What to expect for DL's 60th anniversary in 2015 (Starting May 22)

[PatriciaH]

Once the celebration starts, the fireworks, nightly parade, and WOC will without a doubt show nightly. Once summer hits, they run shows on a nightly basis anyway. WOC might even go back to 2 shows per night but we shall see.

I would be highly surprised if they do NOT go back to two shows a night. We may even see three shows a night this summer like in 2010.

That is great about WOC. You do think the fireworks/parade will be nightly? That would be amazing.

 

[HydroGuy]

OP here!

I significantly updated the OP today. It was originally written in May 2014. I kept that portion for history sake. Also because I correctly predicted the opening date of the 60th celebration for May 22.

Here is a quick link to the updated OP in this thread: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51479829&postcount=1

Anyways, I changed the title of the OP to include the May 22 date and added some more updated content and conjecture.

Thanks to everyone else on the forum that have been contributing their thoughts. It looks like this thread has morphed into a bit of a planning resource for the 60th celebration and the months before and after it begins. I am going to try and keep it updated for that purpose. Everyone else adding their ideas will make it better. I will try to link significant posts all of you make in this thread back into the OP for such planning purposes.

 

[HydroGuy]

That is great about WOC. You do think the fireworks/parade will be nightly? That would be amazing.

I expect the fireworks and parade will be nightly during high season and weekends. Off-season weekdays I doubt it. Especially for fireworks as I believe DLR is not allowed to do fireworks nightly in off-season because of restrictions from the city of Anaheim.

 

[Sherry E]

I don't know if restrictions and regulations have changed in the last 5 or 6 years, and I don't know if exceptions to the rule can still be made, but it's worth noting that, in 2009, the Halloween Screams fireworks ran every single night (weather permitting) during the entire Halloween Time season (6-7 weeks).

There probably wouldn't have been too much 'fireworks down time' between the 2009 summer fireworks schedule and the start of Halloween Time, nor between the end of Halloween Time and the start of the holiday season (the fireworks are nightly during all 6-7 weeks of the holidays too).


New:

"Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration Merchandise Art Revealed" -- Disney Parks Blog; posted on January 30th, 2015 by Michelle Harker, Manager, Merchandise Marketing & Communications, Disneyland Resort

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[figment_jii]

Three different logos...so lots of potential merchandise!

 

[abl5710]

WOW! Well, this has sealed the deal for me. We weren't planning a Disney trip this year but I searched for fun the other day and found cheap flights for the time frame we'd go and we can get an exceptional deal on accommodations nearby. After reading this, I feel like we HAVE to go now! We've been to WDW twice but never to DLR so I'm so excited reading about all this! Now I just have to get DH on board. Thank you for sharing all of this information!

 

[pudinhd]

New:

"Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration Merchandise Art Revealed" -- Disney Parks Blog; posted on January 30th, 2015 by Michelle Harker, Manager, Merchandise Marketing & Communications, Disneyland Resort

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Three different logos...so lots of potential merchandise!

I saw this blog post and said out loud I NEED THAT!! I can't wait to see what they put the logos on. I am really hoping for something I can frame! (Because I don't have enough Disney art to hang on my walls!)

 

[mystic95]

That's the right outlook to have! It will be a great trip no matter what -- and hopefully it will end up being the right mix of "holiday season" and "Diamond Celebration" to make everyone happy. And again, I am definitely not diminishing the impact that the Christmas parade, the holiday fireworks and Winter Dreams have on the usual line-up of holiday fare -- I am a bit shocked that all 3 of those things would be taken out, even in light of the fact that the 3 new shows for the Diamond Celebration will be added in. But the holiday season is enormously popular at Disneyland Resort -- hugely popular, and getting more popular each year. Disney has to recognize that, while lots of people will want to see the new nighttime shows for the 60th, there are a lot of people who are headed there specifically to see Christmasy things! They know that the holiday season is a big moneymaker for the parks, and it would be foolish of them to wipe it off the map completely this year. It may be scaled back a bit in some areas, but I still tend to think that they will also add in a couple of extra holiday surprises because of the 60th anniversary (they could stand to add in a couple of nights to the Candlelight Ceremony -- I would love that!). Unfortunately, because Disney waits sooooo long before releasing info about DLR, we probably won't get any solid, official holiday season news until at least July or August (maybe later than that) -- and that's only if they have a big announcement to make. There should be rumors trickling out before that time, though, so we will probably hear about what might happen before it is officially revealed.

What is the candlelight ceremony???

 

[mystic95]

I don't know if restrictions and regulations have changed in the last 5 or 6 years, and I don't know if exceptions to the rule can still be made, but it's worth noting that, in 2009, the Halloween Screams fireworks ran every single night (weather permitting) during the entire Halloween Time season (6-7 weeks). There probably wouldn't have been too much 'fireworks down time' between the 2009 summer fireworks schedule and the start of Halloween Time, nor between the end of Halloween Time and the start of the holiday season (the fireworks are nightly during all 6-7 weeks of the holidays too). New: "Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration Merchandise Art Revealed" -- Disney Parks Blog; posted on January 30th, 2015 by Michelle Harker, Manager, Merchandise Marketing & Communications, Disneyland Resort

I SO NEED A JACKET WITH THE MICKEY AND MINNIE BACKGROUND!!!!

Thinking I need 2 jackets this year... A white 2015 jacket to go with my white 2013 & white 2014 jackets... And hopefully a diamond celebration jacket with Mickey and Minnie

 

[beachdreamr1229]

I want a sweatshirt with that 60 years timeline on it. Eek! I can't wait to see how they put together their merchandising. We better get some clever ear hats, too.

 

[Sherry E]

What is the candlelight ceremony???

mystic95 --

Here is a Disney Parks Blog that may give you an idea :

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...nd-processional-held-at-disneyland-park-1958/


It's a beautiful Ceremony! It began back in the late 1950s -- not too long after Disneyland opened. It involves choirs, candlelight and the Christmas story. The choirs walk up Main Street (that's the procession), carrying candles (I think they're using flameless candles these days). They take their positions on risers on the stage in front of the Train Station in Town Square. A celebrity narrator (and the narrators change every year, though some of them have narrated more than once over the years) tells the story from a podium. The last Candlelight I saw featured Kurt Russell as narrator, but I previously saw Lou Diamond Phillips narrate. John Stamos occasionally narrates.

When the narrator sits down, the choirs perform joyous, jubilant Christmas songs, including Joy to the World, We Three Kings, What Child is This, etc., etc. -- conducted by Nancy Sulahian The 'brings tears to your eyes moment' comes when a young soloist takes center stage to sing a stirring rendition of Silent Night in Spanish and in English, and he invites the audience to sing along -- at which point we are all misty-eyed.

In any case, with the exception of 2012, when Candlelight was expanded to a whopping 20 nights (40 performances!!!!!!), the Ceremony usually only takes place on 2 nights (4 performances in total) -- the first full weekend of December. So this year's Ceremony would probably take place on Saturday, December 5th and Sunday, December 6th.

Because the Candlelight Ceremony and Processional is one of Disneyland's oldest holiday traditions, and since this is a year we are celebrating Disneyland's 60th anniversary, it would be great if they could expand the Candlelight schedule again -- not to 20 nights, because that seemed to cause too much havoc and mayhem on Main Street, but maybe to 5 nights or something, just so more people can see it.

Disney World has many, many nights of Candlelight!

 

[mystic95]

WOW!!!! That's the weekend we will be there. I just know that my DH will LOVE LOVE LOVE this. His all time favorite carol is Silent Night!! We will have to make this a MUST SEE!!!!

 

[cindernat]

Is anyone going to have the same dilemma as me and only have 1 day at the parks (22nd) for the 60th birthday?

I have no idea what to choose out of the new World of Color, the Paint the Night parade and/or fireworks - ARGHHH!!

Also, the fact I have never been to Disneyland before doesn't help! I will have Mon-Thurs to 'discover' most things at the park, but it feels like the 22nd is going to be CRAZY and you really need to know your way around!

 

[Filipina]

Is anyone going to have the same dilemma as me and only have 1 day at the parks (22nd) for the 60th birthday?

I have no idea what to choose out of the new World of Color, the Paint the Night parade and/or fireworks - ARGHHH!!

Also, the fact I have never been to Disneyland before doesn't help! I will have Mon-Thurs to 'discover' most things at the park, but it feels like the 22nd is going to be CRAZY and you really need to know your way around!

I was lucky enough to go the Disneyland 60th Announcements... If I had to choose 1, I would choose the Fireworks. I almost started to cry from the little sneak peek we had. But you never know, you might be able to do all three!

 

[cindernat]

I was lucky enough to go the Disneyland 60th Announcements... If I had to choose 1, I would choose the Fireworks. I almost started to cry from the little sneak peek we had. But you never know, you might be able to do all three!

That would be a dream come true! Having not done World of Color before, and reading the various threads and experiences by others, it seems like getting a good vantage point (through queuing for hours!) is a major ordeal - I'm not sure I can handle that with the anticipated crowds for 22nd May!

 

[jsebsirois]

We decided to switch our Disneyland Trip in July for a WDW trip in October and now, with this announcement, I'm thinking it all over again!!!

Only bad side : I'm pretty sure they won't have special costumes for the characters... My feeling is they will reuse the Year of a Million Dreams costumes...

 

[mom2rtk]

We decided to switch our Disneyland Trip in July for a WDW trip in October and now, with this announcement, I'm thinking it all over again!!!

Only bad side : I'm pretty sure they won't have special costumes for the characters... My feeling is they will reuse the Year of a Million Dreams costumes...

I thought it looked a little YOMD too. But I am good with that. I loved those costumes and would love to see them again. Maybe they'll bling them up a bit though?

 

[Satye1]

I haven't read through every post, but most. But I am curious if anyone thinks the castle will be covered up until the 22nd.

We are there the 16 - 23, so the 22nd will be our last day in the park. We are bringing a first timer with us, who loved DW last time we took him, and I would hate for him (and me ) to see a tarped castle most of our trip!

I'm hoping it will be like the Christmas Castle that they just don't light up until the 22nd.

I know the Sleeping Beauty Castle walk through is scheduled to re-open March 3. Does anyone know if the tarp will be removed then too???

We are traveling from out of state & March 3 will be our last day in the parks. Really hoping to see the Castle.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I had kept debating if I'd get down to DL this year and after hearing about the 60th plans decided the answer must be yes! Really had fun with the 50th and looking forward to the Diamond fun. I was able to get a room at VWL just a couple days before my birthday in June - yay!

 

[undertheseas]

I am trying to talk DH into a trip for the 60th. Our kids get out of school at noon on the 21st so I'm trying to decide if we want to rush to catch a plane and get to Disneyland late that night for the 22nd. Do you think they will do another 24 hour day? Or would we be better off waiting to do the parks that next week? It's Memorial Day week so I don't know if the crowds will get much better or not.

TIA!