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

[Fantaluminishes]

It may be too early to know, but would anyone have an idea if there would be a soft opening for the new entertainment the weekend before the official debut? I was planning on being there May 17-18.

Highly doubtful. This will most-likely be a "hard opening". But you win the prize for being the first person to ask this.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Probably/maybe passholder previews?

Surprised no Soarin/Grizzly Peak announcement. Still crossing my fingers for Hatbox Ghost!

 

[DLandgirlie]

WOOOHOOO!!!!!!! Electrical Parade (form of it) is BACK!!!!!

THANKS DISNEY!!!

 

[DLandgirlie]

Oh I hope so too, I have the soundtrack as the ring tone on my phone - my kids don't get the funny music, I hope they will be able to experience it

I'm just happy a form of it is returning! unfortunately not the original but I'll take a light night show

 

[Butterfly123]

Sooooo excited for this summer!

 

[Fantaluminishes]

I wonder if May 22 will be a 24 hour event? I'm hoping for a 24 or 60 hour event on July 17. But if recent history is any indication, I'm betting the 22nd will be the day. Maybe both will happen. It is a big year after all.

 

[StyledSugar]

Did they annouce

I read on Twitter (don't know the source because there were A LOT of posts lol that it is 18 months. Can anyone confirm?

 

[ClaraOswald]

They kept the 50th decorations for a long time, over a year, I think. So it wouldn't surprise me if the 60th stuff stayed up a while.

The fireworks and parades will last quite a while, I'm sure.

 

[Sherry E]

From Disneyland News (which usually has most of the same text that the Disney Parks Blog has, but occasionally there may be extra little details thrown into their press releases):


Disneyland Resort Adds Dazzling, New Nighttime Spectaculars for Its Diamond Celebration, Beginning May 22 - Disneyland News; January 28, 2015


Sleeping Beauty Castle Will Sparkle for Diamond Celebration -- Disneyland News; January 28, 2015

​

Probably/maybe passholder previews?

Surprised no Soarin/Grizzly Peak announcement. Still crossing my fingers for Hatbox Ghost!

This is what I was thinking as well -- the AP folks will probably get a preview to at least one of the events, if not all of them. And there will be a big media day, of course. May 22 is the day that is being publicized as the start date, but a media day will probably be May 21st or something like that, I would guess.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I am so excited... I really hope everything will still be going at Halloween time along with the Halloween offerings! Would love to see the new fireworks, new woc, new parade and blinged out castle while we are there!

 

[pudinhd]

This is what I was thinking as well -- the AP folks will probably get a preview to at least one of the events, if not all of them. And there will be a big media day, of course. May 22 is the day that is being publicized as the start date, but a media day will probably be May 21st or something like that, I would guess.

Hi, Sherry! In your expert opinion , when would you guess an AP preview would be? On May 21st with a possible media day? Just curious...

 

[Sherry E]

Hi, Sherry! In your expert opinion , when would you guess an AP preview would be? On May 21st with a possible media day? Just curious...

Your guess is as good as mine! I'm clueless.

I think it may depend on exactly how much is available to be sneak peeked. They probably won't reveal everything to the AP folks in advance, even if it's all ready to go. I'm thinking they will sneak preview one or two things.

One scenario could be that a media day (for all the news outlets, TV stations, bloggers, reporters, etc.) happens 2 days ahead of time (5/20), in which case an AP preview of something -- maybe just one event -- could be 5/21.

Or, another way they could work it is to maybe preview "World of Color -- Celebrate" a couple of days early for the AP folks, and save all of the Disneyland-specific fun for the May 22nd debut.

I'm not sure if any AP previews have been held on media days in the past -- if they have, then that is possible. I was assuming they were kept separate, but I'm not sure.

 

[JaibuJenn]

I am so excited to be going during this time! I was there for the 40th, but don't remember much, I was a kid.

I'll be there in December, but I wonder if they will change the night time shows to their usual holiday offerings, or keep them the same because of the special anniversary year? I can't see them giving up their holiday fireworks and WoC. Part of me wishes they would, but that is one of their big draws. Time will tell! Exciting times.

Still "patiently" waiting on the hatbox ghost. One can hope!

 

[Sherry E]

Re-posting the links I shared on the previous page, for anyone who missed them...

From Disneyland News (which usually has most of the same text that the Disney Parks Blog has, but occasionally there may be extra little details thrown into their press releases):


Disneyland Resort Adds Dazzling, New Nighttime Spectaculars for Its Diamond Celebration, Beginning May 22 - Disneyland News; January 28, 2015


Sleeping Beauty Castle Will Sparkle for Diamond Celebration -- Disneyland News; January 28, 2015

​

I am so excited... I really hope everything will still be going at Halloween time along with the Halloween offerings! Would love to see the new fireworks, new woc, new parade and blinged out castle while we are there!

I think you'll get to see everything. I would be completely shocked if all of these new nighttime events didn't run for the rest of the year and into next year.

You can see why I have been saying for a while that I think the events of the 60th will affect Halloween Time-specific entertainment and holiday season entertainment. Something from the regular roster of Halloween and Holiday nighttime fare will have to be put on hold, or the schedules will have to be scaled back a bit. To have a Halloween party in Disneyland -- especially if the rumor is true about adding in a bunch of extra party nights -- would mean that either the Halloween party will include the new fireworks and new parade, OR it would mean that the new fireworks and new parade would have to be set aside so that Halloween Screams and the Cavalcade could run for the party. I don't know if I see DL putting their shiny (literally!) new entertainment on hold for the MHP during the year of the 60th, but we'll see....

However, if the rumor is true about the MHP moving back to DCA this year, I think it would be easier to pull off in conjunction with WOC - Celebrate.

I am so excited to be going during this time! I was there for the 40th, but don't remember much, I was a kid.

I'll be there in December, but I wonder if they will change the night time shows to their usual holiday offerings, or keep them the same because of the special anniversary year? I can't see them giving up their holiday fireworks and WoC. Part of me wishes they would, but that is one of their big draws. Time will tell! Exciting times.

Still "patiently" waiting on the hatbox ghost. One can hope!

I don't know if all of the nighttime holiday entertainment will be interrupted, but some of it will have to be impacted in some way, if these new events run all year long.

Believe in Holiday Magic was shelved 10 years ago, during the 50th anniversary. It did not run at all for the holidays that year. That can easily happen again. I can't see Disney spending money on all of these new things, only to run them during summer and then retire them for Halloween and the Holidays. This is a special year at DLR, and I am almost certain the new fireworks and new parade will go on all year in some capacity. World of Color -- we'll see.

 

[pudinhd]

Your guess is as good as mine! I'm clueless.

I think it may depend on exactly how much is available to be sneak peeked. They probably won't reveal everything to the AP folks in advance, even if it's all ready to go. I'm thinking they will sneak preview one or two things.

One scenario could be that a media day (for all the news outlets, TV stations, bloggers, reporters, etc.) happens 2 days ahead of time (5/20), in which case an AP preview of something -- maybe just one event -- could be 5/21.

Or, another way they could work it is to maybe preview "World of Color -- Celebrate" a couple of days early for the AP folks, and save all of the Disneyland-specific fun for the May 22nd debut.

I'm not sure if any AP previews have been held on media days in the past -- if they have, then that is possible. I was assuming they were kept separate, but I'm not sure.

Thanks so much for your thoughts!!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thank you for the links Sherry.

It has been a while since we have all of these new nighttime events during the summertime at the DLR. I remember back in 2009 during Summertastic with the debut of Magical fireworks, DEP back at DCA that summertime, and the new additions to Fantasmic! which was great but this will be even better.

Just like you Sherry, I will be completely shocked if the DLR does not run all the new nighttime events during the Halloween & Christmas season this year. Just like you said back in 2005 during RDCT debut year during the 50th anniversary, Believe didn't run during the holiday season that year where RDCT played during the holiday season. It was odd of not seeing BIHM fireworks that year but I can completely understand why Disney did that.

 

[Sherry E]

Thank you for the links Sherry.

It has been a while since we have all of these new nighttime events during the summertime at the DLR. I remember back in 2009 during Summertastic with the debut of Magical fireworks, DEP back at DCA that summertime, and the new additions to Fantasmic! which was great but this will be even better.

Just like you Sherry, I will be completely shocked if the DLR does not run all the new nighttime events during the Halloween & Christmas season this year. Just like you said back in 2005 during RDCT debut year during the 50th anniversary, Believe didn't run during the holiday season that year where RDCT played during the holiday season. It was odd of not seeing BIHM fireworks that year but I can completely understand why Disney did that.

I'm glad you posted, Bret! You were the first person I thought of when all of the events were officially announced tonight -- I know how much you love to photograph fireworks and WoC, and Paint the Night should be awesome to photograph as well!

Your camera and various lenses will be very busy this year!

I think that, because this year is special and they're only going to have one 60th anniversary, it is feasible to shelve some of the Halloween and Holiday nighttime entertainment until next year. I don't know if they will scrap all of it this year, or just reduce the schedule quite a bit, but somehow, some way, it will be impacted.

 

[sophies*mom]

Sneak peek of "Disneyland Forever"

http://youtu.be/gk0KyssWH6U

 

[mvf-m11c]

I'm glad you posted, Bret! You were the first person I thought of when all of the events were officially announced tonight -- I know how much you love to photograph fireworks and WoC, and Paint the Night should be awesome to photograph as well!

Your camera and various lenses will be very busy this year!

I think that, because this year is special and they're only going to have one 60th anniversary, it is feasible to shelve some of the Halloween and Holiday nighttime entertainment until next year. I don't know if they will scrap all of it this year, or just reduce the schedule quite a bit, but somehow, some way, it will be impacted.

I have enjoyed taking pictures and videotaping the nighttime shows and this will so fun for this year to see those nighttime events. After reading the sites about the Disneyland Forever firework show, I might not to have to camp out in front of SB Castle to see the fireworks but watch it on MS with the projections on the MS buildings. I am also looking forward to the new WoC – Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney and seeing Paint the Night parade after seeing video clips of it at HKDL.

They will be very busy this year including my video camera.

It does make sense of not to shelve all the Halloween/Holiday nighttime entertainment this year. I am curious of what is going to happen during the Halloween/Holiday season nighttime events with these three new shows going to happen this year.

 

[Sherry E]

I have enjoyed taking pictures and videotaping the nighttime shows and this will so fun for this year to see those nighttime events. After reading the sites about the Disneyland Forever firework show, I might not to have to camp out in front of SB Castle to see the fireworks but watch it on MS with the projections on the MS buildings. I am also looking forward to the new version of WoC and seeing Paint the Night parade after seeing video clips of it at HKDL.

They will be very busy this year including my video camera.

It does make sense of not to shelve all the Halloween/Holiday nighttime entertainment this year. I am curious of what is going to happen during the Halloween/Holiday season nighttime events with these three new shows going to happen this year.

Peeking at a thread over on MiceChat I noticed that Dustysage mentioned that during the Q&A that took place tonight at DL, it was stated that the Christmas fireworks will not be happening this year (which we expected to be the case).

Then, apparently someone asked about the Christmas Fantasy Parade, and whoever was tackling the questions at the Q&A said that they don't know yet (about the status of the parade).

My guess is... no Christmas Fantasy Parade this year (along with no Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks).

As for Halloween Screams? Halloween Time is getting very 'thin' in terms of décor and overall entertainment, so removing HS from the line-up will put a big dent in the season and in the parties, but if there is a Halloween-themed WoC in the works (and if they finally, finally decide to whip out the long-delayed TSMM Halloween overlay), then DCA could actually have some Halloween fun once again.

The Halloween party ran for 5 years (2005-2009) in DCA. Then it ran for 5 years (2010-2014) in DL. I think it's time for the MHP to move back to DCA -- at least this year.