Disneyland celebrates its 70th anniversary next year, and the theme park didn’t miss the opportunity to throw a nostalgic party. The next few months will be no different and the star of the festivities will be Walt Disney himself, albeit in robot form.
Disneyland Resort’s 70th anniversary celebrations begin May 16 and are scheduled to extend through summer 2026. To celebrate, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure will be bringing back some fan-favorite events. Paint the Night, a lively and illuminated nighttime parade, will return to Disneyland. There will also be a new, technologically advanced show exploring the creation of Disneyland and the lives of its patriarchs.
In May, “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” opens at the Main Street Opera House, now home to a patriotic attraction centered on Abraham Lincoln. Walt Disney Imagineering, a company dedicated to theme park experiences, is set to unveil what will be one of the most advanced audio-animatronics to date. As previously reported, the robot show, which focuses on the Disney founder who died in 1966, will be held in his studio office and is expected to feature his favorite song, the Sherman Brothers’ “Feed the Birds.”
Walt Disney’s audio-animatronic figure will appear in the show ‘Walt Disney – A Magical Life’, which will debut at Disneyland’s Main Street Opera House in 2025.
(Disneyland)
But not all of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebrations look back so blatantly. Also on the list is the new World of Color show coming to Disney California Adventure. “World of Color Happiness!,” a lagoon-based show featuring fountain projections, is said to be inspired by Disney’s commitment to Disneyland. But the event will be hosted by a more modern creation: Joey, the blue-haired character from the ‘Inside Out’ movies.
The 70th anniversary celebration will be a centerpiece of Disneyland Resort’s 2025. But it’s not the only notable happening in the Downtown Disney retail and shopping district connected to the theme park. Find out what major events you can expect depending on the season you choose to visit. This includes more details about Disneyland’s 70th extravaganza and a quick look at some current deals.
The fireworks show “Wondrous Journeys” will return on select nights in celebration of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary.
(Richard Harbaugh / Disneyland Resort)
SoCal residents could benefit from $67 per day of deals in 2025.
Disneyland puts a lot of effort into pricing and purchasing additional items once you get to the park. However, Southern California residents interested in visiting in early 2025 will be able to save some money. That’s because the park is once again offering discounts to locals if they’re willing to commit to a three-day ticket. From January 1 to May 15, you can purchase one three-day park admission ticket for $199. That’s about $67 per day. One-day park tickets typically cost between $104 and $204.
This offer is available now and is suitable for people living in zip codes 90000 – 93599. You can visit back-to-back or spread out your visits to take part in various winter and spring events. Park reservations are required and you can add a Park Hopper Upgrade or Skip the Line Lightning Lane Multi-Pass for an additional fee. Choosing the Park Hopper option will add $90 to the promotional cost.
Families can also get creative by combining suggestions. Through March 20, the resort is offering one-day park tickets for children ages 3 to 9 for $50. Neither deal extends until the start of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration, but the resort has announced a hotel promotion that runs from May 16 to September 26, offering up to 30% off depending on length of stay. But here are the details: Hotel visits must last at least 4 days.
Meilin Lee and her mother Ming Lee from Disney/Pixar’s “Turning Red” meet guests during the Disney Lunar New Year festivities.
(Christian Thompson / Disneyland Resort)
Winter is for Lunar New Year and lovers.
In recent years, Disney’s vacation itinerary has expanded, with the resort’s new year festival California Adventure has become a dependable festive source for original food and character interactions that aim to explore Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean traditions rather than taking over the parks like Christmas or Halloween. Main event: Mulan’s Lunar New Year procession, which consists of segments featuring folk dances, martial arts, and umbrella choreography. Mulan also appears in the short story “Hurry Home — A Lunar New Year Celebration”. This year will be the Year of the Snake. Although these creatures are often treated as villains in Disney animated films (see Kaa in “The Jungle Book,” for example), we’d love to see Mickey Mouse get a snake friend. . Lunar New Year is from January 17th to February 16th.
It is a period that begins immediately after Lunar New Year and extends until spring. Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival. Expect 10 pop-up food marketplaces offering light snacks and cocktails with a focus on California beer and wine. The event boasts a variety of tasting seminars and cocktail-making sessions, and is typically followed by a gourmet dinner at the resort’s restaurants and bars. Although Goofy in a chef costume stars, our favorite detail about the Food & Wine Festival is that there are no snacks or sugary drinks. Soarin’ Over California, the original version of the flight simulator attraction, is back. The festival runs from February 28th to April 21st.
Disneyland is for lovers, and separately ticketed Disneyland also returns in the winter. lover’s nightIt will be held at Disneyland on the 14th evening from January 21st to February 13th. Find your chance to dance with character couples at the fairytale-themed Royal Ball. Need something a little less sentimental, but still feel nostalgic? At Disneyland on March 4th and 6th 90’s nightIt will also feature a procession highlighting “The Lion King” and “Mulan,” as well as throwbacks to Disney films and music from the past decade. Both go on sale December 12th.
There’s no date yet, but it’s expected to open in early 2025 and will be a new culinary addition to Downtown Disney. food hall, Parkside MarketIt will feature several restaurants serving fried chicken, Korean rice bowls and more, as well as a two-story bar overlooking the area’s monorail tracks. At the time of publication, Parkside Market appeared to be nearing completion. Also arriving soon is a recreated candy and treat shop with Disney’s Wonderful World of Sweets.
A new “world of color happiness!” It will debut at Disney California Adventure in May to celebrate the resort’s 70th anniversary.
(Artist Concept / Disneyland Resort)
Spring marks the beginning of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary.
A variety of entertainment and attractions will be available on May 16 when the resort begins its 70th anniversary celebrations. In addition to the aforementioned Walt Disney Show on Main Street, USA, Disney provided the following additional details: “A world of color happiness!” Some of the animated productions include “Turning Red,” “A Goofy Movie,” “Tangled” and “The Lion King,” and like past “World of Color” shows, there’s expected to be a mix of projections for fountains, lasers and pyrotechnics. It works. . Disneyland Brings the Night Back to Life “Draw the night” California Adventure will once again host a weekly parade focused on Pixar. “Better Together: A Celebration of Pixar Pals.”
There’s more. fireworks show “Amazing trip” It is scheduled to return for Disneyland’s 70th anniversary. ‘Wondrous Journeys’, released to commemorate Walt Disney’s 100th anniversary, focuses on the history of Walt Disney’s animation works. Several new evening enhancements will also be introduced, such as a projection show into the heart of California Adventure’s Carthay Circle and the It’s a Small World exterior at Disneyland. During the day, Disneyland will feature a cavalcade of characters rather than just one of the full parade performances.
Spring also heralds the return of “Star Wars”-focused branding celebrations. season of strength. Those who choose to watch Disneyland’s nighttime fireworks from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge can experience additional projections and effects. Coaster Space Mountain is re-themed once again with Hyperspace Mountain featuring the original trilogy effects. Another ticketed evening event returns with Season of the Force: Season of the Force. star wars nightIt will be held on 8 evenings from April 8th to May 6th. Tickets go on sale December 12th, and Season of the Force runs from March 28th to May 11th.
Halloween festivities begin at Disneyland Resort on August 22, and California Adventure’s popular Oogie Boogie Bash begins even earlier.
(Joshua Sudoc / Disneyland Resort)
Summer brings Pride Nite, and fall and winter breaks start earlier than ever.
Disneyland’s official 70th anniversary is July 17, so the summer is expected to focus on the ongoing festivities surrounding the anniversary. Coming back too pride nightIt celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community and will be a separately ticketed after-hours event on June 16th and 18th. Expect colorful, rainbow projections and plenty of delightful character interactions, including, no doubt, Clarabelle Cow’s cheeky appearance and movements. who became the unofficial mascot of the event.
Summer increasingly means Halloween. park’ halloween time Not scheduled to officially launch until August 22nd, the ticketed after-hours California Adventure event Oogie Boogie Bash The first meeting will be held on August 17th. Evenings are typically popular, featuring unique encounters with Disney villains, parades, and walks along the spooky illuminated Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. out. It runs for 31 nights from mid-August to October 31. Sales information has not been released yet. Lastly, just in time for Halloween on August 22nd, we have California Adventure. family squareThe Día de Los Muertos celebration draws heavily on imagery from the Disney/Pixar film Coco.
Holidays at Disneyland Resort It runs from November 14th to January 7th. Disney has yet to detail next year’s offerings, but expect major events like transformations of the It’s a Small World and Haunted Mansion attractions and the return of California Adventure. Festival of holidays. This year, the latter has significantly increased its entertainment content, including two new shows honoring the Latin community.
D23 concept art from Avengers Infinity Defense featuring multiple heroes in the multiverse battle against King Thanos.
(Marvel/Disneyland)
And we eagerly look forward to construction. Yes. Construction.
Disneyland reopened its popular log flume ride, Splash Mountain, as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure last month, and although the resort won’t have any major attractions opening (or reopening) until 2025, changes are afoot .
Construction is scheduled to begin next year on a major expansion of Avengers Campus in California Adventure. This includes Avengers Infinity Defense, a long-known showcase attraction for the region, which features the worlds of Wakanda, Asgard, and Black Panther in New York City. We are planning to showcase the location. . Also planned: The Stark Flight Lab, an amusement park-like thrill ride where guests sit in two-person pods and then attach to mechanical arms that lift them into the air, simulating the sensation of flight.
These additions and other planned projects, such as California Adventure’s “Coco” boat ride and a section dedicated to the “Avatar” franchise, will help establish the Disneyland Resort for the next 70 years.
