Sleeping Beauty Castle Overlay & More for Disney’s 100th Anniversary

Disney has shared more details about the 100 Years of Wonder global celebration, which will kick off on January 27, 2023 at Disneyland and feature a Sleeping Beauty Castle overlay, new entertainment, and more. This shares details about what’s coming to the California parks for the celebration.

The 100 Years of Wonder will be Disney’s largest cross-company global celebration in history. The Walt Disney Company’s 100th Anniversary will be centered around California, with Disneyland being the heart of the celebration. Given what has been announced thus far, that certainly sounds like it’ll be the case. It also makes sense, given that the company was founded in California and Disneyland is Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom–and the only park he personally set foot inside.

Disneyland has already announced New Nighttime Spectaculars for Disney’s 100th & Entertainment Additions. Now, we have new details about these nighttime spectaculars for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, plus more decorations, merchandise, and a Sleeping Beauty Castle makeover for the 100 Years of Wonder celebration.

Beginning January 27, the Happiest Place on Earth will receive new platinum-infused décor throughout both parks and the rest of the resort. Minnie and Mickey Mouse will also get shimmering new platinum outfits, which they’ll wear for various appearances in Disneyland, including meet & greets, cavalcades, and more. This costume was designed to reflect the optimism and creativity of Disney is it celebrates 100 years and looks toward the next century.

Naturally, there will be special food and beverage offerings, merchandise, and more available for purchase.

At Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom, Sleeping Beauty Castle will be dressed in style for Disney’s 100th Anniversary.

Celebrating wonder, the castle at Disneyland will be adorned with elegant platinum banners and bunting, accented by a magnificent cabochon featuring the three Good Fairies who illuminate it with their shimmering pixie dust. Two water fountains will grace either side of the moat, while a beautiful wishing star will sparkle from the tower above.

Disneyland also shared new details about the previously-announced new nighttime spectaculars.

“World of Color – One” at Disney California Adventure will celebrate the storytelling legacy started by Walt Disney a century ago. It will tell a new story of how a single action, like a drop of water, creates a ripple that can grow into a wave of change. It brings some of the most courageous, loving and inspiring characters to life in new ways. “Wonder of Color – One” will also feature a new original song, “Start a Wave.”

Over at Disneyland, Sleeping Beauty Castle will become a magnificent canvas with “Wondrous Journeys,” a new nighttime spectacular that will ignite the wonder in all of us. It will feature nods to every Walt Disney Animation Studios film to date, taking us on a journey filled with artistry, music, storytelling and heart.

“Wondrous Journeys” will continue to build upon the park’s state-of-the-art projection effects, turning Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle, the façade of “it’s a small world” and the Rivers of America into an artist’s canvas that brings characters to life all around you. On select nights, “Wondrous Journeys” will go even bigger with the addition of fireworks in the sky above Disneyland. (This is consistent with all nighttime spectaculars at Disneyland, which only offer pyro on weekends and peak dates.) The “Wondrous Journeys” nighttime spectacular will also feature an incredible new song, “It’s Wondrous.”

In time for Spring 2023, the “Magic Happens” parade will have its long-awaited return to Disneyland. “Magic Happens” celebrates the awe-inspiring moments of magic that are at the heart of so many Disney stories. This parade reminds us we don’t need wings to fly, shooting stars were made to wish upon, and magic doesn’t stop at midnight.

This parade ran for roughly two weeks pre-closure, and is still essentially brand-new. We still have never seen Magic Happens, and have resisted the temptation to watch on YouTube or listen to the soundtrack. We’re really happy that it’s finally returning!

As you begin to plan your trip to visit Disneyland Resort for the Disney100 anniversary, please know that theme park reservation availability for Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park is currently paused for dates beyond January 8, 2023. Reservations will resume for guests in the coming weeks for future dates in January 2023 and beyond.

Plus, even more special entertainment moments are slated to pop up across the resort. Additional news and details for the Disney100 celebration at Disneyland Resort will be shared ahead of the debut on January 27, 2023.

Ultimately, I’m cautiously optimistic about Disney’s 100th Anniversary celebration and what’s on the horizon for Disneyland as part of the event. While my hopes aren’t high for “World of Color – One,” my expectation is that “Wondrous Journeys” will be a strong show, mixing nostalgia with a wide range of animated classics.

It also makes sense that Disneyland Resort will be the “heart” of the Walt Disney Company’s 100th Anniversary celebration. Although Walt Disney World is bigger (and the cash cow), Disneyland is the original–and still the crown jewel. It’s the home park for the vast majority of the company’s executives, Imagineers, and other creatives. I’m hopeful that 2023 offers a number of special enhancements and other ways to honor Walt Disney and the company’s history. We saw a lot of that from D23 and the Archives around Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary, but not much since. It seems D23 has gone in a “different direction,” so we shall see whether the fan club with 23 in the name still has any interest in paying tribute to the past.

Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!

YOUR THOUGHTS

Thoughts on the Sleeping Beauty Castle overlay for the 100 Years of Wonder celebration? Are you ready to dazzled by two all-new nighttime spectaculars: “World of Color – One” at Disney California Adventure and “Wondrous Journeys” at Disneyland for Disney100? Are you more excited or optimistic for one of the two? Pleased to see Magic Happens returning after its very limited debut run? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!