Paint the Holiday Night

Last night, Paint the Night made an eagerly anticipated return to Disneyland after several months off for (I heard) refurbishment.  Naturally, I was compelled to take a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth--not only to watch it, but to grab some photos of the parade under a holiday setting.  The sequence of floats and events remains the same, but having Disneyland under Christmas dressing would provide a unique photographic opportunity for me.

That was the thought before I remembered that most of the lights are dimmed down Main Street during the parade itself, rendering most photos of the parade pretty similar to last year's regular evening operations.  Until the end... because as the kaleidoscopic Mickey Mouse float trailed the route, the lights on Main Street slowly returned to illumination, one by one, until I had the shot that I was looking for, even though I hadn't exactly imagined it just moments before.

With gusto, I rattled off a series of shots to increase my chances of nailing a winner--requiring Mickey to be lit and sharp, and the Christmas tree to be illuminated--and consistently colored.  Lo and behold, one of my photos actually fit the criteria.  I'm not going to lie--I'm pretty proud of this shot!  And I hope you enjoy it too.

Mickey Mouse conducts the end of the Paint the Night Parade, which made its return last night for the 2016 winter holiday season--and on Mickey's 88th birthday, no less!