Disneyland Park Celebrates Summer 2017 with New Enhancements for Classic Attractions

‘Fantasmic!’ Nighttime Spectacular Opens with New Magic on July 17,  the 62^nd Anniversary of the Disneyland Resort

Breathtaking New Views Await Guests on the Disneyland Railroad and Rivers of America Attractions, Reopening July 29

Guests visiting the Disneyland Resort this summer will experience new magic at both theme parks as classic attractions reopen at Disneyland Park in July and the Summer of Heroes festivities continue through Sept. 10 at Disney California Adventure Park, home of the thrilling and hilarious new attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!

Monday, July 17, marks both the anniversary of the 1955 grand opening of Disneyland and the premiere of a newly enhanced “Fantasmic!,” the popular nighttime spectacular.

Beginning July 29, the Disneyland Railroad will once again take guests on a Grand Circle Tour of Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom. Classic Rivers of America attractions – the Mark Twain Riverboat, Sailing Ship Columbia and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes –  will relaunch July 29 as well, bringing new adventures and breathtaking new views. Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island reopens Friday, June 16.

“Fantasmic!,” which tells the story of Mickey Mouse and his vivid imagination, returns to the Rivers of America in Frontierland with its classic theme song and engaging storyline guests have treasured for 25 years. Mickey’s exploration now features new scenes with characters from “Aladdin,” “Tangled,” “The Lion King” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.” One dazzling sequence finds Aladdin and Jasmine discovering “A Whole New World” as they float on their flying carpet over a bed of fog on the Rivers of America.

Those sensational “Fantasmic!” adventures come alive with new mist screens and innovative, state-of-the-art projection technology to create visuals that are brighter and more vibrant than ever before.

The Disneyland Railroad, one of the park’s original attractions, returns with its iconic steam-powered locomotives for new adventures. The Disneyland Railroad will now travel across the rocks on a trestle that extends out into the Rivers of America, and for the first time ever it will make a left-hand turn on its tour of the park. Along the way, guests will enjoy a view of Walt Disney’s legendary Dioramas of the Grand Canyon and Primeval World, which have been carefully restored to their original splendor with a bit of new magic added to both.

Guests on board the Disneyland Railroad also will discover a breathtaking new view along the north bank of Rivers of America. A gorgeous new Columbia Gorge section highlighted by five new picturesque waterfalls can be seen from the trains as well as from the Mark Twain Riverboat, Sailing Ship Columbia and Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes. This new adventure complements the scenes guests have come to know and cherish through the years. Landscapes inspired by four of America’s majestic rivers–the Mississippi, the Columbia, the Missouri and the Rio Grande–are carefully recreated, complete with indigenous rock formations, natural forests and wildlife, and the waterfalls.

In addition to the returning classics in Frontierland and New Orleans Square, the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade continues nightly performances in Disneyland through Aug. 20, featuring such favorite scenes as Cinderella’s ball, the appearance (and disappearance) of Elliot, the smoke-breathing, tail-wagging “Pete’s Dragon,” and the glittering “To Honor America” finale.

At Disney California Adventure, guests experience an epic new adventure and high-energy thrills on Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! It’s the only Disney attraction in the universe where guests step into a Guardians of the Galaxy story, as they help Rocket rescue this cosmic gang of misfits. With multiple ride profiles, guests never know which adventure they’ll encounter.

About the Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney California Adventure Park – plus three hotels and the Downtown Disney District, comprising unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort’s hotels are the luxurious, 948-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which also features 50 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club units; the magical, 973-room Disneyland Hotel – both AAA Four Diamond properties – and the 481-room Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel with its “day-at-the-beach” theme. For information on attractions and vacations at the Disneyland Resort, visit Disneyland.com, call (866) 43-DISNEY or contact local travel agents. Located in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort opened July 17, 1955. Open daily, year-round.