5 tips for visiting Disneyland for its 70th anniversary if you haven’t been in a while
Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, and we’ve got five tips for visiting if you haven’t been in a while.
Image courtesy of Disney
By Gavin Doyle
Editor’s Note
This story comes to us from Gavin Doyle, founder of MickeyVisit.com.
Mickey Visit focuses on helping readers save money and experience more at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and beyond with the latest Disney theme park news and tips.
We’re glad to have Gavin joining us on Attractions Magazine today with some Disneyland tips!
Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration brings several special offerings to the resort, including colorful décor, both new and fan-favorite returning entertainment, special foods and merchandise, and more! If you have not visited Disneyland for a while, this is the perfect time to do it, with so many special offerings to enhance your park experience.
Today, I will break down our top five tips for visiting Disneyland during its 70th anniversary celebration.
Tip 1: Consider the advantages of different times of year when deciding when to visit Disneyland
Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration runs from May 2025 through the summer of 2026, so there is plenty of time to enjoy the special offerings. Some of the 70th anniversary entertainment will temporarily pause to make way for seasonal entertainment during the Disneyland Halloween and holiday celebrations, and the seasonal celebrations will also alter the décor you see across the resort, so this is something to keep in mind as you are deciding when to visit.
Photo by Blake Taylor
Each month at Disneyland brings its own unique crowds, hours of operation, and weather patterns. Parts of August, September, and November are some of the best times of the year to visit Disneyland, and looking ahead to early next year, January and February are also typically slower months. You can consult our Mickey Visit Disneyland crowd calendar for crowd level projections throughout the year as you are planning your visit.
Some of the Disneyland 70th anniversary offerings will also be debuting after the celebration’s start date on July 17. This includes the new “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” that will feature the first-ever lifelike Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure. On the same date, a new verse will be added to “it’s a small world” at Disneyland as well that honors Disney Legend Richard Sherman. If these two highlights are a priority for you, you may want to consider planning your visit for July 2025 or later.
Artwork courtesy of Disney
Tip 2: Consider a three-day or longer visit so you get to see all the entertainment highlights
There is a lot of special entertainment offered during Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, including the return of the “Wondrous Journeys” fireworks show and the “Paint the Night” parade, a new “World of Color” show and character cavalcade, and more. Three days is often what we recommend as the ideal trip length to enjoy all the rides and to spread out the nighttime entertainment over several days.
Artwork courtesy of Disney
You can see our Disneyland three-day itinerary for guidance on how to structure your park time to get to all of the highlights. During a celebration like the 70th anniversary, with so many entertainment offerings, four days would provide even more flexibility to see it all and enjoy your trip at a more relaxed pace. Remember that many of the 70th anniversary entertainment highlights take place in the evening, so don’t be afraid to take a mid-day break to recharge so that you’re refreshed for these nighttime offerings. This is especially important if you are getting up early in the day to tour the parks, which brings us to our next tip …
Tip 3: Take advantage of early morning hours with shorter ride wait times and make the most of Lightning Lane Multi Pass
Taking advantage of “rope drop,” when guests line up to be let into the various lands as the park opens, is the best way to get on popular rides with shorter wait times. This is an especially useful strategy if you are visiting during a busier time of year. You can see our Disneyland rope drop morning strategy and Disney California Adventure rope drop morning strategy for our tips on how to get the most done during the mornings at the parks.
Photo by Christian Thompson / Disney
Using this in combination with Disneyland’s line-skipping service Lightning Lane Multi Pass is the best way to maximize your park time. If you haven’t visited for a while, this paid service is the replacement for the MaxPass and FastPass systems that includes entry to separate shorter lines for several popular attractions at the parks. This service is absolutely worth the purchase if you’re visiting during the 70th anniversary celebration, with so many offerings to enjoy and only so much time to do it all! You can see our guide to Disneyland Lightning Lane Multi Pass tips for everything you need to know about how to book return times on the app, pricing, expert tips, and more.
Tip 4: Explore special Disneyland anniversary food and consider a dining package for entertainment
Disneyland is offering dozens of new foods and drinks across the resort inspired by the 70th anniversary celebration, including some fun items inspired by the past! There is also a new character dining dinner experience that debuts with the celebration at the Grand Californian Hotel’s Storytellers Café called “Donald’s Tales of Adventure Dinner Buffet,” featuring a barbecue buffet and characters in explorer outfits.
You may also consider purchasing a dining package for certain 70th anniversary entertainment offerings if you would rather not spend your park time saving a prime viewing spot. There are dessert parties with seated viewing available for the new “World of Color Happiness!” show and the “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” parade, as well as dining packages for the “Paint the Night” parade and “Wondrous Journeys” fireworks. You can read more details about each of these Disneyland dining packages to see which ones appeal to you.
Photo by MickeyVisit.com
Tip 5: Take some time to explore the Anaheim area beyond Disneyland
There is a lot to do in the surrounding Anaheim area on your arrival day or a day off from the parks! One of our favorite things to do in Anaheim is enjoying some great food spots beyond Disneyland. There is something for everyone to enjoy at Anaheim Packing House, a former orange processing plant that is now a food hall with several different food vendors representing a variety of cuisines. While there, try out The Kroft, Sacred Junk, or En Familia. Beyond the Packing House, we love the treats at House of Chimney Cakes and high-quality churros at Don Churros Gomez.
While you can stay at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels on property, you may want to consider staying at one of the off-property Anaheim area hotel near Disneyland for discounted rates, free nights, and other additional perks. There are an abundance of affordable options in the immediate surrounding area, including some hotels within walking distance of Disneyland that are right across the street from the main entrance.
This year is a great time to plan a trip to Disneyland, with so much special entertainment and offerings to enjoy during the anniversary celebration! You can see all of the 70th anniversary entertainment, décor, attraction changes, and more in our full Disneyland 70th anniversary guide.
At Mickey Visit, we share the latest theme park news and helpful planning guidance for your vacation at Disney, Universal, and beyond.
More Attractions Magazine stories:
Follow us:
Whether you’re ready for your next Disney Destinations vacation or your first, our trusted partner Mouse Fan Travel will handle the planning so you can focus on the memories. They offer free vacation-planning services and have nearly 20 years of experience creating memorable Disney vacations. Visit Mouse Fan Travel for a fee-free, no-obligation quote today.
