On select nights this week, the Disneyland Resort will pay tribute to popular Disney Channel programs during its After Dark event. We attended opening night on April 12 to bring you all of the action and information about what you can expect.

On April 12, 14, and 16, the Disneyland Resort is transforming from 9pm to 1am with photo ops, character sightings, parades, and specialty foods to celebrate some of the biggest shows and movies available on the Disney Channel. This separately-ticketed event allows guests to enter the park as early as 6pm, where you can enjoy lower ride wait times until the event officially begins at 9pm. Upon entry, you’ll receive a map of the event offerings along with a light-up wand that can be used at the Disney Channel Wand ID experience in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

Once you’re past the Disneyland Railroad and inside the park, a ton of activities and entertainment await!

CHARACTER SIGHTINGS

Disneyland introduced Penny Proud, a new character in its lineup this year. In addition to Penny, guests will be able to spot Kim Possible, Huey, Dewey, Louie, & Scrooge, Chip and Dale, Darkwing Duck, Launchpad McQuack, Goofy and Max, Rapunzel and Flynn, and Mickey and Minnie. While some of these characters have designated photo areas, others can be found roaming around the park for the duration of the event.

PHOTO OPS

Photo ops dotted the theme park, allowing guests the opportunity to line up for their favorite backdrops. Backdrops included Camp Rock, Cheetah Girls, the Disney Channel wand, Gargoyles, Halloweentown, High School Musical, That’s So Raven, Lizzy McGuire, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, Zenon, and more. Included with your ticket is the ability to access unlimited Photopass downloads of your photo op images. Make sure to have the photographer scan the QR code on your wristband after your photoshoot to ensure that it syncs with your account in the Disneyland app.

SPECIALTY DINING

Numerous new foods and beverages are available for purchase during the event. I tried the new Tsunami Sandwich at Refreshment Corner and the returning Power Lime! beverage from Café Daisy. Here are all of the brand new menu items you can expect to find this year (subject to availability):

Mushroom Philly Toasted (Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe) – This sandwich includes mushrooms, onions, and sauce with a side of chips.

Mixed Berry Cheesecake Hand Tart (Jolly Holiday Café) – This cute Mickey-shaped pastry dessert is served alongside an icing-dipped treat.

Peanut Trapped!! (Red Rose Tavern) – This soft cake is topped with cookies and cream ice-cream and chocolate cookie crumbles.

Tsunami Sandwich (Refreshment Corner) – This grilled pork sandwich includes pineapple chunks and a slaw.

Spicy Cheese Corn Dog Bites (Little Red Wagon) – These corn dog bites are topped with cheese sauce and crunchy red spicy crumbles.

Campfire S’mores Funnel Cake (Stage Door Café & The Golden Horseshoe) – This funnel cake features toppings that include marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookie Sandwich (Harbour Galley) – This new treat consists of two peanut butter cookies with a jelly filling.

Peanut Chicken Crunchwich (Galactic Grill) – A chicken sandwich with peppers, slaw, and peanut sauce.

Agent P Churro (Various Churro Carts) – This specialty churro is dusted with aqua sugar sprinkles and drizzled with sauce.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

One of the most fun parts of the night are the variety of live entertainment options available in different areas of the park. From dance parties to DJs, there are the different live events that take place at various times throughout the night, with at least one live show taking place at any given moment. Here are some of the shows you’ll find:

High School Musical — Zombies Pep Rally (Main Street, U.S.A.) — This high-energy pep rally was easily my favorite live show of the night. A cavalcade that travels down Main Street, U.S.A., it stops at certain points to deliver a full 10-minute singing and dancing performance with numerous zombie-like High School Musical entertainers.

DescenDance (Frontierland Bridge) — This show takes place on the bridge near the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean. Fans of the show the Descendants will enjoy this song and dance performance to hit Disney songs.

Phineas and Ferb (Tomorrowland) — This long-lasting performance includes both characters and a live DJ, who lead the crowd through hit Disney and pop-culture songs throughout the night.

Camp Rock Sing-A-Long (Golden Horseshoe) — You can step back into the world of Camp Rock and show of your vocal skills with this fun sing-a-long in the Golden Horseshoe located in Frontierland.

Overall, I had an incredible night celebrating a high-energy mix of old and new Disney Channel programming. From the live shows to the character meet and greets, there was a lot to enjoy and a ton of nostalgia to soak in. I also caught celebrity sightings of Kyla Pratt (voice actor of Penny Proud), Sabrina Bryan (The Cheetah Girls), and more roaming the park and taking photos. Guests are also permitted to dress up in support of their favorite Disney Channel fandom (costume restrictions do apply).

You can enjoy the remaining nights of Disney Channel Nite on April 14 and April 16. Tickets, characters, foods, and showtimes are subject to availability. More information can be found HERE.