This evening Disneyland Resort premiered a spectacular new nighttime parade and innovative fireworks-and-projection show for the “Disneyland Diamond Celebration” that marks 60 years of magic at the Happiest Place on Earth.
On Saturday May, 23th, 2015 the event officially opens to guests, starting with a 24-hour party at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks that serves as a kick-off to Diamond Celebration and to the summer family travel season.
For 60 years, the Disneyland Resort has been in the forefront with entertainment technology, while bringing exciting attractions and inventive entertainment to life for guests from around the world.
“Few companies have both a legendary past as well as a limitless future,” said Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “But we had the great fortune to be founded with a spirit of creativity and innovation — one that continues to define this phenomenal company, allowing us to keep moving forward to meet the future without ever losing sight of who we are and where it all started. We’re thrilled to usher in Disneyland’s Diamond Anniversary and celebrate the triumph of imagination in a place where dreams really do come true.”
A glittering new parade, new fireworks spectacular and all-new “World of Color” show raise the bar, once again, on creativity and entertainment technology, keeping the Disneyland Resort and its guests forever young.
- “Paint the Night – All-New Electrical Parade” – When the lights go down in Disneyland, the Diamond Celebration illuminates the park with a brilliant, new parade. The luminescent parade creates a river of color flowing down Main Street, U.S.A., with an array of Disney characters and more than 1.5 million brilliant LED lights that flash and glow as Mickey Mouse uses his vivid imagination to “Paint the Night.” With dazzling special effects, unforgettable music, energetic performances, fun surprises and spectacular floats, “Paint the Night” is more vibrant than any parade in 60 years at the Disneyland Resort. Even the choreography glows, as parade performers light up with their props and costumes.
Tinker Bell leads the procession in a magical, musical overture, closely followed by a float reminiscent of the giant bass drum that led the classic “Main Street Electrical Parade.” Lightning McQueen races in with his buddy Mack Truck, who makes a hefty impression at 54-feet long, covered from headlights to tail pipe in gleaming light. Anna and Elsa from “Frozen” glide through the night in a shimmering palace of ice and snow.
Guests also will be delighted to see Cinderella, Rapunzel and beloved characters from tales such as “Monsters, Inc.,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Toy Story,” with Mickey and his pals creating a breathtaking grand finale.
- “Disneyland Forever,” – The dazzling new fireworks spectacular “Disneyland Forever” is a street-to-sky, immersive experience like nothing seen before at the Disneyland Resort. Guests will be surrounded by the worlds of timeless Disney tales, from the tips of their toes to the sky high above, thanks to the largest installation of projection mapping technology in a Disney park and surprising special effects. One minute they will be standing on Main Street, U.S.A., and the next they could be stampeding across Simba’s Pride Lands, dancing with King Louie from “The Jungle Book,” traveling “Under the Sea” with the Little Mermaid, flying over London with Peter Pan, dripping in honey with Pooh in a whimsical dream of heffalumps and woozles, or shivering as Queen Elsa brings a glimmering blanket of snow over Disneyland.
For the first time in Disneyland fireworks history, Nemo from the Disney•Pixar animated film “Finding Nemo,” will “just keep swimming” in the skies above Sleeping Beauty Castle, as the Matterhorn is transformed into the fiery peak of Mt. Wannahockaloogie, a special monument from that film. Two original songs enrich the show: the “Disneyland Forever” theme “Live the Magic,” and the inspiring closing song “A Kiss Goodnight,” written by another Disney Legend, Richard M. Sherman, and sung by Ashley Brown, star of the Broadway production of “Mary Poppins.” The “stage” for “Disneyland Forever” fireworks will extend from the sky above to the buildings of Main Street, U.S.A., the facade of “it’s a small world,” the Matterhorn and mist screens along the Rivers of America, with specially designed digital projections offering guests new experiences at each location.
- “World of Color – Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney” – Award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris will join Mickey Mouse on a magical water canvas to entertain guests in this fun-filled new presentation of the popular, nighttime “World of Color” spectacular in Disney California Adventure. Both epic and intimate in scope, “World of Color – Celebrate!” brings to life the remarkable story of Walt and The Happiest Place on Earth with animated imagery, live-action film, fountains, lasers, special effects and a stirring musical score.
Guests will take an inspirational journey through the unparalleled imagination of Walt Disney, exploring his decades-long legacy of memorable animated moments around the world and the dream of Disneyland Park. “World of Color – Celebrate!” reminds guests that, if they never give up on their dreams, anything is possible.
The three, electrifying new shows will premiere on the night of May 22 during the 24-hour party – 6 a.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Saturday, May 23 – along with the many other magical features that will make the Disneyland Resort sparkle as never before during its Diamond Celebration.
