Disneyland opened in Anaheim, Calif., on July 17, 1955, making 2025 its 70th-anniversary year. Luckily, the party has already started and it will continue through summer 2026.

“Disneyland is a destination,” said Lynn Clark, vice president of sales for the Disneyland Resort. ''There's something joyful with this [70th-anniversary] celebration, the entertainment some fan favorites, some new plus exciting novelties and food and beverage items. But to really see it all, you need a longer length of stay.''

Here are a few reasons clients will need more than a day or two to experience the Happiest Place on Earth this year and beyond.

Entertainment at Disneyland Resort’s 70th Anniversary

The highlight of the resort-wide anniversary celebration dubbed “Celebrate Happy” is the extensive slate of new and returning entertainment, including the fan-favorite “Paint the Night” parade, which originally debuted for the park’s 60th anniversary.

The high-tech cousin of the beloved “Main Street Electrical Parade” features costumes and floats illuminated with more than a million colorful LED lights, including the spectacular 30-foot-tall Frozen-themed float, which is back in the lineup after being removed for the parade's 2018 stint in California Adventure. In addition to refreshed lighting, the soundtrack integrates the celebration’s theme song, “Celebrate Happy,” by the Jonas Brothers. The toe-tapping tune can also be heard in many other anniversary entertainment offerings.

Also returning to Disneyland Park is the extremely popular “Wondrous Journeys” nighttime spectacular, which debuted in 2023 for Disney’s 100th-anniversary celebration and includes music and images from all 60+ Disney animated movies.

On Main Street U.S.A, the “Celebrate Happy Cavalcade” marks the return of Duffy and Disneyland debut of ShellieMay adorable characters from Disney parks in Asia and on the facade of It’s a Small World, an all-new projection show called “Tapestry of Happiness” weaves sound effects from favorite Disneyland attractions (past and present) with music and images in the whimsical “paper doll” style of Disney Legend Mary Blair, the Imagineer who designed the iconic attraction.

In California Adventure, clients of all ages will love “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration,” a lively daytime parade that debuted last summer for Pixar Fest.

Then, there’s the all-new “World of Color Happiness” show, which includes a hilarious introductory “legal spiel” starring the Muppets. The water and projection show is hosted by the emotions from the ''Inside Out'' movies and takes its cue from Walt Disney's famous opening day speech, which ends with ''To all who come to this happy place, welcome.''

An additional magical moment takes place on the facade of the Carthay Circle Theater on Buena Vista Street as Tinker Bell transforms the California Adventure landmark for the “Celebrate Happy A Little Bit of Magic” projection show.

Travel advisor Lauren Quirk, owner of Travel With Character, notes that clients will need to stay for several days if they want to see all the nighttime shows.

“They aren't going to be able to catch ‘Wondrous Journeys,’ ‘World of Color‘ and ‘Paint the Night’ [plus ‘Fantasmic’ on Rivers of America and ‘Shadows of Memory’ in Galaxy’s Edge] without having more time,” she said.

On July 17, 2025 (the park’s actual anniversary), a new show called “Walt Disney A Magical Life” will debut in the Opera House with the first-ever Walt Disney audio-animatronic figure; that debut will be accompanied by an exhibit curated by Walt Disney Archives in collaboration with the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. On the same day, a new last verse of “Small World” written by Disney legend Richard M. Sherman shortly before his passing will be added to the beloved attraction.

How Long Should Clients Stay at Disneyland Resort?

The idea of a multi-day (or, for some clients, multi-week) vacation at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is nothing new, but families may not realize how much there is to see and do in Anaheim. “Celebrate Happy” and all that it entails certainly demonstrates that there is enough to warrant a multi-night vacation. Disneyland is also perfect for Disney-loving families with young kids and grandparents who will appreciate the “walkable” California resort.

“We love introducing Disneyland to our guests with small children,” Quirk said. “The smaller size of the theme parks here feels much more manageable as a ‘first visit.’ Families don't have to lug strollers onto transportation and can easily walk back to their hotel for a midday break.”

Whether clients are already Disneyland fans or are considering their first visit, current limited-time multi-day ticket and hotel offers can sweeten an already very sweet vacation. In fact, Quirk says that SoCal residents who previously only did day trips are now planning extended ''staycations'' with onsite accommodations, making the anniversary ticket offer particularly appealing.

“Now’s the time for travel to Disneyland,” said Jodi Bainter, vice president, domestic leisure sales at Disney Destinations. “There truly is something for any family that wants to come during the celebration, and in the future.”

While Disneyland’s 70th anniversary is certainly a significant milestone, it’s also just the beginning. Thanks to the resort’s ambitious multi-year expansion plans known as DisneylandForward clients can look forward to even more new attractions and experiences well into the future.

“I cannot tell you how happy I am to celebrate 70 years at Disneyland,” said Thomas Mazloum, Disneyland Resort’s new president. “Since 1955, Disneyland Resort has been a beacon of joy…and with DisneylandForward on the way, we are starting to dream big again. Just like Walt Disney did 70 years ago, we are going to show the world how to make the impossible possible.”