Dec 21 2005
Disney is throwing a worldwide Happiest Celebration on Earth at all of its theme parks in honor of Disneyland's 50th anniversary. At the California locale where it all started, the Mouse House has introduced a host of new attractions and features to get its turnstiles clicking. At the same time, much of Walt Disney's original theme park remains intact after fifty years. I don't mean to be coy, Roy (Disney), but I've compiled a list of fifty ways to leave your living room. Let's start with twenty-five new things to discover at the Happiest Place on Earth.
- Remember...Dreams Come True fireworks show
An homage to Disneyland itself, the new nighttime extravaganza uses high-tech pyrotechnics to take a nostalgic look back at the park's 50-year history. - Space Mountain relaunch
The classic indoor roller coaster gets a complete makeover. - Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
The new Tomorrowland attraction outfits riders with ray guns to zap Emperor Zurg and his "Toy Story" minions to infinity and beyond. - Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters: The Home Version
In a Disney first, the park is equipping the new ride with Web-cams so that online gamers can play along in real time with riders. - Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams
Disneyland pulls out all the stops for its new daytime parade. - Disneyland-: The First 50 Magical Years
A compelling film and exhibit of Disneyland artifacts traces the park's history. - Block Party Bash
Sister park, Disney's California Adventure (DCA) has a new, highly interactive parade featuring characters from Pixar Animation films. - Turtle Talk with Crush
The Pixar invasion will continue at DCA when this clever "Toy Story"-themed attraction, which will use real-time, voice-activated animation to present live, unstructured conversations with audience members, debuts in July 2005. - Monsters, Inc.: Mike and Sulley to the Rescue
There's more Pixar/DCA fun in store beginning in January 2006 when a new dark ride debuts in the former Superstar Limo building. - A bejeweled Sleeping Beauty Castle
The iconic castle gets an anniversary makeover with royal tiaras, glimmering gold trim, and majestic banners. - The Happiest Faces on Earth
Comprised of small vacation photos submitted by guests, Disney has created striking collages throughout the park, including Mickey Mouse (of course), Walt Disney, and Alice of Wonderland fame. - More Happiest Faces on Earth
Other mini-photo/maxi-collages: Disney princesses, Buzz Lightyear, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. - Gold attraction vehicles: Autopia, Jungle Cruise, and Horse-Drawn Streetcar
To commemorate the park's golden anniversary, Disney has painted vehicles from select opening day attractions a lovely shade of gold with raspberry trim. - More gold attraction vehicles: Storybook Land Canal Boats, Mad Tea Party, King Arthur Carousel, and Snow White's Scary Adventures
- Still more gold attraction vehicles: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Mark Twain Riverboat, Casey Jr. Circus Train, and Disneyland Railroad
- Even more gold attraction vehicles: Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Main Street Cinema, Peter Pan's Flight, and Main Street Horseless Carriage
- Gold touches abound
There's gold trim everywhere, including the Autopia queue area and the Disneyland Railroad station. - More gold touches
The lampposts along Main Street U.S.A. sport a golden hue. - New merchandise: Gold-dipped mouse-ears
At $12 each (ouch!), the caps may be worth more than their weight in gold. - New merchandise: Collectible anniversary-themed pins
Disney pin traders have many new pins to barter. - New merchandise: Anniversary-themed T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, and hats
My favorite: Disneyland turns 50...and all I got was this T-shirt. (Just kidding.) - Attraction tweaks: Haunted Mansion
Disney hasn't trumpeted many of the more subtle changes throughout the park, but there are many. For example, in this ride's séance sequence, Madame Leota's crystal ball now floats through the air--an amazing effect. - Attraction tweaks: Jungle River Cruise, take one
One of Disneyland's original and most beloved attractions has lots of new modifications, including spiders at the entrance of the elephant pool, a new animatronic elephant trying to climb onto the shore, and a revamped gorilla camp scene that includes new animation for the apes, an explosion in the water, and a relocated group of baboons. - Attraction tweaks: Jungle River Cruise, take two
In a new scene, piranhas spritz passengers. Also, there is a new baby elephant with Trader Sam at the end of the ride. - Attraction tweaks: Enchanted Tiki Room
Nothing substantial has changed (which is great since its dated music and corny presentation are part of its considerable charm), but Disney has painted, burnished, scrubbed, and plumed this classic attraction back to its original, pristine condition. The Tiki Gods' drums resonate with thundering booms now.
Next page: 50 Ways to Leave Your Living Room (in Honor of Disneyland's 50th Anniversary)
Part two: 25 opening-day features that remain at Disneyland
