Disneyland ResortPress Release

Disneyland: ‘Wondrous Journeys’ Fact Sheet

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‘Wondrous Journeys’ Fact Sheet

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The all-new nighttime spectacular “Wondrous Journeys” debuts at Disneyland Park on Jan. 27, 2023, during the Disney100 anniversary celebration at the Disneyland Resort. A tribute to 100 years of Walt Disney Animation Studios, this new spectacular by Disney Live Entertainment features nods to all of the iconic studio’s films to date in a journey filled with artistry, music, storytelling and heart. Walt’s original magic kingdom becomes a magnificent canvas with lighting effects, projections and more. “Wondrous Journeys” ignites the dreamer in all of us, illustrating the possibilities, excitement, heartache and determination we all face when working to make our dreams come true.

The show will run nightly, enhanced with sparkling fireworks on select evenings. Guests can check Disneyland.com or the Disneyland app* for show times.

To celebrate The Walt Disney Company's 100th anniversary, an all-new nighttime spectacular will debut at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., on Jan. 27, 2023. 'Wondrous Journeys' will ignite the wonder in all of us and feature nods to every Walt Disney Animation Studios film to date, taking viewers on a journey filled with artistry, music, storytelling and heart. Disney 100 Years of Wonder (Disney100) will be the biggest celebration in the history of the company. (Artist Concept/Disneyland Resort)
(Artist Concept/Disneyland Resort)

 

Dazzling details of ‘Wondrous Journeys’

  • The nighttime spectacular weaves in music, characters and moments from every film released by Walt Disney Animation Studios over the past century, including “Hercules,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Peter Pan,” “Treasure Planet,” “Big Hero 6,” “Frozen” and the upcoming “Wish.”
  • State-of-the-art projection effects surround guests with blank pieces of paper, pencil sketches and splashes of color, as the artistry of animators breathes life into beloved characters ranging from Mickey Mouse and Bambi to Ariel and Mirabel.
  • MagicBand+ enhances “Wondrous Journeys” by glowing with color and pulsing with haptic vibrations along with the show.
  • The projections are customized for each primary viewing area – Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle, Rivers of America and the façade of “it’s a small world” – creating a unique experience for each location.
  • During a climactic moment in the story, the thumping bass of the song “Immortals” from “Big Hero 6” can be heard as Baymax takes to the skies over Disneyland Park (for the first time!) with his rocket boosters propelling him into the night.
  • Butterflies appear as a recurring motif throughout “Wondrous Journeys,” representing a physical manifestation of wonder. Butterflies are a wonder of nature and show up regularly in Walt Disney Animation Studios films, from “Alice in Wonderland” and “Winnie the Pooh” to “Tarzan” and “Encanto.”
  • 18 Disney songs are heard throughout “Wondrous Journeys,” including the original song, “It’s Wondrous.” The new song features music and lyrics by Duddy Brown and GRAMMY® Award-winning artist Alex Geringas.
  • The musical score was recorded by an 80-piece orchestra and includes 16 lead vocalists and a 33-voice choir.

 

To celebrate The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary, an all-new nighttime spectacular by Disney Live Entertainment, “Wondrous Journeys,” will debut at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., on Jan. 27, 2023. “Wondrous Journeys” will feature nods to every Walt Disney Animation Studios film over the past century, including “Encanto,” as depicted in this concept art. “Wondrous Journeys” will turn Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle, the façade of “it’s a small world” and the Rivers of America into an artist’s canvas with lighting effects, customized projections and more. On select nights, “Wondrous Journeys” will go even bigger with the addition of sparkling fireworks. (Artist Concept/Disneyland Resort)
“Wondrous Journeys” Nighttime Spectacular at Disneyland Park – “Encanto” Sequence

Cast member quotes

Jordan Peterson, Show Director for Disney Live Entertainment

  • “‘Wondrous Journeys’ honors the legacy of Walt Disney Animation Studios through a story that mirrors the journey of an artist: starting out with big dreams, buckling down to do some really hard work and finally seeing something that you dreamt about for so long come true. Along the way, all Walt Disney Animation Studios films to date come to life through brand new projections, special effects and an amazing score.”

Roger Gould, Creative Director for Walt Disney Animation Studios

  • “To curate the moments brought to life in ‘Wondrous Journeys,’ we gathered a trust of Disney Animation artists and directors to discuss their favorite memories and which stories made them fall in love with animation. We also partnered closely with Disney Live Entertainment from the very beginning to develop a story that reflected on an extraordinary century of artistry.”

Christopher Lennertz, Composer, Music Director and Arranger

  • “What sets Disney Animation apart is the ability to bring so many iconic songs together and experience the sum of all those feelings, while still celebrating them individually. When guests hear the musical score for ‘Wondrous Journeys,’ we hope they will feel as if they’re experiencing these stories for the first time again.”