Welcome to this week’s roundup of the latest Disney theme park news. This week’s theme is all things 2025, with Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort rounding out their calendars of seasonal events, attraction opening timelines, and much more.
If you have a 2025 vacation in the works for either Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort, this is the week you’ll want to pay attention, jot some notes, and mark your calendars.
Disneyland Reveals 70th Anniversary Celebration Timeline and Details
We’re kicking things off over at Disneyland Resort, where the timeline and key details were unveiled for the 70th Anniversary Celebration. The resort turns 70 on July 17, 2025, but the party will start a couple of months prior on May 16. The 70th Anniversary festivities will remain at Disneyland Resort all the way though summer 2026, giving fans over a year to visit and take part in the celebration.
We also learned some details regarding the offerings that will take place during the 70th. Walt Disney — A Magical Life, the highly-anticipated show that features the first-ever Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic figure, will open at the Main Street Opera House in Disneyland Park on May 16.
There will be plenty of entertainment to enjoy as part of the 70th Anniversary Celebration. Disneyland Park will host the return of Paint the Night and Wondrous Journeys, the fan-favorite nighttime parade and fireworks spectacular. At California Adventure, fans can check out a new version of World of Color called “World of Color Happiness!”
The 70th Anniversary Celebration will also feature a new daytime cavalcade, the return of Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration, new nighttime projection shows, and more!
READ MORE: DISNEYLAND RESORT’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION GUIDE
Full 2025 Calendar of Events Announced For Disneyland Resort
In addition to the 70th Anniversary Celebration details, Disneyland also unveiled its lineup of festivals and seasonal events for 2025 this week. Early key events include Lunar New Year, which returns from January 17 through February 16, the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, which returns February 28 through April 21, and Star Wars Season of the Force, returning from March 28 through May 11.
Disneyland will also be home to four Disneyland After Dark events: Sweetheart’s Nite, 90s Nite, Star Wars Nite, and Pride Nite.
In the summer and fall, Halloween and the Holidays retain their usual schedules. Halloween Time begins on August 22 and runs through October 31, with Oogie Boogie Bash beginning a few nights prior on August 17 and continues on select evenings through October 31. The Holiday season will run from November 14 through January 7, 2026.
READ MORE: DISNEYLAND RESORT IN 2025 PLANNING GUIDE
DINOSAUR To Remain Open Throughout 2025 at Walt Disney World
Over to Walt Disney World now, where we saw a flurry of updates this week regarding the resort’s 2025 calendar as well. A lot of work will begin in 2025 bringing new rides and attractions to the parks, including the Tropical Americas land coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2027.
The Tropical Americas land will be located in the current home of DinoLand U.S.A., which means our beloved dinos will soon go extinct. Several of the land’s offerings will close in January so work can begin, but we learned this week that the land’s flagship ride, DINOSAUR, will remain open throughout the entirety of 2025.
DINOSAUR will close permanently at some point in 2026 to make way for the Tropical Americas land. So if you needed more time to “get that dino” one final time, this should bring a sigh of relief!
READ MORE: TIMELINE OF MAJOR CHANGES COMING TO WALT DISNEY WORLD AND BEYOND
Opening Timelines Updated For New Lounges Coming to Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World has a lineup of openings throughout 2025 that I’m personally pretty excited for, and we learned more about when we can expect these offerings to open this week. At EPCOT, it was reveled that Spaceship Earth Lounge will open in late spring 2025.
We also learned that the new version of Test Track will open in late summer 2025.
Over in Magic Kingdom, the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge will open later in the year — late 2025 to be precise; we don’t know any more specific information beyond that at this time.
New offerings coming to Walt Disney World in 2025 include new parades and live entertainment (more on that in a sec!), a new Zootopia show at the theater inside Tree of Life, and more.
READ MORE: WALT DISNEY WORLD IN 2025 PLANNING GUIDE
Disneyland Resort Announces Southern California Resident Ticket Deal For Early 2025
As we head into 2025, more promotions and special offers are rolling out, including a new one this week from Disneyland Resort. If you live in Southern California, you’re likely used to seeing the SoCal Resident Ticket Deal pop up from time to time. It’s back for quite a while at the start of 2025, with tickets valid from January 1 through May 15, 2025.
A one park per day ticket starts at $67 per day, with a 3-day, one park per day ticket costing $199 (with Lightning Lane $295) and a 3-day Park Hopper ticket costing $289 (with Lightning Lane $385).
READ MORE: WAYS TO SAVE ON A WALT DISNEY WORLD VACATION
Avengers Reserve Opens at Downtown Disney
After a soft opening on Wednesday, Avengers Reserve has officially opened at Downtown Disney in Disneyland Resort.
The new shopping destination sells, you guessed it, all things Marvel. The shop joins D-Lander Shop as a new location available at Downtown Disney. You’ll also spot a fun photo op with The Hulk outside the store’s main entrance.
Names Revealed For New Entertainment Offerings Coming to Disney World in 2025
We have a final few quick updates from Walt Disney World concerning some of the new entertainment offerings coming in 2025. We have full names and logos for the new Magic Kingdom nighttime parade and Hollywood Studios stage show, both opening in the summer of 2025.
Disney Starlight’s full name will be Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away. The new Disney villains stage show will be called Disney Villains Unfairly Ever After.
Also opening in the summer is The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’ll be a busy summer of multiple new entertainment offerings!
Menu Items Revealed For Wailulu Bar & Grill at Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
We’re less than two weeks away from the grand opening of the newest Disney Vacation Club property, Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.
Once open, Island Tower will feature new resort accommodations available for booking via cash and DVC points, along with a new lineup of amenities for its guests. It will also feature new dining, including the table service restaurant Wailulu Bar & Grill. Disney revealed a first look at some of the menu items that will be featured here, including Sweet Potato Hummus with Breadfruit Tostones and Spiced Ham Musubi.
Wailulu Bar & Grill at Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows opens with the hotel tower on December 17.
