A Dream That Still Comes True: Disneyland Resort Celebrates 70 Years of Magic and Memory
Source: Disneyland Resort
Reported By: Matthew Kennedy
70 Years Later, Disneyland Still Opens the Gates to Wonder
On July 17, 2025, Disneyland Resort—often hailed as The Happiest Place on Earth—celebrated a milestone seventy years in the making. But rather than center the fanfare on fireworks or fairy tales alone, The Walt Disney Company chose to honor the people who make the magic real: its cast members.
At dawn, thousands of cast members gathered inside Disneyland Park for an exclusive, memory-filled celebration. They were welcomed with special photo ops—like the custom 70th Anniversary Hot Air Balloon, live entertainment, and a flag-raising ceremony in Town Square, led by the Disneyland Band and veterans from within their own cast ranks.
The event opened with remarks from Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger, who addressed the early morning crowd before officially opening the gates of Disneyland Park for the day.
“It was on this day in 1955 that Walt Disney opened the gates of Disneyland for the first time and introduced the world to this very special place. Seventy years later, Disneyland remains one of Walt's greatest achievements – a place where generations of people from all over the world have stepped through these gates and entered a world of joy and imagination.”
Bob Iger, Walt Disney Company CEO
Ringing the Bell, Setting the Tone
Before Main Street welcomed its first guest of the day, Iger, alongside Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro, Disneyland Resort President Thomas Mazloum, Mickey Mouse, and Minnie Mouse, joined cast members for a ceremonial ringing of the New York Stock Exchange opening bell—a gesture that underscored the global cultural and economic footprint Disney continues to hold.
The result? A once-in-a-lifetime cast photo at the heart of Main Street, U.S.A., capturing the people behind the scenes of Disneyland’s ever-evolving story.
A New Chapter in Disney Storytelling
While honoring the past was central to the morning, the future of the resort came into focus as the gates opened to guests. Visitors on July 17 were among the first to experience limited-time anniversary offerings, including the debut of:
“Walt Disney – A Magical Life”, a new attraction celebrating the man behind the magic
Fresh additions to Main Street Cinema
Updates to the fan-favorite “it’s a small world” ride
The day also featured a special 70th anniversary cavalcade, commemorative guide maps and buttons, and the rollout of a new advertising campaign spotlighting authentic guest stories—demonstrating that Disneyland is as much about memory as it is about make-believe.
Seventy Years of Innovation—and More to Come
Since 1955, when Walt Disney unveiled his revolutionary vision for family-focused entertainment, Disneyland has become a cultural touchstone across generations and continents. What began as one theme park now includes:
Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park
Three hotels, including the AAA Four Diamond-rated Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
The ever-expanding Downtown Disney District, an open-air nexus of dining, shopping, and live entertainment
The next chapter promises even more immersive storytelling, with future expansions that include Avengers Campus, Avatar, and Coco experiences. Guests can stay updated through Disney’s “We Call it Imagineering” series on YouTube, which offers behind-the-scenes insight into these upcoming attractions.
Magic, Made Human
Seventy years in, Disneyland Resort isn’t simply a destination—it’s a tradition. A place where birthdays, first visits, and multi-generational family moments converge into stories retold across dinner tables and photo albums for decades.
As Disneyland enters this landmark year, its greatest achievement might not be its scale or innovation—but its soul. A cast of thousands who bring magic to life, and millions of guests who carry that joy home.