Disneyland officially kicks off the 18–month celebration of Disneyland’s 50th
Anniversary on May 5, 2005, but the party starts a day earlier for thousands
of media, celebrities and invited guests. Disney won’t say exactly how many
guests are expected in park on May 4, but radio and television stations gave
away scores of tickets to this private event, and Disneyland awarded 5,000 tickets
in an annual passholder contest. For our readers who were lucky enough to win
tickets to this event—and for those spending May 4 over at Disney’s
California Adventure—here is some advice to help you make the most of the day.
Disneyland—Media Day
Disneyland is closed to the public on May 4—admission is limited to media,
celebrities, invited guests, and contest winners. If you have tickets, be sure
to check them for your specific admission time, as some contest tickets offer
admission as early as 6:30 a.m., while the majority of guests enter starting
at 9:00. Disney dedicates the 50th Anniversary attractions in a series of
events starting at 9:30. Some of these events are open to everyone, others are
limited to smaller groups.
Tinker Bell greets the crowd at a Parade of Dreams preview. Photo by Adrienne
Vincent–Phoenix.
9:30 a.m. – Premiere of Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams.The
parade begins near “it’s a small world,” and heads to Main Street,
making three show stops along the way. If you want to be in front of a
specific float during the show stop, here are the approximate locations for
each unit during the Main Street stop:
- To see the lead float, grab a seat on the curb outside the Main Street Opera
House - The Beauty and the Beast float stops in front of the Main Street train station
- The Pinocchio float stops in front of City Hall, the “special effects”
are on the rear of the float - The Little Mermaid “float” has two units. Ariel’s section stops
between the Emporium and the Main Street Fire Station, while the Ursula unit
stops outside 20th Century Music - The Alice in Wonderland unit stops between the Market House and New Century
Timepieces - The Lion King float stops between the China Closet and Gibson Girl Ice Cream
Parlor. The west side of the street offers an excellent view of one of the
arielists, the other is on the rear of the float - The finale float stops between Coke Corner and the Corn Dog Wagon
The golden Mr. Toad vehicle is on display outside the attraction. Photo by Sheila
Hagen.
10:30 a.m. – Unveiling of Gold Attraction Vehicles This event is geared
to the media, but the gold vehicles will be on display for the rest of the celebration.
A rhino leads the Lion King float down the parade route. Photo by Adrienne Vincent–Phoenix.
11:45 a.m. – Second performance of Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams. This unannounced performance allows the floats to return to the float
barn for the day, and gives guests a chance to see another show stop. The
float locations reverse:
- Lead float – between Coke Corner and the Corn Dog Wagon
- Beauty and the Beast float – between the China Closet and Gibson Girl Ice
Cream Parlor - Pinocchio float – between the Market House and New Century Timepieces
- Ariel float – outside 20th Century Music
- Ursula section – in front of the
Emporium / Fire Station - Alice in Wonderland unit – City Hall
- Lion King float – in front of the Main Street train station
- Finale float – outside the Main Street Opera House
The Main Street Opera House is the new home of Disneyland: The First 50 Magical
Years. Photo by Adrienne Vincent–Phoenix.
1:15 p.m. – Premiere of “Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years.”
Steve Martin is expected to appear in person at this event. While non–media
guests may be able to watch the dedication, the attraction does not open until
May 5. The May 4 showings are probably limited to invited media, and the
attraction closes around 3:30 to allow for a private dinner reception that
evening.
A futuristic segment of the new fireworks show pays tribute to Tomorowland.
Photo by Adrienne Vincent–Phoenix.
2:30 p.m. – Official Opening of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
Tim Allen is expected to appear at this dedication.
Other notable openings:
- The Disney Gallery reopens on May 4, with the new 50th Anniversary
Exhibit. - The World Famous Jungle Cruise also reopens on May 4, with
new animatronics, new special effects, new costumes and a new speil. - Casey Jr. Circus Trains, Goofy’s Bounce House and Storybook
Land Canal Boats all reopen on May 4. - Check out the Junior Chef offering at the Plaza Pavillion. Still
in “soft opening” status, kids can help make Nestle Tollhouse cookies.
Sleeping Beauty Castle is transformed with eerie “Haunted Mansion”
effects. Photo by Adrienne Vincent–Phoenix.
Disneyland – Celebrity Party
For those who get to stay for the evening event, the festivities include a
gold carpet arrival, night performance of Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams, and
the premiere of the new fireworks show.
6:30 p.m. – “Gold Carpet Arrivals” on Main Street, U.S.A.
(around 8:00) Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams. The parade will begin
near “it’s a small world,” and head to Main Street, making three show
stops along the way. The show stop locations are the same as the 9:30 parade.
The best view of “Remember…” is from right in front of the Castle,
but Main Street offers a good alternative. Photo by Adrienne Vincent–Phoenix.
9:40 p.m. – Premiere of “Remember… Dreams Come True.”
Our cast member experts tell us that the absolute best spot to view the fireworks
are from the area right in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. This gives you a
front–and–center seat and the best vantage of the projection effects on the
castle. However, this also requires a substantial time commitment—plan to
grab your spot as soon as the parade ends, and stand there until the fireworks
are over. If you don’t want to save a spot that long, Main Street offers an
excellent view of everything except the castle effects, and a better perspective
of the launch positions around the Hub.
Disney’s California Adventure
As the only park open on May 4, Disney’s California Adventure park will probably host crowds not seen since
the Annual Passholder preview days in 2001. DCA opesn from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and has
a full entertainment schedule, featuring the public premiere of Block Party
Bash.
Block Party Bash – The new parade steps off at 2:45 and 5:30, with
a pre–parade “boot camp” 30 minutes before each performance. Though
Block Party Bash is technically a parade, the show stops are where all the action
happens. They are easy to spot—“Party Zones” are marked with bright
banners.
DCA also hosts an evening performance of the Main Street Electrical Parade
at 8:45, four performances of Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular, and six performances
of Playhouse Disney with the new JoJo’s Circus segment.
