Disneyland Turns 70! Get a Sneak Peek Inside the Massive ‘Celebrate Happy’ Festivities Kicking Off May 16
A celebration 70 years in the making is happening in California!
- Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. turns 70 this year and has a massive year-long-plus celebration planned
- There are several all-new, limited time festivities taking place to honor Disney’s milestone anniversary.
- The celebration kicks off May 16, 2025.
Disneyland is hosting a milestone celebration 70 years in the making!
Starting Thursday, May 16 through summer 2026, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. will be hosting its 70th anniversary, even though its official opening day anniversary date is still a few months away. The theme is “Celebrate Happy!” and the festivities will include new parades, shows, decorations, merch and more.
PEOPLE was present for a special media sneak peek to check out the all-new magical happenings ahead of their public debut.
Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, and that, says stage show director for Disney Live Entertainment, Scott Damien Arroyo, was the first major celebration with Walt Disney himself present. "We don't live in the past, but we honor the past," he explains. “We really are always looking backwards as we move forwards.”

Celebrate Happy Cavalcade
The “Celebrate Happy Cavalcade" parades down Main Street near the Main Street Magic Shop in Disneyland will feature beloved classic characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Daisy Duck.

Disney Princesses Pocahontas, Snow White, Jasmine and Merida also wave to the crowd as dancers groove to brand new songs created just for the occasion.
“It's the 70th. This is a party atmosphere. So what do you need when you go to a party? You need a great new outfit. Mickey, Minnie, and the gang all have really great fun new looks,” Jennifer McGill with Disney Live Entertainment said.
She added that the costumes “lean into the colors of the 70th celebration, but there's always some Easter eggs.”
“You can look closely and you can see in Mickey's jacket, there's some nods to Sorcerer Mickey in there, as well as the pixie dust motif throughout those designs. And they're just so fun and contemporary and I think our guests are really going to enjoy seeing them,” McGill said.

Tapestry of Happiness
The “Tapestry of Happiness” projection show is also new for the 70th celebration, and can be found at the It’s A Small World ride in Disneyland.
“I call this a little show with a big heart,” creative director of Disney Live Entertainment, Susanna Tuber, said. “It's beautiful. It's a five minute projection show on the facade of It’s A Small World that's going to play three times a night.”
She calls the Tapestry of Happiness a “love letter to all these Disneyland iconic experiences.”

Paint the Night
Once you’re done soaking up the magic of the projection show, the “Paint the Night” Parade follows in the same area, offering dazzling electric floats with Disney favorites from Tinkerbell to Ariel and even Monsters, Inc and Cars characters.
Wondrous Journeys
Take a short walk to the Sleeping Beauty Castle to finish out the evening with the “Wondrous Journeys” Nighttime Spectacular — a multimedia show that mixes video projection and over-the-top fireworks for a grand finale.
Just across from Disneyland, guests can line up to see yet another exciting daytime show with the "Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!" Parade in Disney California Adventure Park across from Ariel’s Undersea Adventure.

Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!
World of Color Happiness!
And like Disneyland, Disney California Adventure Park also features a nighttime spectacular — the “World of Color Happiness!” water show with special guests.
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“We realized very quickly that you can't have happiness without all of the emotions,” McGill said of the show’s return, which includes the cast of Inside Out and Inside Out 2.
World of Color also features a pre-show with the Muppets for the very first time as the quirky characters also turn 70 this year.

“They had a very special message that they wanted to share before the show. So it is entirely separate from the full-length show. Make sure you arrive on time because you want to see the special message that they have for us,” McGill added. “And when we were filming, I will share that Ms. Piggy had a lot of requests. There were a lot of wardrobe requests. There are a few special outfits that may have been made for her for this. Gonzo got into some hijinks.”
In addition to the limited-time shows, there are also new menu items as well as nostalgic dishes, plus plenty of merchandise to stock up on.
Celebrate Happy festivities kick off at Disneyland May 16.