It’s been a decade since we have been inside of one of the crucial Disney Parks in the midst of the evening, for the reason that closing “One Extra Disney Day” birthday celebration–keep in mind the ones occasions for Jump Day and the beginning of the summer time at each Walt Disney Global and Disneyland?! So once we have been invited to hide the Solid Member seventieth Party in honor of Walt Disney’s unique magic kingdom, we couldn’t move it up.
This stocks how I began the morning, arriving to Disneyland at 3:30 am, and the fun-filled tournament in honor of the individuals who make the dream a truth. At that hour, we have been fairly actually the first actual visitors to reach on the Esplanade, along a handful of different media provide to file the massive day.
The joys for Disney Solid Contributors kicked off a number of hours sooner than the primary visitors may step onto Primary Side road for Disneyland’s seventieth anniversary. It was once a in point of fact particular tournament was once held as Anaheim-based Solid Contributors, workers, and Imagineers have been invited to be a few of the first to enjoy this milestone date with particular choices and the danger to be a part of a historic second.
My morning in reality started an hour sooner than arriving to the Esplanade. At 2:30 am, I were given up and in a position for the day, made espresso and checked the in a single day feedback at the website to ensure the entirety was once at the up and up. As soon as my morning regimen was once squared away, I left the lodge and headed for the park. We have been staying on the Component Anaheim for the second one time in as many weeks–since Sarah and Megatron can be assembly up with me later within the morning, it simply made sense to do a staycation.
After I arrived at Disneyland, bag take a look at was once a breeze–keep tuned for our publish providing ‘one easy hack’ to overcome safety traces, which is arriving at 3:30 am. I used to be a few of the first folks throughout the park, coming into sooner than the Solid Member birthday celebration kicked off and catching the tail finish of in a single day upkeep and cleansing. At all times neat to peer how the parks ‘pass to mattress’ and ‘get up’ for the day forward!
The primary of many highlights of the Solid Member birthday celebration was once the Disneyland Lodge seventieth Party scorching air balloon.
First launching from ESPN’s Bristol Headquarters in Would possibly sooner than heading to different places around the nation like Seattle and San Francisco’s Presidio, a different Disneyland Lodge seventieth Party scorching air balloon landed on Primary Side road, U.S.A., simply in time for the authentic anniversary of the park’s 1955 opening date.
Decorated with brilliant, pastel colours and Mickey Mouse’s face at the facet, Solid Contributors have been in a position to snap photos subsequent to the balloon on show close to Astro Orbiter. Too unhealthy scorching air balloon rides weren’t introduced over Slumbering Good looks Fort, however one thing tells me Disney’s legal responsibility insurance coverage won’t be offering protection for that.
On a private notice, seeing the Disneyland Lodge seventieth Party scorching air balloon was once superior.
Longtime readers would possibly recall quite a lot of incarnations of my Disney Parks bucket checklist is photographing Ear Power One, Zip-A-Dee-Doo Duck, or Spaceship Earth Balloon in flight. Preferably, as any such balloons flies over one of the crucial castles or park icons.
Whilst I’ve observed random balloons as a part of runDisney occasions, this is now the nearest I’ve ever gotten to that bucket checklist access. With the Albuquerque New Mexico World Sizzling Air Balloon Fiesta within sight, perhaps the Disneyland seventieth balloon will make an look there. That competition is on my common commute bucket checklist, regardless.
Many Solid Contributors are obviously as balloon-obsessed as me, as there was once at all times a crowd congregated round this scorching air balloon.
After marveling on the majestic balloon, I headed over to the “it’s a small global” mall, the place Solid Contributors were given the primary to peer the up to date model of “Tapestry of Happiness.” This display is without doubt one of the highlights of the seventieth Anniversary, bringing the outside of the long-lasting 1966 appeal to existence with a impressive array of sunshine, song, and projection results.
Impressed through the way and paintings of mythical artist Mary Blair, the display creates an animated mosaic of Disneyland sights, moments, and reminiscences with nods to recognizable Disneyland song from around the many years. Those presentations throughout the Solid Member birthday celebration have been the primary time that “Tapestry of Happiness” had the added ‘Ultimate Verse’ from “it’s a small global” (which additionally debuted on July 17 throughout the appeal).
This display typically takes position at evening, however it was once nonetheless lots darkish out at ~4:15 am. In chatting with a couple of Solid Contributors, this was once the primary time that a number of of them had observed Tapestry of Happiness, duration. In the event that they don’t paintings on this house of the park, they’re clearly now not seeing it throughout shifts; it’s additionally now not simple to catch within the evenings between the parade and fireworks–and it’s incessantly lost sight of in consequence.
The unanimous sentiment a few of the Solid Contributors was once that “Tapestry of Happiness” is a sleeper hit from the seventieth, with maximum discovering it very transferring. (Tears have been even shed through some.) So should you haven’t observed “Tapestry of Happiness” but, you must actually make some degree of doing so!
Probably the most cooler parts of the morning was once seeing Imagineering set up the brand new Zootopia window within the Emporium on Primary Side road.
The brand new window options the scene within the movie of Judy chasing Duke Weaselton in Little Rodentia, town for small mammals in Zootopia. The figures of Judy and Duke Weaselton are on a rotating turntable for the chase during the town, after which seem on a monorail overhead to proceed the new pursuit.
This venture drew a big crowd of Solid Contributors, enthusiastic about catching a sneak peek on the new vignette and short of to catch the Imagineers convey the scene to existence and put the completing touches at the set up. And for excellent reason why, because it was once neat to peer Imagineers program the show after which make changes according to what running and wasn’t. At one level, an Imagineer seemed throughout the window, towering over Little Rodentia, Godzilla-style.
Maximum Solid Contributors spent their mornings in Fantasyland or round Primary Side road. There was once a DJ within the hub and a different photograph op close to Slumbering Good looks Fort. 3 further photograph spot in The city Sq. on Primary Side road, together with in entrance of the Disneyland Railroad Station, The city Sq. Fireplace Station, and the colourful seventieth Medallion.
The primary two hours of the Solid Member birthday celebration have been in large part full of enjoyable, photograph ops, and having a possibility to proportion particular time along side colleagues and buddies sooner than the solar rose on the real anniversary of Disneyland’s opening date. (The above photograph presentations a sea of Solid Contributors waving their telephone lighting fixtures round, concert-style, to one of the crucial songs performed through the DJ.)
This was once all nice to peer. Probably the most issues we emphasize often here’s that the Solid Contributors are the Disney magic. As cliche as that would possibly sound, it’s true. It’s nice to peer them benefit from the park the place they paintings, and being the primary to have a good time the hole day of Disneyland.
This kind of factor is immensely necessary in serving to to stay the magic alive, giving them a possibility to have enjoyable, and be rejuvenated–particularly at a time the place visitor habits and entitlement are problems that may put on down even the ones with the cheeriest demeanor and dedication to protecting Walt’s dream alive.
As first light gave technique to daybreak, some Solid Contributors started congregating on Primary Side road for the particular celebratory photograph. Others headed against The city Sq. to catch the Flag Elevating rite, that includes appearances from the Disneyland Band and the Dapper Dans.
This rite — a convention from the hole day of Disneyland 70 years in the past — was once an important reminder of ways the spirit of carrier lives on on the Disneyland Lodge, honoring those that have served in each and every department of the U.S. army.
This rite additionally featured unbelievable performances of “The usa the Stunning” and “The Big name-Spangled Banner.”
Additionally provide on the Flag Elevating rite have been Disney CEO Bob Iger, Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro, and Disneyland President Thomas Mazloum (a long way left within the above photograph). This trio can be provide right through the morning, and also you’re prone to see a lot more of them in combination over the following a number of months.
They have been joined through particular visitor and Disney Legend Tom Nabbe (proper of the pros), who turned into the “Luckiest Boy within the Global” long ago within the day when Walt Disney selected him to painting Tom Sawyer at Disneyland long ago in 1955.
Nabbe had a protracted and storied occupation with the corporate, and is without doubt one of the closing individuals who labored with Walt who nonetheless makes appearances at D23 and different occasions. Nabbe was once provide right through the day (he was once additionally within the cavalcade). It was once nice to peer him venerated–he’s a actually attention-grabbing guy with a perfect tale. (I haven’t learn it but, however his memoir,
After the solar had risen and the flag was once up, 1000’s of solid participants throughout Disneyland Lodge amassed on Primary Side road, U.S.A., for a large solid photograph.
This was once kicked off through remarks from Bob Iger and Josh D’Amaro, in addition to ringing the hole bell of the New York Inventory Change. To start with, I assumed this was once a curious selection for Disneyland’s exact anniversary and an tournament all in favour of Solid Contributors. And admittedly, I nonetheless roughly really feel that method.
However, the NYSE opening bell was once the ‘attitude’ that many primary media retailers wanted to be able to quilt this momentous instance. And within the background of each and every a kind of photographs, have been the grins of 1000’s of Solid Contributors, all excited for the massive day. Maximum particularly, there didn’t appear to be a unmarried Solid Member who was once the rest however excited to be part of that photograph and world media protection–they have been all overjoyed.
Right here’s my behind-the-scenes video of the huge Solid Member photograph, adopted through extra footage of this and the particular visitor second to open Disneyland on July 17, 2025, the particular cavalcade, and extra:
Disneyland seventieth Anniversary Solid Picture…in uncommon video shape. %.twitter.com/H6JExB9NjW
— Tom Bricker (@Tom_Bricker) July 17, 2025
This 4am Solid Member birthday celebration was once a different technique to get started the real anniversary of Disneyland’s opening day, and I’m hoping particular occasions like this to have a good time Solid Contributors turn out to be extra widespread occurrences.
To not belabor the purpose, however they’re those who make the magic–and the corporate must be doing the entirety imaginable to stay morale prime, discovering distinctive techniques for them to enjoy the parks, protecting their group sturdy, and so forth. All of us get advantages when Solid Contributors love their jobs and really feel valued through Disney!
As soon as all of this ended, my ‘2nd day’ started with common rope drop, assembly up with Sarah and Megatron for “it’s a small global”, snagging a place within the digital queue for “Walt Disney – A Magical Lifestyles” (which I loved much more with an vigorous target audience of exact visitors–Sarah idea it was once nice and that my evaluation was once too nitpicky), and spending time with buddies and fellow fanatics.
All in all, it was once a perfect day at Disneyland. A lot busier than what we’ve skilled in the previous couple of weeks, however I’ll take excited and enthusiastic crowds over low ones any day. I are living for days like this, as they’re additionally what reinvigorates my interest for the parks, and are a excellent reminder of what makes this group so particular within the first position.
Making plans a Southern California holiday? For park admission offers, learn Pointers for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Know about on-site and off-site accommodations in our Anaheim Resort Opinions & Ratings. For the place to consume, take a look at our Disneyland Eating place Opinions. For distinctive concepts of items that’ll make stronger your shuttle, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Holiday Making plans Information. In spite of everything, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and lots of different puts!
Your Ideas
What do you recall to mind Disney doing extra to have a good time Solid Contributors, giving them a possibility to beef up their group and really feel a better sense of appreciation? Had been you at the real anniversary of Disneyland’s opening on July 17, 2025? What was once your day like? Did you revel in “Walt Disney – A Magical Lifestyles” or the ‘Ultimate Verse’ in “it’s a small global”? Do you settle or disagree with our review? Any questions? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please proportion your ideas beneath within the feedback!
