Disney100: Disneyland Celebrates 100 Years of Disney

Disney welcomes you to a centennial celebration at the Happiest Place on Earth. On January 27th, Disneyland commemorates 100 years of The Walt Disney Company when the Disney100 Anniversary Celebration begins at the original Anaheim, California theme park opened by Walt Disney in 1955. ComicBook was among the press outlets invited to preview the new entertainment and experiences kicking off Disney's year-round birthday bash, which includes a trackless Toontown attraction starring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse and two new nighttime spectaculars at Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park. The special resort-wide festivities starting Friday make for a magical and wondrous way to celebrate Disney's 100th anniversary.

Guests will board Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway before the reimagined Mickey's Toontown reopens March 8th, marvel at the all-new World of Color – ONE, and witness Wondrous Journeys, an immersive nighttime show inspired by 100 years of Walt Disney Animation Studios films. Below, read on for everything you need to know about the Disney100 Celebration taking place throughout 2023 at the Disneyland Resort.

Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

The newest attraction to open at Disneyland, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is a family-friendly trackless dark ride and the California theme park's first ride-through attraction to star Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. (The Florida version opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Disney World in 2020.) 

Styled after animator Paul Rudish's Emmy Award-winning Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts — which blend classic comedy with a contemporary flair as homage to the shorts of the 1920s and 1930s — Runaway Railway takes riders into the whimsical and whacky world of Mickey and friends. Embracing the spunky, pie-eyed Mickey and a rubber-hose cartoon style that lends itself to slapstick physical and visual gags, this is a surreal and colorful cartoon you don't just watch: you're along for the ride.



How to Ride: Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway opens to the public January 27th in Mickey's Toontown at Disneyland Park. After entering the park with a ticket and reservation, guests must use the Disneyland app to reserve their place in the free virtual queue and join an available boarding group. A notification will alert you when it's time to return for your ride.

Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disneyland Park
(Photo: Matt Stroshane/Disney Parks)

Wondrous Journeys

All 62 animated films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios — from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to the upcoming Wish — come to life in an immersive new nighttime spectacular. Per Disney, Wondrous Journeys is a tribute to 100 years of Disney animation that "ignites the dreamer in all of us, illustrating the possibilities, excitement, heartache and determination we all face when working to make our dreams come true."

For 13 minutes, Wondrous Journeys uses state-of-the-art projection effects to transform Walt Disney's original magic kingdom into a living storybook as blank pieces of paper, pencil sketches, and inky splashes of color come alive around you. With uniquely customized projections for each primary viewing area — Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle, Rivers of America, and the façade of "it's a small world" — Disneyland itself is the canvas for a century's worth of artistry, stories, and wonder.

A collaboration between Disney Live Entertainment and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Wondrous Journeys will transport you into the celebrated Disney canon with new projections, special effects, music, plus pyrotechnics (on select nights). Disney encourages guests to check the entertainment schedule on the website and Disneyland app for availability and showtimes, as there are two versions of this nighttime spectacular: Wondrous Journeys with Projections and Wondrous Journeys with Fireworks


How to Watch: Wondrous Journeys runs nightly starting January 27th at Disneyland park. Depending on park operating hours and weather, listed nightly showtimes are 7:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m., or 9:35 p.m.

"Wondrous Journeys" Nighttime Spectacular at Disneyland Park
(Photo: Disney Parks)

World of Color — ONE

For the first time, the worlds of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars become one in World of Color — ONE. Since 2010, the signature show at Disney California Adventure Park has projected the iconic imagery of Disney and Pixar onto mist screens, using the fountains of Paradise Bay as a canvas for a story told with water, fire, light and music.


Premiering January 27th, World of Color — ONE makes waves as the Disneyland Resort's first nighttime spectacular to feature characters, music, and stories from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, The Avengers and Star Wars in one production.

This new version of World of Color "tells the powerful story of how a single action — like a drop of water — creates a ripple that can grow into a wave of change," per Disney. During its 24-minute runtime, World of Color — ONE transforms the waters of Paradise Bay with a dazzling display of fountains, lighting, lasers, and fog and flame effects, all harmonized with songs and stories of "courageous, loving and inspiring characters who dared to be wavemakers and change the world." 

Along with Earth's mightiest heroes and adventurers from a galaxy far, far away, ONE features moments from such fan-favorite films as Walt Disney Animation Studios' The Lion King, Mulan, Encanto, and Pixar's Coco and Soul.

Read an early review of World of Color — ONE

How to Watch: World of Color — ONE officially debuts January 27th at 9:00 pm in Paradise Gardens at Disney California Adventure Park, and will be followed by an encore at 10:00 p.m. More dates and showtimes are available on the Disneyland Resort calendar and Disneyland app. 


"World of Color – ONE" at Disney California Adventure Park
(Photo: Disneyland Resort/ Sean Teegarden)

Magic Happens Parade

Magic Happens is happening again at Disneyland. The daytime parade debuted in February 2020, just weeks before the resort temporarily closed due to the pandemic. After a virtual version of the short-lived daytime spectacular appeared on the Disney Parks Blog, Magic Happens returns in-person on February 24th — nearly three years after its original opening date. 

"You can expect the parade that many had to fall in love with online in our new world to come to life in the exact same way that they saw it, and that is diligently purposeful," said show director Jordan Peterson. No longer does magic happen online: it's live and in-person. 

"To see the number of people that got a chance to watch it when it dropped online -- that they found comfort, they found joy in an otherwise uncertain time was really impactful to us," Peterson said. "So to bring it back in all its glory ... we're ecstatic for it to return."

Led by parade grand marshal Mickey Mouse, the 40-minute procession sees dozens of Disney and Pixar characters come together to celebrate magical moments from decades of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios films. The parade features more than 90 performers, a remixed soundtrack putting a contemporary spin on classic Disney hits, and nine floats, including the first Disney Parks parade floats inspired by Moana and Pixar's Coco

Following floats inspired by such films as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone, The Princess and the Frog, and Frozen 2, the grand finale is a cavalcade of classic magical characters, including Genie and Aladdin, Tinker Bell and Peter Pan, Blue Fairy and Pinocchio, and the Fairy Godmother.

How to Watch: Magic Happens returns to Main Street, U.S.A., on February 24th at Disneyland Park. The first showings are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 pm; check the events schedule or the Disneyland app for dates and showtimes.

"Magic Happens" Parade Returns to Disneyland Park
(Photo: Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)


The Disney Gallery Presents: Disney 100 Years of Wonder Exhibit

From film to attraction, from attraction to film. As part of the centenary celebrations, The Disney Gallery will house a new exhibit exploring the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure attractions inspired by Disney's films — and the original attractions that inspired films, like 2003's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Black Pearl and The Haunted Mansion

Reopening as The Disney Gallery Presents: Disney 100 Years of Wonder, the exhibit will showcase original art and display pieces like an animator's desk and a model of the multi-plane camera used on seminal Disney classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Fantasia.

While walking right down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A., you'll also notice dazzling decor at the heart of the park: Sleeping Beauty Castle has received a spellbinding makeover to include platinum banners and bunting, two new moat water fountains, and a sparkling wishing star atop its tower.

Where to See It: The Disney Gallery is located on Main Street, U.S.A., neighboring the Disneyana shop and The Disneyland Story Presenting Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln.

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(Photo: Disney Parks)

Specialty Food and Beverages

It's not a party without refreshments, so festive foods inspired by the resort's themed platinum-infused decor will be available as part of the limited-time offerings during the Disney100 celebration. Among the many new specialty menu items available starting January 27th are:

  • The Disney100 Churro (a purple pastry rolled in cherry sugar drizzled with white icing, topped with purple and silver pearls), available at Town Square Churro and Tomorrowland Churro
  • Violet Prezel (cream cheese-filled pretzel drizzled with salted vanilla cream and lavender sugar), available at Refreshment Corner. Thirsty? Wash it down with a Sparkling Grape drink (Sprite with grape syrup topped with a candy strip)
  • The Platinum Trifle (layered chocolate cookie crumbles with cheesecake, cherry compote, chocolate cookie mousse, and crème fraîche chantilly with crunch pearls and a chocolate piece) at Pacific Wharf Café
  • Steamboat Willie Shake (cookies & cream shake with whipped topping and chocolate creme-filled cookie ears) at Schmoozies! in Hollywood Land
  • Mr. Banks Shortbread Tart (a caramel and chocolate ganache in a shortbread tart, purple-colored white chocolate mousse, sea salt, edible silver stars, and silver crunch pearls) at Jolly Holiday Bakery Café
  • Celebration Cake (pecan brownie, chocolate truffle mousse, red berries, and milk chocolate mousse glazed with chocolate ganache and topped with a star) at Magic Key Terrace 
  • Those 21-and-over can enjoy a new centennial concoction: the Disney100 Cocktail (Empress Gin, pea flower, honey, lavender, and lemon juice garnished with an edible flower) at Lamplight Lounge 

Limited-time novelties available to collect starting January 27th include the Disney100 Mickey Mouse sipper, the purple-and-platinum Disney100 Thermo Tumbler or Disney100 Travel Tumbler with lanyard, and the Snow White-inspired Disney100 Poison Apple Mug (all include a non-alcoholic beverage with purchase). 

In the weeks ahead, Disneyland debuts the Disney100 Platinum Mickey Mouse Balloon Bucket, Disney100 Star Glow Cube, a Disney100 Mickey Mouse Straw Clip, the Disney100 Cinderella Premium Bucket, and for Magic Key holders, the Disney100 Magic Key Refillable Popcorn Bucket.

Where to Get It: Disney100 specialty food and beverages begin rolling out resort-wide on January 27th at Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, the Downtown Disney District, and Disneyland Hotels.

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(Photo: Disney Parks)

The Reimagined Mickey's Toontown

Following the opening of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway on January 27th, the refreshed and newly reimagined Mickey's Toontown reopens at Disneyland Park on March 8th. Along with the return of Chip 'n' Dale's GADGETcoaster, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, and the Disneyland Railroad's stop at Mickey's Toontown station, the tuned-up Toontown will welcome guests with the grassy and spacious CenTOONial Park and interactive play areas. 

Kids can get goofy with a silly symphony of sounds at Goofy's How-To-Play Yard and Goofy's House, make a splash at Donald's Duck Pond, and embark on a self-guided tour of Mickey and Minnie's houses before meeting Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse for photos and autographs. Outside of Toontown on Main Street, U.S.A., Mickey and friends will greet guests with new, platinum-inspired and shimmering styles designed to "reflect the optimism and creativity that are at the heart of everything Disney."

Mickey's Toontown at Disneyland Park
(Photo: Disney Parks)

"We are excited to bring this milestone celebration to life right here at The Happiest Place on Earth," said Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock. "For generations of families and fans around the world who have made Disney a part of their lives, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy all-new experiences with beloved Disney characters, our caring cast and our amazing storytelling throughout the year."

The Disney100 Anniversary Celebration runs throughout 2023 at the Disneyland Resort.

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