The three shows were the highlights of the Diamond Celebration event, which started in May 2015. The World of Color show starred Neil Patrick Harris is a new version of Disney California Adventure's popular World of Color show, while Disneyland Forever used projection mapping on Main Street USA, the Matterhorn, and other locations around the park to create a new type of immersive fireworks show. Paint the Night was the only new show that wasn't original to Disneyland, as it was a copy of the new nighttime parade that had premiered earlier at Hong Kong Disneyland. (There was a new Frozen-themed float in the Disneyland version, because apparently it's now Disney corporate policy to include Frozen in all theme park live shows. We kid ...maybe.)
World of Color Celebrate debuted to shrugs and longing for the original show, while Disneyland Forever and Paint the Night were big hits for the resort, drawing enthusiastic crowds to Main Street every night of their run. Disney has announced that it will resume performing their latest version of the original World of Color show starting Sept. 6, while the old Fantasy in the Sky fireworks will run Fridays through Sundays during the fall. There's no word yet on if Disneyland will be getting any replacement for Paint the Night.
Our original reviews of the Diamond Celebration shows:
Along with the construction, no Fantasmic, no train, no river attractions and no Hyperspace Mountain, there's not much to draw crowds come September. On to Universal where they have new stuff in Harry Potter and the Walking Dead attractions.
I predict the number of Disneyland Annual Passes will reduce the next couple of years until Star Wars Land opens, which is probably what Disney wants. If they try to increase the price too much then, it may backfire, like I've heard that Universal Hollywood hasn't gotten the numbers it was expecting after opening Harry Potter.
The good news is the die hard Disneyland fans will have a couple of years of a quieter Disneyland to enjoy.
I guess Disney wants to drive attendance down until next summer.
It may be just me, but it seems like a lot of the news relating to Disney over the past month or two has been unusual and/or unexpected. I'm really curious what this means for the future of the company, and it definitely backs up my theory that we're in a transition period as far as the parks are concerned.
First, thank you for all of the info regarding the park and all the changes. We might be taking a trip later on this month prior to Her first day of school. I already knew that a new attraction was in the works, however, to hear that half of the park is closed off for construction makes me think twice. We truly Love going to Disneyland and always have the best time with each other. Let me just say that IMHO, STAR WARS has come in and now is trying get rid of DisneyLand as we know it. Make it a STAR WARS themed park. Either way, a lot of people are going to be very rich. Walt Disney is turning in his grave right now. His vision is slowly disappearing, all for financial gain. This makes me truly ill and I hope and pray that I'm wrong. A world without Disney makes me feel so sick, like nauseous sick. It breaks my heart to suspect that there are future generations of children that will never know about Walt Disney, and his true vision of what Disneyland was always meant to be.
50.168.116.77, I still encourage you to make a visit to Disneyland if you are considering it. While the construction is noticeable, the size of the closure is being vastly exaggerated by fans and is more like 15-20% of the park (maybe 25% if everything the railroad passes through is counted). I personally will withhold judgment of Star Wars Land and any future projects until they are completed, but provided they are incorporated tastefully I'm all for the new lands. As Walt Disney once said, Disneyland will never be completed, and while the current direction may not be what Walt would have done, I think times have changed too much for anyone to truly know what his vision would be now.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
Actually, Paint the Night was beloved enough that, coupled with Disneyland Forever's demise, the announcement of their impending closure should help boost attendance at the park for their remaining month.