By Wishes Diva
During the last few months, my family has gotten their Disney fix by watching videos from the parks on YouTube. During the extra time we’ve had together during the pandemic, my kids have enjoyed our viewings of various firework shows and parades from all of the Disney locations across the globe. 
These watch parties in our living room started way back in March when Disney started releasing previously recorded videos of things like “Happily Ever After” and “Magic Happens” on their YouTube channel. Very quickly my family gained favorite shows and parades to watch and re-watch!
Check out the list below for our family’s favorite events on YouTube!
Steamboat featured at the end of Fantasmic!
1. Magic Happens– This is the new parade at Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom in California. One of the really great things about this parade is it happens during the day and at night! It gives you the ability to view the parade in two completely unique ways! The soundtrack to this show quickly became a favorite in our household, with my 4-year-old asking us to add the theme song, sung by the incredibly talented Todrick Hall, to his Spotify playlist!
2. Fantasmic– This show happens on both coasts. We have recently been watching the Disneyland version because it can be conveniently accessed on the Disney NOW app through our Smart TV or mobile device. My 4-year-old enjoys finding the differences between the Fantasmic shows, and we are frequently playing “Sorcerer Mickey” at our house!
Photo courtesy of My Disney Experience app
3. Happily Ever After– When Disney World announced they were replacing Wishes I thought for sure I could never love another fireworks show as much as I did Wishes. I mean I am Wishes Diva! But this show has really grown on me. This is another show where the soundtrack has become a favorite, and an addition to the playlist. (It does help that it’s sung by the amazing Jordan Fisher!) The coordination between the castle projections and the firework in this show is miles above what anywhere else can do, which is what keeps us watching time and time again!
4. Paint the Night– This nighttime parade comes from California and features tons of favorite characters from all aspects of Disney.Pixar universe. The elaborate way they light up each float and character brings a whole new life to the story. The use of LED lights and new screen technology allows this parade to include many videography effects that are woven seamlessly into the parade.
5. Mickey’s Runaway Railway– While this list is primarily made up of shows and parades, I cannot leave out the newest attraction at Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. For our family, this is really the attraction that started it all. Within a few weeks of its opening, I frequently came across point of view (POV) ride videos from guests who had tapped their experience. My 4-year-old caught sight of one of these videos and begged me to watch it. It was that moment that made me realize there was tons of Parks content out there that we had access to, even when being nearly a thousand miles away from the closets Disney Park. My son loves the newly imaged Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, so this ride is right up his alley!
So there you have it; the shortlist of our favorite Disney things to watch on YouTube! Has your family seen these? If not be sure to check them out with the link provided in this article, and sound off with your favorites in the comments! Happy viewing!
