Disneyland is gearing up for a 70th anniversary celebration to rival the yearlong parties for the 50th and 60th anniversaries with a new attraction, updated water show, character cavalcade, two returning parades and a fan-favorite fireworks show.
The 70th anniversary celebration of the original Disney theme park will kick off on Friday, May 16 and run through summer 2026 at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.
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Disneyland will hold back on a few surprises until July 17 — the official anniversary of the park’s opening day in 1955.
The big birthday party will stretch for more than a year, on par with the epic 50th and 60th anniversary celebrations in 2005 and 2015 at the Anaheim theme park.
We’ve got all the details on the new and returning entertainment and attractions planned for the 70th anniversary celebration. Let’s take a peek at all the presents Disneyland plans to unwrap for its big 7-0 birthday party.
Walt Disney — A Magical Life
The world’s first Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure will debut on July 17 at the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland as part of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration.
Disneyland visitors will be able to sit down in Walt Disney’s office and listen to the park’s visionary founder talk about how he got started, his thoughts on his career and his dreams for the future.
The new “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” animatronic show will initially run solo before playing in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”
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World of Color Happiness
The Happiest Place on Earth will lean into the theme of happiness with a new “World of Color” water show hosted by Joy from “Inside Out” that will draw inspiration from Walt Disney’s opening day dedication speech at Disneyland in 1955.
“World of Color Happiness” promises to explore a kaleidoscope of emotions with cameo appearances by a host of “Inside Out” characters — including Sadness, Anger, Fear, Disgust, Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment and Ennui.
The new water show will also feature moments from the “Lion King,” “Little Mermaid,” “Frozen,” “Tangled,” “Encanto,” “Turning Red,” “Wish” and “A Goofy Movie” films projected on water screens in DCA’s Paradise Bay.
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Kermit the Frog, Gonzo and a dozen other Muppets will kick off “World of Color Happiness” during a pre-show message projected on the mist screens. R&B vocal group Boyz II Men will lend their voices to a new rendition of “Rainbow Connection” from the 1979 “Muppet Movie.”
Lead singer Michael Fitzpatrick from the Los Angeles indie pop band Fitz and the Tantrums will also debut the new song “Makes Me Wanna Move” written for “World of Color Happiness.”
DCA parkgoers will be able to vote for the Inside Out character they would like to see play a more prominent role each night during “World of Color Happiness.” Fans will be able to vote using the Disneyland app for one of four characters: Sadness, Anger, Disgust or Envy.
“World of Color Happiness” debuts on May 16 on DCA’s Paradise Bay.
Wondrous Journeys
The “Wondrous Journeys” fireworks show that anchored the Disney100 celebration of the Walt Disney Co. in 2023 offered glimpses of all 62 Disney animated films.
Naturally, every Disney movie couldn’t play a starring role as “Wondrous” raced through 18 songs in 13 minutes.
REVIEW: ‘Wondrous Journeys’ is everything a Disneyland fireworks show can and should be
Storytelling highlights included scenes from “Peter Pan,” “Frozen,” “Princess and the Frog,” “Moana,” “Encanto,” “Big Hero 6” and “Hercules.”
The nighttime spectacular will play in projection-only mode without fireworks on select nights starting on May 16.
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Paint the Night
The fan-favorite nighttime parade with 1.5 million LED lights debuted a decade ago during Disneyland’s 60th anniversary before moving over to Disney California Adventure in 2018.
Past versions of the parade have featured floats dedicated to the “Incredibles,” “Peter Pan,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Cars,” “Little Mermaid,” “Toy Story,” “Frozen” and the Disney Princesses.
Paint the Night returns to Disneyland’s parade route on May 16.
Better Together
The Better Together parade last ran during Pixar Fest 2024 at Disney California Adventure.
Better Together drew upon elements from the Pixar Play Parade that had a decadelong run at Disney California Adventure before moving over to Disneyland during the original Pixar Fest in 2018.
The Better Together parade featured roller skaters, bicyclists and dancers accompanying seven parade units — including floats dedicated to “Turning Red,” “Soul,” “Luca,” “Up” and “Inside Out.”
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The parade soundtrack wove in familiar songs from three Pixar films — “Nobody Like U” by 4*Town in “Turning Red,” “It’s Alright” from “Soul” and a 1960s beach movie-style song sung in Italian for “Luca.”
Better Together returns to the DCA parade route on May 16.
Both the Better Together parade and “Wondrous Journeys” fireworks show will temporarily pause during the Halloween and Christmas season in 2025 to make way for seasonal shows before resuming in January.
Mickey and Friends Celebrate Happy
That’s a whole lot of entertainment, but the jam-packed schedule still leaves a hole in the daily calendar where Disneyland typically offers a daytime parade.
Disneyland will offer the Mickey and Friends Celebrate Happy character cavalcade starting May 16 starring Mickey and Minnie in their new anniversary outfits along with pals Goofy, Max, Duffy and ShellieMay.
A “cavalcade” is Disneyland’s way of setting expectations below what fans have come to expect from a full-fledged parade. Expect something like the rainy-day cavalcades dispatched to Main Street U.S.A. during inclement weather.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live
The new “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live” stage show will debut on May 16 in the Disney Theater in Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure.
“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live” will be geared toward preschool and grade school children featuring songs and dancing based on the Disney Junior television show with appearances by Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Daisy and Pluto.
The backstory for the show finds Mickey inviting his friends over to his house for a party. When the party guests fail to show, Mickey and Minnie head out in search of their friends. The joyous reunion results in a high-energy finale.
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Pixar Pals Playtime Party
The Pixar Pals Playtime Party will return to the Fantasyland Theatre in Disneyland on May 23 for dancing, games and meet-and-greet photo opportunities with Pixar characters.
Stitch’s Interplanetary Beach Party Blast
Stitch’s Interplanetary Beach Party Blast returns to the Tomorrowland Terrace stage in Disneyland on May 23 for a dance party with character appearances by Goofy, Pluto, Chip ‘n Dale and Clarabelle.
It’s a Small World
Walt Disney Imagineering will add Coco characters to the It’s a Small World boat ride at Disneyland when the attraction reopens on Tuesday, May 13 following an extended refurbishment.
Miguel and Dante dolls from the 2017 Pixar animated film will be silhouetted by a marigold bridge in the Mexico section of the water dark ride.
Miguel will play his guitar while wearing a mariachi outfit. Dante will appear as a bird-like dog in his rainbow-colored alebrije spirit guide form.
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Disneyland will pay homage to the Sherman Brothers by adding new lyrics to It’s a Small World that incorporate a “Last Verse” written for the catchy and infectious earworm song that plays on a continuous loop in the beloved attraction.
The new lyrics will be added to the It’s a Small World attraction at Disneyland on July 17 as part of the Anaheim theme park’s 70th anniversary celebration.
A 3 1/2-minute video about the making of “Last Verse” video that aired on “20/20” will also play in the Main Street Cinema at Disneyland starting on July 17.
Toy Story Midway Mania
Toy Story Midway Mania in Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure will get a 70th anniversary ride overlay starting on May 16 when the yearlong anniversary party kicks off.
Concept art for the ride overlay shows Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear holding targets emblazoned with the number 70 and diamond logos with the words “Celebrate Happy” — the motto for the anniversary celebration.
Rex the dinosaur from the Toy Story films will make character meet-and-greet appearances in Pixar Pier for a limited time starting on June 1.
Celebrate Happy
Disneyland will roll out a new upbeat theme song by the Jonas Brothers for the 70th anniversary called “Celebrate Happy” that will likely play during the daytime character cavalcades and the nighttime projection shows on the It’s a Small World facade and the Carthay Circle restaurant exterior.
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Merchandise and Food
Disneyland will roll out four different merchandise collections celebrating the park’s 70th anniversary as well as 70 new food and beverage items for the yearlong celebration.
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Discount Tickets
Disneyland is offering deep discounts on admission during the summer kickoff of its 70th anniversary celebration with tickets available for as low as $100 for a one-day, one-park ticket good for May 16 through Aug. 14.
The two summer deals include a $400 4-day ticket and a $360 3-day ticket — each good for one park per day.
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That’s a really good deal if you’re planning to visit Disneyland or Disney California Adventure on the weekends this summer when ticket prices typically cost $180 to $206.
The tickets can be used on non-consecutive days like a mini annual pass good for just the summer. Parkhopper upgrades and Lightning Lane add-ons are available.