WDW Daily News

Disneyland Resort guests enjoy a variety of live performances, and many youngsters get their first taste of live theater in Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park.  Even with all the spectacular rides and attractions in the parks, a Disneyland Resort guest could spend a full day and night simply enjoying the shows, large and small.

Throughout Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, guests encounter parades, dance parties, street performances, musical groups and live shows virtually at every turn.  A full list of entertainment is available each day at the park entrances and may include the following:

At Disneyland

• “Mickey and the Magical Map” – The show, presented on the Fantasyland Theatre stage, features Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters in a dazzling adventure filled with music, fun and special effects.
• “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” – Presented daily, it features beloved Disney characters performing to a variety of rhythms and musical styles.
• “Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple”– In this interactive show, reimagined in 2015 as part of Star Wars Season of the Force, younglings train in the ways of the Jedi and help defend against Darth Vader and the Seventh Sister Inquisitor, from the Disney XD series Star Wars Rebels, at Tomorrowland Terrace.
• Fantasy Faire, near Sleeping Beauty Castle, features live shows that are presented in the Royal Theatre. Renaissance men Messieurs Smythe and Jones, with the assistance of some fellow villagers and a little help from the audience, bring the tales of “Beauty and the Beast” and “Tangled” to life with music, whimsy, humor and heart.
• “Paint the Night” parade – This 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.”
• Nighttime fireworks spectaculars, including “Disneyland Forever,” which debuted in 2015 during the Diamond Celebration, light up the sky above Disneyland Park.

At Disney California Adventure

• “World of Color – Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney” – The innovative and immersive nighttime spectacular presented on Paradise Bay combines water, color, fire, music and animation to share the story of Walt Disney and his dream of the Happiest Place on Earth.
• In 2016, the story of “Frozen” will come to life in an all-new musical stage production at the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure.
• “Pixar Play Parade” – The lively playtime parade performs regularly with favorite Disney•Pixar pals.
• “Disney Junior – Live on Stage!”  – Mickey Mouse is joined by favorite Disney Junior show characters, including Doc McStuffins and Sofia the First.
• “For the First Time in Forever” – A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration – Guests may sing along with popular “Frozen” songs at the Crown Jewel Theatre of Arendelle.

Parade routes and theatrical venues aren’t the only places where Disneyland Resort guests encounter live entertainment.  There are magical encounters with live Disney and Disney•Pixar characters, and the parks are filled with many other energetic and talented performers.

At Disneyland, the Disneyland Band, the Dapper Dans quartet and the Refreshment Corner Piano Player are all on view on Main Street, U.S.A. In New Orleans Square, the toe-tapping shows star the rowdy piratical Bootstrappers, the Jambalaya Jazz Band and the mellow Royal Street Bachelors.

At the entrance to the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland, guests may encounter the goofy Laughing Stock Company. The gifted musicians of the All American College Band appear on Main Street, U.S.A. during the summer.

At Disney California Adventure, Buena Vista Street comes alive with the Red Car Trolley News Boys and the outgoing, improvisational Citizens of Buena Vista Street. The swinging jazz combo Five & Dime travels through the park on a makeshift jalopy, Green Army Men from “Toy Story” patrol the park with “Operation: Playtime!”

At Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, the wilderness recreation area in Grizzly Peak, guests may encounter The Happy Camper or view the daily Wilderness Explorer Ceremony in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail amphitheatre.

The new Cars Land in Disney California Adventure offers in-person greetings by Lightning McQueen, tow truck Mater, fire engine Red (who waters the flowers and cleans up the streets) and “DJ’s Dance ‘n’ Drive,” a spontaneous street party designed to get everyone dancing with the vehicular music maker DJ.

The live entertainment experience at Disneyland Resort extends beyond the borders of the parks, with character meals and occasional musical entertainment at the Disneyland Resort hotels, and multiple live musical performances along the walkways of the Downtown Disney dining, shopping and entertainment district. Downtown Disney also offers live entertainment at the House of Blues and Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen.

Like everything else the light touches at a Disney Park, bottles of water cost mad Disney Dollars. But you don’t have to be cornered into spending a fortune on it because of this little secret: water at Disneyland and Disney World is actually FREE.

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If you have a toddler who’s begged to wear an Anna or Elsa costume, you’re not alone—even Adele’s family is getting in on the Frozen action.

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To honor the 100,000^th Disney wish granted globally, and in celebration of Disneyland Resort’s 60th Anniversary, Disneyland and Make-A-Wish^® are inviting fans to Share Your Ears and share the power of a wish^®.

Disney and Make-A-Wish fans around the world can make a difference for children with life-threatening medical conditions by unlocking a donation with a simple photo. Disney Parks will donate $5 to Make-A-Wish, up to a total of $1 million, for each photo taken and shared of people wearing Mickey Mouse Ears – or any creative “ears” at all. Photos can be uploaded to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #ShareYourEars between now and March 14, 2016.

“For 35 years, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been proud to work with Make-A-Wish to make dreams come true for thousands of children, and now we’re excited to give Disney fans the opportunity to help us make a difference for even more,” said Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Actor and Disney fan-favorite Neil Patrick Harris helped kick off the campaign in style last night during the ABC special, “The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60.” Sporting an assortment of ears and a “dazzled” Mickey Mouse Ear hat, Harris shared the importance of wish-granting and the impact it makes on the lives of children and families. The exclusive dazzled Ear hat – adorned with a diamond “D” – will be part of a Make-A-Wish sweepstakes campaign to raise additional funds for wish-granting.

Guests visiting Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, can also purchase collectible 60th Anniversary Ear Hats that say “Wishes Really Do Come True.” Only 7,500 hats will be sold, and all proceeds will go to Make-A-Wish – up to an additional $150,000.

Nearly 8,000 Disney-related wishes are granted worldwide every year – including experiences at Disney theme parks, voyages on Disney Cruise Line, meetings with Disney characters, and visits to TV and movie sets – making Disney the most popular request by Make-A-Wish children.

“The Share Your Ears campaign captures the excitement and creativity that we all associate with Disney. Since the very first wish, Disney has provided wish kids and their families with experiences beyond their wildest imaginations,” said David Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. Jon Stettner, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish International added, “Disney continues to surprise us with its ingenuity and generosity, allowing its guests and fans around the world to share in Disney’s passion for our mission. We couldn’t be more grateful.”

For more information, visit www.ShareYourEars.org.

Magic truly is coming to life when ABC airs The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60 on Sunday night. The special celebrates Disneyland’s 60th anniversary, showcasing the influence that the park and Walt Disney’s company have had for the last six decades.

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With the ongoing Diamond Celebration, there’s no better time for guests to enjoy special moments with their friends and families at the Disneyland Resort. Three new nighttime spectaculars, immersive attractions and entertainment offer countless ways for guests to make the most of their vacations at the Happiest Place on Earth. There are plenty of tips for guests as they plan to stay and play at Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, the three on-site hotels and Downtown Disney.

PLAN

• Official Disneyland App – The official Disneyland App offers useful information right at a guest’s fingertips, including attraction wait times, FastPass return times, maps, entertainment guides and other special features. Guests may also use the app to purchase tickets with their mobile device, look for character appearances in the park and find park hours. Details are available here.
• Disney Vacation Planning DVD – Guests are invited to preview the magical experiences that await their next Disneyland Resort Vacation with a library of informative videos. To order a Disney Vacation Planning DVD, go to Disneyland.com.
• Disneyland Express – Just 30 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and just 15 miles from John Wayne Airport (SNA), Disneyland Resort offers the Disneyland Express for easy bus transfer to the resort. Disneyland Resort Express also provides convenient transportation to Anaheim area hotels.
• Dining Reservations – To make the most of vacation time, guests may make dining reservations in advance at the resort’s award-winning restaurants. Special dining packages offer guests a full-course meal and reserved viewing for “Paint the Night” at Disneyland and “World of Color – Celebrate!” at Disney California Adventure. For reservations, guests may call 714-781-DINE or email a date, time and contact information to dine@Disneyland.com. Guests may also book a table online at Disneyland.com.
• Social Media – Keep up with the latest updates about the Disneyland Resort at com, where guests may also get behind-the-scenes looks at the parks, resort hotels and Downtown Disney. For planning tips and fun facts, follow @Disneyland on Twitter. Guests may also engage with Disneyland on Facebook and Instagram
• In-Park Social Media – While at the resort, guests may follow @DisneylandToday on Twitter for information about Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and the resort hotels with live updates and answers.

STAY

• Stay in the Magic – Guests discover many special benefits when they stay at one of three Disneyland Resort hotels: the classic Disneyland Hotel and luxurious Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa – both AAA Four Diamond properties – and the sunny California beachfront-themed Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.

• Extra Magic Hour – Early Admission to the Parks – Guests staying at any Disneyland Resort hotel may enjoy Extra Magic Hour entry into Disneyland or Disney California Adventure one hour before the parks open to the public. This opportunity is good for the length of a guest’s stay, with designated days for each park. To check availability, daily times and additional information, visit Disneyland.com and click on “Park Hours.” (Valid theme park admission and active hotel room key required.)
• Grand Location – Guest staying at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa enjoy an exclusive entrance to Disney California Adventure through the hotel. Nearby, guests also enjoy the Downtown Disney District, with its eclectic mix of entertainment, dining and shopping opportunities.
• Storybook Vacation – At Disneyland Resort hotels, guests have the opportunity to share a meal and laughs with favorite Disney characters, relax by sparkling pools and enjoy a night on the town complete with dinner at one of several award-winning restaurants.
• Convenience and Legendary Service – Guests who stay at Disneyland Resort Hotels are treated to exclusive conveniences throughout their stay, including a Keys to the Magic card for charging meals and merchandise to the guest room. The Package Express service delivers resort merchandise purchases right to a guest’s hotel. Hotel guests are treated to the legendary Disney guest service throughout their vacation.
• Multi-generational travel and large parties – Many families enjoy traveling to the Disneyland Resort with family members of multiple generations, or with family reunions. The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort welcome multi-generational travelers and large parties, offering 88 suites that sleep eight, and 36 suites that sleep 6 (not including the signature suites). Some of the suites connect to adjacent suites to accommodate the larger parties.
• Great Value – Guests can find great value in multiple-day tickets and vacation packages at the Resort hotels, or at nearby Good Neighbor hotels, by purchasing online. The latest special offers are available at Disneyland.com/offers.

PLAY

• Disney FASTPASS Service – FASTPASS allows guests to maximize their time in the park by reserving a specific time window to enjoy their favorite attractions. When guests return during that time, they enjoy a shorter line reserved for FASTPASS holders. Guests are encouraged to pick up FASTPASS tickets early for favorite attractions such as Radiator Springs Racers.
• Disney PhotoPass Service – PhotoPass Photographers at character, dining and special locations throughout the park ensure that everyone gets in the photo. Guests may link, view and purchase photos at Disneyland.com or directly from the Disneyland App.
• “A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps” Tour – Guests may follow in the footsteps of the man whose vision and creativity brought Disneyland park to life, Walt Disney. This 3 ½-hour guided tour covers the life of Walt Disney and stories behind the magic of Disneyland. To book this, or other tours offered by Disneyland Resort, call (714) 781-TOUR (8687).
• Charging Lockers – Guests re-charge their batteries and get back to the fun in no time when using special lockers on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland Park and Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure Park that include options for traditional AC outlet or specialized chargers for electronic devices.

• Parent “Rider Switch” – A theme-park “rider switch” policy gives both parents a chance to enjoy their favorite attractions without double the wait. A parent who waits with a young child while the other parent rides the attraction may board the ride with minimal wait time once the first parent exits. Guests may ask a cast member about this option.
• Enjoy the shows and entertainment – Oftentimes, children enjoy live entertainment and stage shows for the first time at the Disneyland Resort. Families may choose from multiple shows in the daily Show Entertainment Guide (available at the main entrance gate and at Guest Relations centers). These include parades, character encounters and  shows such as “Disney Junior – Live on Stage” (Disney California Adventure) and “Mickey and the Magical Map” (Disneyland). Guests also may encounter performers and singers as they stroll through the parks, including the Dapper Dans at Disneyland, and Five and Dime at Disney California Adventure.
• Character Dining -Character dining is a great way to introduce youngsters to Disney characters. At select locations, a cast of characters will visit guests at their tables. For reservations, call 714-781-DINE. Another tip: Many Disney restaurants offer children’s menus.Healthful Dining Options – While special treats are part of the Disney fun, families can also choose nutritious snacks such as nuts, trail mix and fresh fruit from outdoor carts. Kids meals come with fruit or vegetables on the side, along with juice, water or low-fat milk. Fries and soda are available upon request, at no additional cost. Look for the Mickey Check symbol on menus, indicating the best nutritional choices for children.

When Walt Disney opened Disneyland, the original Disney theme park, on July 17, 1955, he said he hoped it would be “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” He famously observed: “Disneyland will never be completed…as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

Since 1955, the Disneyland Resort has welcomed more than 750 million guests. It has expanded to become an approximately 500-acre, world-class, multi-day, family vacation  destination, complete with two renowned Disney theme parks, three hotels and the exciting shopping, dining and entertainment district known as Downtown Disney.

The parks of the Disneyland Resort continue to offer guests more classic characters, more storytelling, more attractions and more of the unique Disney heritage that gives Disney theme parks their special personality.

Disneyland Park – Upon its opening on July 17, 1955, Disneyland introduced a new concept in family entertainment and launched the theme park industry. Disneyland presented 18 major attractions on its Opening Day including the Mad Tea Party, the Jungle Cruise, Autopia and the Mark Twain Riverboat, and it featured five themed lands: Fantasyland, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Frontierland and Main Street, U.S.A. Today, Disneyland is an evolving 85-acre American institution featuring more than 60 adventures and attractions in eight themed lands, having added New Orleans Square in 1966, Critter Country (originally Bear County) in 1972 and Mickey’s Toontown in 1993. Construction on a future Star Wars-themed land begins in 2016. Favorite Disneyland attractions include Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Tours, “it’s a small world,” Indiana Jones Adventure and the mountain range of thrill rides: Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain. Entertainment is presented throughout the park, with music and stage shows, including “Mickey and the Magical Map.”

Disney California Adventure Park – Since its opening in 2001 with such popular attractions as Soarin’ Over California, California Screamin’ and Grizzly River Run, Disney California Adventure has been bringing adventure and fun to life with Disney storytelling magic. The extremely popular Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror attraction debuted in 2004. With the addition of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street in 2012, the park features more than 35 adventures and attractions plus distinctive entertainment and dining.

New in 2016, a spectacular “Frozen” musical premieres at the Hyperion Theater. The adaptaion of “Frozen,” the Walt Disney Animation Studios blockbuster film, will delight guests of all ages with elaborate costumes and sets, stunning special effects, show-stopping production numbers and some unique theatrical surprises.

Disney California Adventure has grown from its original three themed lands – Golden State, Paradise Pier and Hollywood Pictures Backlot – to a total of eight lands including the 12-acre Cars Land and Buena Vista

Street, “a bug’s land” (which opened in 2002), a renamed Hollywood Land, Grizzly Peak featuring the newly reimagined Grizzly Peak Airfield, Pacific Wharf (all formerly parts of the Golden State area) and Paradise Pier.

Among the newer attractions in Disney California Adventure are Toy Story Mania!, an interactive, ride-through attraction where guests enter into a 4D carnival midway hosted by the “Toy Story” characters;“World of Color,” an award-winning, nighttime water spectacular featuring nearly 1,200 fountains that bring Disney animation to life; and The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, a “dark ride” that transports guests “under the sea” to experience scenes and beloved songs from the Little Mermaid film.

The opening of Cars Land in 2012 added Radiator Springs Racers, a high-octane indoor/outdoor adventure that revs through Radiator Springs and concludes with a high-speed race through the mountains of Ornament Valley, and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, in which baby tractors swing guests through a Cars Land hoedown. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters, opening in early 2016, invites guests to climb aboard miniature Italian roadsters, Luigi’s Italian cousins, as they whirl into the traditional dances of their village. Buena Vista Street offers the Red Car Trolley attraction and Carthay Circle Restaurant, one of the premiere dining locations at the Disneyland Resort.

Downtown Disney District –This lively, colorful, admission-free district of exciting restaurants, shops and nightclubs is centrally located between the Disneyland Resort theme parks and hotels.  The 20-acre, 300,000 square-foot avenue features approximately 50 distinct venues including AMC Theatres, Anna and Elsa’s Boutique, Catal Restaurant, Earl of Sandwich, ESPN Zone, House of Blues, La Brea Bakery Café, Rainforest Café, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, Tortilla Jo’s, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria, WonderGround Gallery and, of course, the World of Disney store.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa –1600 S. Disneyland Drive, (714) 635-2300

Featuring 948 rooms and 50 Disney Vacation Club villas, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is the flagship hotel of the Disneyland Resort. The design of this AAA Four-Diamond, award-winning luxury property is inspired by the turn-of-the-century California Craftsman movement. In 2009 the hotel became home to the first Disney Vacation Club units on the West Coast. It’s also the first hotel in the United States to be built inside a Disney park (Disney California Adventure).

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel offers suites, a large convention facility, swimming pools, Mandara Spa and two restaurants: Storytellers Cafe and the award-winning Napa Rose restaurant. With approximately 35 sommeliers, including several advanced sommeliers, Napa Rose boasts the most certified wine experts under one roof anywhere in the United States.

Disneyland Hotel – 1150 West Magic Way, (714) 778-6600

Significant new enhancements at the iconic Disneyland Hotel were completed in 2012, including re-imagined guest rooms, Disney-themed suites, a new restaurant and bar – Tangaroa Terrace and Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar – and a water play area with Monorail-inspired water slides. Other distinctive restaurants at the hotel include Goofy’s Kitchen and the award-winning Steakhouse 55.  This AAA Four-Diamond hotel features 973 rooms, including specially themed Disney character suites, and one of the largest contiguous convention spaces in the Western United States with 136,000 square feet.

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel – 1717 S. Disneyland Drive, (714) 999-0990

A casually elegant 481-room hotel themed to the colorful “day at the beach” California seaside culture of fun, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel features the whimsical Disney’s PCH Grill restaurant, a pool deck with cabanas and water slide, and 30,000 square feet of convention and meeting space.