Disney Princesses Unite to Sing ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’ at D23 Event
World Princess Week has always been a significant occasion for Disney fans, but this year’s festivities carried an added significance. With D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event kicking off in Anaheim, Disney took the opportunity in the days leading up to the convention to remind everyone why these beloved characters have endured for generations.
This anticipation culminated in a one-night-only event at Disney California Adventure on August 13, during which Disneyland hosted D23 Day, a celebration designed to connect the theme parks with the convention center nearby. Paradise Gardens Park, typically reserved for World of Color, was transformed for the evening into a stage for what Disney touted as the largest gathering of Disney Princess talent ever assembled.
That promise came to fruition in a moment that quickly went viral online: a trio of Princess performers gathered at the water’s edge, their voices harmonizing beautifully as they sang ‘Pinocchio’s’ iconic anthem, “When You Wish Upon a Star.” Illuminated by projections and towering fountains, the performance became an instant highlight of the night, a clip that fans are now replaying on repeat.
The inclusion of this song in the lineup is fitting, given its historical significance within Disney, long serving as more of a company anthem than merely a movie tune. Combining it with a stage full of Disney Princess voices added an emotional depth that transcended any single film or character, linking the night’s celebration back to the very essence of Disney animation.
The full concert, officially named ‘Disney Princess: The Ultimate Concert Celebration,’ featured performers from both the animated and live-action eras of the franchise. Brandy, Paige O’Hara, Susan Egan, Jodi Benson, Halle Bailey, Auli’i Cravalho, Catherine Laga’aia, Lea Salonga, Judy Kuhn, and Anika Noni Rose all participated, representing everything from ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ to ‘Moana’ and ‘The Princess and the Frog.’
This diverse lineup gave the evening a generational quality rarely seen in a single production. Longtime Disney Legends shared the stage with newer stars who have taken on these roles in live-action reimaginings, creating a lineup that felt less like a nostalgia act and more like a genuine passing of the torch from one era of Princess storytelling to the next.
LaughingPlace’s on-the-ground coverage captured some of the concert’s most memorable moments, including instances where two actresses who voiced or portrayed the same Disney Princess character shared a duet together. These pairings transformed individual songs into full-circle reunions, allowing fans to hear both the animated and live-action versions of a character’s voice blending in real time.
These duet moments are likely to be a major draw once the special reaches a wider audience. Disney has confirmed that the concert will stream on Disney+ and later air on Disney Channel, Freeform, and ABC’s ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’ on August 16, giving fans who couldn’t secure a spot in the limited virtual queue a chance to experience it themselves.
With D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event now in full swing at the Anaheim Convention Center, this Princess-filled sendoff set a magical tone for the weekend ahead. With new movie reveals, cast reunions, and now an all-star sing-along, Disney has made it clear that nostalgia and fresh storytelling are both integral to their future plans, with three full days of programming still to come for fans following along at home.
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