The Disneyland Resort is popping 70 in July, and it has by no means missed a chance to throw a celebration — particularly one rooted in nostalgia. For the year-long occasion, plenty of fan favorites are making their return, along with some new exhibits and tweaks to favourite points of interest.
The festivities formally launch Might 16, though not all choices shall be out there immediately. Some shall be rolled out to coincide with Disneyland’s official birthday on July 17. The celebration is deliberate to final by way of summer time 2026.
Right here’s every little thing you’ll want to know in regards to the Disneyland Resort Seventieth Celebration — together with particulars on a ticket deal.
Disneyland Park
The return of a fan-favorite parade. Night parade Paint the Evening made its debut in Anaheim throughout Disneyland’s sixtieth anniversary a decade in the past, and it’s again for the Seventieth. A type of religious successor to the on-again/off-again Major Avenue Electrical Parade, Paint the Evening has a fast-moving soundtrack, greater than 1 million LED lights and glittering, shimmering floats that honor franchises similar to “Toy Story,” “Frozen” and “Cars.” Paint the Evening is a vibrant, high-energy present that intersperses dance, tech and the requisite quantity of night sparkle.
Anna and Elsa will rejoin the Paint the Evening parade on the float impressed by “Frozen.”
(Paul Hiffmeyer / Disneyland Resort)
A legendary experience will get an replace. It’s a Small World is so crammed with particulars — playful dolls, lovely creatures, colourful vignettes, all of it designed within the model of artist Mary Blair — that it’s unattainable to see all of it on one experience by way of. And when the attraction reopens on Might 9, it can have much more characters, as Disney is including Miguel and Dante from the movie “Coco” to the experience’s Mexico part. That’s not the one tweak deliberate for this legendary experience. Coming in July shall be an extra verse to its memorable track, this one written by authentic co-composer Richard Sherman shortly earlier than his loss of life in 2024. Sherman wrote the verse to have a good time the track’s sixtieth anniversary, because the attraction opened on the New York World’s Honest in 1964 earlier than being put in at Disneyland in 1966.
Miguel and Dante from the Disney/Pixar movie “Coco” shall be added to traditional It’s a Small World when the experience repoens in Might.
(Disney idea artwork)
A brand new projection present involves It’s a Small World. The work and elegance of Blair additionally shall be honored through a brand new projection expertise that may unfold on the façade of It’s a Small World. Titled “Tapestry of Happiness,” this nighttime present, described by Disney as an “animated mosaic of Disneyland attractions, moments and memories,” will embody many songs related to the park in addition to the brand new tune “Celebrate Happy.” Count on a projection present that digs into Disneyland historical past and is excessive on nostalgia, with little doubt a second or two designed to carry longtime followers to tears.
A night efficiency that celebrates animation. The fireworks present “Wondrous Journeys” will return for Disneyland’s Seventieth. Launched for the a hundredth anniversary of the Walt Disney Co., “Wondrous Journeys” focuses on the historical past of the corporate’s animated works. Some high quality print: Not each night time of “Wondrous Journeys” will function fireworks, but it surely stays certainly one of Disney’s better-received night exhibits, because it options snippets of greater than 60 movies in addition to nods to many shorts that helped outline the studio.
A brand new character cavalcade will launch Might 16 and proceed all year long. Characters similar to Duffy and ShellieMay, hardly ever seen in Anaheim, will participate.
(Artist idea / Disneyland Resort)
Take a tour that honors Disneyland historical past. Disneyland will launch a brand new guided tour for its Seventieth anniversary, this one centered squarely on the historical past and improvement of the park. The 2-hour expertise, out there for an extra cost, shall be out there for reserving starting April 24. Disney says the tour will place a particular emphasis on the park’s opening-day points of interest, in addition to Walt Disney’s authentic imaginative and prescient for the park.
An audio-animatronics determine of Walt Disney will seem within the present “Walt Disney — A Magical Life,” which is able to debut within the Major Avenue Opera Home at Disneyland in July.
(Disneyland)
Talking of Walt … Opening July 17 shall be a present within the Major Avenue Opera Home that may have a good time the life and legacy of the park’s patriarch. “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” will for the Seventieth anniversary displace the present centered on Abraham Lincoln, and can function the first-ever audio-animatronic of Disney, which the corporate has teased is its most lifelike determine so far. The determine, pictures of which the corporate is at present retaining below wraps, shall be delivered to life through audio recordings and shall be located in a setting designed to evoke Walt’s workplace. After the present’s preliminary run in the course of the Seventieth, it can play in tandem with “Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln.” The exit corridor for the attraction will function idea artwork for Disneyland points of interest within the works.
Discover Disney tech at a historic artwork exhibit. Company probably will need to arrive early for “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” as soon as the present launches, because the gallery within the Opera Home shall be crammed with a brand new exhibit developed by the corporate’s archives division in collaboration with San Francisco’s Walt Disney Household Museum in addition to Walt Disney Imagineering, the secretive arm of the corporate dedicated to theme park experiences. First, discover a number of images and artifacts from earlier than and in the course of the Walt period that helps inform the Disneyland improvement story. Many objects, together with never-before-shown artifacts from Disney’s non-public Disneyland condo, are on mortgage from the Walt Disney Household Museum. A remaining part shall be devoted to the event of audio-animatronic figures, taking a look at Walt’s ardour for the creations and the way they’ve advanced over the many years.
Disney California Journey
A brand-new “World of Color” present which you could vote on. “World of Color Happiness!” is a brand new lagoon-based present for the Seventieth anniversary, this one impressed by Walt Disney’s authentic dedication for the park. “To all who come to this happy place, welcome,” Disney stated in July 1955. “Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America.” Though right here’s betting the World of Coloration present — certain to function spectacular fountains, projections and pyrotechnics — doesn’t delve too closely into any “hard facts.”
The brand new “World of Color Happiness!” will debut in Disney California Journey in Might to have a good time Disneyland’s Seventieth anniversary.
(Artist idea / Disneyland Resort)
Among the animated works featured within the efficiency embody “Turning Red,” “A Goofy Movie,” “Tangled” and “The Lion King,” and it is going to be hosted by the blue-haired character of Pleasure from the “Inside Out” movies. Arrive early and vote through the Disneyland app to see numerous “Inside Out” characters — Disappointment, Anger, Disgust or Envy — given better prominence in the course of the present. A brand new track from Fitz of Fitz and the Tantrums fame shall be featured within the manufacturing, and Boyz II Males have recorded a rendition of “Rainbow Connection” for it.
Carthay Circle will spring to life every night time. The façade of the park’s upscale restaurant, Carthay Circle, will morph right into a efficiency area. Whereas Disney hasn’t detailed too closely what audiences might anticipate to see on the constructing, anticipate a projection-based present with ingenious lighting and music. The projections and lighting shall be set to the Seventieth-anniversary theme track, “Celebrate Happy,” which is to be recorded by the Jonas Brothers.
Toy Story Halfway Mania! shall be up to date with animations that nod to the Seventieth anniversary.
(Artist idea / Disneyland Resort)
New surprises adorn Toy Story Halfway Mania! Whereas not the primary video game-inspired experience, Toy Story Halfway Mania! was fairly probably the primary profitable implementation of 1. The experience works nicely with what’s now referred to as Pixar Pier, a land stuffed with carnival rides and video games. It nonetheless holds up due to its simplicity. After all, a novel experience car — a carnival automobile with a spring-action launcher — doesn’t damage. Now, the 2008 attraction will obtain an ever-so-slight makeover for the Seventieth. Search for new animations that nod to the festivities peppered all through the experience’s digital video games.
A Pixar-focused daytime parade makes a comeback. Final yr California Journey unveiled a brand new daytime parade, “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration,” and it’s returning for the Seventieth. Colourful floats that nod to current movies like “Luca” and “Turning Red,” the latter full with a larger-than-life purple panda Mei, are contrasted with smaller, extra playful models that contact on “Toy Story” and “Monsters, Inc.” All through, there’s an underlying theme of friendship.
Eating, merchandise and extra
A barbecue buffet, with a aspect of duck. Duck isn’t on the menu, however a sure waterfowl is the star of this dinner on the Grand Californian’s Storytellers Cafe. Donald’s Tales of Journey Dinner Buffet launches Might 16 and options what’s described a a campfire-style barbecue. Count on spareribs, fried hen, prime rib and extra, and search for the likes of Donald, Daisy, Clarabelle, Goofy and Pluto in new adventure-inspired outfits. Reservations are advisable and the meal begins at $62 for adults and $36 for youngsters.
Storytellers Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian will host a brand new Donald Duck-led character dinner buffet.
(David Nguyen / Disneyland Resort)
Specialty merchandise abounds. Disneyland is launching a number of merchandising strains for its Seventieth anniversary, a few of which have already began to infiltrate the parks. The so-called “celebration collection” options brash colours and new collaborations with Loungefly and Dooney & Bourke. The “castle collection” is simply that, that includes regal put on and jewellery impressed by Sleeping Magnificence Fortress, whereas the “vault collection” is the place all these searching for Disneyland nostalgia will need to head. The vault assortment shall be launched in waves all year long, the primary rendition taking a look at Disneyland maps. The “Disneyland Resort 70th Anniversary Walt Disney Nostalgia Collection” is alleged to boast vintage-style equipment and apparel outfitted in a few of Walt’s well-known quotes. There’s a lot extra, together with pocket watches and charms, and a large interactive key that may gentle up and play music as friends discover the park.
Disneyland is launching a number of new merch strains for the Seventieth anniversary, together with one which options quotes from Walt Disney.
(Disneyland Resort)
And you may see all of it for a (slight) low cost. Disneyland followers keen to decide to greater than a day within the park can participate in a limited-time ticket supply. An anniversary ticket is on sale now, good for visits from Might 16 to Aug. 14. It’s a three-day, one-park-per-day ticket that sells for $360, which works out to $120 per day. That’s a slight financial savings, as peak spring and summer time tickets usually can’t be discovered for lower than $142 per day and may run as excessive as $206. Those that choose in for a four-day $400 ticket will be capable to entry the parks for $100 per day. The tickets don’t have for use on consecutive days.
All through the occasion, search for well-liked characters in new celebratory apparel.
(Christian Thompson / Disneyland Resort)
