Disneyland 70th Anniversary 2025: Everything You Need to Know

Disneyland 70th Anniversary 2025 - Sleeping Beauty's castle

Disneyland is turning 70 in 2025, and the happiest place on earth is preparing for an unforgettable celebration! Since opening its gates on July 17, 1955, Disneyland has been a cornerstone of magic, nostalgia, and adventure for generations of visitors. The Disneyland 70th Anniversary 2025 promises to be a spectacular event filled with special entertainment, new experiences, dazzling decorations, exclusive merchandise, and so much more.

Whether you’re a longtime Disney fan or planning your first-ever visit, this guide will take you through everything we know about Disneyland’s 70th-anniversary festivities, including major highlights, rumored surprises, and what you should expect when planning your trip.

And if you’re interested in learning how to get discounts on your own travel and earn money when you book travel for family, friends, and others, check out our article on how to become a Disney travel agent with no experience!

When Does Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary Celebration Start?

While Disneyland officially turns 70 on July 17, 2025, the celebration kicks off on May 16, 2025, and is expected to run through the summer of 2026. This extended celebration will give fans plenty of time to experience all the special offerings.

Disney has a history of year-long anniversary celebrations, as seen with the 50th and 60th anniversaries, so guests can anticipate ongoing festivities well beyond the summer months.

Major Highlights of Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary 2025

The Return of the ‘Paint the Night’ Parade

One of the most exciting announcements for the 70th-anniversary celebration is the return of the beloved ‘Paint the Night’ parade! First introduced for Disneyland’s 60th anniversary, this breathtaking nighttime parade features:

  • Over 1 million LED lights illuminating Main Street, U.S.A.
  • Special effects, synchronized music, and dazzling floats
  • Appearances by Disney and Pixar characters, including those from Monsters, Inc., Cars, Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid

Fans have been hoping for this parade’s return, and Disneyland is bringing it back just in time for the 70th anniversary!

New ‘World of Color’ Show at Disney California Adventure

Over at Disney California Adventure, guests can experience a brand-new version of the beloved ‘World of Color’ nighttime spectacular. The new show, called ‘World of Color – Happiness!’, is hosted by Joy from Inside Out and will explore the theme of happiness through:

  • Scenes from Disney and Pixar classics, including Turning Red, Tangled, The Lion King, and A Goofy Movie
  • Spectacular fountains, lasers, flames, and projection effects
  • A colorful, emotional journey that celebrates Disney storytelling at its finest

The Return of ‘Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!’

Another exciting entertainment addition is the return of ‘Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!’ parade at Disney California Adventure. This high-energy parade will include nearly 30 Pixar characters from:

  • Inside Out
  • Toy Story
  • Up
  • Luca
  • Turning Red

This parade will highlight themes of friendship, adventure, and fun—perfect for the 70th anniversary!

Disneyland 70th Anniversary 2025 - Mickey and Minnie

‘Walt Disney – A Magical Life’ Exhibit at the Opera House

Disneyland’s Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln Theater will be home to a brand-new ‘Walt Disney – A Magical Life’ exhibit. This special attraction will feature:

  • The first-ever Audio-Animatronic figure of Walt Disney
  • A recreation of Walt’s office, allowing guests to feel as though they are sitting in the presence of Disney himself
  • Never-before-seen memorabilia and tributes to Disneyland’s early years

This unique experience will give fans a deeper appreciation of Walt Disney’s legacy and how Disneyland has evolved over 70 years.

Decorations and Park Enhancements

To commemorate this milestone, Disneyland will be decked out in special 70th-anniversary decorations across the resort. Expect to see:

  • A commemorative medallion on Sleeping Beauty Castle
  • Themed banners and decor along Main Street, U.S.A.
  • Special photo opportunities and character meet-and-greets featuring Mickey, Minnie, and friends in exclusive anniversary outfits

Every inch of the park will exude the celebratory spirit, making it the perfect backdrop for capturing magical memories.

Special Anniversary Merchandise & Food Offerings

Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary 2025 wouldn’t be complete without an exclusive lineup of limited-edition merchandise and themed treats. While Disney has yet to reveal all the details, here’s what fans can expect:

Merchandise

  • Special 70th-anniversary Minnie ears, Spirit Jerseys, and Mickey plush toys
  • Collectible pins featuring iconic Disneyland attractions and characters
  • Exclusive anniversary MagicBands and accessories

Food & Beverage

  • Nostalgic menu items returning from Disneyland’s early years
  • Themed desserts, like birthday cake-flavored churros and limited-time Mickey-shaped treats
  • Commemorative popcorn buckets and sippers

Disney has always excelled in crafting Instagram-worthy anniversary snacks, and 2025 will be no exception!

Disneyland 70th Anniversary 2025 - Multiple Disney characters

Rumored Announcements & Potential Surprises

While much of the celebration has already been announced, Disney fans are buzzing with speculation about additional surprises. Here are a few possibilities:

  • A brand-new fireworks show dedicated to Disneyland’s 70-year history
  • The reopening of the Disneyland PeopleMover, a long-rumored project fans would love to see
  • New ride overlays, similar to past anniversaries (like the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay for Halloween)
  • A surprise character return, such as rare Disney characters making special appearances

Disney often holds back big surprises until closer to the event, so stay tuned for further announcements!

Planning Your Visit

If you’re planning to visit Disneyland during its 70th-anniversary celebration, here are some important tips.

  • Book Early: Hotels near Disneyland Resort will sell out fast during the anniversary period, so book your accommodations as soon as possible.
  • Consider Genie+ and Lightning Lane: With large crowds expected, using Genie+ and Lightning Lane will help maximize your time on rides and attractions.
  • Look for Special Ticket Offers: Disneyland often releases anniversary-themed vacation packages and discounts, so keep an eye out for deals that may include exclusive perks.
  • Follow Official Disneyland Updates: For the latest news and announcements, check Disneyland’s official website and social media channels. And be sure to watch the Boardwalk Travel Agency blog!

Final Thoughts

The Disneyland 70th Anniversary 2025 celebration is shaping up to be one of the most magical milestones in the park’s history. With the return of beloved entertainment, brand-new nighttime spectaculars, immersive exhibits, dazzling decorations, and limited-time merchandise, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Whether you’re a lifelong Disney fan eager to revisit childhood memories or a first-time visitor looking to experience the magic, this anniversary celebration is not to be missed. Stay tuned for more details as Disneyland continues to unveil its plans for this historic occasion!

Are you excited for Disneyland’s 70th-anniversary celebration? Let us know in the comments below!

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Interested in turning your love for travel into a career? Boardwalk Travel Agency is the best host agency for travel agents, offering unparalleled support, exclusive resources, and industry-leading commissions. Whether you’re new to the travel industry or an experienced agent, Boardwalk Travel Agency can help you build a successful travel business. Learn more today and start your journey as a travel professional!

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Starting in mid-2025, most EU countries will require foreign travelers to apply for ETIAS before traveling to Europe. In the past, most travelers with a valid passport did not require any kind of VISA to travel to EU countries. While this remains true, they will need to apply for ETIAS before traveling. Here’s everything you need to know about this new program and how you can help your clients apply before they travel.

What is ETIAS?

The European Travel Information and Authorization System or ETIAS is a new travel documentation system that the EU is implementing for passport holders of 59 countries including the U.S.A. Most countries in the EU will require travelers to apply for ETIAS before visiting.

How do I apply for ETIAS?

You will apply for ETIAS on their main website. Note that they are currently not requiring travelers to submit applications at this time. Anyone traveling closer to mid 2025 should check their website for updates.

What’s required to apply for ETIAS?

Your clients will need to provide a valid passport (with at least 3 months of validity left and traveling before it expires). They will also need to pay a €7 application fee per person.

What type of travel requires ETIAS?

Your clients will need to apply for ETIAS if they are flying into a country that requires it or plan to step foot in a country that requires it. This includes guided travel, cruises and river cruises. The supplier will provide more information about ETIAS and what is required of the client before or after the booking.

Do my clients have to apply for ETIAS everytime they travel to EU countries?

No. ETIAS is valid for 3 years or until your clients passports expire; whichever comes first. If your clients renew their passport, they will then need to reapply for ETIAS before visiting most EU countries.

How can I apply for ETIAS on behalf of my clients?

As a Travel Professional you can apply for ETIAS on behalf of your clients. You will go through the same application process as anyone except there will be an extra step where both the client(s) and yourself will sign a declaration of representation stating that that all parties understand you are filing on their behalf and will do so correctly.

In some cases it may be easier to have your clients apply themselves with you walking them through the steps of doing so.

When should I apply for ETIAS?

You should apply for ETIAS BEFORE you purchase tickets or make reservations.

Most applications will be processed within minutes and at the latest within 96 hours. However, some applicants may be asked to provide additional information or documentation or to participate in an interview with national authorities, which may take up to additional 30 days.

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Prepare for Your Walt Disney World Vacation

Take action now to prepare for your upcoming Walt Disney World® vacation! Link your reservation and tickets to stay informed about important next steps and key planning dates, including important Know Before You Go resources.
Follow these simple steps to get started:

Register or Sign In to Start Your DisneyExperience.com

This will take you to the My Disney Experience website. Sign in using your Disney Account or create one. Then, create your Family and Friends list for your travel party. You'll need this to assign Tickets to them and to make Theme Park reservations.

Link your reservation

Once you're signed in to My Disney Experience, enter your Resort Confirmation number provided by your Travel Professional.

Please note: You'll need to verify the names of everyone on this reservation. If you need to make any modifications, we recommend you contact your Travel Professional before you link your reservation.

Link your Walt Disney World Ticket or Pass

To prepare for making Theme Park reservations, each Guest ages 3+ in your travel party must have a valid ticket linked for each day they wish to visit the Disney Parks.

Please note: If you have a room and ticket package for a select Walt Disney World Resort hotel, your tickets will be included when you link your Disney Resort reservation and you can skip Step 3.

Make your Theme Park Reservation in the Disney Park Pass System

Choose the date and Theme Park that you'd like to visit from the available reservations in the Disney Park Pass system via My Disney Experience. Please note that dates and Theme Park selections are limited and subject to availability. Remember, to enter a Walt Disney World Theme Park, each Guest ages 3+ in your travel party must have both a valid ticket for admission and a Theme Park Reservation for the same Park on the same date, for each day they wish to visit.

Review and Confirm Your Plans

Carefully review and confirm your selected park and date. Once confirmed, your reservation will appear in My Plans on the My Disney Experience website.

DOLLYWOOD

Reservations:

Agents must call to book: 1-800-DOLLYWOOD (1-800-365-5996).

Group Bookings:

865-428-6789 or [email protected]

Schedule:

Mon-Sat 7:30am - 8:00pm ET, Sun 8:00am - 7:00pm ET

Booking Platform:

Phone call with reservation center.

Private Location:

N/A

Transfer:

No

Commission Rate:

10%

Customer Service:

1-800-365-5996

Travel Insurance:

Use Allianz

FAQs:

- Agents must call in for reservations and use Boardwalk’s CLIA number (00039054).
- No commission on tickets, only on the hotel stay.
- Email invoice to [email protected]
- Submit for commission request on our website after you send in the invoice
- Commission only on DreamMore Resort and Spa, and Heartsong Lodge and Resort (10%)
- Commission paid only on Regular, AAA and AARP rates

List of places with resident sales restrictions (we cannot sell to people living in these places):

  • Cuba
  • North Korea
  • Iran
  • Syria
  • Crimea (region of Ukraine)
  • Russia
  • Belarus
  • Donetsk (region of Ukraine)
  • Luhansk (region of Ukraine)
  • Kherson (region of Ukraine)
  • Zaporizhzhia (region of Ukraine)

Boardwalk Travel agents should always offer travel insurance to each client. It will protect their travel and limit the risk of losing a customer because they were never offered a travel protection plan. Let the client be the one to reject, but every agent should offer it to every client.

7 Reasons to Buy Travel Insurance

Travel insurance isn’t just for expensive vacations. Travel insurance isn’t just for trips overseas. And travel insurance isn’t just for long journeys.

It’s essential to buy travel insurance for every trip, because you never know what might happen when you’re far from home! Every year, 55 million Americans purchase Allianz Travel Insurance to protect them against the most common travel mishaps.

Not sure if you need to insure your trip? Here are the top seven reasons to buy travel insurance.

1. Because you don’t want to lose all your money if you have to cancel your trip.

Even the best-planned trips sometimes have to be canceled. But many travel providers—such as tour operators, cruise lines and airlines—offer minimal or no refunds for last-minute cancellations. If this happens, can you afford to lose all the money you’ve spent on your trip?

One of the best reasons to buy travel insurance is having the protection of trip cancellation benefits. These can reimburse you for prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs when you must cancel for a covered reason. When you get your money back, you can book your vacation for another, brighter day.

What if you need to cancel for a reason that’s not covered? If you think that’s a possibility, consider buying the Cancel Anytime upgrade. Available on our most popular plans, OneTrip Prime and OneTrip Premier, Cancel Anytime can reimburse 80% of your lost non-refundable trip costs if you cancel your trip for almost any unforeseeable reason your plan does not already cover. That way, you can travel with confidence.

2. Because accidents can—and do—happen while traveling.

Healthy travelers often think they don’t need emergency medical insurance. The truth is, no one’s immune from illness and injury. We receive thousands of calls each year from American Allianz Travel Insurance customers who are experiencing a medical crisis during their trip, such as trauma, broken bones, heart attacks, and strokes. When you have travel insurance, you can contact 24-hour assistance for help in an emergency. Our team of experts can get you the help you need and may even be able to arrange payment in advance for covered emergency medical care.

3. Because your health insurance probably won’t work overseas.

If you get seriously sick or hurt in another country, don’t expect your health insurance card to help. “Many foreign medical facilities and providers require cash payment up front and do not accept U.S. insurance plans. Medicare does not provide coverage outside of the United States,” the U.S. Department of State warns.1 When you have travel insurance with emergency medical and dental benefits, it can pay for losses due to covered medical and dental emergencies that occur during your trip.

4. Because medical evacuations can be really expensive.

If you get seriously sick or badly hurt while traveling overseas, and you need to be taken via helicopter to the nearest high-quality hospital, the cost can be enormous. In some parts of the world, a medical evacuation can potentially cost six figures—and that doesn’t even include the expense of getting you home again.

Travel insurance with emergency medical transportation benefits can pay for you to be transported to the nearest appropriate facility if you suffer a covered illness or injury during your trip and our medical assistance team determines that the local medical facilities are unable to provide appropriate treatment. It can also pay for specialized transportation to bring you home, once your condition is stable.

5. Because travel delays are inevitable.

Airlines’ on-time stats rise and fall from year to year, but on average, around 18% of domestic flights are delayed.3 That’s not even counting the flights that are canceled! That’s why you need travel insurance with travel delay benefits, which can reimburse you for additional accommodation, meals or travel expenses and lost prepaid expenses due to a covered departure delay. You’ll be much happier if you have insurance that can reimburse you for your airport lunch or unexpected extra night in the hotel.

Here’s some even better news: You can get paid $100 per insured person, per day for a covered travel or baggage delay if you have SmartBenefits® (included with the OneTrip Prime and OneTrip Premier plans). You don’t need to provide any receipts—just proof of the delay!

6. Because a missing bag can ruin your trip.

In a recent survey, more than half of travelers said an airline had lost their luggage in the past. Just 34% of them ever got their missing bags back, and 72% said they’d lost an irreplaceable item.

When your suitcase goes AWOL, travel insurance can save the day. Baggage delay benefits can reimburse you for the reasonable additional purchase of essential items during your trip if your baggage is delayed or misdirected by a common carrier for 24 hours or more. Baggage loss/damage benefits can reimburse you for the actual price, actual cash value, repair or replacement of your lost/damaged items—whichever is less—based on the limits in your insurance policy’s letter of confirmation. Just remember: The best place for truly irreplaceable items is in your carry-on luggage, or at home.

7. Because sometimes, even expert travelers need a little help. 

One of the best reasons to buy travel insurance is the peace of mind you get from knowing help’s just a phone call away. When you face a crisis while traveling—a medical emergency, a lost passport, a stolen wallet, a natural disaster, etc.—you can always contact 24-hour assistance. Our U.S.-based team of travel experts will do everything in their power to take care of you and help make things right.