A rich tradition of innovation and storytelling will be on stage for the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration, beginning May 22, 2015. Three electrifying new shows will make their premieres, adding to the magical lineup of attractions and family-friendly fun that guests enjoy every day. Since opening July 17, 1955, the Disneyland Resort has grown from a single park to a world-class family destination with two renowned theme parks, three hotels and the shopping, dining and entertainment district known as Downtown Disney. As the resort continues to evolve and expand, the Diamond Celebration will recognize the innovation of the last 60 years while anticipating all that is yet to come.
The Disneyland Resort: By the Numbers
1. Since opening day in 1955, the Disneyland Resort has welcomed more than 750 million guests to The Happiest Place on Earth. That number includes guests from approximately 200 nations, nearly every country in the world today.
2. Through the years, hundreds of famous individuals have visited the Disneyland Resort, including U.S. presidents (dating to Harry S. Truman), heads of state and countless athletes, artists, authors and celebrities. The guest list is a virtual “Who’s Who” of the 20th and early 21st centuries.
3. The Disneyland Resort now employs some 28,000 cast members, making it the largest single-site employer in Orange County, California.
4. Thirty-eight different languages are spoken among Disneyland Resort cast members.
5. More than 50 scuba divers work year-round to maintain Disneyland Resort attractions, including “World of Color” at Disney California Adventure Park and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland Park.
6. More than 800 species of plants indigenous to 40 nations grow at the Disneyland Resort, making it one of the most extensive and diverse botanical locales in the western United States. The landscape includes colorful flowers, 22 topiary animals and characters, and approximately 18,000 trees.
7. Mickey Mouse ear hats are the most popular Disneyland Resort souvenirs of all time, with more than 84 million “ears” sold since 1955. New “crystal” ears and other creative designs will debut during the Diamond Celebration.
8. The Disneyland Resort generates $4.7 billion annually for the Southern California economy.
New Fun at Disneyland
9. Debuting for the Diamond Celebration, “Paint the Night” will sparkle with more than 1.5 million individually controlled lights. Nearly all of those are energy-efficient, LED lights.
10. In addition to the LED lights on “Paint the Night” floats, each costume in the parade features its own sophisticated individual system of lighting controls.
11. “Paint the Night” features some subtle tributes to the classic “Main Street Electrical Parade,” including hints of that parade’s musical theme, a new “drum float” to lead the parade and, at the tip of Tinker Bell’s magic wand, a light from the original “Electrical Parade.”
12. In the new “Disneyland Forever” fireworks show, guests will enjoy pyrotechnics above them and immersive projections all around them: on Main Street, U.S.A., the mist screens on Rivers of America, the façade of “it’s a small world” and the Matterhorn. The largest use of projection mapping technology in any Disney Park will transform park locations into a magical canvas, transporting guests into Disney stories, from flying high above the London skyline with Peter Pan, dancing with King Louie of “The Jungle Book,” and seeing Nemo fly through the sky to Mount Wannahockaloogie.
13. “Kiss Goodnight,” the inspiring closing song of “Disneyland Forever,” was written by Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman. Richard also was the co-writer, with his brother Robert B. Sherman, of “it’s a small world” and the award-winning songs for the classic Disney film “Mary Poppins.” Adding another “practically perfect” touch to “Disneyland Forever” is the singer of “Kiss Goodnight” – Ashley Brown, star of the Broadway production of “Mary Poppins.”
14. A new show at Fantasy Faire in Disneyland tells the story of “Frozen,” Disney’s animated blockbuster film. The Royal Theatre’s resident storytellers, Mr. Smythe and Mr. Jones, tell the tale of Anna and Elsa in their own unique, wacky style.
More Fun at Disney California Adventure
15. In the Diamond Anniversary “World of Color – Celebrate!” nighttime spectacular, award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris will appear in multiple film sequences with Mickey Mouse. They will host the show, with the help of some amazing special effects.
16. Part of the recent expansion of Disney California Adventure, “World of Color” uses a submersible platform that’s bigger than a football field, with more than 20,000 points of control and revolutionary lighting that infuses nearly 1,200 fountains with color — making it one of the largest show systems ever built.
17. “Anna and Elsa’s Royal Welcome” offers guests a special place to greet the popular sisters from “Frozen.” It opened in January, 2015, at the Disney Animation building.
18. The iconic Carthay Circle Theatre Restaurant and Lounge opened in 2012 on Buena Vista Street. It stands 79 feet 6 inches tall, to the top of its cupola spire, and it is approximately ¾ scale to the original Carthay Circle Theatre, the site where Walt Disney’s animated classic, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” premiered in 1937. By way of contrast, Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland stands 77 feet high and is designed to appear taller, due to forced perspective, when viewed from the other end of Main Street, U.S.A.
19. For the Diamond Celebration, Carthay Circle Theatre and Sleeping Beauty Castle will glisten and gleam as never before with brilliant diamond enhancements. On Carthay Circle Theatre, the large “Diamond D” marquee was inspired by the 1930s Art Deco movement. On Sleeping Beauty Castle, more than 100,000 blue, glass crystals will shimmer on the rooftops.
20. Cars Land is home to Radiator Springs Racers, the popular attraction that opened in 2012 at Disney California Adventure. After dark, the colorful and nostalgic appearance of the town of Radiator Springs features 16 neon signs in bright, luminous colors.
21. The cars of the Red Car Trolley attraction on Buena Vista Street are reminiscent of the historic cars of the Pacific Electric Railway system, which operated in Southern California from 1901 through 1961.
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