What to Know
- Disneyland turns 70 on July 17, 2025
- Several special events will pay tribute to the milestone, including the debut of "Walt Disney — A Magical Life" at the Main Street Opera House
- The celebration kicks off May 16, 2025
- A ticket and reservation are required to visit one or both theme parks; visiting Downtown Disney District is free
A milestone anniversary is quite often an ebullient occasion; treats are enjoyed, special songs are played, and a sense of savoring the past melds with looking to the future.
Disneyland Resort's milestone celebrations, which take place every five years, include these uplifting elements and other surprises. And on July 17, 2025, The Happiest Place on Earth will pay tribute to seven celebratory decades.
The Anaheim destination revealed its big 70th-anniversary plans on Dec. 5, 2024, with new shows, returning favorites, and a fresh theme in the works.
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"Celebrate Happy" is the effervescent call to action in 2025, with an official kick-off set for May 16.
The popular "Paint the Night" parade will be back to frolic at Disneyland Park in honor of the anniversary, while "World of Color Happiness" will make its inaugural splash at Disney California Adventure Park.
"Wondrous Journeys," another starlit spectacular, will shimmer at Disneyland Park.
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The "Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!" will dance through Disney California Adventure Park, with a pause during the Halloween and holiday festivities ("Wondrous Journeys" will also be paused in the final months of 2025, but both the procession and spectacular will return).
And "Walt Disney — A Magical Life" will open at the Main Street Opera House, whisking fans back to the icon's office through the magic of Audio-Animatronics.
Other moment-marking treats are in store, including the prominent placement of a symbol that Disney devotees have come to expect when milestone celebrations fill the theme park: A big, bright medallion to mark the occasion.
The encircled '70' will be located on the front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle, one of Disneyland's most-photographed spots.
