Although Disney parks can be found around the globe, there’s an extra touch of magic associated with the original. Currently, Disneyland—the park that initiated this enchantment back in 1955—is commemorating its 70th anniversary, and it seems like it’s hosting quite the celebration.
It honors history while gazing toward tomorrow. During the festivities, expect the comeback of beloved night-time shows along with brand-new additions. Some popular rides will undergo enhancements, and there’ll be an array of novel food and beverage options for your enjoyment. Additionally, advanced tech elements will heighten the immersive experience.
I got the opportunity to attend Disneyland during its 70th Anniversary celebration, which was also my inaugural visit to the theme park. Needless to say, there was an abundance of things to see and experience, making it incredibly enjoyable. Unfortunately, the event ended too soon.
BDX Droids
weren’t they present, considering these small, charming robots are now available?
a global tour, with their upcoming destination being Disneyland Paris
However, the events for the 70th anniversary kept me quite occupied.
Now, let me share my top five picks for what makes DisneyLand’s 70th anniversary so special and explain why this could be an ideal moment to visit—no matter if it’s your maiden voyage into the theme park or you’re practically a regular at every attraction.
The MagicBand+ provides access to exclusive experiences.
The MagicBand+ is already an essential component of attractions at Disney parks around the world; I’m accustomed to wearing one when visiting Disney World.
have even utilized it to take on the role of a bounty hunter in Batuu at Galaxy’s Edge
, however, for the Disneyland 70th anniversary, it grants access to a technologically enhanced, fully immersive experience around the clock, whether during the day or at night.
Several of Disneyland’s inaugural opening-day attractions are now celebrated through dedicated themed kiosks. As expected, these areas also feature stations for scanning your MagicBand+. When scanned, the device plays ride-themed music and illuminates with lights; additionally, your MagicBand+ vibrates and glows due to an integrated haptic engine and LED strip.
Near the skippers’ lockers at the Jungle Cruise, they even provided a mock ticket for a VIP tour on ‘the renowned Jungle Cruise,’ informing me that I would be boarding the “Mekong Maiden.” While it isn’t a real ticket, it makes for a charming memento.
You’ll need to embark on a scavenger hunt throughout the park to locate all these spots. You can find some of these booths at a Fantasyland Window close to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, others in Frontierland next to the Silver Spur Supplies, and still more near the entrance of the park on Main Street USA at Tilly’s Booth. A new location for such an booth is set to open at the Autopia ride within Tomorrowland. While each encounter may differ slightly, accessing this experience requires using your MagicBand+. This tool not only unlocks access but helps craft lasting memories as well.
The MagicBand+ can be bought either at the park or beforehand through their website.
Disney Store for $34.99
The wearable device serves as your entrance pass to the park, acts as a method of payment, and provides access to various interactive experiences within the area. You have the ability to check the battery status, execute software upgrades, and connect it with your MyDisney profile to associate your tickets through either the Disneyland app for Android or iOS devices; synchronization occurs via Bluetooth connectivity.
Two brand new projection shows have been introduced, along with the return of a fireworks display.
Disney is renowned for its live entertainment events, whether through projections like those seen in the World of Color show at Disneyland or via spectacular firework displays. Nonetheless, the amusement park’s entertainment options for its 70th anniversary are expanding greatly in scope and variety.
One standout moment for me was experiencing two new projection-only exhibits, which completely changed the appearance of the exterior frame of the building.
It’s a Small World
Attractions at Disneyland and the Cathay Circle restaurant within Disney California Adventure feature vividly colored, animated displays with concealed speakers scattered around the areas, broadcasting an upbeat soundtrack designed for guests’ enjoyment.
Although Cathay Circle functions as a dining establishment, its distinct facade with an angular end offers a striking backdrop for Disney’s advanced projection technology. The ensuing visual display is spectacular and underscores Disney’s prowess in lighting design and projection mapping. This captivating performance occurs every evening lasting around three minutes and goes by the title “Celebrate Happy: A Little Bit of Magic.”
Likewise, the exterior of It’s A Small World is significantly bigger, yet rather than a simple elongated flat area, it features different elevations and recesses. Some sections are near the walkways, whereas others extend farther inward. This design leads to
the “Tapestry of Happiness”
The display features elements drawn from Disney’s vast library of characters and narratives, as well as components from various areas within the theme park such as the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean attractions. The scene projections are created in the artistic style reminiscent of Mary Blair, who was originally the art director for these rides.
Both presentations boast exceptional audio quality, despite my sharp vision failing to locate precisely where Disney concealed the speakers. Believe me; it certainly reaches high volume levels. This concealment of technology aims to highlight the narratives and animate the scenery using surround sound, which is fundamentally how Disney crafts many such immersive encounters.
Likewise, Disneyland is reintroducing a beloved nighttime firework show, yet it goes beyond mere pyrotechnics. The entire facade of Sleeping Beauty Castle acts as a canvas for vibrant projections—many tailored specifically for the event—but this immersive experience isn’t limited to just the castle; it spills over onto neighboring structures and along Main Street too.
Moreover, thanks to what appears to be a drone, “Baymax” from Big Hero 6 cruises through the night sky, alongside spectacular fireworks and impressive projections. The show called “Wondrous Journeys” will mostly take place on many evenings and has a duration slightly exceeding 15 minutes; hence, keep in mind that suitable weather conditions are necessary for viewing.
70th touches for an unforgettable journey
I absolutely love Toy Story—it’s definitely among my top favorite movies—so naturally, I really enjoy taking a turn on Toy Story Midway Mania. Interestingly enough, this attraction is heavily integrated with technology, featuring blaster-equipped vehicles that rotate and halt before massive 3D display screens. Various targets, such as bullseyes and dartboards, pop up on these screens, enabling riders to rack up points by hitting them with their blasts.
An energetic soundtrack complements this experience, along with engaging moments interacting with figures such as Buzz, Woody, and the green soldiers. Additionally, there are gusts of air blasting through and once more, quite frenetic visual elements throughout.
It has consistently been about achieving the most points, aiming for the loftiest goals such as 500, 1,000, or 2,000. However, Disneyland is now allowing players to climb even further up the leaderboard, reaching all the way up to 70 or perhaps even 7,000 due to new special features being integrated into the game.
The Walt Disney Imagineering group employed merely a software upgrade to enhance an already beloved attraction, giving it a renewed sense of novelty just in time for its 70th anniversary.
Another attraction that got updated was “It’s a Small World,” now including Miguel from
Coco
Like a doll. This iconic movie is currently available for streaming.
Disney+
, one of the
best streaming services
. You can also stream Toy Story 1 through 4 there and
See my associate Lance Ulanoff dissect Pixar Typestry.
– One of the earliest software creations by the company prior to Toy Story and numerous other films.
Delicious new cuisine, however, you won’t have to queue up.
I mean, what’s a celebration without some eats? Disney Land rose to the occasion by introducing 70 new food options – including everything from coffees to keep you going throughout the day to
70th Stuff
The dessert was exceptionally tasty. Whether you’re looking for something light or refreshing, there’s an option for every palate, with these small treats and beverages accessible from vendors scattered across the park.
All of these experiences are quite popular, resulting in considerable queues. However, let me share my top recommendation with you. Use the mobile ordering feature through the official Disneyland application available for both iOS and Android devices. This will allow you to bypass waiting in line so you have extra time to enjoy additional rides like Dumbo or explore other attractions, making your visit much smoother overall.
When at the park, launch the Disneyland application, choose the three horizontal lines located in the lower-right section of the screen, then click ‘Order Food.’ Next, pick the venue and browse through your options. The app will provide you with an arrival timeframe; when you approach this period, press “I’m here, begin preparing my dish” so they can commence cooking. Subsequently, you’ll get a message indicating which counter area to proceed towards. Provide both your identity and the designated order identifier before enjoying your scrumptious meal.
The most enjoyable aspect, for those using an iPhone,
Does it support Live Activities?
– So you can tap “I’m here” directly from the lock screen without having to unlock your device or browse through the application.
A procession featuring more than a million LED lights, all synchronized
The breathtaking moment, potentially a celebratory occasion for Disneyland enthusiasts, is the comeback of the Paint the Night parade. Indeed, it features impressive choreography paired with talented performers and catchy tunes, yet the true wonder lies in the sheer volume of colors displayed.
As implied by its title, the floats, characters, and outfits are decorated with LEDs that shimmer, light up, and blink in perfect rhythm with the accompanying music. This spectacle is particularly stunning during nighttime viewing. The procession consists of eight segments featuring various elements from different Disney universes—including Tinker Bell, Monsters Inc., Cars, The Little Mermaid, Toy Story, Disney Princesses, Frozen, and Mickey and Friends—spread out over multiple floats and performance areas.
It’s incredibly impressive; you should definitely watch the accompanying video and look at the pictures. However, this display transcends mere LED string lighting. Consider the “Monsters Inc.” float featuring Sulley and Mike Wazowski — measuring more than 21 feet in length, it boasts an astounding 17,000 points of illumination. Additionally, it includes five interactive doors from the movie that revolve and rotate, adorned with over 40 LED video screens.
Or take Cars as another example; besides Lightning McQueen, the iconic Mack truck gets a futuristic makeover featuring an open-back trailer adorned with luminous spheres. These orbs string together to fill the entire area inside the trailer—actually forming a radiant three-dimensional effect using 27,000 orbs along with 2,000 feet of LED lighting lining the compartment.
Each of these LEDs can be controlled, and Disney Live Entertainment utilizes them all to produce a show, synchronizing them with audio dialogue and traditional tunes. According to Disney, over 200 different control zones are used to manage the parade.
Moreover, several additional LEDs illuminate and ‘dance’ as the ones integrated within your MagicBand+ deactivate when different floats go by. This phenomenon is powered by RFID technology and relies on tracking your position to create this effect.
Overall, this only scratches the surface of Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary celebration. The event also features additional artistic displays featuring beloved characters placed throughout the park which can be interacted with using your MagicBand+. Additionally, there is a buyable ‘Key to Disneyland’ item designed to activate various significant keyholes scattered across the theme parks. Another interactive element includes a Mickey-shaped popcorn container that reacts when greeted with “Hey Mickey,” along with an enchanted bubble wand equipped with a USB-C connector capable of producing personalized sound effects.
Next up, we have the iconic attractions, along with multiple parades, and ”
“World of Color: Happiness,” an additional nighttime spectacle where viewers have the ability to influence which characters make an appearance.
.
The 70th Anniversary celebration will span an entire year, providing ample opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the festivities. I truly hope that these technologically enhanced experiences and improved forms of entertainment become permanent fixtures and expand into other locations too.
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