WDW Daily News

Three new nighttime spectaculars will dazzle guests as the Disneyland Resort launches its Diamond Celebration Friday, May 22, 2015. The fun and festivities will begin with a 24-hour party that kicks off the summer travel season.

For six decades, the Disneyland Resort has explored the frontiers of immersive storytelling and entertainment technology, bringing exciting attractions and inventive entertainment to life for guests from around the world.

“When he originally unveiled his dream back in 1955, Walt proclaimed that Disneyland would never be completed as long as there was imagination left in the world,” said Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.  “Time and again we’ve pushed the boundaries to fulfill that vision, and this year we’re excited to celebrate Disneyland Resort’s Diamond anniversary with three new nighttime spectaculars that demonstrate the creativity and innovation for which Disney parks have become known around the world.”

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” Fireworks presented by Honda – 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 Stret, U.S.A., the façade 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.

Disneyland Diamond Days** – an exciting text-in-for-the-chance-to-win sweepstakes – will award daily and weekly prizes as part of the Diamond Celebration. Weekly prizes include a one-carat, authentic diamond, custom engraved for Disney, paired with a stay in the Disneyland Dream Suite; a clear, crystal Cinderella slipper, with a diamond-and-topaz pendant; and private experiences in the park such as a party in Fantasyland or a romantic cruise aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat. To kick off the sweepstakes, the first weekly prize will be a two-carat blue diamond, custom engraved for Disney, and a Disneyland Resort vacation package! The available prize will vary each week. Daily prizes also will be awarded during Disneyland Diamond Days, and each daily prize package for that day includes an individualized tour of the parks with dining, preferred access to select attractions, and VIP viewing at some of the dazzling, new nighttime spectaculars. Daily prize winners must be present on the Disneyland Resort premises at the time of entry and at the time of prize redemption in order to be able to enjoy these special experiences and theme park admission is not necessary to enter or win the sweepstakes. Further details may be found at Disneyland.com/Diamond Days.

In addition, Mickey Mouse and some of his friends have dressed up for the celebration in sparkling, new Diamond Celebration costumes, and the iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland and Carthay Circle Theatre in Disney California Adventure glisten with gleaming veneer and diamond medallions. Ingenious new window displays will begin appearing at the Main Street Emporium in Disneyland, providing some additional Diamond Celebration surprises, and even the resort cast members, who help make the magic for every guest, have a bit of extra sparkle in their Diamond Celebration name tags. To add to the fun, Disneyland attractions undergoing regular refurbishments – Haunted Mansion, Matterhorn Bobsleds and the newly re-themed Grizzly Peak Airfield – will reopen with new magic added to the classic experiences. An enhanced Peter Pan’s Flight will open later this summer.

Entertainment, Dining and Shopping Experiences Add to the Celebration

The after-dark “Mad T Party” returns to Disney California Adventure as a dazzling new “Diamond Mad T Party,” featuring sparkling new decor, interactive fun, dancing and delectable food and drink.

Restaurants and food carts in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure offer new drinks and cupcakes specially created for the Diamond Celebration. Later this summer, drinks will be available in “Made with Magic” sippers which light up to accompany the new after-dark shows. Additional “Made with Magic” merchandise items – newly designed ear hats, wands and paint brushes – also will be available for the celebration.

More than 500 special merchandise items have been created for the Diamond Celebration, including apparel, accessories, art, collectibles, headwear, home décor, jewelry, pins, souvenirs, toys and more. They can be found at shops throughout Disneyland Resort, including Disney Showcase and Main Street Emporium in Disneyland, Elias & Co. in Disney California Adventure, World of Disney in the Downtown Disney District and more.

The Diamond Celebration invites resort guests to experience the dawning of a new era of Disney magic while enjoying the memory-making magic that has always been at the heart of a Disneyland Resort visit. Now, more than ever, Disneyland Resort is the place where dreams come true.