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Paint the Night parade, Disneyland Forever fireworks, new World of Color announced for Disneyland 60th anniversary celebration

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Posted on by Ricky Brigante 21 Comments
A dazzling arrangement of diamonds creates the number 60 against a vibrant blue backdrop, celebrating Disneyland’s diamond anniversary and capturing the excitement of cherished experiences like the Disneyland Forever fireworks spectacular and Paint the Night parade.

At a special after-hours event tonight, Disneyland revealed its plans for their upcoming 60th anniversary. The diamond-infused celebration will begin May 22, 2015 with no announced end date.

Shawn Marshall of Parks and Cons was there for Inside the Magic to cover the announcements.

The most exciting additions to Disneyland for the 60th anniversary will be a new parade and new fireworks show, using modern technology to light up the nights in the park.

Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs and Steve Davison, executive for parades and spectaculars with Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment, were on hand for the announcements.

A speaker appears onstage in front of a massive screen showing a classic black-and-white Disney movie moment, creating a sense of nostalgia that recalls the magic and excitement of Disneyland’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

“Disneyland Forever” will be a high-tech new fireworks show like no other, featuring immersive projections and more special effects all up and down Main Street USA and throughout the park, including on It’s a Small World, the Matterhorn, along the Rivers of America using Fantasmic fountains, and more.

Included will be sequences from “Peter Pan,” “The Jungle Book,” and “Tangled,” among others. The show will feature two original songs, “Live the Magic” and “Kiss Goodnight,” written by Richard Sherman.

As part of the announcement, Disneyland demonstrated what the Main Street projections will look like, including “Tangled” lanterns.

Video: Disneyland Forever fireworks announced with projection preview for 60th anniversary

Brilliant fireworks burst above a cheering crowd at Disneyland, illuminating the sky with vibrant sea-themed lights that evoke the spectacular Disneyland Forever show from the park’s 60th anniversary celebration.

The glowing facade of a Disneyland building and its nearby tree, bathed in red, green, and purple lights after dark, conjure vivid memories of the park’s 60th anniversary celebrations. The scene transports fans back to thrilling nights filled with Paint the Night’s dazzling floats and the spectacular Disneyland Forever fireworks lighting up the sky above Main Street, U.S.A., capturing that unmistakable Disney magic.

The dazzling “Paint the Night” parade from Hong Kong Disneyland is also coming to Disneyland in California for the 60th anniversary. This new nighttime parade has floats and costumes that light up with more than 1.5 million LED lights. It will be similar but not identical to the Hong Kong version of the parade, featuring just under 80 performers. “Frozen” will be part of this parade, including appearances by Anna and Elsa.

Video: Paint the Night parade announced for Disneyland 60th anniversary

Disneyland executives appear on stage in front of a vibrant "Paint the Night" parade announcement sign, sharing in the thrill of the park’s 60th anniversary celebration and building anticipation for the spectacular Disneyland Forever fireworks.

A Paint the Night parade performer in a dazzling, illuminated fairy costume with large glowing wings, beaming as she points upward—capturing the vibrant energy and magic of Disneyland’s 60th anniversary celebration.

Sulley from Monsters, Inc. dazzles fans as he rides atop a glowing float featuring iconic doors during Disneyland's Paint the Night parade, followed by energetic performers in vibrant LED suits.

Also included in the 60th anniversary celebration, will be a new edition of “World of Color” at Disney California Adventure called “World of Color – Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney,” prominently featuring Mickey Mouse taking guests on a journey through decades of animated moments.

Video: World of Color – Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney announced for 60th anniversary

A Disneyland presenter takes the stage before a vibrant, animated backdrop pulsing with light and water effects, drawing inspiration from the spectacular Disneyland Forever fireworks and the energetic Paint the Night parade—an immersive tribute to the magic of Disneyland’s 60th anniversary celebration.

A guest enjoys the dazzling Disneyland Forever fireworks show during the 60th anniversary celebration, with glowing blue hearts and beloved Disney characters lighting up the stage, capturing the magical atmosphere that makes Disneyland unforgettable.

Both Sleeping Beauty Castle and Carthay Circle Theater will be adorned with sparkling decor throughout the celebration while diamond decorations and banners in shades of blue will be featured throughout the resort.

Disneyland’s iconic castle decorated with shimmering blue banners and radiant lights, swans gliding across a picturesque pond, and colorful balloons drifting through the sunset sky—celebrating the enchantment of Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary.

Guests stroll toward the glowing art deco marquee of a classic Disney theater at dusk, as stars twinkle overhead and the sky recalls the enchanting spectacle of Disneyland Forever fireworks—evoking that unforgettable sense of wonder from Disneyland’s 60th anniversary celebration.

Disneyland’s entertainment team took part in a Q&A session with attending press following the announcements: Steve Davison – Executive for parades and spectaculars for Walt Disney Creative Entertainment, Sayre Wiseman – Executive Producer of World of Color Celebrate!, John Addis – Show Director of Disneyland Forever fireworks, Tracy Halas – choreographer of Paint the Night.

There, Davison promised everything shown off tonight is “just the beginning” of their plans to celebrate the 60th anniversary, with much still to be decided. A primary goal of theirs has been to have guests be able to enjoy the celebration throughout the park, not just from the hub in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. There will be “”surprises hidden all over the park” for guests to find.

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