Beginning May 22nd the Disneyland Resort will officially kick-off its 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration. The celebration will feature sparkling new merchandise, snack and drink offerings, new contests, as well as three nighttime extravaganzas including a re-imagined World of Color, Disneyland Forever fireworks show, and an all new parade entitled “Paint the Night.” Using lights, lasers, projections, and music all three experiences will be truly immerse guests in the history of the Disneyland, Walt Disney, as well as various attractions throughout the resort.
The addition of these incredible nighttime offerings (and we definitely know they’re going to be incredible because we’ve had a behind-the-scenes look), is going to amaze and entertain guests of all ages!
World of Color – Celebrate!
Photo Courtesy of the Disneyland Resort
The all-new World of Color – Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and a newly animated Mickey Mouse. New music, water features, lights and lasers, as well as projections on Mickey’s Fun Wheel will take guests on an imaginative journey through the life and works of Walt Disney and the Disneyland Resort past, present, and future.
Fun Facts about World of Color – Celebrate!:
- Mickey is being drawn by acclaimed Disney animator Eric Goldberg.
- The show will take guests through the golden age of animation with clips from Steamboat Willie, Plane Crazy, and Fantasia.
- Walt Disney’s opening day speech will play an important role in the show.
Disneyland Forever
Through the use of projections, LCD lights and fireworks the Disneyland Forever MEGA fireworks show will transform Main Street U.S.A., it’s a small world, Matterhorn Mountain, and the Rivers of America into a street-to-sky storytelling canvas. Guests will feel as though they are in the middle of an orange orchard, soaring through the skies of London with Peter Pan, under the sea with Ariel, and in the middle of a stampede at Simba’s Pride Rock. Disneyland Forever will feature two new songs, including an awe inspiring closing song titled “Kiss Goodnight,” which was written by Disney Legend Richard Sherman.
Fun Facts about Disneyland Forever:
- Much like World of Color – Celebrate!, Walt Disney’s vision for Disneyland and quotes will be an important part of the show.
- Tinker Bell and Nemo will be taking to the sky!
- Disneyland will be featuring new “signature” firework shells you won’t see anywhere else.
- Dick Van Dyke recorded a small new part for the show.
- The “Diamond Finale” will be nothing short of spectacular.
“Paint the Night”
The all new nighttime parade “Paint the Night” will be the lightest, brightest, and most technically advanced parade in the history of the Disneyland Resort. The “Paint the Night” parade is affectionately being referred to and is inspired by the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade. Over 1 million LED lights will adorn new floats, 80+ performers in lit up costumes, and new upbeat music will combine to create an unforgettable experience. Some of the many Disney and Pixar characters guests can expect to see are: Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, Lightning McQueen, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Rapunzel, Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and of course Mickey Mouse! The parade will take about 30 minutes from beginning to end.
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- Image courtesy of the Disneyland Resort
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- Image courtesy of the Disneyland Resort
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- Image courtesy of the Disneyland Resort
Fun Facts About Paint the Night:
- The parade is possible through incredible smart technology that allows costumes, floats and props to synchronize color and movement.
- The parade requires more technology than World of Color!
- Yes! Baroque Hoedown will be part of the parade!
- Mack truck alone has more than 20,000 lights!
- The electric jellyfish in the Little Mermaid part of the show are 12 feet wide and have spinning motion control.
- The tallest unit is the Frozen Fractals unit.
- There are more than 17,000 lights on Mickey’s float in the Mickey’s Lightastic Finale.
Which nighttime spectacular are you most excited to experience? Be sure to follow us over on our Facebook page for more information and tips on how to best plan for all of these amazing nighttime experiences in the coming weeks.
Do they have the time for the parade will it run once or twice nightly ? Will the same images be at the small world that is on main street and the Matterhorn? our favorite spot to watch the fireworks is at small world it is so much less crowded and the kids can dance and run around to the music.
Those are great questions, Anastasia. The parade will run once or twice per night depending upon the park hours and attendance. The fireworks projections will be slightly different depending upon locations. For example, the Matterhorn will be transformed into Mt. Wannahockaloogie from Finding Nemo during one part of the show and that won’t be replicated elsewhere. You will want to experience the fireworks from different locations during different visits if you can.
I am soo excited and hope I get to see the new parade and shows!!! Will these new shows and parade be still going on in July?? We are planning on going in early July and was also wondering if you think it would be better to go on Tuesday and Wednesday (July 7th and 8th) or Wednesday and Thursday (July 8th and 9th) to possibly have less crowds?? Thanks!!