Disneyland opened for business on July 17, 1955. Seven decades later, the Happiest Place on Earth seeks to continue the business of maximizing lifelong memories with its 70th Anniversary Celebration.
The party begins on May 16, two months before Disneyland's anniversary. The celebration stretches through the summer of 2026, providing families with over a year to visit Anaheim. Disney typically marks significant anniversaries in its theme parks with new attractions, merchandise, and food. The 70th Anniversary Celebration offerings will include all those features and some.
Theme park experts eagerly await the start of the festival, which promises to "Celebrate Happy," as the previously announced name of its theme song suggests. Families looking to incorporate a Disneyland vacation into their travel plans in 2025 and 2026 will want to make note of the special limited-time offerings unique to the 70th Anniversary Celebration.
A Tribute To All Things Disneyland
Disney knows how to celebrate a major milestone, and that expertise extends to Disneyland Resort's 70th anniversary. The crown jewel of the celebration, which experts agree guests must prioritize, opens on July 17. The new show, "Walt Disney – A Magical Life," tells the story of Walt's journey of starting his animation studio, which eventually expanded into a theme park empire.
Theme park journalist Megan duBois looks forward to Walt Disney – A Magical Life for a specific reason. "The show will feature Walt Disney Imagineering's most advanced animatronic yet, an Audio-Animatronic of Walt himself," she says. "As a Disney fan, this show is sure to bring a lot of joy."
Main Street Cinema in Disneyland will host other tributes to the park's heritage. The Last Verse, a short film about Robert and Richard Sherman and their iconic song "It's A Small World," debuts on July 17. That particular last verse, penned by Richard Sherman shortly before he died in 2024, will play in the "it's a small world" attraction as part of the ride's musical score starting July 17.
"All signs point to The Last Verse being a touching tribute to the Sherman Brothers and Walt Disney and the legacy all three left behind. While it's only a few minutes long, it will be worth checking out during your visit," says Gavin Doyle, founder of Mickey Visitv and official theme park expert for Visit Anaheim.
Disneyland's 70th anniversary celebration also includes brand-new merchandise that fans will want to get their hands on. Doyle anticipates the popularity of this commemorative merchandise.
"Any merchandise considered limited edition or unique in any way quickly becomes a big hit with fans, so I'm sure there are plenty of must-have items that will be up for grabs during the 70th Anniversary Celebration,” Doyle shared.
For the perfect photo opportunity, festive decorations will appear throughout the resort. These adornments include Sleeping Beauty Castle, Main Street U.S.A., the Disneyland Railroad Station, and spaces outside Disneyland Park.
Endless Entertainment Day And Night
Disneyland Resort routinely delivers on spectacles, from fireworks to parades and everything in between. The 70th Anniversary Celebration's jam-packed entertainment lineup includes new and returning shows that guests will enjoy day and night.
During the daytime, families will spot favorite and rare characters in "The Celebrate Happy Cavalcade" at Disneyland Park. Two immensely popular characters in the Asia-based Disney parks, Duffy and ShellieMay, will make an appearance. The "Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration" parade returns to Disney California Adventure Park during the day. As the sun sets, the parks will take on a completely different vibe for the 70th anniversary.
"Duffy and ShellieMay are wildly popular characters among Disney's biggest fans, especially to those who frequent the Asian Disney parks," Doyle notes. "By featuring them in The Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, Disney is showing an attention to detail that fans will surely appreciate."
"One thing I'm looking forward to in the first round of offerings in May is the return of Wondrous Journeys," duBois adds. The nighttime show 'Wondrous Journeys' features fireworks on select nights and returns to Disneyland Park on May 16. "It is a heartwarming show, and in my opinion, one of the best that Disney's ever done, maybe even rivaling Disney World's 'Happily Ever After.'" The fan-favorite nighttime parade, "Paint the Night," also returns to Disneyland Park for the anniversary celebration.
Disney California Adventure Park will debut a new version of its hit nighttime fountain show, "World of Color." The latest iteration, "World of Color Happiness!," features the emotions from Pixar's Inside Out franchise.
Doyle also recommends looking beyond Disneyland in Anaheim to extend your celebration and save some money. “Staying at the hotels just across the street from Disneyland is a great way to save money while still getting a great experience, and adding on one of our favorite Anaheim restaurants is a nice addition to your trip for the day before your Disneyland visit. The Anaheim Packing District is a great collection of restaurants that just celebrated an anniversary of its own,” Doyle shared.
