Who Did the Best 50th Anniversary? Disneyland Vs. Walt Disney World

While nostalgia is one of the key elements of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, it also evokes memories of the first time a Disney Resort celebrated its golden anniversary nearly sixteen years prior. Now that Walt Disney World’s celebration is well underway, it’s time to see which coast celebrated their golden anniversary better: Disneyland or Walt Disney World?

Disneyland Versus Walt Disneyland 50th Anniversaries

On May 5^th, 2005, the Disneyland Resort kicked off its fiftieth anniversary and lasted through September 30, 2006. Ironically, Disneyland’s 18-month event didn’t begin on its actual anniversary date (July 17), but got the party started much earlier. Over at Walt Disney World, the 50th anniversary is also set to span 18 months, from October 1, 2021, and is expected to conclude on April 1, 2022. 

For the landmark anniversary, both resorts unveiled new attractions, live entertainment, theme songs, and event-themed decor; but when it comes to content and execution, there’s one celebration that takes the anniversary cake.

Let’s get to the comparisons, beginning with each resort’s dedication ceremony.

50th Dedication Ceremonies

Disneyland Park was closed to the public on May 4 for a media day; but on May 5, guests packed into the park for Disneyland’s “Happiest Homecoming on Earth.” The event began with a dedication ceremony featuring Disney’s then-CEO Michael Eisener and CEO-elect Bob Iger, along with Art Linkletter, Julie Andrews, Christina Aguilera, Leann Rimes, and various Disney characters.

On a screen, guests also saw glimpses of other Disney Resorts around the world and how they were celebrating the milestone event.

Disneyland also enjoyed an additional ceremony on the park’s actual anniversary date of July 17 with Michael Eisener, Bob Iger, Art Linkletter, California’s then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Walt Disney’s daughter Diane Disney Miller.

For Walt Disney World’s dedication, press and media were invited to the Magic Kingdom the night before October 1, 2021, where both Bob Iger and current Disney CEO Bob Chapek delivered speeches and Christina Aguilera performed. Fans of the park were able to watch via live stream.

Then, on October 1, guests poured down Main Street, U.S.A. and into the hub where Mickey and the gang were filming promotional spots in their anniversary EARidescent outfits. The characters then took to the stage for a brief appearance, but there was little recognition of the anniversary itself.

Winner: Disneyland

It’s tough to beat Julie Andrews, Art Linkletter, and so many characters all appearing in person for park guests instead of media. Plus, Disneyland’s ceremony simply paid more attention to the actual event than Walt Disney World’s quick character appearance.

50th Anniversary Decor

When it comes to Disney, it just wouldn’t be a celebration without a few decorations! This is why in recent months, Walt Disney World introduced its EARidescent color scheme which isn’t just reflected in Mickey and the gang’s new apparel and event merchandise, but also on Cinderella Castle.

The castle sports new golden ribbons spun around its turrets, blue and gold accents, and massive banners of Disney artist Mary Blair’s concept art for 1950’s Cinderella. Other anniversary-themed banners and a few other EARidescent touches have been spotted throughout Walt Disney World as well.

However, Cinderella Castle wasn’t the only park icon to receive an anniversary glow-up. Epcot’s Spaceship Earth, Hollywood Studios’ Tower of Terror, and Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life received new anniversary-themed nighttime lighting packages that are collectively being referred to as “Beacons of Magic.”

Also, in keeping with the “golden” date, fifty golden statuettes of Disney characters known as the “Fab 50 Character Collection” have been placed all throughout Walt Disney World’s four parks.

This is actually similar to Disneyland’s fiftieth where Disney added fifty Hidden Mickeys throughout the park for guests to find, as well as a golden ride vehicle at each of the park’s original opening attractions from 1955.

Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle also received new, vibrant pink and blue hues complemented by five crowns each representing a decade of the park’s history up to that point.

Park guests also encountered additional golden touches from icons on the Main Street lamposts to the facade of “it’s a small world.”

Winner: Disneyland

So this was a tough one. While it may sound like Disney World is doing more in terms of decor, the execution is somewhat lacking while Disneyland, as the kids say, understood the assignment with the Hidden Mickeys, ride vehicle photo-ops, and those turret-topping crowns.

While Disney World’s golden statuettes are a fun touch, they don’t necessarily reflect the history of the parks or many of the park characters, and while Spaceship Earth’s lighting package is stunning, Tower of Terror and the Tree of Life’s are brief at best and barely different from previous lighting schemes.

50th Anniversary Live Entertainment

Of course, at a Disney Park, fireworks are a must; and both resorts took to the skies above their castles to celebrate the event beginning with Disneyland’s “Remember…Dreams Come True.”

This nighttime display created just for the park’s golden anniversary celebrated the park’s history and even included a new flight path for Tinkerbell. By contrast, Magic Kingdom’s new display is called “Enchantment,” and although it offers new projection mapping on both the castle and down Main Street, U.S.A., it’s more focused on Disney music and films than the history of the park itself.

Also, Walt Disney World’s iconic Electrical Water Pageant, which is also celebrating its own fifty years of operation, received a new addition fiftieth-themed addition and plays the celebration’s theme “The Magic is Calling.”

Walt Disney World hasn’t limited their new entertainment to the Magic Kingdom alone. The resort recently unveiled a new fireworks show at EPCOT titled “Harmonious” and a daytime display called “Disney KiteTails” at Animal Kingdom. Also, a new Cirque Du Soleil show called “Drawn to Life” is set to debut on November 18 at Disney Springs (but was originally set for 2020 and not the 50th anniversary).

Over at Disneyland, a new Walt Disney’s Parade of Dreams rolled down Main Street, U.S.A. while, across the esplanade, Disney California Adventure introduced the Pixar Block Party.

Winner: Walt Disney World

Even though Magic Kingdom’s “Enchantment” isn’t necessarily a 50th Anniversary-themed show, and KiteTails’ frequent crashes have taken guests by surprise, it’s hard to deny that the East Coast brought the most in terms of new live entertainment for guests, even if Disneyland’s Remember Dreams Come True fireworks are among the best Disney has ever created.

New Attractions

On October 1, Walt Disney World unveiled Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure at EPCOT at the World Showcase’s newly expanded France pavilion. Although, initially, it wasn’t supposed to be the only new addition.

The East Coast resort has several new attractions under construction including Magic Kingdom’s TRON Lightcycle Run and EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. In fact, half of EPCOT is currently behind construction walls as its former Future World is being reimagined. It was expected that some or all of these new rides and areas would be open for the fiftieth anniversary until COVID-19 shut down the resort for a time and delayed original plans.

While Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is currently the only new attraction guests received for the anniversary so far, that could change in the coming months.

Disneyland’s 50th was able to add Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters to Tomorrowland, a reimagined Space Mountain, and a history display in the Opera House called “The First 50 Magical Years.” Then, in 2006, Pirates of the Caribbean received elements from the Johnny Depp-led film franchise while DCA gained Monster’s Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue. 

Still, that wasn’t all. While Disneyland’s celebration was known as the “Happiest Homecoming on Earth,” the resort extended the event to all other existing Disney Resorts at the time in a campaign called the “Happiest Celebration on Earth.” During this time, each resort gained a new ride or attraction from the other.

For instance, the Magic Kingdom gained the Cinderellabration show from Tokyo Disneyland, as well as golden touches and a stained-glass window on the castle that changed to showcase the different Disney Park castles from around the world.

The then-Disney-MGM Studios received Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show from the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris, and EPCOT gained Soarin’ from Disney California Adventure.

Since Animal Kingdom’s Expedition Everest wasn’t due to open until the end of Disneyland’s anniversary and was an original attraction of its own, the park received a nine-foot-tall audio-animatronic dino named Lucky the Dinosaur from DCA for a limited time.

Tokyo Disneyland obtained Disney’s Rock Around the Mouse summer event while Tokyo DisneySea gained both Raging Spirits and its own Tower of Terror. Disneyland Paris also received two new additions including its Space Mountain: Mission 2 redo and Wishes fireworks display. Lastly, Hong Kong Disneyland was added to the Disney Company’s park roster following its grand opening on Setempber 12, 2005.

Even Disney Cruise Line got in on the action as the Disney Magic set sail from Los Angeles for a new celebratory itinerary.

Winner: Disneyland

I’ll note that Disney World’s plans were severely impacted due to the global pandemic, Disneyland’s campaign to add not only new attractions to their resort but resorts worldwide simply takes the anniversary cake, especially since some of those attractions are still in operation today. But my opinion may change if Walt Disney World’s Tron and Guardians coasters open before the end of the celebration and blow us away.  

Winner of the Disneyland vs. Disney World 50th Showdown?

So far, Disneyland just did it better in terms of celebrating its milestone golden anniversary.

While Walt Disney World is at a disadvantage due to delays from park shutdowns, Disneyland’s dedication ceremony and overall focus on the park and its history is something that the Magic Kingdom appears to be missing.

Still, it’s worth mentioning that in terms of food, Disney World has delivered an extensive list of anniversary-themed snacks, as well as the recent opening of the Contemporary Resort’s Steakhouse 71 and EPCOT’s Space 220. The only problem is that Space 220 was supposed to have been open pre-anniversary, and these new event-themed additions require an additional cost to be enjoyed.

Let’s Hear From You

Only time will tell if Disney World’s “Most Magical Celebration” will improve throughout its 18-month run, but it would be hard to top Disneyland’s “Happiest Homecoming.” What are your thoughts? Do you agree that Disneyland did it better, or does WDW take the cake for you? 

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