Disneyland is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2025 and Disney Parks has revealed how the Happiest Place on Earth will be celebrating this huge milestone!
While Disneyland officially opened on July 17, 1955, its 70th anniversary festivities will kick off on May 16, 2025, and will run through Summer 2026. The theme this time around is “Celebrate Happy” and there will be many ways to do just that! To ensure you don’t miss a thing, we’re here to break it all down for you!
‘World of Color Happiness!’ Will Bring a New Version of a Beloved Show to Disney California Adventure
World of Color is a beloved water show at Disney California Adventure, and there will be an all-new version that will debut for Disneyland’s 70th birthday. This new show is inspired by Walt Disney’s words from the opening of Disneyland in which he said, “To all who come to this happy place… Welcome!”
The nighttime spectacular will be hosted by Joy and other Emotions from the Inside Out franchise and will include music and moments from such Disney and Pixar films as Turning Red, A Goofy Movie, Tangled, The Lion King, and more.
For an idea of what World of Color looks like, check out my recap of the show from Disney’s 100th anniversary celebrations back in 2023!
‘Paint the Night’ Is Making Its Grand Return to Disneyland Next Year
There is a lot of love for the missing show ‘Paint the Night,’ and Disney has revealed it will finally be returning to Disneyland for its 70th anniversary with “stunning color and more than a million brilliant LED lights.”
Mickey Mouse and Tinker Bell will be working together to ‘Paint the Night’ in Disney dreams, and that will manifest itself with characters, music, and stories from Monsters, Inc., Cars, Toy Story, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and more.
Wondrous Journeys, My Favorite Nighttime Spectacular, Is Back in 2025
As you can read in my Disney 100th anniversary at Disneyland guide, Wondrous Journeys is my favorite Nighttime Spectacular of all time and guests will have another chance to see it again or for the first time in 2025. This show celebrates the legacy of Disney’s films and fans can expect to experience moments from Hercules, The Princess and the Frog, Peter Pan, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Moana, Encanto, and more.
Wondrous Journeys will transform Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle, it’s a small world, and Rivers of America, meaning there will plenty new ways to enjoy the show each time you visit Disneyland.
Walt Disney – A Magical Life Will Tell a Story Like None Other Before It
Walt Disney – A Magical Life, the upcoming show at Disneyland’s Main Street Opera House that will feature the first-ever Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic, will open on May 16 and invite guests into Walt’s office for a “cinematic presentation” of his inspiring journey.
Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration! Is a Parade Filled With Joy (Pun Intended!)
Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration! will return to Disney California Adventure in 2025 and will once again bring characters, music, and moments from such Pixar films as Luca, Turning Red, Inside Out, Up, and more.
…And Much More!
There is so much more planned for Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, including special décor, an ‘elegant medallion’ on Sleeping Beauty Castle, new looks for Mickey and friends, and even a new character cavalcade called Mickey and Friends Celebrate Happy!
Additionally, DCA’s Carthay Circle Restaurant will feature a “special moment” filled with music, lights, and projection effects and it’s a small world will get a new projection show.
Oh, and of course there are plenty more details to come, including special themed merch and food, a new song called ‘Celebrate Happy,’ and so much more.
Beyond the celebrations for Disneyland’s 70th, there are a ton of other things to look forward to at the parks, and you can check out the schedule below, which includes festivals, Star Wars: Season of the Force, Lunar New Year, Halloween and Holiday parties, and more.
While there is still a bit of a wait for all the fun in 2025 at Disneyland, there is plenty to enjoy right now. To learn more, I invite you to check out my Tiana’s Bayou Adventure review and Everything You Need to Know feature now that it is open at both Disneyland and Disney World and my Holidays at Disneyland guide.
Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.
