel shows like Hannah Montana, Lizzie McGuire, That’s So Raven, and, new this year, High School Musical.
More details for the last Disneyland After Dark event, Pride Nite, are set to be announced in spring 2026. The event dates are June 16 and 18.
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